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Tour Detail
Day 1: Istanbul - Double Minaret Medrese - Taş Han Oltu Stone - Erzurum Çağ Kebab - Ulu Mosque - Pasinler - Çobandede Bridge - Eastern Express Train Journey
On the first day of our New Year Special Eastern Express Tour to Turkey's East Erzurum Kars Van, we meet our guests at 07:30 at Sabiha Gökçen Airport, AJet Check-in counter, and complete our Check-In procedures for the 07:30 flight to Erzurum with ID card or driver's license. After approximately a 2-hour flight, we meet with our vehicle and guide waiting for us at Erzurum Airport, and after a breakfast break (extra), we reach Erzurum, the gateway to Anatolia, which was connected to the Ottoman Empire by Yavuz Sultan Selim in 1517.
We observe the Double Minaret Medrese built either by Hundi Hatun, the daughter of Alaattin Keykubat, or by the Padişah Hatun of the Ilkhanate dynasty, visit the Ulu Mosque constructed in 1179 during the reign of Saltuklu Melik Nasirüddin Muhammed Bey, and after shopping for Oltu Stone at the Taş Han, built in 1561 by Rüstem Pasha, who was both the grand vizier and son-in-law of Suleiman the Magnificent, known to alleviate rheumatism pain and significantly strengthen the nervous system, we leave Erzurum.
We will enjoy a pleasant train journey on the Eastern Express from Erzurum to Kars, which will take approximately five hours, and then we board our vehicle waiting for us at Kars train station and reach our hotel in Kars. Accommodation will be at our hotel.
Day 2: Ani Ruins - Menuçerh Mosque - Cathedral - Bloody Bastion - Çıldır Lake - Horse Sleds - Caucasian Night - Poet Duel
On the second day of our New Year Special Eastern Express Tour to Turkey's East Erzurum Kars Van, after having the first breakfast of the year at our hotel, we depart from Kars, which was given to the Ottomans after the Brest-Litovsk Agreement in 1918 following the Bolshevik Revolution, and arrive at Ani, which became the capital of the Armenian Dynasty after being conquered by Sultan Alp Arslan in 1064 after a 25-day siege, where we will visit the Picture Church built in 1215 by a trader from Ani named Tigran Honents, the Great Cathedral completed in 1001 by Queen Katranide after the death of her husband, King II. Sembat, and the Menuçerh Mosque built in 1072 by Ebû'l Menuçehr Bey, which is the first Turkish mosque in Anatolia.
After visiting the Caucasian Front War History Museum, known as "Yeni Tabya," built in 1803 during the reign of Sultan III. Selim, and used for defense during the Russian attack of 1828, the Kars Victory of 1855, and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, we travel along the Arpa River, which forms the Turkey-Armenia border, and reach Çıldır Lake, which is 1959 meters above sea level, has a maximum depth of 42 m, and is a natural dam lake formed by lava flow, where guests can either enjoy a horse sled ride or take plenty of photos as the lake is usually frozen during winter. After our visit to Çıldır Lake, we return to our hotel in Kars. Accommodation and dinner will be at our hotel.
Day 3: Kars Castle - Kümbet Mosque - Digor - Ishak Pasha Palace - Tuzluca Cave - Tendürek Pass - Muradiye Waterfall
On the third day of our New Year Bayram Special Eastern Express Tour to Turkey's East Erzurum Kars Van, after having breakfast at our hotel, we visit the famous Kars Cheese and the local shops where we can do traditional shopping such as Glavyer cheese. We begin our city tour in Kars, which was under Russian control for about 40 years after the 93 War between 1877 and 1878.
We visit the Hasan Harakani Tomb, where Hasan Harakani, who lived between 963-1033, was martyred in a battle with the Byzantine army at the foot of the Yahni Mountain, the Kümbet Mosque built by King Abbas of Bagrat in 932-937 AD, which has been used as a mosque since 1993, and the Stone Bridge built by Ottoman Sultan III. Murat upon the order of Lala Mustafa Pasha in 1579, and we observe Kars Castle, built by the Vizier Firuz Akay in 1152, panoramically.
Next, we visit Tuzluca, where a salt mine covers an area of 35 acres, which has recently gained attention; we will visit Tuzluca Cave (extra), and then we will travel towards Iğdır via the high-altitude Tendürek Pass, passing by the 5137-meter-high Ağrı Mountain. Upon arrival at Iğdır, we will have a lunch and shopping break and then visit the Ishak Pasha Palace, which started construction in 1685 by Çıldır Atabek Çolak Abdi Pasha and was completed in 1784 during the time of İshak Pasha from the same lineage, a 366-room building known as the first building in the world with a wall-heating system, where we will visit the Milk Fountain, Court Room, Dungeons, Harem, and Selamlık sections. We will take a photo break at Muradiye Waterfall, which drops approximately 50 meters over the Bend-i Mahi River, named after Sultan IV. Murat, who went to Baghdad. After our break, we will reach our hotel in Van. Dinner and accommodation will be at our hotel.
Day 4: Tuspa Castle - Lake Van - Savat Workshop and Cat House - Akdamar Island Boat Tour - Gagik Church
On the fourth day of our Eastern Tour of Turkey, after having breakfast at our hotel, guests who wish may have the opportunity to enjoy a Van breakfast (extra). We will learn about Savat Art, which is made from an alloy of silver, copper, lead, and sulfur with a black clay that means “black” in Arabic, and see the rare Van Cats before leaving Van, where we will visit the Van Castle overlooking the Urartians, built by Urartian King I. Sarduri between 840-825 BC, which is 1800 m long, 120 m wide, and 80 m high, where we will view Sardur Tower, the male and female open-air temple of Argişti I, and the rock graves of the founders Menua and II. Sarduri.
We will then depart from Van, located in the foothills of Mount Erek at 3250m, and head towards Gevaş, located at the foothills of the extinct volcano Artos at 3550m, where we will embark on our boat for a 30-minute journey across Lake Van, which is salty and soapy, at an elevation of 1646 m, 120 km long and 80 km wide, before we reach Akdamar Island (extra), where we will visit the Gagik Church, built between 915-921 by King I. Gagik for Saint Manuel. After completing our boat tour, we return to Gevaş. We will visit a Urartian rug shop to learn about local rug and carpet weaving.
After a brief break, we will go to Akdamar Peynirciliğe, where you can purchase delicious honey produced in Karakovan, and have a shopping break. After our shopping break, we start our journey to Van Airport. We will check-in for our flight at 20:20 with AJet Airlines and fly to Istanbul at 20:20. After approximately 2 hours, we arrive at Sabiha Gökçen Airport and complete our tour.
