9-Day Private Cappadocia & Mesopotamia Tour: Göbekli Tepe, Nemrut & Mardin
This private 9-day, 8-night tour starts and ends at your Istanbul hotel. You fly to Cappadocia for three nights in a boutique cave hotel, then travel by road through Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Harran, Göbekli Tepe, Mount Nemrut and Mardin before flying back to Istanbul. Two domestic flights, hotels, all entrance fees, daily breakfast, 7 lunches and licensed guides are included.
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Your route
Tap a stop or open a day in the itinerary to see where you are.
- Private vehicle
- Domestic flight
- 1Overnight stop
- Day visit
Why travelers choose this itinerary
Cappadocia is on almost every Turkey itinerary; the southeast is on very few. This tour joins them. After three unhurried nights among the fairy chimneys, you drive south into Upper Mesopotamia, where Göbekli Tepe, Harran, the Commagene kingdom and Mardin tell a story that reaches back more than 11,000 years.
Two flights take care of the long distances to and from Istanbul, and a private vehicle covers the rest, so you never deal with buses or connections. Local licensed guides lead each region, and because only your party travels, the pace and the stops are yours to adjust.
Highlights
- Three nights in a boutique cave hotel in Cappadocia
- The Göreme Open Air Museum, Paşabağ and Red Valley
- Kaymaklı Underground City, Ihlara Valley and Selime Monastery
- The Zeugma Mosaic Museum and the riverside site of ancient Zeugma
- Şanlıurfa's sacred pools and the cave of Abraham
- The beehive houses of Harran and the carved pillars of Göbekli Tepe
- Arsameia, the Karakuş tumulus and the stone heads of Mount Nemrut
- Mardin's old city, the Forty Martyrs Church, Deyrulzafaran and Dara
Day-by-day itinerary
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Day 1Istanbul to Cappadocia
Your driver collects you from your hotel in central Istanbul and takes you to the airport for an economy flight to Kayseri or Nevşehir, whichever schedule suits best. A private driver meets you on landing and takes you to your boutique cave hotel. The rest of the day is free to settle in, rest or wander the village on your own.
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Day 2Göreme, Paşabağ and Avanos
Start at a viewpoint over Göreme, where your guide explains how volcanic ash and erosion shaped the fairy chimneys. Walk through the rock-cut churches and chapels of the Göreme Open Air Museum, then among the multi-capped chimneys of Paşabağ, once home to hermits. Lunch is in Avanos, followed by a pottery demonstration, the animal-shaped rocks of Devrent Valley and late-afternoon views over Red Valley.
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Day 3Kaymaklı, Ihlara Valley and Selime
A full day in southern Cappadocia. Descend into Kaymaklı Underground City, with its kitchens, storerooms and ventilation shafts several levels below ground; passages are low and narrow. Walk beside the Melendiz River through Ihlara Valley, under cliffs dotted with rock churches, then explore the vast cliff monastery of Selime. End at a viewpoint over the carved dovecotes of Pigeon Valley.
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Day 4Cappadocia to Gaziantep
Check out after breakfast and set off south by private vehicle, a drive of several hours with comfort stops along the way. Lunch is on the road or on arrival, depending on timing. In Gaziantep, spend time among the Roman floor mosaics of the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, one of the largest mosaic collections in the world. End with a walk in the historic district around Gaziantep Castle.
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Day 5Zeugma to Şanlıurfa
Visit the archaeological site of ancient Zeugma on the Euphrates, where the villas that held the museum's mosaics once stood. After lunch by the river, continue to Şanlıurfa. Tour the Şanlıurfa Archaeology and Mosaic Museum, which sets the scene for Göbekli Tepe, then walk to the sacred pools of Balıklıgöl and Ayn Zeliha and the cave revered as the birthplace of Abraham. Time permitting, browse the old bazaar.
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Day 6Harran, Göbekli Tepe and Mount Nemrut
Start in Harran, with its beehive-shaped mud houses and ancient city walls. Then walk around Göbekli Tepe, where hunter-gatherers raised T-shaped pillars carved with animals around 11,000 years ago. Continue to Arsameia, capital of the Commagene kingdom, the Roman bridge at Cendere and the Karakuş tumulus of the royal women. End the day on Mount Nemrut among the giant stone heads of gods and kings.
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Day 7Adıyaman to Mardin
After breakfast, drive east to Mardin, arriving around 11 a.m. Your first walk takes you into the old city, whose honey-colored stone houses climb a hillside above the Mesopotamian plain. Visit the Forty Martyrs Church, a Syriac Orthodox church with origins in the 4th century, and the Zinciriye Madrasa, with views over the rooftops. Lunch is included.
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Day 8Mardin, Deyrulzafaran and Dara
A full day in and around Mardin. Walk the old market streets, traditional houses and terraces with your guide, and return to the Forty Martyrs Church and the Zinciriye Madrasa at a slower pace. After lunch, visit Deyrulzafaran, the Saffron Monastery, seat of the Syriac patriarchs for centuries. End at Dara, a Roman frontier city with rock-cut tombs, cisterns and fortifications.
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Day 9Fly to Istanbul
After breakfast, a private transfer takes you to Mardin Airport for an economy flight to Istanbul. Your Istanbul driver meets you at the airport and drives you to your hotel in the city center. If you would like to add nights in Istanbul, or a guided day in the old city, we can arrange it with your booking.
What's included
- 8 nights in hotels: boutique cave hotel in Cappadocia (3 nights), 4-star hotels in Gaziantep (1), Şanlıurfa (1), Adıyaman (1) and Mardin (2)
- Daily breakfast and 7 lunches
- Two economy domestic flights: Istanbul to Cappadocia and Mardin to Istanbul
- Private hotel and airport transfers in Istanbul, Cappadocia and Mardin
- Private vehicle with driver between all regions
- Licensed local guides on touring days
- Standard entrance fees to the sites in the itinerary
Not included
- International flights
- Hotel nights in Istanbul
- Dinners and drinks
- Separately ticketed areas, such as the Dark Church at Göreme
- Tips and personal expenses
Optional extras
- Upgrade to 5-star hotels for every night of the tour
- Hot air balloon flight in Cappadocia (morning of Day 2 or 3)
- Hotel nights and a guided day in Istanbul before or after the tour
Hotels (or similar)
- Cappadocia: Boutique cave hotel
- Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Adıyaman and Mardin: 4-star city hotels
Price per person (USD)
The price depends on how many people travel together, because your guide and vehicle are private. Children 0 to 1 travel free; children 2 to 6 pay the child price and count toward group size.
| Travelers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | $8,585 | $4,865 | $4,010 | $3,435 | $3,150 | $2,960 |
| Child 2–6 | – | $955 | $955 | $955 | $955 | $955 |
Prices valid as of October 15, 2026. Bookings close 10 days before the start date: book today and the earliest start date is October 25, 2026.
| Travelers | Adult | Child 2–6 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $8,585 | – |
| 2 | $4,865 | $955 |
| 3 | $4,010 | $955 |
| 4 | $3,435 | $955 |
| 5 | $3,150 | $955 |
| 6+ | $2,960 | $955 |
- Upgrade to 5-star hotels: +$450 per adult for the whole tour.
- Guide in English is included. Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese or Japanese: +$505 for the whole group, shared between the travelers (Chinese and Japanese on request).
Good to know
- The Mount Nemrut visit is in daylight; sunrise or sunset at the summit is not part of this itinerary.
- Days 4 and 6 involve long drives. Your driver stops whenever you need a break.
- Kaymaklı, Selime and Arsameia have steep, uneven or narrow sections and require reasonable mobility.
- Mosques, churches and monasteries require modest dress: shoulders and knees covered, and a headscarf for women in mosques. Some churches may close during services.
- Bookings close 10 days before the start date. Reserve with a 30% deposit; cancellation is free up to 30 days before travel.
Your guide
Your guide will be one of our licensed team: classmates from Adnan Menderes University with 14 to 15 years of guiding each, plus trusted licensed colleagues in every region.
KübraEnglish, Spanish
Selçuk YılmazEnglish
Can AteşEnglish, French
Bahar ÖzdemirEnglish, Spanish, Arabic
Ege ErtaşEnglish
Osman DemirEnglish
From past trips on this route
Guests on this route
Photos our guests shared after their private tours.
What travelers say
Rated 5.0 on Tripadvisor from 145 reviews of our private tours. Excerpts quoted as written.
“Our minivan was very comfortable, the drivers were punctual and very helpful”
ElenaDit · August 2026 · Tripadvisor
“He was always on the phone when we have question.”
탁동 홍 · September 2026 · Tripadvisor
FAQ
Why combine Cappadocia with southeast Turkey?
They are close by road, and together they cover two very different chapters of history: the rock-cut Christian landscape of Cappadocia and the far older sites of Upper Mesopotamia. Doing both in one trip saves a second set of flights and gives you the southeast without planning it yourself.
Are flights included?
Yes. The economy flights from Istanbul to Cappadocia on Day 1 and from Mardin to Istanbul on Day 9 are included, along with transfers to and from your Istanbul hotel. Only international flights and hotel nights in Istanbul are extra.
Do we see the sunrise on Mount Nemrut?
No. This tour visits Mount Nemrut in daylight on Day 6, which avoids a pre-dawn start and a cold wait at the summit. You still walk the terraces among the giant stone heads with your guide. If you want a sunrise visit, ask us about adding a night near the mountain.
Which meals are included?
Breakfast every morning at your hotels and seven lunches at selected local restaurants on the touring days. Dinners are free, which suits the region: Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa and Mardin each have their own famous dishes, and your guide will recommend where to go.
Is this tour private?
Yes. Only your party travels, with a private vehicle, driver and guides on the dates you choose. Prices are per person and decrease as your party grows, and children 0 to 1 travel free.
How much does this tour cost per person?
For two travelers the price is $4,865 per person in US dollars. It falls to $2,960 per person for a party of six or more, and a solo traveler pays $8,585 because the guide and vehicle are reserved for one party. These are 2026 prices and cover everything listed under What's included.
What do children pay, and can we upgrade to 5-star hotels?
Children up to 1 year old travel free. Children aged 2 to 6 pay $955 and count toward the group size. Upgrading every night of the tour to 5-star hotels costs $450 per adult.
How do payment and cancellation work?
You reserve with a 30% deposit by card in US dollars, processed securely by Stripe; for two travelers on this tour that is about $2,920. The balance is charged automatically 30 days before travel. Cancel up to 30 days before your start date and you get a full refund, including the deposit.