YPT Tours To Turkish-Kurdistan

YPT are now pleased to offer Turkish-Kurdistan Tours. Turkish-Kurdistan is a region nestled in Southeastern Turkey that shares influence from ancient and more recent empires – Assyrians, Byzantine, Ottoman – and cultural crossovers – Kurdish, Armenian, Chechyn, Turkic and more – making the region a fascinating melting pot of culture! 

Turkish-Kurdistan boasts (arguably) the best cuisine and coffee in Turkey (as well as the popular Assyrian wine), museums of empiric artifacts, particular architecture, and natural wonders starkly different to Western Turkey.

From snow-capped mountains, the largest lake in Turkey, exceptional wine and ancient cities as well as preserved Kurdish culture and language – Turkish Kurdistan is an unexplored gem of the region!

Group Tours to Turkish-Kurdistan:

We do not currently have group tours to Turkish-Kurdistan; however, tours are in the works! If you would like to keep up to date with tours to Turkish-Kurdistan, send us a message!

Are you interested in broader Kurdish regions? Join us on one of our Iraqi Kurdistan tours!

Individual Tours to Turkish-Kurdistan:

Get in touch to see what individual tours we can organize for you, incorporating our bespoke tours or specificities you are interested in. We can also incorporate the best parts of Turkish-Kurdistan with Iraqi Kurdistan upon request!

Example Turkish-Kurdistan Itinerary (6 days)

Day 1: Van

Afternoon:

• Arrive in Van and settle into the hotel
• We will eat at one of the most popular local restaurants in Van before heading back to the hotel

Day 2: Van – Hasankeyf – Mardin

Morning

• Explore Akdamar Island, in the middle of Lake Van, the second biggest lake in the Middle East and the largest in Turkey! Here we will see the picturesque Church of the Holy Cross

Afternoon

• Visit the Castle Of Van which overlooks the second largest Lake in Turkey
• Drive to Hasankeyf, some of the most marvelous ruins in Turkey! The town is now a natural conservation area
• Drive to Mardin and check into the hotel
• We will eat at a local Mardin restaurant. Local Mardin cuisine such as kaburga dolması is recommended!

Day 3: Mardin

Morning

• Enjoy a city tour of old Mardin and we will quickly visit Mardin Museum, which has a fantastic view of the city
• We will visit the grand mosque in Mardin, one of the top rated experiences in the city!
• Enjoy street food for lunch – there is significant Syria and Middle Eastern influence in Mardin cuisine that is a must try!

Afternoon

• In the early afternoon, we will venture close to the Syrian border to see Dara, some of the most magnificent Roman ruins of the Sassanid Empire.
• After a long day, we will return to Mardin for dinner and return to the hotel

Day 4: Mardin – Şanlıurfa

Morning

• Travel to Urfa: a city split between Turk/Kurd and Arab culture and language
• We will take a walking tour through Urfa, including the beautiful bazaar! Urfa has a very long Abrahamic religious history, including the birthplace of Prophet Abraham. We will visit the cave in which he was born

Afternoon

• Visit Urfa Castle, an open air museum with a wonderful view of the city!
• In the evening, we will go to a Sıra gecesi, where we will eat Kurdish cuisine and watch traditional performances 

Day 5: Şanlıurfa – Diyarbakir (Amed) – The Kurdish Capital

Morning

• Travel to Diyabakir
• Walking tour of Old City Diyarbakir and admire the Diyarbakir specific architecture of the small narrow streets and buildings, as well as visiting Dengbej, where you can see Kurdish poetry recitation
• Enter the Diyarbakır Grand Mosque, an ancient mosque built in 636.

Afternoon:

• A visit to Hasan Pasha Inn, once a large inn for nomadic travelers, now a courtyard with various cafes and shops (you must try the Kurdish pistachio coffee!)
• We will visit the Archaeological museum, large grounds and many buildings cover the extensive history of Diyarbakir and surrounding cities. If you are not into history, the view alone is amazing!
• Continue to the nearby castle wall (which is scalable!) and get the best view of the city and of the farming fields outside of the city.
• Visit Sülüklü Han for wine or coffee, what once a medicinal well has now been transformed into a cafe
• Eat at a local Diyarbakir restaurant. If you’re brave you can try their famous liver!
• Return to the hotel or have another glass or two in the many Kurdish bars near Sülüklü Han or behind the Grand mosque, where you may get to see live music and Kurdish dancing!

Day 6: Diyarbakir 

Morning:

• We will depart to explore the rest of the city, including the Tarihi Mardin Kapı fortress and nearby park
• Explore the Souqs (you will be surprised at how little vendors will try to grab your attention!)
• Visit the beautiful Armenian Catholic Church and the Mar Petyun Keldani Church, an old Assyrian Church!

Afternoon:

• Tour concludes

Bespoke Tours to Turkish-Kurdistan:

There are many things to see in Turkish-Kurdistan that are quite unique – from important religious sites to Newroz festival, stunning nature and amazing food – Turkish-Kurdistan has an activity to suit every type of pioneer!

Abrahamic Religions Tour:

Did you know that Şanlıurfa is home to the birthplace of Prophet Abraham? It also has Balıklıgöl, the place where Abraham was cast into the fire by Nimrod. The town boasts 12,000-year-old sanctuaries and other important places including the tombs of Prophet Ayyub and Alyasa. 

Turkish-Kurdistan is home to many important religious sites and has influences from the three Abrahamic religions – from different cultural origins. In Diyarbakir you can visit Churches, Synagogues and Mosques within close quarters to each other and in Mardin, you can visit Ulu Mosque, a gigantic mosque with an incredible view of the city.

Turkish-Kurdish Culinary Tour:

Many Turks admit that the best food comes from the South-East of the country. You can expect to find local twists on traditional Turkish and Kurdish cuisine as well as strong influences from Middle Eastern cuisine. From the vegetarian cig kofte to delicious liver and meats, pistachio Kurdish coffee and phenomenal Assyrian wine – you are spoilt for choice in this region for culinary delights!

Mardin Region Tour:

The Mardin region is home to ruins of fortress cities such as Dara, where you can walk amongst structures of one of the most important cities in Mesopotamia! The region boasts museums with artefacts from many different empires that conquered the region throughout history, as well as excavation sites open to tourists. Did we mention that the entire old town is a UNESCO Worod Herritage Site? Mardin has important influences and contributions from different peiords of its history including Assyrians, Romans, Muslims, Mongols, Catholics, Armenians, and Chaldeans.

Van City Break Tour:

Van is a cozy city boasting the biggest lake in Turkey – nestled between large snowcapped mountain ranges. This is the perfect getaway for those who want to explore the scenic nature, visit historical places of worship such as the Seven Churches Armenian Village and castles overlooking the picturesque views of the region. For cat lovers, you may even come across the rare Van cats – notorious for their different-colored eyes and surprising fondness for swimming in Lake Van.

The Ancient City of Sanliurfa Tour:

Sanliurfa or “Urfa” has been inhabited since 9,500 B.C, making it one of the oldest settlements in Turkey. Along with Diyarbakir, Mardin and Batman, Urfa is also home to a diverse population – Kurdish, Turks, Arabs and Yazidis all inhabit the city today creating a crossroad of cultures and specific traditions. The city also has Göbekli Tepe, the oldest temple discovered worldwide, and the small city is nicknamed ‘the City of Prophets’ for its prolific religious significance. 

If history isn’t necessarily your thing, Urfa has much more to offer. The architecture is unique and reflects the myriad of cultures- and so does the cuisine. For the night owls, there is Antik bar, a hub for live local music and festivities or you can take part in a Sıra Night, an event with traditional decorations full of dining, singing, dancing, and storytelling, an experience unique to Urfa.

Newroz Festival Tour:

Kurdish Newroz is the celebration of the Spring Equinox, to symbolize new beginnings and is the largest event in the Kurdish calendar. Newroz has many stages including cleaning your environment, visiting family and friends, preparing food and celebration of the equinox. Newroz is usually held in March and consists of food, dancing and traditional colorful Kurdish attire. 

In Diyarbakir (considered the Kurdish capital – ‘Amed’) these celebrations are populous and reflective of the current state of Kurdish identity within the Turkish state. Newroz is one of the best times to visit Turkish-Kurdistan as Kurdish culture is significantly on display despite attempts of repression. We can also organise extensions to visit other cities such as Van, Sanliurfa, Mardin and more!

Filming in Turkish-KurdistanWhether you are a documentary maker, film maker, or hobbyist wishing to do a project in Turkish-Kurdistan YPT can help navigate the laws on filming here through our partners at Pioneer Media.

Frequently ask Questions about travel to Turkish-Kurdistan

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