Private Eastern Turkey Tours Designed by Local Experts
Private Eastern Turkey tours designed and operated by local experts based in Van, in the heart of Eastern Anatolia.
From Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe to Mount Nemrut, Mardin, Lake Van, and Ani, each journey is fully customized around your travel dates, interests, and pace.
Fully Private Tours • Licensed Local Guides • 4–5 Star and Boutique Hotels • Seamless Travel Planning Across Eastern Turkey
A Family-Run Travel Company Based in Eastern Turkey
Explore Anatolia is a family-run travel company based in Van, in the heart of Eastern Turkey, with all private Eastern Turkey tours designed and operated by our own local team.
With nearly 20 years of regional experience, we have hosted more than 40,000 travelers worldwide.
We create seamless, well-planned journeys across Eastern Anatolia, combining deep local expertise with carefully designed routes.
• Based in Van, Eastern Turkey
• Nearly 20 years of regional experience
• Direct operations by our own local team
• 40,000+ travelers hosted worldwide
All tours are operated through our family-run structure under Experience Anatolia Tours (TÜRSAB License No: 10762) and Alkans Tour Agency (TÜRSAB License No: 5904), both managed by the same team.
This ensures full control, consistency, and deep regional expertise across every journey.
Private Eastern Turkey Tours Across Göbeklitepe, Nemrut & Van
Our private Eastern Turkey tours are designed for travelers seeking depth, comfort, and expert guidance across the region.
• Flexible routes built around your travel dates and interests
• Carefully paced journeys across long distances
• Designed and operated by our own local team
• Seamless planning with in-depth regional insight
Every journey is fully customized, ensuring a smooth, meaningful, and well-paced travel experience across Eastern Turkey.
For travelers interested in the earliest sacred landscapes of Anatolia, explore our Ancient Anatolia Tours, focusing on Göbeklitepe, Karahantepe, and the wider Taş Tepeler region.
To better understand the significance of Göbeklitepe and how to plan your visit, read our detailed guide on Göbeklitepe tours and travel planning.
Sample 11–12 Day Private Eastern Turkey Tour Itinerary
Below is a sample itinerary designed to illustrate how a private Eastern Turkey journey can be structured.
Every tour is fully customized based on your travel dates, interests, and preferred pace.
• Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul
• Day 2: Istanbul highlights including Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace
• Day 3: Flight to Kars, explore Ani Ruins and its medieval churches
• Day 4: Visit Ishak Pasha Palace, enjoy Mount Ararat views, continue to Van
• Day 5: Full day in Van with Akdamar Church and Van Castle
• Day 6: Travel to Tatvan, visit Nemrut Crater and the Seljuk monuments of Ahlat
• Day 7: Drive through Bitlis Gorge, stop at Hasankeyf, continue to Mardin
• Day 8: Explore Mardin, Dara Ancient City and Deyrulzafaran Monastery, then continue to Diyarbakir
• Day 9: Discover Diyarbakir including Ulu Cami and the city walls, then continue toward Mount Nemrut for sunset
• Day 10: Explore Şanlıurfa, Göbeklitepe, Karahantepe and Balıklıgöl (Pools of Abraham)
• Day 11: Travel to Gaziantep and visit the Zeugma Mosaic Museum
• Day 12: Departure
This sample route combines Göbeklitepe, Mount Nemrut, Van, Mardin and Ani into a seamless journey across Eastern Turkey, designed for depth, comfort, and meaningful exploration.
Your Private Eastern Turkey Tour, Fully Customized
This sample itinerary is only a starting point.
Our private Eastern Turkey tours are designed around your travel dates, interests, group size, and preferred pace.
We build each journey using proven routes across Eastern Turkey, then tailor every detail to match your travel style, preferred pacing, and level of depth.
Tell us your travel plans, and we will design the ideal private Eastern Turkey tour for you.
What’s Included
• 4–5 star and carefully selected boutique hotel accommodations
• Domestic flights as specified in the personalized itinerary
• Private transportation with all logistics arranged
• Licensed professional English-speaking guide
• All museum and archaeological site entrances
• All taxes and operational costs
What’s Not Included
• International flights
• Lunches and dinners (unless specified)
• Personal expenses
• Beverages
• Travel insurance
Detailed inclusions and arrangements are confirmed with your personalized itinerary.
Why Choose Our Private Eastern Turkey Tours
• Direct local operator, not a reseller
• Based in Eastern Turkey with genuine on-the-ground expertise
• Nearly 20 years designing and operating tours across Eastern Anatolia
• TÜRSAB-licensed local tour operator with direct operations
• Deep regional knowledge of Göbeklitepe, Taş Tepeler, and beyond
• Carefully designed routes for comfort, pacing, and seamless travel
• Private, high-quality journeys tailored to your interests and travel style
Travel with a team that knows Eastern Turkey firsthand, delivering high-quality private Eastern Turkey tours built on real local expertise.
See Real Travel Experiences in Eastern Turkey
Watch real moments from our private Eastern Turkey tours, including Göbeklitepe, Mount Nemrut, Şanlıurfa, and beyond.
These videos show how the journey feels on the ground, guided by our local team.
Explore more on our YouTube channel, where we share real traveler experiences across Eastern Turkey.
Prefer a Scheduled Small-Group Eastern Turkey Tour?
While our private Eastern Turkey tours are fully customized, we also offer scheduled small-group departures for travelers who prefer a fixed itinerary and the opportunity to explore the region with other like-minded travelers.
12-Day Eastern Turkey Heritage Tour
Our most comprehensive scheduled Eastern Turkey tour, traveling from the Black Sea through Ani, Mount Ararat, Lake Van, Mardin, Diyarbakır, Mount Nemrut, Göbekli Tepe, and Gaziantep. An ideal choice for travelers seeking archaeology, ancient history, cultural heritage, churches, monasteries, landscapes, and local life across Eastern and Southeastern Turkey.
11 Nights / 12 Days | Scheduled Small Group | Domestic Flights Included
View the 12-Day Eastern Turkey Heritage Tour
8-Day Göbekli Tepe Archaeology Tour
For a more focused journey through Southeastern Turkey, this scheduled archaeology tour explores Göbekli Tepe, Karahantepe, Mount Nemrut, Şanlıurfa, Mardin, Diyarbakır, and Gaziantep, combining some of the region’s most important archaeological sites, ancient cities, cultural heritage, and historic landscapes.
7 Nights / 8 Days | Scheduled Small Group | Domestic Flights Included
View the 8-Day Göbekli Tepe Archaeology Tour
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Every private Eastern Turkey tour is fully tailored to your travel dates, interests, group size, preferred pace, and travel style. The final quotation is based on the number of travelers, tour duration, travel dates, preferred accommodation category, and the services and experiences included in your itinerary.
Yes. Our private Eastern Turkey tours are ideal for couples, families, friends, and small private groups. Each journey is arranged exclusively for your party, with the itinerary, pace, transportation, and accommodation tailored to your preferences.
Solo travelers and couples who prefer to join a scheduled small group can also choose our 12-Day Eastern Turkey Heritage Tour, our most comprehensive scheduled journey across Eastern and Southeastern Turkey, covering archaeology, ancient history, cultural heritage, churches and monasteries, local life, and spectacular landscapes.
Yes. If you wish, your private Eastern Turkey tour can include both Göbeklitepe and Mount Nemrut, along with destinations such as Mardin, Van, Ani, Şanlıurfa, and Diyarbakır. Our Eastern Turkey tours are designed around your available travel dates, preferred pace, group size, and interests, combining archaeology, ancient history, cultural heritage, historic cities and bazaars, local life, regional cuisine, churches and monasteries, and spectacular landscapes.
We use carefully selected 4–5 star and boutique hotels, chosen for comfort, location, and overall travel experience.
Yes. Our Eastern Turkey tours are carefully planned and operated by our experienced local team, with routes, transportation, and logistics professionally coordinated throughout the journey.
Plan Your Private Eastern Turkey Tour
Experience Göbeklitepe, Mount Nemrut, Mardin, Van, Ani, and the hidden cultural landscapes of Eastern Anatolia through a fully customized journey designed by local experts.
Every itinerary is crafted around your travel dates, interests, and pace, ensuring a seamless and meaningful experience across Eastern Turkey.
Receive your personalized itinerary within 24–48 hours.
No obligation. Designed specifically for your travel plans.
Looking for a broader overview of routes and travel ideas?
Explore our Eastern Turkey Tours page to discover more routes, itineraries, and travel options across the region.
