Attractions: Harran

These small-group special tours travel from Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya or Ankara in VIP vehicles with experienced guides who live in the region. We will offer the best of Mesopotamian hospitality as you visit Göbeklitepe, Karahantepe, Mount Nemrut, Harran, Şanlıurfa, Dara ancient city, Mardin, Midyat and Cappadocia. Along the way you will explore important archaeological sites and historic towns, and learn about local history and culture from guides with deep regional knowledge. As you move through Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe you may encounter prehistoric remains; in Harran and Şanlıurfa you will experience longstanding urban traditions; Dara ancient city, Mardin and Midyat reveal layered histories set in distinctive architecture; Mount Nemrut offers dramatic highland scenery, and Cappadocia presents its unique landscape. The small-group format is intended to give you a more personal experience and closer contact with the places and people you visit.

This private, all-inclusive guided tour is an easy add-on to your Turkey holiday. You will be picked up from your hotel and accompanied by a knowledgeable guide who speaks your language, so you can focus on the sights and sounds of historic Sanliurfa without worrying about logistics. You will visit the biblical city of Haran, with its 500-year-old mud houses, where you'll have the chance to ride camels and see Jacob's Well. After lunch you will visit the Sanliurfa Archaeology Museum and then experience a picturesque sunset at the Pool of Abraham (Fish Lake). Abraham is an important patriarch in Islam, Judaism and Christianity, and Sanliurfa is where Abraham lived before his migration to Canaan.

Experience the landscapes and history around the Euphrates with personalised VIP service led by expert guide Selim Bakır. You’ll have exclusive access to ancient cities, sacred sites and submerged ruins, where Selim will share context and stories as you move through each location. Along the way you’ll visit traditional beehive houses and the site of Prophet Jacob’s well, gaining a sense of local life and spiritual heritage. A scenic boat tour along the Euphrates is included, with views of Rum Castle and the riverside Savaşan village. The experience also features rare wildlife encounters, including sightings of the endangered Northern Bald Ibis, adding a natural-history dimension to the cultural exploration. Overall, the day blends archaeology, culture and nature, with a knowledgeable guide providing a personalised, VIP approach to each stop.

At Göbekli Tepe you'll encounter a prehistoric tell — an artificial mound from the Pre‑Pottery Neolithic that was not used for habitation but built as a series of round megalithic sanctuaries. As you move through the site, you will see the circular enclosures and the hill scattered with countless stone implements and large‑format, regular‑shaped ashlars. A wishing tree on the ridge still attracts local residents, a small living detail that connects the site's ancient atmosphere to the present day. This ancient archaeological tour is focused on the mysteries of Göbekli Tepe. You will learn how excavations carried out by the German Archaeological Institute in cooperation with the Archaeological Museum in Sanlıurfa uncovered important evidence that reshapes our understanding of early human history. Along the way, the finds and layout of the sanctuaries will help illustrate new ideas about the process of sedentism and the beginnings of agriculture, presenting the site as a key piece in the puzzle of human prehistory rather than a former settlement.

Set in Mesopotamia, Şanlıurfa is known as the Land of the Prophets and the cradle of civilisation. This experience will take you through the city’s deep cultural and historical roots, giving you time to connect with places that shaped early human history. You will visit the distinctive Harran Houses and explore the ruins of what is considered the world’s first university, learning about ancient ways of life and scholarship as you move through the site. Göbeklitepe will be a major highlight — a prehistoric temple complex that reshaped our understanding of human history and offers striking stone carvings and monumental pillars to contemplate. Along the way, you will also experience Balıklı Göl, a living legend where ancient stories and local traditions come to life beside its sacred waters. Throughout the visit, the focus will be on the rich heritage of Mesopotamia and the enduring significance of Şanlıurfa’s landmarks.