Great Eastern Turkey Tour (Bitlis - Van - Doğubeyazıt - Kars - Erzurum)
Tour Program
Sleeper train journey
SLEEPING TRAIN JOURNEY
We meet at 06:00 at Kadıköy Söğütlüçeşme train station and travel to Ankara by high-speed train. We gather at Ankara Station at 10:20 and begin our journey with the Van Lake Express’s 11:20 departure. We head toward Tatvan on a pleasant journey lasting 25 hours.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRAIN;
Sleeping Compartment (for 2 people)
Sleeping Berth Compartment (for 3 and 4 people)
The train has a restaurant section, and you can also obtain food and beverages from outside.
Accommodation: SLEEPING TRAIN
Accommodation: SLEEPING TRAIN
Sleeper train journey
SLEEPING TRAIN JOURNEY
We meet at 06:00 at Kadıköy Söğütlüçeşme train station and travel to Ankara by high-speed train. We gather at Ankara Station at 10:20 and begin our journey with the Van Lake Express’s 11:20 departure. We head toward Tatvan on a pleasant journey lasting 25 hours.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRAIN;
Sleeping Compartment (for 2 people)
Sleeping Berth Compartment (for 3 and 4 people)
The train has a restaurant section, and you can also obtain food and beverages from outside.
Accommodation: SLEEPING TRAIN
Accommodation: SLEEPING TRAIN
Bitlis-Ahlat-Tatvan
BİTLİS-AHLAT-TATVAN
TATVAN -AHLAT SELJUK CEMETERY -AHLAT RUINED CITY -BİTLİS
At 13:00, we board our vehicle waiting for us in Tatvan, first go for lunch, and after eating, we come to Ahlat. We visit the Ahlat Seljuk Cemeteries, the largest Turkish-Islamic cemetery from the early period. Here, among the tombstones, each of which is like a monument and some of which reach up to three and a half meters in height, you may feel as if you are touring an open-air museum. After the pleasant time we will spend in Ahlat, we check in to our hotel in Tatvan.
BREAKFAST :TRAIN (EXTRA )
LUNCH; TATVAN ( EXTRA)
DINNER; TATVAN HOTEL (INCLUDED IN THE TOUR)
ACCOMMODATION: TATVAN YEŞİLIRMAK MERİT HOTEL 4*
Bitlis-Ahlat-Tatvan
BİTLİS-AHLAT-TATVAN
TATVAN -AHLAT SELJUK CEMETERY -AHLAT RUINED CITY -BİTLİS
At 13:00, we board our vehicle waiting for us in Tatvan, first go for lunch, and after eating, we come to Ahlat. We visit the Ahlat Seljuk Cemeteries, the largest Turkish-Islamic cemetery from the early period. Here, among the tombstones, each of which is like a monument and some of which reach up to three and a half meters in height, you may feel as if you are touring an open-air museum. After the pleasant time we will spend in Ahlat, we check in to our hotel in Tatvan.
BREAKFAST :TRAIN (EXTRA )
LUNCH; TATVAN ( EXTRA)
DINNER; TATVAN HOTEL (INCLUDED IN THE TOUR)
ACCOMMODATION: TATVAN YEŞİLIRMAK MERİT HOTEL 4*
Akdamar Church - Van Castle (Panoramic) - Van Cat House
AKDAMAR CHURCH - VAN CASTLE (PANORAMIC) - CAT HOUSE VAN
AKDAMAR CHURCH - VAN CASTLE (PANORAMIC) - CAT HOUSE - GREAT URARTIAN MUSEUM - SILVER WORKSHOP - VAN CITY CENTER
After the open buffet breakfast we will have at the hotel in the morning, depart for Van. At 12:00, we board the boat waiting to transfer us to Akdamar Island and visit AKDAMAR ISLAND AND AKDAMAR CHURCH. Then, at 14:00, after having lunch, we first come to Tuşpa Castle, the old settlement. While getting information from our guide about this civilization at the foot of the castle, where the capital of the Urartian kingdom was established, our guests who wish at sunset can photograph the magnificent view of Lake Van from the top of the castle, and our guests who wish can sip their tea during our free time at the foot of the castle. Afterwards, we visit the Van Archaeology and Ethnography Museum, where artifacts from the Urartian Civilization, which dominated this geography about 3000 years ago, and many period pieces from Hakkari and the entire Eastern Anatolia region are exhibited, and which is one of the finest examples of the latest museum system. While touring the museum, witnessing different periods of history and the enchantment of the exhibited artifacts will affect you greatly. After our museum visit, following our short break, we visit the Van Cat House and settle into our hotel.
BREAKFAST; HOTEL OPEN BUFFET
LUNCH; EXTRA
DINNER; HOTEL
ACCOMMODATION VAN ROYAL MILANO 4*
Akdamar Church - Van Castle (Panoramic) - Van Cat House
AKDAMAR CHURCH - VAN CASTLE (PANORAMIC) - CAT HOUSE VAN
AKDAMAR CHURCH - VAN CASTLE (PANORAMIC) - CAT HOUSE - GREAT URARTIAN MUSEUM - SILVER WORKSHOP - VAN CITY CENTER
After the open buffet breakfast we will have at the hotel in the morning, depart for Van. At 12:00, we board the boat waiting to transfer us to Akdamar Island and visit AKDAMAR ISLAND AND AKDAMAR CHURCH. Then, at 14:00, after having lunch, we first come to Tuşpa Castle, the old settlement. While getting information from our guide about this civilization at the foot of the castle, where the capital of the Urartian kingdom was established, our guests who wish at sunset can photograph the magnificent view of Lake Van from the top of the castle, and our guests who wish can sip their tea during our free time at the foot of the castle. Afterwards, we visit the Van Archaeology and Ethnography Museum, where artifacts from the Urartian Civilization, which dominated this geography about 3000 years ago, and many period pieces from Hakkari and the entire Eastern Anatolia region are exhibited, and which is one of the finest examples of the latest museum system. While touring the museum, witnessing different periods of history and the enchantment of the exhibited artifacts will affect you greatly. After our museum visit, following our short break, we visit the Van Cat House and settle into our hotel.
BREAKFAST; HOTEL OPEN BUFFET
LUNCH; EXTRA
DINNER; HOTEL
ACCOMMODATION VAN ROYAL MILANO 4*
What's Included
Outbound train ticket (sleeper)
Return plane ticket
4 nights luxury hotel accommodation
4 breakfasts
3 dinners
Transfers by vehicle
Travel insurance
Refreshments on board
Licensed guide
Agency escort
Not Included
Food on the train
Entrance fees for archaeological sites
Lunches
Akdamar Island boat transfer fee
1 Dinner
Caucasus Night
General Information
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The balloon viewing tour is not conducted in conditions where the balloons do not take off due to unsuitable weather conditions. This activity is carried out by renting a tour vehicle or a vehicle different from the tour vehicle; if there are not enough participants or if a different vehicle is not available, this extra tour may not take place.
The specified extra tours, activities, and programs may or may not take place depending on the density of the regions and the timing of the tour program; the guide has the right not to carry out extra programs and activities when deemed appropriate. If the minimum number is not reached, the specified extra tours and activities may not be carried out. In such cases, the fee for extra activities or programs that have been collected will be refunded in full or with a certain discount (for reasons such as cancellation due to adverse weather conditions or similar force majeure, but where the activity area was visited and the reservation was necessarily made).
During the tour, a seat number promise or guarantee cannot be given under any circumstances. Please do not insist.
Our vehicles depart at the specified times from the designated departure points for each tour; please be ready at the departure point at least 5 minutes before departure time. Our vehicles depart at the scheduled time. Guests who are late and unable to join the tour cannot claim any rights.
Before the tour participation date, the contact number of the tour staff will be sent as a text message to the phone number you provided during reservation. Please make sure the contact number you provide is correct. Otherwise, responsibility lies with you.
When children under 18 who are not considered adults do not join the tour with one or both of their parents, the consent forms required for participation in the tour must be kept with them during the trip.
If deemed necessary by the guide due to adverse weather conditions, heavy traffic, crowding in the region, or the density of places to be visited, the guide has the right to make changes to the timing, program flow, and visiting area, provided that the tour program is carried out. Hotels specified in the program may be changed as long as they are similar in terms of standards and location.
Our tour is a package consisting of guiding, transportation, accommodation, and excursions, and cannot be considered separately. Unused transportation, accommodation, excursions, etc. rights are not refunded. If sufficient participation is not achieved, the tour may be postponed to another date, guests may be transferred to a different tour program, or the tour may be canceled and the fees of the purchasing guests refunded, provided that guests are informed in advance. In such a case, our agency is obliged to notify our guests personally 1 (one) day in advance. The minimum number of participants is 25 people.
Turlasana.com is certainly not responsible for places that cannot be visited in our tour program due to force majeure (weather, road conditions, congestion at places to be visited, places/regions closed due to special days or renovation works, etc.) and/or because our guests do not comply with the timing given by our guide.
When the agency cannot reach the sufficient number, in order not to cancel the tour, it may send its guests to another agency with the same or a similar tour program; in this way, our guests can carry out the tour program they purchased without disrupting their holiday plans.
The return times of the tours may vary depending on traffic congestion; a clear and exact return time is not given.
In accommodation tours, the 0–6 age child discount is valid for one child accompanied by two adults.
Our foreign guests who are not citizens of the Republic of Türkiye do not pay any additional difference on this tour. Since the museum card application is specific to citizens of the Republic of Türkiye, a museum card is not provided. The latest published circular supersedes the previous circular.
Additional Information
RECOMMENDATIONS
Comfortable walking shoes or sneakers should be preferred during the trip.
For the night, do not forget to bring a cardigan or similar clothing, lip balm and a hat since all our excursions will take place during the day, a small bag for your shopping, and of course, most importantly, a camera and spare memory card, charger kit, and spare battery.
RESERVATION DETAILS
As a result of the reservation you made online, your tour registration approval will be sent to the email address you specified.
You may participate in our tour after the tour registration approval reaches you. Guests who do not receive the tour approval email cannot participate in our tour.
During reservation, please provide us with your Turkish ID number and your date of birth as day, month, and year.
It is mandatory to provide the necessary contact information for the person making the reservation. Turlasana.com is not responsible for any possible problems that may arise if incomplete information is provided to us.
VEHICLES TO BE USED
Our vehicles used on tours are determined according to the number of people, road conditions, and regional conditions; no promise can be made regarding the type of vehicles to be used on tours.
All vehicles used in our tours are tourism vehicles.
For 38 people and above: Otokar Doruk, Mercedes Travego – Tourismo, Man Fortuna, Mitsubishi Safir, Neoplan Tourliner-Cityliner; up to 31 people: luxury Otokar Sultan Maxi; up to 27 people: luxury Isuzu Novo – Isuzu Turkuaz - Otokar Sultan; up to 15 people: luxury Mercedes Sprinter – Volkswagen Crafter vehicles are used.