It is a combines tour for three of the country’s most enchanting and historically regions with Turkey’s modern capital, Ankara. All three lie within the great Central Anatolian Plateau that defines the heart of Asia Minor today as it has done since time immemorial.

Central Anatolia’s geographic position between seas and continents and has served as a cultural and actual high way prehistoric period  to the present, a point of movement and contact, conflict and amalgamation. The number of peoples and cultures that have passed through, settled and interacted here is beyond count, they range from Paleolithic hunter-gatherers and the first farmers of the Neolithic, via the fascinating Bronze Age civilization of the Hittites, the Phrygians, Persians and Romans of antiquity, to the Byzantines, Seljuks, Ottomans, Greeks and Turks. Each of them has left its own distinctive mark on the remarkably diverse history of Central Anatolia.

That fascinating diversity, reflected by landscapes and settlements, is especially tangible in the form of a great wealth of archaeological and historical sites. Ankara, the Hittite heartlands and Cappadocia form a triangle that is not vast, but they are extraordinarily different, each offering a unique and unforgettable experience.

The tour begins at Ankara, where it takes in the city’s important Roman and medieval remains and the vast collection of the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, one of the world’s most important treasuries of prehistoric art. The journey then leads you to discover the Land of the Hittites, their citadels, shrines and cities, gaining a deep insight into the complex culture that arose from this country, but also veering off the beaten track to walk and explore many hidden paths through history.

In Cappadocia, you will admire an awe-inspiring geological wonderland of fantastic rock formations endlessly varied in shape and color, formed over many millennia by volcanic activity and subsequent erosion. Walking through some of the region’s most beautiful valleys and canyons, you will also explore its unique cultural heritage, with countless man-made structures cut into the cliffs and rocks, from simple chambers and dovecotes, to elaborate chapels, entire monasteries and the famous and mysterious Underground Cities. Due to its many painted rock-cut churches, Cappadocia is a veritable treasury of Byzantine Art, which developed and thrived here for over 500 years and provides us with many fascinating details and stories.

With famed highlights like Hattusha, the enormous fortified Hittite Capital, and Göreme Open Air Museum, the very heart of Cappadocia, both UNESCO-listed World Heritage sites, this tour leads you to an intense and memorable encounter with a great and ancient city and with two famous regions, renowned for their history, archaeology and landscape.

Itinerary : 

Day 1:  Arrival in Ankara. Transfer from airport, meeting with Oktogon representative and transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Ankara.

Day 2: We visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations next to the Ankara Castle . You are going to have a chance to see some of Turkey’s finest ancient treasures, including exhibits from several of the sites we’ll be exploring during the tour. On to the temple of Augustus, the very first Roman Emperor, Ankara Castle and Moseloum of founder of Modern Turkey- Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Overnight in Ankara. 

Day 3: We are leaving from Ankara today through east to the heartland of the Hittite kingdom and Bogazkale, the modern village of Hattusha. 

We take our first walk on the Hittite Trail and visit Alaca Höyük, one of Turkey’s key prehistoric archaeological sites, a fortified citadel with royal tombs where a wealth of finds including jewelry, weapons and ritual objects were discovered dating back to the Bronze Age. Overnight at Corum. 

Day 4: We head out for a walk across the plains and rolling hills of central Anatolia. Today you’ll explore two of the most fascinating and important sites of the Hittites. At Hattusha, the capital, you’ll stroll through the celebrated Lion Gate and see the city’s ramparts, palaces and temples. A sacred way led to the Yazilkaya Sanctuary, where you can still see the chief gods and goddesses of the Hittites carved into the rock. Drive to Cappadocia. Overnight at Cappadocia. 

Day 5:  Cappadocia and our lovely hotel in the one of old town of Cappadocia. 

A free afternoon for you to relax or explore before we climb to a local highpoint for Uchisar.Overnight at Cappadocia.

Day 6: We begin our exploration of Cappadocia with a walk through the unbelievably picturesque Red Valley with its colorful rock formations and impressive fairy chimneys. We stop by Çavuşin village to visit its richly frescoed church and later at a private wine tasting you’ll enjoy some of the region’s finest wines as the sun sets over the magnificent landscape. Overnight at Cappadocia

Day 7: We walk through the delightful Gomeda Valley, crisscrossing the stream on small bridges, passing rock-cut dwellings, cave churches and the old village of Gomeda itself. You’ll then discover the excavations of Roman and Byzantine Sobessos and the rock cut Keslik Monastery with its beautiful frescoes and enormous dining hall. Overnight at Cappadocia

Day 8: We visit the mysterious underground city of Kaymaklı and explore its tunnels, shafts, rooms, storage spaces and church. Next, we walk through the lush Ihlara Canyon, admiring its pure river, painted churches and lovely scenery. In the early evening, you’ll see dervishes whirling in a medieval Seljuk caravanserai. Overnight at Cappadocia.

Day 9: A morning walk in pretty Pigeon Valley with its many rock-cut dovecotes, still inhabited by the descendants of the birds brought here centuries ago. In the late afternoon, you’ll discover the most famous site of Cappadocia, the Göreme Open Air Museum, a vast complex of painted cave monasteries. The 11th century frescoes in Karanlık Kilise (Dark Church) are among the finest examples of Byzantine art.Overnight at Cappadocia.

Day 10: Transfer to Kayseri or Nevşehir airport.