Istanbul Departure / Round-Trip Flight and Eastern Express Tour (Van–Doğubayazıt–Kars–Erzurum)
Tour Detail
We present to you, our valued guests, the special program of our company, which organized a record TRAIN TOUR in the 2023-2024 SEASON and achieved 100%100 satisfaction..
Places to Visit: VAN-DOĞUBEYAZIT-KARS-ERZURUM
Tour Program
Day 1: Overnight Train Journey
Meet at Kadıköy Söğütlüçeşme train station at 05:30 and depart for Ankara by high-speed train.
Additionally, our guests (from Gebze-İzmit-Arifiye-Bilecik-Bozüyük-Eskişehir) can join us from the YHT stops.
Gather at Ankara Station at 10:20 and begin our journey with the Van Gölü Express departing at 11:20. We head towards Tatvan on a pleasant 25-hour trip.
Day 2: Tatvan/Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery/Ahlat Ruined City/Bitlis
At 13:00, we board the vehicle waiting for us in Tatvan, first have lunch and then arrive in Ahlat. We visit the Ahlat Seljuk Tombs, the largest Turkish-Islamic cemetery from the early period. Here, you can feel as if you are walking through an open-air museum among tombstones, each of which is monumental in nature, with some reaching up to three and a half meters in height. After our enjoyable time in Ahlat, we depart for Tatvan and check into our hotel there. Dinner will be at the hotel.
Day 3: Akdamar Church/Van Fortress (Panoramic)/Cat House/Great Urartu Museum/Silver Workshop/Van City Center
After our buffet breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we head towards Akdamar Island. Along with the unique views of Lake Van, we reach Edremit and then Gevaş. At 12:00, we board our boat (EXTRA) to reach one of the five islands located in the middle of Lake Van that is inhabited: Akdamar Island, home to one of the most important structures in Christian history, the Church of Gagik. After learning about the sad story of the lovers who could not be together on Akdamar Island and the history of the magnificent church named after King Gagik, and listening to our guide tell the tales of the wall reliefs—some of the finest examples of Armenian stone craftsmanship found in sacred texts—we board our boat again and return to Gevaş. We will have lunch by the shores of Lake Van. Those who wish can taste the pearl mullet, a delicacy specific to Van. After lunch, we first visit the ancient settlement of Tuşpa Fortress. While our guide shares information about this civilization at the foot of the fortress where the capital of the Urartu Kingdom was established, guests who wish can photograph the magnificent view of Lake Van from atop the fortress during sunset hours, while others can enjoy their tea during the free time provided at the foot of the fortress. Next, we visit the Van Archaeology and Ethnography Museum, which houses artifacts left by the Urartu Civilization, which ruled this region approximately 3000 years ago, along with many pieces from various periods collected from Hakkari and the entire Eastern Anatolia region; it is considered one of the finest examples of modern museum systems. As you explore the museum, witnessing different eras of history and being enchanted by the displayed artifacts will surely leave a deep impression. After our museum visit, following a short break, we stop by the Van Cat House before checking into our hotel.
Day 4: Muradiye Waterfall / Tendürek Waterfall / View of Mount Ararat / Ishak Pasha Palace / Tomb of Ahmedi Hani / Dogubeyazit Smugglers' Bazaar
After having our morning buffet breakfast, we depart from our hotel and head towards Doğubeyazıt. After a photo stop at Muradiye Waterfall on the Bendi Mahi River, we will pass through the Tendürek Mountain Pass (2644 m), observing the solidified lava flows, and while crossing the Çaldıran Plain, we will see the areas where historically significant battles took place. We continue our journey towards Doğubayazıt. Enchanted by the majestic presence of Mount Ararat, Turkey's highest peak at 5137 meters, we reach Doğubeyazıt after a photo stop. Following our lunch break, we visit the Ishak Pasha Palace, the last great monumental structure of the Ottoman Empire built in 1685 by II. Ishak Pasha and the Çıldıroğulları family and finalized in 1784 during the Tulip Era. Afterwards, we visit the tomb of Ahmed-i Hani, enjoy free time in the Doğubeyazıt Bazaar, board our bus, follow the Armenian border, and proceed to Kars, one of the largest medieval cities, before settling into our hotel.
Day 5: Çıldır Lake / Ani Ruins / Kars City Center
After breakfast at our hotel in the morning, we head to Ani. The Great Cathedral, the Painted Church, the Seljuk Palace, and Menuçehr Mosque, the first mosque built in Anatolia, are just a few of the historical monuments we will see here. After the guided explanations, after taking photos of Turkey's easternmost historic city one last time, our journey begins towards Lake Çıldır, the highest lake in Eastern Anatolia. Guests who wish can enjoy sled rides with dog sledding by the lake. (OUR LAKE ÇILDIR TOUR IS CONDUCTED DURING THE PERIODS WHEN THE LAKE IS FROZEN.) Afterwards, we have lunch consisting of fish caught by breaking the ice on the lake and arrive in Kars city center. We visit the Fethiye Mosque, one of the finest examples of Russian Baltic architecture. Then, we give you free time to explore the streets of Kars. Afterward, we visit a local products shop where you can purchase Kars' famous cheeses and honey. Until evening, we give you free time to stroll through streets showcasing some of the most beautiful examples of Russian architecture covered in snow. Later, we head back to our hotel.
For guests who wish, we go to watch the Caucasus Night.(extra)
You can attend the specially organized Kars Caucasus Night to witness the amazing performance of young people presenting the world-famous Caucasian folk dances of this beautiful city where Caucasian culture thrives. In this fun night, the figures performed by men dancing like eagles and the graceful dances of girls as if gliding over water will leave you in awe.
Day 6: Kars City Center/Kars Fortress (Panoramic)/Sarıkamış/Erzurum Çifte Minare/Ulu Camii/Erzurum Houses/Three Tombs/Yakutiye Madrasa/Oltucular Bazaar/Erzurum Leisure Time
After the buffet breakfast at the hotel, we begin exploring Kars. We visit Kars Castle (panoramic view) and Kümbet Mosque (formerly the Church of the Twelve Apostles), see the house where our famous poet Namık Kemal once lived, and explore the streets of Kars. Then, we pay our respects to the martyrs of Sarıkamış before heading to Erzurum. In Erzurum, our first stop will be the famous Çağ Kebapçısı. After lunch, we start our Erzurum tour with Yakutiye Medrese. Next, we visit Üç Kümbetler, Çifte Minareli Medrese, and Ulu Cami. Following these visits, we take a tea and coffee break in authentic Erzurum houses. We conclude our day with a visit to Taş Han, where we can admire Oltu stone, a famous local gem, and purchase items made from it. Then, we depart for Erzurum Airport.
✈️Erzurum-Istanbul (saw) 20:25 (In case of some flight disruptions, this may change to the New Airport)
Departure Points
- Istanbul-Kadıköy Söğütlüçeşme Train Station
- Erzurum-Istanbul (SAW)
What's Included
Outbound Flight Ticket
Return Flight Ticket
Kars-Erzurum Eastern Express Ticket
3 nights of luxury hotel accommodation
3 breakfasts
2 dinners
Transportation by vehicle
Travel insurance
Refreshments in the vehicle
Licensed guide
Agency accompaniment
Not Included
Day 1 Breakfast
1 Dinner
Food on the train
Archaeological site entrance fees
Lunches
Akdamar boat fee
Caucasus Night
General Information
I- PAYMENTS At the time of registration, at least 50% of the reservation fee must be paid, and the balance must be paid no later than 21 days before the start of the tour. If the payments specified within these periods are not made, the reservation will be cancelled. In this case, 35% of the total tour fee will be invoiced to the consumer as a cancellation penalty. The Tatilciniz Tourism customer acknowledges and undertakes that they will under no circumstances share their tourism credit card information with third parties. II- CANCELLATION - WITHDRAWAL - CHANGES Note: For Programs with flights, the reservation cannot be cancelled or refunded since cancellation cannot be made by the airline. 1- The travel agency may cancel the tour up to 3 days before the departure date if the required number of confirmed registrations is not reached or due to force majeure; in this case, the consumer has no right to compensation. 2- a- If the consumer requests cancellation or changes up to 30 days before the start of the tour, the full amount will be refunded. The consumer accepts and undertakes to pay Tatilciniz Tourism 35% of the tour fee if they request cancellation or changes 29-21 days before the start of the tour for any reason other than those documented by an official report from a fully equipped state hospital showing that the consumer or their first-degree relatives are prevented from their usual activities for 10 days due to illness or death, and 100% of the tour fee if the request is made less than 20 days before. There is no right to cancel reservations that have been postponed or changed. b- If the consumer wishes to cancel an Early Booking Discounted Product purchased during the discounted sales period for any reason, they accept and undertake to pay Tatilciniz Tourism the full tour fee. c- Guests who have purchased early booking insurance have the right to cancel their uninterrupted hotel reservations up to 72 hours before check-in. The insurance is not cancelled and no premium is refunded. Excluded cases include war or war-like actions, revolution, rebellion, uprising and similar domestic disturbances, terrorist acts, epidemics and widespread diseases, earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, landslides and natural disasters. d- For guests who have not purchased EARLY BOOKING INSURANCE and for reservations, clause (b) of the CANCELLATION-WITHDRAWAL-CHANGE contract terms applies. e- If the consumer wishes to change the date of an early booking discounted product purchased during the discounted sales period for any reason, they accept that the reservation will be changed at non-discounted list prices valid on the date of the request. 3- If the consumer does not notify in writing that they will join a tour they missed the start of, the travel agency has the right to cancel all reservations made in the consumer's name after 24 hours. No refund will be made to the consumer for such cancellations. 4- Force majeure: Adverse weather conditions, road blockages, strikes, terrorism, war, possibility of war, and unforeseeable technical matters that prevent the start or continuation of the tour are accepted by both parties as force majeure. Illnesses and/or deaths of the passenger or their first-degree relatives that prevent their usual activities for 10 days also constitute force majeure. 5- The travel agency may cancel, in whole or in part, the tours it has announced or accepted registrations for up to 7 days before the start of the tour when deemed necessary. Within the same period, it may change hotel names, transportation vehicles and their departure locations, and the order of visits to places listed in the program. If the consumer does not accept these changes or cancellations, they have the right to cancel their reservation and receive a full refund of the amount paid. In this case, the consumer has no right to compensation. III- GENERAL PROVISIONS 1- Consumers participating in the tour have the right to carry 2 suitcases, not larger than 50cm x 70cm, on all tours, and 15 kg of baggage on flight trips. All responsibility for suitcases and their contents belongs to their owners. 2- Items that smell, leak, are flammable or explosive, or cause disturbance to others, as well as sharp, piercing and firearms and all kinds of animals, will not be accepted into vehicles or accommodation facilities by the Travel Agency without its separate, explicit written permission. Having identity or licenses does not change this. 3- In the event of loss or damage to the consumer's baggage or belongings resulting from the GROSS NEGLIGENCE of Travel Agency personnel, the Travel Agency shall pay the consumer, as material and moral compensation for the lost or damaged baggage, belongings or items inside them, one half of the portion of the total tour fee attributable to transportation, regardless of their material and moral value and other characteristics. The Travel Agency is responsible up to the amount of the transportation fee of the tour for any loss, damage or theft of items declared in writing with their values and handed over by the consumer. 4- VISA PROCEDURES are not included in the purchased service. The Travel Agency has no obligation to obtain visas. 5- The Travel Agency's possible tour cancellation notices may be made individually to each consumer, or generally through announcements in the Turkish editions of 2 high-circulation newspapers. 6- The Travel Agency is responsible for changes occurring after the start of the tour purchased by the consumer. The Travel Agency may compensate the consumer for changes that are clearly detrimental and harmful to the consumer, during or after the tour, through a refund of the price or service in accordance with the provisions of the TÜRSAB KÜTAHYA SCHEDULE, and may also compensate through additional services not included in the price and provided to the consumer during the tour. Receipt and use or consumption of additional or substitute services by the consumer eliminates the consumer's right to a price refund and compensation. 7- If the consumer leaves the tour they started, claiming the service was defective, they must notify the Travel Agency representative and the hotel where they are staying in writing, together with their reasons. Otherwise, the consumer is not considered to have left the tour and is deemed to have received and used the service. 8- If the consumer complains about the tour program they purchased but continues to use it until the end, this eliminates their compensation rights, such as substitute service and price refund, regarding the matters they complained about. 9- The provisions of this agreement concluded between the Travel Agency and the consumer during registration have been read by the consumer, who signed it while requesting and accepting that registrations be made under the same conditions on behalf of other persons they stated would join the same tour with them. 10- Consumer(s) who participate in the tour subject to the contract but whose signature is not on the contract, the right of recourse is reserved for the Travel Agency regarding any excess amount paid by the Travel Agency to the signatory consumer(s) in the event of lawsuits and proceedings against the Travel Agency by the consumer(s) they authorized to register on their behalf, or if the Travel Agency is obliged to pay the consumer any amount or compensation beyond the matters written in this contract. The consumers participating in this tour, even if they have not signed, have learned of these contract terms, which will be valid between the parties, through the catalogue and announcements, and have agreed to join the tour under these contract terms. 11- The Travel Agency acts as an intermediary between consumers who register for the tour through it and hotels, carrier companies and all other third parties and legal entities providing tour-related services. Therefore, the parties acknowledge that the Travel Agency is not primarily liable, nor directly responsible as a principal perpetrator, for: vehicles not being at the departure point at the times indicated in their programs contrary to agreements made between the Travel Agency and transport companies; any delays, malfunctions of land, air and sea vehicles; fog, storms, blizzards and all weather conditions; road blockages; changes to routes; strikes, terrorism, war, possibility of war or similar force majeure; any irregularities arising from the driver's own fault, the personal faults of third parties or unforeseeable technical matters; material and moral damage accidents; or incomplete or faulty services of accommodation facilities. The Travel Agency is not the operator. Accordingly, the Travel Agency will be a jointly liable debtor, not liable as a principal perpetrator. In such irregularities and accidents, the consumer will first pursue material and moral claims from the principal perpetrators, and if unable to fully recover their claim from the principal perpetrator, may apply to the Travel Agency based on the principle of strict liability. The Travel Agency will be liable to its customer for the amount that cannot be collected from the principal perpetrators. 12- For matters not written in this contract, the provisions of 1618 SY., 4077 SY., 4288 SY., 2634 SY., IATA, IHA, UFTAA Conventions, the Civil Aviation Law, the Turkish Civil Code, the Turkish Commercial Code, international agreements to which Turkey is party and the statutes, regulations, circulars and communiqués issued thereunder, as well as the TÜRSAB Kütahya Schedule applicable in Turkey of the internationally recognized Frankfurter Tabelle, shall apply. This voucher and package tour contract, drawn up in two copies between the parties, has been drafted on both sides with all its annexes, read, checked and accepted by the authorized representatives of the parties. The parties have accepted and confirmed their mutually agreed undertakings and performances by signing together. The party signing the voucher and this contract on behalf of the customers named in this contract who will join the trip also accepts and undertakes full legal responsibility toward those persons. SERVICE DEFECT COMPLAINTS: In the event of defective or faulty service, the TÜRSAB ARBITRATION BOARD is authorized. SERVICE GUARANTEE: If there is sufficient participation and no force majeure, the agency accepts and undertakes to provide the services it has committed to above, independently of any advertisements and published brochures about the tour, in exchange for the price stated above. Both parties mutually agree that if the travel agency fully or partially fails to fulfill its commitments above, the refund amount to be made to the customer will be determined according to the provisions of the TÜRSAB KÜTAHYA SCHEDULE.