Day 1 ISTANBUL / ABANT

Arrival to Istanbul. Welcome back to Turkey! After meeting and assistance
at airport, long distance transfer to Abant. This fresh air and good food
paradise is famous for its small but marvelous lake at 1450 m above
sea level. It is also very popular with the local visitors from big cities.
The lake’s trout-filled water attract many fisherman and literally locally
made, colorful basketwork is sold by nearby villagers. Horse riding can
also be another attraction around the lake. Check-in at hotel. After lunch
tour around Abant Lake. Dinner and overnight in Abant. (L,D)

Day 2 ABANT / SAFRANBOLU / ILGAZ
After breakfast, drive to Safranbolu. This little cozy town built around a
sinkhole, which has been emptied of its mineral contents and famous
for its 19.C. provincial style houses in the old quarter. There are being
restored with loving care by the craftsmen and students working under
the supervision of specialists from Zonguldak University. Now the city
is an open-air museum of this kind of architecture. Visit old Ottoman
Houses and taste the delicious Lokum of Safranbolu. Then continue to
Mt. Ilgaz for dinner and overnight in a cozy mountain hotel. (B,L,D)

Day 3 ILGAZ / HATTUSAS / AMASYA

Have a long and steady drive over the hills to Hattusas, Yazilikaya and Alacahöyük; The Hittites who conquered the Babylon had also challenged the pharaohs of Egpyt over 3000 years ago. The history of Hittites had been buried by itself but excavations in Bogazköy. Yazilikaya means ‘inscribed rock’ which is just under 3 km near Hattusas. Yazilikaya was always a naturalistic religious sanctuary open to the sky but in the later Hittite times monumental gateways and temple structure were  built in front of the natural rock galleries. There is less to see in Alacahöyük but Hittiteophilies want to take to tri  to the site, 25 km north of Hattusas. There is also a small museum on the site and a few sphinxes. Drive to Amasya for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

Day 4 AMASYA / TOKAT / SAMSUN

After breakfast, short city tour of Amasya which
was one time the capital of the Pontic kings. It’s a
beautiful city divided into two parts by the river of
Yesilırmak surrounded by high clifs. Amasya is an
old-town with a number of things to see including
the rock-hewn tombs of the Kings of Pontus,
some fine old mosques picturesque Ottoman
half-timbered houses and a good little museum.
Amasya was the birthplace of Strabo, the world’s
first historian. Then drive to Tokat. On the way we
will visit Ballica Caves, the Carstic formation ends
with a mysterious underground lake. You walk up
over 100 steps to reach the entrance from where
you go down 75 meters and up again for another
10 meters. This magnificent visit will make you
breathless. Then drive to Samsun, Dinner and
overnight. (B,L,D)

Day 5 SAMSUN / ORDU / GIRESUN / TRABZON

This day will be glorious as we will be driving in the valleys, passing over
the mountains and taking narrow picturesque straits to reach the Black
sea coasts. Taking the green mountains on our right side, and the Black
sea on our left we drive through the fishing ports of Ordu and Giresun
viewing some old castles, houses and fields of hazelnuts before we reach
Trabzon. Free until dinner time. Dinner and overnight in Trabzon. (B,L;D)

Day 6 TRABZON / UZUNGÖL / TRABZON

A short visit of the town including the very famous church of St. Sophia
before driving up to the Uzungöl. Change into smaller mini buses to go
up to a level of 1100 meters. Lunch at a typical local restaurant and free
time to wander around for wonderful scenery. Return to Trabzon for
dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

Day 7 TRABZON / SUMELA / TRABZON /
ISTANBUL

After loading suitcases on the bus, we will drive
via Macka to Sumela to explore one of the most
beautiful Greek Orthodox Monasteries of 11th
century which was dedicated to Virgin Mary. It
was founded in Byzantine times, abondoned
in 1923 and is being restored nowadays. The
Monastery clings with a sheer rock wall high
above evergreen forests and a rushing mountain
stream. It is a mysterious and unique place
especially when mists swirl among the top of
the trees in the valley below. Lunch on the way
down to coast line and return to Trabzon to catch
our flight to Istanbul at 16:00 hrs. Dinner and
overnight in Istanbul. (B,L,D)

Day 8 ISTANBUL DEPARTURE

A day at leisure until flight time. (Optional
Bosphorus tour is available). Transfer to the
airport for your flight back to home. (B)