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.
Check dates, prices & availability
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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
CARBON REDUCTIONTransport involves communal travel wherever possible, so the effects of single person transport will be minimised as much as they can be. Local transport is not easily available in many areas, but particularly in the cities and larger towns we try to organise sightseeing so that it can be done on foot or, in Istanbul, using their tram system. Also, keeping our groups small (twelve maximum) means there is no need for huge coaches, and we can instead use smaller minibus-style vehicles.
Most diets can be catered for, including vegetarians who we frequently accommodate on this tour. We utilise local restaurants and partnerships with local people to ensure we are minimising impacts of economic leakage and also the carbon impacts of imported food.
ENVIRONMENT & WILDLIFE
We always use local guides and drivers who have intimate knowledge of the places you visit and how they are fairing in terms of restoration, degradation, and therefore how best to navigate responsibly. We always ask our clients to respect our outlook on this, in being mindful of rubbish, and trying to recycle whenever you can.
We encourage all our clients to bring a reusable water bottle, ideally with a filtration system to replace the need for single-use plastics. We offer a free Water-To-Go bottle (just pay for postage) to all of our UK-based clients when they book, which provides a great chance to try out these amazing filtered bottles in the hopes of converting more travellers to using them on all of their travels.
People
LOCAL ECONOMYAs 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 and that they should benefit from our visit so we do our best to ensure that the benefits of our tours reach as widely as possible into the communities where they operate.
All of our tours in Turkey are led by fantastic local guides, and transport provided by local drivers who ensure that all supplies are purchased locally for your journey. Our first preference for accommodation and restaurants is always locally-owned places as opposed to global chains, as this is often a better experience, but also minimises the economic leakage from tourism spending.
Owing to the very nature of an archaeology tour, interaction with local communities is more limited than other styles of trave. Nevertheless, local economies are enriched by the very remoteness of certain historical sites, in particular the cottage industries that spring up around them.
EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY, AND DIVERSITY
One thing which is true across all of the countries in which we operate is that we are passionate about ensuring the partners we have on the ground are those with the best knowledge of them. Our local operater in Turkey is staffed by Turkish people from a variety of regions, thus diversifying the representation and ensuring we are providing an inherently more authentic experience.
All of our guides, drivers, and other staff are paid at least minimum wage, if not a living wage or above for fair compensation of the incredible work they do.
Our partners employ women guides in all countries, and we are LGBTQ+ friendly on all of our trips. We are always willing to have discussions with those who may have questions about safety on the ground, visibility, and any other concerns to ensure that our clients are comfortable and confident whilst on our trips.
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