Archaeology tour of Eastern Turkey
For solo travellers that want to guarantee a private room, a single supplement of £545 would apply.
The price is subject to change with exchange rate and flight cost fluctuations.
Description of Archaeology tour of Eastern Turkey
Eastern Turkey is one of the most important regions for understanding the origins of settled human civilisation, and this expertly guided archaeology tour brings together a remarkable concentration of sites. Travelling from Istanbul into Anatolia, you explore landscapes that have shaped human development for millennia, from Hittite capitals to early farming communities and monumental ritual centres. This is a journey designed for travellers with an interest in archaeology and ancient history, offering time, context and informed interpretation rather than rushed sightseeing.
At the heart of the itinerary is Gobekli Tepe, widely regarded as one of the most significant archaeological discoveries ever made. Predating Stonehenge by thousands of years, its vast stone circles have transformed understanding of Neolithic society, belief systems and social organisation. Visits are carefully paced and guided, allowing space to absorb both the physical scale of the site and its wider implications. Related sites such as Karahan Tepe, as well as museum collections in Urfa, deepen the narrative, and place Gobekli Tepe within its broader regional context.
Elsewhere, the itinerary spans everything from the sculpted head statues atop Mount Nemrut to the ceremonial landscapes of Hattusa and the ongoing excavations at Catalhoyuk, as you encounter places that represent turning points in human history. Cappadocia adds another layer, with its underground cities, rock cut churches and long inhabited valleys revealing how people adapted ingeniously to their environment and to threat. Throughout, deeply knowledgeable local guides bring clarity and coherence, bringing these sites to life with the compelling stories behind them.
Accommodation, transport and pace are arranged to support focused exploration, with internal flights used where necessary to reach remote regions efficiently. Small group sizes allow meaningful discussion at each site, while the use of experienced local guides ensures both academic insight and practical understanding of the terrain. Subtle engagement with local communities and museums adds contemporary perspective, but the emphasis remains firmly on the sites themselves. This archaeology tour of eastern Turkey is a richly rewarding journey.
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Price information
For solo travellers that want to guarantee a private room, a single supplement of £545 would apply.
The price is subject to change with exchange rate and flight cost fluctuations.
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Reviews
6 Reviews of Archaeology tour of Eastern Turkey
Reviewed on 06 Jun 2026 by Nichola Walker
It was wonderful. We had our own arrangements in Istanbul at the beginning of our holiday but the host company made the transition to our tour seamless. The organisers in the United Kingdom were easy to communicate with and the team in Turkey were in touch with us the day we arrived and communicated with us with schedules etc as our holiday progressed. Read full reviewReviewed on 25 Oct 2025 by Ian Husband
Virtually all of the historical sights. Brilliant. 5 stars. Read full reviewReviewed on 09 Jun 2025 by Rod Sutherland
It was one of the best holidays we have ever taken and we travel quite frequently. It inspired us to see more parts of Turkey and this part of the world. Read full reviewReviewed on 18 Oct 2025 by Vijaya Satchidanandam
I enjoyed my holiday, did what I could best do to avoid all kinds of waste and learnt as much as I could about the local language, figures of speech, customs, food, etc. Visit to Goebekle Tepe, Karahan tepe and Chatal Hoyuk. Read full reviewReviewed on 23 Sep 2024 by Tracy Dearing
Visiting Gobekli Tepe, Harahan Tepe, Hattusa, Gordion and the museums. The trip was as expected from the itinerary. The tour group was only 8 people which suited me. The guides were knowledgeable and accommodating. I am very glad that I took the trip. Read full reviewReviewed on 23 May 2024 by Wendy Sanders
Turkiye is such a varied country that it's hard to pin down one part as most memorable, but I'll say Cappadocia was the highlight. The terrain is truly unique and Mustafa, our guide, was exceptional. Read full reviewResponsible Travel
Planet
We ensure our guides are mindful about protecting the environment in which you travel, and they do a fantastic job of promoting having a minimum impact to the environment whilst travelling. We ask you to be vigilant about disposing of your waste and recycle where possible. During your trip you will be asked if you have any waste to dispose of when it is a suitable time in the itinerary. This ensures we make it as easy as possible for our travellers to be eco-friendly whilst traveling.We strongly advise all travellers to bring a reusable water bottle - this is an easy way to save plastic waste and is detailed in our ‘What to bring’ trip notes for all trips to all destinations. Your guide will remind you where and when you can fill up your re-usable water bottle.
Although this itinerary contains three internal flights we have considered these necessary for the logistics of making this tour possible and beneficial to local communities. As a responsible tour operator we do our best to reduce air travel where possible due to the effect on the environment - however sometimes the benefits that remote communities receive would not be possible due to the bad road conditions and great distances involved.
We run only small-group tours, mainly to accentuate the experience for paying clients, but also to minimise the ecological footprint we leave behind. Regular tours consisting of no more than 4-5 means that transport needs are much reduced, and carbon emissions therefore limited.
People
As regular travellers, one thing that never ceases to amaze and inspire us is the kindness and generosity of local people, often people who have very little to their name. We firmly believe that they are who make these places special should and that they should benefit from our visit. Therefore, as first preference, we use local guides and locally-owned lodges, shops and eateries. We do our best to ensure that the benefits of our tours reach as widely as possible into the communities where they operate. We also support a small portfolio of charities and local grassroots organisations.To illustrate our commitment to community-minded travel experience, in Van we take small groups to interact with at a Turkish Van feline centre and a weaving centre. Cats are integral to social cohesion in eastern Turkey. For centuries these beautiful animals have been exalted for their many qualities. Their fame and popularity is the glue that keeps small rural community working in compassionate animal breeding. We also watch weavers make kilims, perhaps the most universal and enduring symbol of rural Turkey.
In Turkey our ground handlers use local drivers and staff, who ensure that all supplies are purchased locally for all journeys. Our belief is that all operational costs should go directly into the local economy wherever possible. Improving employment opportunities in remote regions is a powerful tool in tourism and something that goes right to the heart of our responsible travel ethos.
Owing to the very nature of an archaeology tour, interaction with local communities is more limited. Nevertheless, local economies are enriched by the very remoteness of certain historical sites, in particular the cottage industries that spring up around them.
Believing strongly in investment in the local country level, we enjoy long-term partnerships with locally-based organisers, who in turn rely on a workforce recruited from grassroots level. Depending on the tour, we will always include marginalised communities either in active employment, or to provide paid services to our clients.
This tour visits destinations that would be difficult to travel to via road or train, and the communities that live there welcome the off the beaten track traveller with open arms.
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