12 DAYS TURKEY AND GEORGIA TOUR : CAPITALS - BLACK SEA - GEORGIA

DAY 1 ISTANBUL

Upon arrival meeting with your tour director at Istanbul Airport and commence with sightseeing, covering the following: Istanbul City Walls (Admission is not required – passing by coach view only), it boasts several impressive castles a fortification. Massive walls of ancient Constantinople, built by the Emperor Theodosius II over 1500 years ago, are in many places still standing. Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque) (Admission is not required – inside visit), a 16th century’s religious center and the only mosque in Istanbul with 6 minarets. Hippodrome square (Admission is not required – walking oriantation), where horse carriage and gladiator fights took place during the Byzantian Empire. It is decorated today with an Egyptian Column, Serpentane Column. Hagia Sophia Museum (Admission is included – inside visit), a unique combination of Christianity and Islam religion in the same holding place. Topkapi Palace Museum (Admission is included – inside visit) – a museum palace with a wide collection of Porcelains, Treasuries, religious collect peace. It is the first Great Imperial Palace of Ottoman Dynasty. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.

DAY 2 ISTANBUL – SAFRANBOLU – ANKARA

After breakfast start tour to Safranbolu. Walking tour in Safranbolu World Heritage Sight visit Old Houses and walking tour in town . Ankara – capital of Turkey, it is second largest city of Turkey. Ataturk Mausoleum (Admission is not required – walking oriantation), final resting place of founder of modern Turkey.Overnight in Ankara.

DAY 3 ANKARA – CAPPADOCIA

Salt Lake (Admission is not required – walking oriantation) , called Tatta in antiquity, is a closed&end lake surrunded by plateaus. He sources that feed the lake are insufficient, the river Melendiz and River Pecenekozu. Pigeon Valley (Admission is not required – walking orientation), great photo spot where we will see the valley of Goreme with bird eye view. Uchisar “castle” village (Admission is not required – walking orientation), a fantasy&land of strange and wonderful works of man and nature. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.

DAY 4 CAPPADOCIA

Hot air ballooning over the charming landscape during sun this morning time (Optional). Turkey’s handmade crafts through a turkish carpet weaving course (Shopping stop). Esentepe Hill and Fairy Chimneys Valley (Admission is not required – walking orientation), moon landscape of Cappadocia, where you will be able to see fairy chimneys valley. Avanos Pottery Village (Admission is not required – shopping stop), set on the banks of the Kizilirmak (Red River). Local people made their hand made potteries. Underground City (Admission is included – inside visit), once a place of refuge for 15000 Christians. Witness the ancient bedrooms, church, meeting hall and food storage rooms in this eight&storey city connected by 30km of corridors and passageways. Turquoise & Onyx handmade store (Shopping stop), name given by Marco Polo which means color of Turks. We will see handmade onyx and turquoise arts. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.

DAY 5 CAPPADOCIA – HATTUSA – AMASYA

Hattusas Ancient City (Admission is included – walking orientation), Gracefull Sultan Beyazit II Camii (Admission is not required– walking orientation), Green River (Admission is not required– walking orientation), Mountain Rock Tombs (Admission is not required– walking orientation), Famous Historian Strabon Statuse (Admission is not required– walking orientation), Overnight in Amasya.

DAY 6 AMASYA – SAMSUN – ORDU – GIRESUN

Magicol Eco Chamber (Admission is not required– walking orientation), Samsun City Walking Tour (Admission is not required– walking orientation), Ordu Boztepe Photo Break (Admission is not required– walking orientation), Overnight in Giresun.

DAY 7 GIRESUN – TRABZON

Sumela Monastery (Admission is included– walking orientation), Uzungol (Admission is not required– walking orientation). Overnight in Trabzon.

DAY 8 TRABZON – RIZE

Ayder Yaylasi (Admission is included– walking orientation), Zil Kale (Admission is included – walking orientation), Rize City Tour (Admission is included– walking orientation), Overnight in Rize.

DAY 9 RIZE – BATUMI

Transfer to Batumi through Arhavi. Panoramic Batumi city tour. Dinner. Overnight in Batumi.

DAY 10 BATUMI – TBILISI

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit Batumi Botanical Garden. Transfer and overnight in Tbilisi.

DAY 11 TBILISI – ANANURI – KAZBEGI – GUDAURI – TBILISI

Breakfast at the hotel. Meeting guide at the hotel reception. Today we drive to Kazbegi, northern part of the country and mountain region of the country and Georgian ski resort. On the way, we pass Ananuri Castle and Jinvali water reservoir of amazing beauty. Stop upon request. Lunch at a local restaurant. Passing Pasanauri village and along the Aragvi River and picturesque landscapes arrive in Gudauri. Then transfer to Kazbegi (about 40km from Gudauri). Driving along the Tergi River will bring us to Stepantsminda – the main town in the region. From centre, (if the weather permits us) we drive through beautiful valleys and woodlands to visit Gergeti Trinity Church located on the hill at 2170m. You may observe one of the highest glaciers in the Caucasus – Mt Kazbegi (5047m). Drive back to Tbilisi, dinner and overnight at the hotel.

DAY 12 TBILISI - HOME

Transfer to the airport for departure flight. Our services end here…