5 Days – Mesopotamia Tour: Nemrut, Şanlıurfa & Mardin (By Plane)

What you’ll do
You fly east to Adıyaman and begin a powerful introduction to the Commagene Kingdom’s legacy. The landscapes here feel older and wilder — rugged hills, long valleys, and monuments built to defy time. You’ll visit a string of historic sites before continuing on to Şanlıurfa for the night.

Key experiences

• Mount Nemrut monumental statues and viewpoints
• Karakuş Tumulus
• Cendere Roman Bridge
• Arsemia royal seat and inscriptions
• Scenic drive into Şanlıurfa

What you’ll do
Today is a headline moment for history lovers. You visit Göbeklitepe, then return to the city for a layered day that mixes the prehistoric, the classical, and the spiritual. The museum collections help you connect the dots between the vast ages you’re walking through.

Key experiences

• Göbeklitepe megalithic enclosures
• Şanlıurfa Archaeology & Mosaic Museum
• Balıklıgöl and the surrounding historic quarter
• Time in local bazaars and old streets

What you’ll do
You dive deeper into the Taş Tepeler story with Karahantepe, then move to the desert-edged world of Harran. The day is rich with contrast — cutting-edge archaeology followed by a place where architecture and daily life still echo the ancient Silk Road rhythm. Later, you drive to Mardin as the landscapes change from open plains to honey-colored hills.

Key experiences

• Karahantepe’s emerging Neolithic discoveries
• Harran’s beehive houses and ruins
• Village life and regional storytelling
• Drive to Mardin for an atmospheric evening arrival

What you’ll do
This is a slower, more elegant day. You explore Mardin’s old town, then step outside the city to see the haunting remains of Dara — a site where stone corridors and ancient engineering still feel surprisingly alive. The day ends with the timeless calm of Deyrulzafaran Monastery, one of the anchors of Syriac heritage in the region.

Key experiences

• Mardin panoramic walk and historic streets
• Ancient City of Dara
• Deyrulzafaran Monastery
• Optional café time with Mesopotamian plain views

What you’ll do
You finish with the refined stone beauty of Midyat and the oasis-like calm of Beyazsu. Mor Gabriel adds a final historic crescendo — a living monument to a culture that has shaped this landscape for centuries. After the visits, you transfer to the airport for your return flight.

Key experiences

• Midyat old town and artisan lanes
• Beyazsu waterside rest stop
• Mor Gabriel Monastery
• Optional stop in a Syriac village setting (like Kafro)