Ankara, Cappadocia, Çatalhöyük, Konya, Egirdir Tour

Tur Programı Tur Programı Yazdır

DAY 1: ANKARA
Meeting at Ankara Esenboğa Airport. We start our Ankara tour. First, we will visit Anatolian Civilization Museum and Ankara Castle, then proceed to hotel. Dinner and accommodation at Ankara.
Anatolian Civilizations Museum : One of the top-rated museums in the world with its unique collections and is the winner the “Museum of the year in Europe” in 1997, are exhibited in chronologically separated sections. The upper hall area holds Palaeolithic Age, Chalcolithic Age, Old Bronze Age, Assyrian Trade Colonies Age, The Old Hittite and Hittite Imperial Age, Phrygian Kingdom, Late Hittite Kingdom, Urartian Kingdom sections, and the lower hall holds Ankara; Down the Ages and Classical Periods sections. The Anatolian Civilizations Museum, which has been the home of the original works of Anatolian lands since the Paleolithic age, consists of two historical buildings. These buildings are the Ottoman Period buildings; Mahmutpaşa Covered Bazaar and Kurşunlu Inn. Having been renovated in 2014, this museum allows you to travel through history via virtual tours, animations and replicas of T-shaped stone pillars and other replicas of Göbeklitepe.
DAY 2 : ANKARA –KONYA
After breakfast we will visit Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of the founder of Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. At the afternoon we will transfer to Cappodocia via Salt Lake. Dinner and accommodation at Cappadocia.
The Mausoleum of Atatürk : Anıtkabir, situated on a hill called Rasattepe behind the Maltepe area of Ankara, covers 700.000 square metres of land and includes a Peace Park, which contains plants from all parts of Turkey and the world. It took nine years to complete the mausoleum. On November 10 th, 1953, fifteen years after Atatürk's death, his casket was taken from the Ethnographical Museum with great ceremony and was laid to final rest in its assigned place in Anıtkabir. The Mausoleum is rectangular and is surrounded by columns on all four sides. On the front of the Mausoleum to the left the Atatürk's speech to the Turkish Youth is inscribed. To the right his speech on the occasion of the 10 th anniversary of the Rupublic is presented.
Salt Lake : It is located about 120 kilometers south of Ankara. With its 1500 square kilometers is the second largest lake in Turkey but in summer the surface is often reduced to about one thousan square kilometers. Generally this amazing salt lake is 80 kilometers long by 48 wide, with a depth of 1.2 meters at present, as it is estimated that before it must be much deeper. Today, the surface is covered by blocks of salt up to 20 inches thick.
Cappadocia : Located on the central Anatolia plateau within a volcanic landscape sculpted by erosion to form a succession of mountain ridges, valleys and pinnacles known as “fairy chimneys” or hoodoos, Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia cover the region between the cities of Nevşehir, Ürgüp and Avanos, the sites of Karain, Karlık, Yeşilöz, Soğanlı and the subterranean cities of Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu. The area is bounded on the south and east by ranges of extinct volcanoes with Erciyes Dağ (3916 m) at one end and Hasan Dağ (3253 m) at the other. The density of its rock-hewn cells, churches, troglodyte villages and subterranean cities within the rock formations make it one of the world's most striking and largest cave-dwelling complexes. Though interesting from a geological and ethnological point of view, the incomparable beauty of the decor of the Christian sanctuaries makes Cappadocia one of the leading examples of the post-iconoclastic Byzantine art period.
DAY 3 : ANKARA –KONYA- CATALHOYUK-EGIRDIR
Today we will visit Goreme Open Air Museum, Uchisar Pigeon Valley and see pottery making at Avanos. We will also enjoy sunset at Kizilcukur Valley. Dinner and accommodation at Cappadocia.
Goreme Open Air Museum : In the 2nd century AD there were ascetic monks who had adopted seclusion alone in the Cappadocia region, especially around Göreme. Although they wereindependent of monasteries and churches, they were an important social community. What made Cappadocia the centre of religious thought and life in the 3rd century was the presence of clergy with powerful character. In the following century, the region was known as the hometown of the three great clergy. These were the Bishop of Kaisareia, Basileios, his brother Gregorios of Nyssagia and Gregorios of Nazianus. Basileios, known as the ‘Great’, returned to his hometown, Kaisareia, the headquarters of the Cappadocia region, to devote himself to the monastic life. He was also effective in spreading the monastery life collectively. A monastic life was present intensively in Göreme from 4th century AD to 13th century. There are churches, chapels, cafeterias and seating areas in almost every rock block. Today’s Göreme Open Air Museum is the place where this education system was launched. The open air museum was opened to visitors in 1967.
Uchisar Pigeon Valley : Uchisar is famous with its wonderfull panoramic views expecially pigeon houses on the valley. Guvercinlik Vadisi (Pigeon Valley) earned its name from the countless man made Pigeon Houses that have been carved into the soft volcanic rock. Since ancient times Pigeons have been used in the Cappadocia region for food and fertiliser for the infertile soil. Avanos : Set on the banks of the Kızılırmak (Red River), Avanos is about 8 kilometers from Cappadocia’s historical center of Göreme. The town of Avanos it is also the tradition of pottery making in the ateliers of craftsmen that attracts visitors. The Red River, which also happens to be one of Turkey’s longest rivers, has supplied the many generations of craftsmen with the red clay used to create their iconic art. Pottery has been produced in this region as far back as around 2000 BC, the time of the Hittites.
Kizilcukur Valley : It is located on the border of Ürgüp district and one of the most famous destinations of Cappadocia. This place offers its guests a Kızılçukur Valley is one of the most important places to visit in Cappadocia region. The biggest reason is the unique panoramic view expesially at sunset.
DAY 4 : CAPPADOCIA
After breakfast, we will visit Ihlara Valley, Narlıgol and Kaymakli Underground City. Dinner and accomodation at Cappadocia.
Ihlara Valley : It is near Mount Hasan and Mount Melendiz (two of the three volcanoes of Cappadocia) is a canyon with a depth of approximately 100m and was formed by the Melendiz River thousands of years ago. It begins at Ihlara village and ends with Selime Monastery at Selime village along 14 kilometers. There many cave churches in Ihlara Valley. Most of them display scenes dissimilar to the scenes depicted in other Cappadocian churches. In fact, they are reminiscent of the early churches of Syria and the Coptic churches of Egypt.
Narli Lake : Nar Lake or Lake Pomegranate is a crater lake that was formed when a volcano blew its top some time in the not too distant geological past. The hot sulfurous water, which still bubbles up from somewhere below the surface, is supposed to be good for curing all kinds of skin problems. It is about 36 km southeast of Aksaray in Cappadocia.
Kaymaklı Underground City : The city is situated 15km to Nevşehir, in the Kaymaklı province. It was built during the 9th - 10th centuries during the period of the spreading of christianity as a city of defence and hiding sites. The 8 floors of this underground city are built around a ventilation stack.
The ceiling height of rooms on each floor, surrounding a ball, is 2m. the chapels are larger than the rooms and the ceilings are higher.
DAY 5 : CAPPADOCIA –CATALHOYUK-KONYA
After breakfast, we will transfer from Cappadocia to Konya. On our way we will visit Obrukhan and Catalhoyuk. At the afternoon we will visit Rumi’s Mevlana Museum and Karatay (Encaustic Tile Works) Museum. Dinner and accommodation at Konya.
Obruk Han : It is located 74 km from Konya in the village of Obruk on the historical Silk Road. This han (inn) was an important stop on the Konya-Aksaray route, and is located between the Zazadin Han (1236) and the Aksaray Sultan Han (1229). This 800 years old inn was built by the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I. The han sits on a cliff above a small, 30m deep crater lake, called the Obruk ("Sinkhole") Lake), filled with vivid, turquoise blue water. This lake was formed by a land collapse. The Obruk Lake is one of the 300 registered sinkholes in the region.
Catalhoyuk : Catalhoyuk is renowned as one of the earliest settlements of the Neolithic era, and sheds light on the dawn of human settlement with unique examples of the earliest domestic architecture and landscape painting as well as the sacred objects of mother goddess cult. Among the most significant objects unearthed in Catalhoyuk were the figurines of the mother goddess. Neolithic Site of Catalhoyuk, which is located within the boundaries of Konya province, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2012. The Neolithic Site of Catalhoyuk has extraordinary arts and crafts, with the earliest finds dating from 7400 BC, and it has been an inportant key to unlocking the mysteries of the beginnings of agriculture and civilisation.
Mevlana (Rumi's) Museum : Mevlana Lodge which is presently used as a museum was the Rose Garden of the Seljuks Palace in the 13th century. When Mevlâna Celaleddin Rumi died on 17 December 1273 his son Sultan Waled accepted the request of those who wanted to build a mausoleum over Mevlana’s grave. The museum covers approximately 18.000 m2 area. Also, that miraculous mausoleum also called "’Kubbe-i Hadra" (Green Dome in English) was placed on four special pillars. Mevlana Lodge and the mausoleum started to function as a museum in 1926 under the name of “Konya Museum of Historical Antique Works”. In 1954 the display pattern of the museum was once more refurbished and it was renamed as the “Mevlana Museum”.
Karatay (Encaustic Tile Works) Museum : Karatay Madrasa has been constructed by Emir Celaleddin Karatay in Sultan İzzeddin Keykavus II period, in the year 1251. Entrance door is a masterpiece of Seljuk Period stone workmanship. Karatay Madrasa, having an important place in Anatolian Seljuk Period encaustic tile workmanship has been opened to the public as "Museum of Encaustic Tile Works" in 1955. In the domed hall, glass plates, encaustic tile parts belonging to the Seljuk Period,ceiling centres of Beyşehir Eşrefoğlu Mosque and ceramics belonging to the Ottoman Period are located.
DAY 6 : KONYA-EGIRDIR
Today we will transfer from Konya to Egirdir. On our way we will visit Beysehir Lake, Esrefoglu Mosque, Eflatunpinari and Psidia Ancient City. Dinner and accommodation at Isparta.
Beysehir Lake : It is the third largest lake in Turkey, and as a result of chemical reaction it has formed many islands, which are the remains of cavernous geological structures. The water is alkaline, and within it are carp, trout, bass, turtles and snakes. In addition to the natural beauty of the area, it also has an interesting history as it was governed by Hittites, Friesian, Lydias, Persians and Byzantines. Finally, the Anatolian Seljuks conquered the area in 1076, and since then it has been under the reign of the Turks.
Esrefoglu Mosque : This mosque was constructed in a rich cultural environment as a complex with a tomb, caravanserai and a Turkish bath. The buildings around the mosque like madrasah and badastan belong to the later periods. Esrefoglu Mosque was built in 1299, by Emir Suleyman Bey. The composition of the portal maintains the Seldjukid tradition. Inner door to the harim and mihrap surfaces were plated by tile mosaics that are prominent examples of their era and maintain the Seldjukid Konya tradition. The composition on the tile mosaics consists of geometrical and botanical adornments, stalactites, rosettes and epigraphy. Wooden parts of the mosque was adorned by the richest examples of Kalemisi (hand-drawn) ornaments. The building is the biggest, best preserved wooden columned and roofed mosque in Islamic World.
Eflatun Pinar (The Hittite Spring Sanctuary) : The Hittite spring sanctuary of Eflatun Pınar lies about 100 kilometres west of Konya close to the lake of Beyşehir in a hilly, quite arid landscape. At the top of a little river valley, that flows in the further progress into the lake, the “lilac coloured spring” (translation of Eflatun Pınar) produces an astonishing quantity of ice cold, clear water. Directly next to the spring, a relief-covered wall of huge boulders was erected more than three thousand years ago. Eflatun Pınar constitutes a major cult monument with an extensive theological iconography that was built in the late phase of the Hitttite Empire.
Pisidia Ancient City : Ancient Pisidia was a mountainous district bounded to the west and north by Phrygia, to the east by Lycaonia, and to the south by Lycia and Pamphylia. These lands more or less correspond to the Turkey's Lakes Region plus the mountains to the north of Antalya. Surveys and excavations of this region reveal that it has been continuously occupied since prehistoric times. Strabo, in naming the thirteen Pisidian cities quotes Artemidoros, a man who is known to have lived in the first century BC. However, according to recent reckoning, the names of 51 the Hellenistic and Roman period sites are now known, in addition to the five colonies already mentioned above. 
DAY 7 :EGIRDIR-ANKARA
Today we will make daily tour around Egirdir we’ll see Akpınar Vilage, castle, green island and return to Ankara. Transfer to Esenboğa airport. End of services.
Akpinar Village: Akpınar Village is a cute village 7 kilometers from Eğirdir city center. From here, it is possible to see Lake Eğirdir, the Green and Can Islands, the Barla and Anamas Mountains, and the Bosphorus Plain by drinking hot tea and eating pancakes.

INCLUDING SERVICES:
- 6 days accomodation at 4* hotels
- 6 breakfast, lunch and dinner
- English speaking tour guide during all the tour
- All transfers, parking, road tolls writen in the programme
- 2 bottles of water per person, per day
- Travel insurance
EXCLUDING SERVICES:
- International flight tickets
- First day breakfast and lunch
- Last day lunch and dinner
- Tipping to guide, driver, hotels and restaurants
- Any soft or alcohol drinks at restaurants and hotels