9 days · Trabzon → Mardin
Private 9-Day Black Sea & Mesopotamia: Uzungöl, Ayder, Gaziantep, Göbeklitepe & Mardin
Overview
Two very different Turkeys in nine days: the rainy, green Black Sea mountains and the golden plains of Upper Mesopotamia, linked by a domestic flight. You start at Trabzon Airport and end at Mardin Airport (MQM).
Your own licensed guide every day: every departure includes a private, licensed English-speaking guide plus a private vehicle and driver – only your group, never strangers. Prices are per person and get lower the more people travel together (1 to 8 travellers).
The first three days cover Sümela, Uzungöl and the Ayder Plateau. Then the tour moves south to Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa and Mardin – home to Göbeklitepe (UNESCO, about 11,600 years old), the Zeugma mosaics and some of Turkey’s best food.
Highlights
- Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe – Neolithic sanctuaries older than Stonehenge and the pyramids.
- Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep, including the “Gypsy Girl” mosaic.
- Halfeti boat trip on the Euphrates and Harran’s beehive houses.
- Mardin old town, Deyrulzafaran Monastery and the stone village of Midyat.
Entrance fees: not included, so you only pay for the sites you want. We recommend the Museum Pass Türkiye (about €165 per person), which covers most museums and archaeological sites on this route.
Highlights
- Private licensed English-speaking guide and driver every day
- Green Black Sea highlands and ancient Upper Mesopotamia in one trip
- Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe – the world’s oldest known monumental sites
- Zeugma mosaics and baklava in Gaziantep
- The stone city of Mardin above the Mesopotamian plain
- Private drivers in each region; Black Sea part runs May–October
Day by day
Pick-up at Trabzon Airport, visit Sümela Monastery and continue to Uzungöl for the evening.
Overnight: Uzungöl.
Route map
Included
- Private licensed English-speaking guide for your group every day of the tour, plus a separate private driver. Guide accommodation and expenses are included.
- Private vehicle and driver on the Black Sea and a separate private vehicle and driver in Mesopotamia; fuel, parking and tolls.
- 8 nights in 3–4 star and boutique hotels: Uzungöl, Ayder, 2 in Gaziantep, 2 in Şanlıurfa, 2 in Mardin.
- 8 breakfasts.
- All airport transfers, Halfeti boat trip.
Not included
- Entrance fees to museums and archaeological sites (pay on the spot). Tip: the Museum Pass Türkiye (about €165 per person) covers most sites on this route and saves time at the gates. Flights, lunches and dinners unless stated, drinks, personal expenses and tips.
- Domestic flight to Gaziantep and international flights are not included (we can book them).
- Personal travel insurance is not included; we recommend purchasing it before travel.
Your guide & vehicle
A licensed English-speaking guide accompanies you every day, with a private air-conditioned vehicle and professional driver sized to your group.
Price per person by group size
1 pax
$10,030
2 pax
$5,190
3 pax
$3,850
4 pax
$3,190
5 pax
$2,790
6 pax
$2,520
7 pax
$2,330
8 pax
$2,190
per person · 9+ → Groups over 8 — request a custom quote
Frequently asked questions
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