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Winter Season / Departure from Ankara / Train-Based Grand Eastern Tour (Bitlis-Van-Dogubayazit-Kars-Erzurum).
Tour Detail
Day 1:
ATAKLI TRAIN TRAVEL
We gather at Ankara Station and begin our journey with the Van Lake Express, departure 11:20. We head towards Tatvan on a pleasant 25-hour trip.
TRAIN INFORMATION;
Sleeper Compartment (2-person)
Pet Carrier Sleeper Compartment (3 and 4-person)
The train has a restaurant section, and you can also purchase food and drinks from outside.
Accommodation: SLEEPER TRAIN
Day 2:
TATVAN - AHLAT SELCUKID TOMBSTONES - AHLAT RUINED CITY - BITLIS
We board our vehicle waiting for us in Tatvan at 13:00, stop for lunch first, and then arrive in Ahlat. We visit the Ahlat Seljuk Tombs, which is the largest Turkish-Islamic cemetery from the early period. Here, among the tombstones, each of which is monumental and some reaching up to three and a half meters in height, you may feel as if you are walking through an open-air museum. After enjoying our time in Ahlat, we depart for Tatvan and check into our hotel there. Dinner is served at the hotel.
BREAKFAST: TRAIN (EXTRA)
LUNCH: TATVAN (EXTRA)
DINNER: TATVAN HOTEL (INCLUDED)
ACCOMMODATION: TAVAN CRATER HOTEL 4*
Day 3:
AKDAMAR CHURCH - VAN CASTLE (PANORAMIC) - CAT HOUSE - GREAT URARTU MUSEUM - SILVER ATOLYESI - VAN CITY CENTER
After breakfast at the hotel buffet, we head towards Akdamar Island. 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 in the middle of Lake Van that is alive with life, and Akdamar Island and the Church of Gagik, one of the most important structures in Christian history, are next on our list. 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 explain the sacred texts depicted in the wall reliefs, which are among the finest examples of Armenian stone craftsmanship in the world, we board our boat again and return to Gevaş. We will have our lunch by the shore of Lake Van. Those who wish can taste the famous pearl mullet specific to Van. After lunch, we first visit Tuşpa Castle, the ancient settlement. While our guide provides information about this civilization at the foot of the castle where the capital of the Urartian Kingdom was established, those guests who wish can take photos of the magnificent view of Lake Van from the top of the castle during sunset hours, and others can enjoy their tea during the free time we provide at the foot of the castle. Afterwards, we visit the Van Archaeology and Ethnography Museum, considered one of the best examples of modern museology, where artifacts remaining from the Urartu Civilization, which dominated this region approximately 3000 years ago, and many artifacts from various periods coming from Hakkari and the entire Eastern Anatolia region are exhibited. Witnessing different periods of history while visiting the museum and being enchanted by the displayed artifacts will greatly affect you. After the museum visit, following a short break we will provide, we visit the Van Cat House and settle into our hotel.
BREAKFAST: HOTEL BUFFET
LUNCH: EXTRA
DINNER: HOTEL (INCLUDED)
ACCOMMODATION VAN KARACA HOTEL 4*
Accommodation: VAN
Day 4
MURADİYE WATERFALL - TENDÜREK MOUNTAIN - VIEW OF AGRI DAĞI - ISHAK PASHA PALACE - AHMEDİ HANI MAUSOLEUM - DOĞUBEYAZIT SMUGGLERS BAZAAR
After having our buffet breakfast, we leave our hotel and head towards Doğubeyazıt. After taking a photo break at Muradiye Waterfall on the Bendi Mahi River, we will see the solidified lavas while passing through Tendürek Mountain Pass (2644 m) and the areas where battles took place, which hold an important place in history, while passing through the Çaldıran Plain. We continue our way towards Doğubayazıt. We fall under the mesmerizing influence of Holy Mount Ararat, the highest mountain in our country with its height of 5137 m, and after the photo break we provide, we arrive in Doğubeyazıt. After our lunch break, we visit Ishak Pasha Palace, built in 1685 by II. İshak Paşa and Çolak Abdi Paşa from the Chıldiroğulları family and given its final form in 1784, which is the last great monument of the Ottoman Empire during the Tulip Era. After visiting the mausoleum of Ahmed-i Hani, we give free time in the Doğubeyazıt Bazaar, then board our bus and move towards Kars, the largest city of the Middle Ages, following the Armenia border, and then settle into our hotel.
BREAKFAST: HOTEL BUFFET
LUNCH: EXTRA
DINNER: HOTEL (INCLUDED)
ACCOMMODATION :KARS ARIFOĞLU HOTEL 4*
Accommodation: KARS
Day 5:
ÇILDIR LAKE - ANI RUINS - KARS CITY CENTER
After breakfast at our hotel, we head towards Ani. The Great Cathedral, Painted Church, Seljuk Palace, Menuçehr Mosque (the first mosque built in Anatolia), etc., are just a few of the historical monuments we will see here. After the explanations, after photographing Turkey's easternmost historical city one last time, our journey begins towards Lake Çıldır, the highest lake in Eastern Anatolia. During our time by the lake, those guests who wish can take a sled tour with horse-drawn sleds. (Sled tours can be done when the lake freezes.) (Extra) Afterwards, we eat our lunch consisting of fish caught by breaking the lake ice and arrive in central Kars. We visit the Fethiye Mosque, one of the finest examples of Russian Baltic architecture. Then we give free time in the streets of Kars. Afterwards, we go to a local products store where you can buy Kars' famous cheeses and honey. We give free time in the streets until evening where you will see the best examples of Russian architecture covered in snow.. Afterwards, we head to our hotel.
We go to watch the Caucasus Night with guests who wish. (extra)
BREAKFAST: HOTEL (INCLUDED)
LUNCH: KARS (EXTRA)
DINNER: CAUCASUS NIGHT (EXCLUDED)
ACCOMMODATION: KARS ARIFOĞLU HOTEL 4*
Accommodation: KARS
Day 6
SARIKAMIŞ-ERZURUM CITY- ERZURUM HOUSES-YAKUTYE
KARS CITY CENTER - KARS CASTLE (PANORAMIC) - SARIKAMIŞ - ERZURUM DOUBLE MINARE - GRAND MOSQUE - ERZURUM HOUSES - THREE DOME TOMB - YAKUTİYE MADRASA - OLTUCALARS BAZAAR - ERZURUM FREE TIME
After the buffet breakfast at the hotel, we start exploring Kars. We visit Kars Castle (panoramic) and Kümbet Mosque (Church of the 12 Apostles), see the house where our famous poet Namık Kemal lived for a period, and explore the streets of Kars. Afterwards, we visit the martyrs of Sarıkamış and then head to Erzurum.. Our first stop in Erzurum will be the famous Cağ Kebapçısı. After our lunch, we start our tour of Erzurum with Yakutiye Madrasa. Afterwards, we will visit Üç Kümbetler, Çifte Minareli Medrese, and Grand Mosque. After these visits, we take a tea and coffee break in authentic Erzurum Houses. We end our day with a visit to Taş Han, where we can see famous Oltu stone and artworks made from this stone and shop. We head to Erzurum Airport and
✈️Erzurum-Ankara 19:30 (AJET) (OUR FLIGHT TIME MAY VARY ON SOME DAYS.)
✈️Erzurum-Istanbul (saw) 20.25 (OUR GUESTS WHO WANT TO RETURN TO ISTANBUL IN OUR PROGRAM DEPARTING FROM ANKARA MUST INFORM US.)
return by plane..
BREAKFAST: HOTEL (INCLUDED)
LUNCH: ERZURUM (EXTRA)
DINNER: RETURN
ACCOMMODATION: RETURN
Tour Program
Day 1: Sleeper Train Journey
We gather at Ankara Station and begin our journey with the 11:20 departure of the Van Lake Express.
With a pleasant 25-hour trip, we head towards Tatvan.
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 Castle (Panoramic) / Cat House / Great Urartu Museum / Silver Atolye / 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 visit one of the five islands located in the middle of Lake Van that are inhabited, and on this island lies Akdamar Island and the Gagik Church, one of the most important structures in Christian history. 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 recount the tales from sacred texts depicted in the wall reliefs—some of the finest examples of Armenian stone craftsmanship—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 local pearl fish, a delicacy unique to Van. After lunch, we first visit Tuşpa Fortress, the ancient settlement. While our guide shares information about this civilization at the foot of the fortress where the capital of the Urartian Kingdom was established, guests who wish can take photos of the magnificent view of Lake Van from atop the fortress during sunset hours, while others can enjoy their tea during our free time at the foot of the fortress. Next, we visit the Van Archaeology and Ethnography Museum, which houses artifacts from the Urartian Civilization that ruled this region approximately 3,000 years ago, as well as numerous 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 Mountain / View of Mount Ararat / Ishak Pasha Palace / Ahmed Han Tomb / Doğubeyazıt Smugglers' Market
After 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 Tendürek Mountain Pass (2644 m), observing the solidified lava flows, and while crossing Çaldıran Plain, we will see the areas where historically significant battles took place. We continue our journey towards Doğubayazıt. Under the mesmerizing influence of Mount Ararat, Turkey's highest peak at 5137 meters, we arrive in Doğubeyazıt after a photo stop. Following our lunch break, we visit Ishak Pasha Palace, the last great monument of the Ottoman Empire's Tulip Era, built in 1685 by II. Ishak Pasha and the Cholak Abdi Pasha family and finalized in 1784. Then, we visit Ahmed-i Hani's tomb, enjoy free time in 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 a sled ride with dog sleds by the lake shore. (Sled rides can be made during the period when the lake is frozen.) (Extra) Afterwards, we have lunch consisting of fish caught by breaking the ice on the lake and arrive in Kars center. We visit the Fethiye Mosque, one of the finest examples of Russian Baltic architecture. Afterwards, we give you free time to explore the streets of Kars. Then, we go to a local products shop where you can purchase Kars' famous cheeses and honey. Until evening, we give you free time to walk through streets where you will see some of the most beautiful examples of Russian architecture covered in snow. Later, we move towards our hotel.
Day 6: KARS City Center / Kars Fortress (Panoramic) / Sarıkamış / Erzurum Çifte Minare / Ulu Camii / Erzurum Houses / Three Domes / Yakutiye Madrasa / Oltucular Bazaar / Erzurum Free 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.
Departure Points
- Ankara Railway Station
- ERZURUM/ISTANBUL (SAW)
What's Included
Outbound train ticket (with sleeper berth)
Return flight ticket
4 nights luxury hotel accommodation
4 breakfasts
3 dinners
Transportation by vehicle
Travel insurance
In-vehicle refreshments
Guided tour with official badge
Agency escort
Not Included
Train food
Museum entrance fees
Lunches
Akdamar Island boat transfer fee 350 TL
1 Dinner
Caucasus Night (without meal 800 TL, with meal 1,600 TL)
General Information
- OUR TOUR DEPARTURE IS ON THE INDICATED DATES.
- No seat number promises or guarantees can be made during the tour. Please do not insist on this.
- Our vehicles depart from the designated meeting points at the specified times for each tour. Please be ready at the meeting point at least 5 minutes before departure. Our vehicles depart exactly at the scheduled time. Guests who arrive late and cannot join the tour cannot make any claims. The contact number of the tour staff will be sent via SMS to the phone number you provided during reservation prior to the tour date. Please ensure that the contact number you provided is correct. Otherwise, responsibility lies with you.
- In cases where children under 18 years old, who are not considered legally adults, do not participate in the tour accompanied by one or both of their parents, the required consent forms must be carried by the individuals during travel.
- The guide has the right to make changes in timing and program flow, provided that the entire program is carried out, when deemed necessary due to weather conditions and adverse road conditions, etc. Hotels listed in the program may be replaced with others of similar standards and location.
- Our tour is a package consisting of guidance, transportation, accommodation, and sightseeing tours, and cannot be considered separately. Unused rights such as transportation, accommodation, sightseeing tours, etc., will not be refunded.
- Tatilciniz Turizm is not responsible for tours that cannot be conducted due to bad weather before or during the tour.
- If sufficient majority is not achieved, the tour may be postponed to another date or cancelled. In such a case, we are obliged to notify our guests personally one (1) day in advance. The Minimum Number of Participants is 25 People.
- Tatilciniz Turizm is absolutely not responsible for places that could not be visited despite being listed in the tour program due to force majeure reasons (weather, roads, crowds at visit locations, etc.) or because our guests did not follow the timings given by the guide.
- Return times for tours may vary depending on traffic congestion; no exact and definite return time is provided.
- Child discounts for tours with accommodation may apply if two adults accompany the child.
- Foreign guests who are not Turkish citizens do not pay an additional fee for this tour. Since the museum card application is specific to Turkish citizens, museum cards will not be issued. The most recently published circular invalidates the previous one.
- Tour extra sales prices may vary according to exchange rates and dates.
- OUR VEHICLES:
- The vehicles we use may vary depending on the number of passengers and road conditions.
- Up to 16 people; Volkswagen Crafter & Mercedes Sprinter
- Up to 27 people; Otokar Sultan Maxi & Isuzu Novo Lux
- Up to 35 people; Otokar Sultan Mega
- Up to 46 people; Mercedes Travego - Tourismo & Man Fortuna & Neoplan Tourliner / Cityliner
- By making a reservation, you agree that we have the right to use videos and photos taken during the tour and inside the vehicle
- on our social media accounts.