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The fluted stone dome of a madrasa in Mardin in evening light, with the Mesopotamian plain fading into haze beyond

Sample journey · 9–11 days

Deep Anatolia: Göbekli Tepe, Mount Nemrut and Mardin

Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Göbekli Tepe, Nemrut, Mardin & Midyat

Photo: engin akyurt / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

For most travellers, Turkey stops at Cappadocia. Beyond it, to the south-east, a different country begins: a wide plain between the Euphrates and the Tigris, golden by summer, where some of the first wild grains were domesticated and where, eleven thousand years ago, people raised stone circles carved with animals at Göbekli Tepe. Close by are Roman mosaics, King Antiochus's tomb on a mountaintop and towns where Arabic, Kurdish, Turkish and Syriac are still heard in the same streets.

This sample route is for curious travellers who have already seen the better-known Turkey and want a deeper layer. It is a journey of culture and food, with a guide who knows the region well, a private driver between towns and at least two nights in each place. Before planning we always review the latest official travel advice for the region, and the route would be shaped around it, the season and your pace.

The route

The journey

  1. Gaziantep
  2. Şanlıurfa & Göbekli Tepe
  3. Mount Nemrut
  4. Mardin
  5. Midyat & Tur Abdin
  6. Mardin
  1. Excavated Roman houses and standing columns under a protective roof at Zeugma, near Gaziantep

    01Days 1–3 · Gaziantep

    Pistachios, copper and mosaics

    A flight via Istanbul to Gaziantep and three nights in the city many Turks consider their culinary capital. On the first morning, breakfast of katmer, a thin pastry with pistachios and kaymak, then the coppersmiths' bazaar where metal is still hammered by hand, spice shops strung with dried peppers and baklava bakeries. On day two, the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, which holds the floors of Roman villas from the banks of the Euphrates, and in the afternoon about an hour's drive to Zeugma itself, where part of the city now stands under a protective roof and part lies beneath a reservoir.

  2. The stone enclosures of Göbekli Tepe with their T-shaped pillars, seen from above

    02Days 4–5 · Şanlıurfa & Göbekli Tepe

    Stone circles older than writing

    About two hours' drive east, across the Euphrates, to Şanlıurfa. Two nights in the old town, near Balıklıgöl, the pools of sacred fish that local tradition links to the prophet Abraham. Early the next morning, Göbekli Tepe, about half an hour away: T-shaped pillars carved with foxes, boars and birds, raised long before Stonehenge or the pyramids. In the afternoon, Şanlıurfa's archaeology museum, and in the evening the bazaar lanes, smoky isot peppers, kebabs over charcoal and tea in a courtyard under a fig tree.

  3. Stone heads of gods and kings on a terrace of Mount Nemrut, with the rubble tumulus behind

    03Days 6–7 · Mount Nemrut

    The heads of kings at dawn

    On day six, about three hours' drive north, past the vast reservoir of the Atatürk Dam, to the Kahta area. Two nights in a simple guesthouse at the foot of the mountain. Along the way, traces of the kingdom of Commagene: the Roman bridge at Cendere and the reliefs of Arsameia. The next morning you rise in the dark for the summit of Nemrut, at almost 2,150 metres. On the tumulus of broken stone raised by King Antiochus I in the first century BC stand the colossal heads of gods and kings, which slowly turn pink as the sun comes up. It is cold at the top even in summer, so warm layers are essential. The afternoon is for rest.

  4. The stone houses of Mardin's old town on the hillside, with a minaret and dome above

    04Days 8–9 · Mardin

    A town that looks out over the plain

    Day eight brings the longest transfer, about five hours south-east. Three nights in Mardin, in a restored stone house with a terrace. The town climbs the hillside in steps: honey-coloured houses, arches, narrow lanes where donkeys still carry loads, and domed madrasas, with the Mesopotamian plain stretching to the horizon below. On day nine, the Deyrulzafaran Monastery just outside town, for centuries the seat of the Syriac Orthodox patriarchs, and in the evening dinner on a terrace with almond sweets and local wine.

  5. The courtyard of Mor Gabriel Monastery, with honey-coloured stone walls and bell towers

    05Days 10–11 · Midyat & Tur Abdin

    Monasteries on a stony plateau

    Day ten is an excursion about an hour east onto the Tur Abdin plateau, for centuries the heartland of Syriac Christianity. In Midyat, stone mansions with carved facades and silver filigree workshops, and nearby, the Mor Gabriel Monastery, founded in the late fourth century and considered one of the oldest working monasteries in the world. Visiting quietly and respectfully, you may also hear Aramaic, still used in the liturgy. The last dinner is in Mardin, and on day eleven it's about half an hour to Mardin airport for the flight home via Istanbul.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    Göbekli Tepe early in the morning

    The oldest known monumental sanctuary, best seen before the heat with a guide who can explain how it has changed the story of human history.

  2. 02

    Sunrise on Nemrut

    A cold, quiet morning at almost 2,150 metres as the first light touches the stone heads of kings.

  3. 03

    Gaziantep's table

    Katmer for breakfast, baklava made with local pistachios and kebabs whose recipes are guarded through generations.

  4. 04

    Evenings in Mardin

    A terrace above the plain as the stone holds the day's warmth and village lights come on one by one below.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • With Cappadocia

    Begin with a few days in Cappadocia, then fly to Gaziantep or take the longer road across the Taurus Mountains.

  • More archaeology

    An extra day in Şanlıurfa allows a visit to Karahan Tepe and other sites of the so-called Taş Tepeler, excavated in recent years.

  • Slower

    The long drive from Nemrut to Mardin could be broken with a night on the way, and a fourth night in Mardin left simply for lingering.

  • In another season

    In spring the plain is green, and autumn suits the pistachio and olive harvest; in winter the summit of Nemrut is often out of reach, so the route becomes shorter without it.

Practical considerations

  • This region lies near the Syrian border. Official travel advice for south-eastern Turkey can change and may be stricter for some border areas, so we always review the latest official advice when planning and again just before travel, and adjust the route if needed. It's also worth confirming that your travel insurance covers the whole itinerary.
  • The summit of Nemrut is usually accessible from late spring to autumn; in winter and early spring the road may be closed by snow. It is cold and windy at the top in every season.
  • Spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October) are usually the most pleasant. In summer the plain is very hot, so visits are planned for early mornings.
  • Modest dress is expected in mosques and monasteries, and a scarf is useful for women. Always ask before photographing people.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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