TURKEY GRAND TOUR with Graham Hancock (14 days)

Welcome to Istanbul, the crossroads of continents and civilizations. Upon your arrival, our team will greet you at the airport and provide a transfer to your hotel in the heart of this historic city.

In the evening, we’ll gather for a special Welcome Dinner, where you’ll have the opportunity to meet Graham Hancock and your fellow travelers.

Hotel: Istanbul
Meals Included: Dinner

We begin our journey by exploring Istanbul, a city that has witnessed the rise and fall of empires for thousands of years.

First, we visit the legendary Hagia Sophia, once a church, then a mosque, and now a museum. Historically regarded as the greatest surviving example of Byzantine architecture, Hagia Sophia stands as a symbol of the shifting tides of religion and power throughout history.

Our exploration continues with the awe-inspiring Blue Mosque, renowned for its stunning blue tiles and domed architecture, which reveal the spiritual grandeur of Istanbul’s past.

From there, we move to Hippodrome Square, where we’ll trace the footsteps of ancient chariot races and political spectacles that once filled this bustling space.

Next, we’ll step into the iconic Topkapi Palace, the seat of the Ottoman Empire. We then descend into the depths of the Basilica Cistern, also known as Yerebatan Cistern. This underground wonder, with its forest of columns and eerie echoes, provides a glimpse into the ancient city’s water storage system.

In the evening, we gather for a Multimedia Lecture by Graham Hancock, where he will dive into the mysteries of Turkey and discuss how its ancient past intertwines with his theories on lost civilizations and the secrets of human history.

Hotel: Istanbul
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we’ll head toward Gallipoli, where we’ll enjoy a scenic lunch by the sea before sailing across the Dardanelles to Canakkale, on the Asian side of Turkey. Our destination is the legendary ancient city of Troy, one of the most iconic archaeological sites and a place that bridges history and myth. Immortalized in Homer’s Iliad, Troy has fascinated historians and storytellers for centuries. We’ll explore its well-preserved ruins and see a replica of the famous Trojan Horse.

Hotel: Assos
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

It’s time to travel to the ancient city of Pergamon, once a powerful cultural and intellectual center of the ancient world. Known for its monumental temples, grand acropolis, and vast library, Pergamon was a place where knowledge and power converged. During the Roman period, Pergamon became the most famous and influential city of Asia Minor. Visiting this UNESCO site will provide you with a chance to trace the steps of the ancient city of Pergamon and learn more about its unique history.

Hotel: Kusadasi
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our adventure continues as we journey to Ephesus, one of the most impressive and well-preserved ancient cities in the world. Once a thriving hub of commerce and culture, Ephesus was home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. This iconic place was also a religious center of early Christianity. Today, it’s a unique and amazingly well-preserved ancient city that attracts visitors from around the world.

Next, we will drive to our hotel in Pamukkale, where you will enjoy hot springs water, rich in minerals, and relax after the day of sightseeing.

Hotel: Pamukkale
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning we will visit the picturesque white terraces in Pamukkale and the famous ancient city of Hierapolis. This Greco-Roman city was built on top of the white terraces and has a lot to offer to its visitors, including a surreal landscape, made up of mineral forests, petrified waterfalls, and a series of terraced basins.

Later, you’ll have some free time to explore the unique geology of Turkey’s “Cotton Castle”. You will have an opportunity to walk barefoot on the unique calcite surface that is overrun with warm, mineral-rich waters, and admire the contrast between the powder-white surface, the clear blue sky, and the green plains below.

After lunch, we will drive to Konya to continue our journey.

Hotel: Konya
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, we delve into some of Turkey’s most enigmatic and ancient sites, beginning with the Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük, one of the oldest known urban centers in the world.

Believed to have been inhabited around 9,000 years ago, Çatalhöyük offers a rare glimpse into early human civilization. It is the largest and best-preserved Neolithic settlement currently known and is considered one of the key sites for understanding human prehistory. Regarded as a place off the beaten path, this archaeological site is rarely visited by tourists.

Next, we’ll visit the Sultanhani Kervansaray – one of the largest and most enchanting caravanserais in the world which had been used as an accommodation for people, especially merchants, and as a defense for trade routes.

Next, we venture underground to explore the mysterious depths of Derinkuyu, one of the largest and deepest underground cities ever discovered. This sprawling subterranean network, extending over 18 levels and reaching 280 feet deep, could once shelter up to 20,000 people.

Graham Hancock will discuss the possibility that these structures were created by an advanced Ice Age civilization, possessing knowledge of engineering far beyond what mainstream archaeology acknowledges. Could they have been built to safeguard people from extreme weather events or cosmic impacts, as suggested by ancient myths?

Hotel: Cappadocia
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, we explore the surreal landscape of Cappadocia, a region unlike any other in the world. Known for its fairy-tale-like rock formations called fairy chimneys, Cappadocia’s landscape was shaped by volcanic activity and centuries of erosion, creating a magical terrain that feels otherworldly. This region is a geological wonder in its own right, forming a "lost world" which we’ll explore during the day. Yet, beneath its beauty lies a deeper history—one intertwined with Graham Hancock’s theories on lost civilizations.

First, we explore Kaymakli, another interconnected underground complex featuring a maze of tunnels and rooms. Some believe it was connected to the underground city of Derinkuyu through a five-mile tunnel, forming part of a massive, region-wide refuge network.

Next, we’ll visit the Goreme Open-Air Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage site filled with ancient cave churches, monasteries, and dwellings carved into soft volcanic rock. These structures date back to the Byzantine era, but Graham will invite us to think beyond the accepted timeline, suggesting the possibility that the region’s history extends much further back than commonly believed.

Afterward, we’ll have time to browse local shops, where you can find unique handmade souvenirs and experience the charm of Cappadocia’s artisanal culture.

In the evening, we gather for a Multimedia Lecture by Graham Hancock at our hotel. This engaging session will explore his groundbreaking theories on lost civilizations and how ancient cultures across the globe were far more advanced and interconnected than mainstream history suggests. He’ll also provide insights on Cappadocia’s role within this broader narrative and prepare us for the next stage of our journey to Göbekli Tepe, one of the most significant archaeological sites reshaping our understanding of humanity’s ancient past.

Hotel: Cappadocia
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Another exciting day awaits in Cappadocia, where we’ll explore more of this surreal landscape. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to photograph the unique rock formations, volcanic peaks, and ancient valleys that seem straight out of another world. Shaped by millions of years of erosion from water and wind, they create a landscape unlike any other on Earth.

We make our way to the Uchisar Castle, the highest point in Cappadocia, which offers panoramic views of the entire region. Carved into the natural rock, this ancient fortress provides insight into how people utilized the landscape for defense and shelter.

In the afternoon, we continue to explore Cappadocia’s cave dwellings and rock-cut architecture, including the fascinating Pasabag Valley, also known as the Valley of Monks, and the Devrent Valley, where bizarre rock formations resemble animal figures.

Hotel: Cappadocia
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After an early breakfast in Cappadocia, we set off toward Adiyaman, taking in the changing landscapes and the natural beauty of Turkey along the way. The journey offers a chance to savor the unique flavors of the local cuisine at a traditional restaurant. 

Upon arrival and check-in at our hotel, we head to the peak of Mount Nemrut, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to witness a spectacular sunset over the ancient statues and burial mounds—a truly awe-inspiring experience at one of Turkey’s most iconic historical landmarks.

Perched at over 7,000 feet in southeastern Turkey, Mount Nemrut is one of the world’s most mysterious ancient sites. Built more than 2,000 years ago by King Antiochus I of Commagene, it features colossal stone heads and statues that have captivated travelers for centuries. Often referred to as the 8th Wonder of the Ancient World, Mount Nemrut was designed to be a tomb, a place of worship, and a celestial observatory—all rolled into one.

At the summit, we’ll marvel at the colossal stone heads and thrones of gods, including Apollo, Zeus, and Hercules, set against the dramatic landscape. These statues were deliberately positioned to align with celestial bodies.  As the sun begins to set, we’ll witness the statues bathed in the golden light of dusk—a breathtaking view that underscores the sacred atmosphere of this mountaintop sanctuary.

After taking in this unforgettable sunset, we return to our hotel in Adiyaman.

Hotel: Adiyaman
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our journey leads us to Atatürk Dam, one of the largest dams in the world and a symbol of Turkey’s modern engineering achievements.

Next, we travel to Harran, one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on Earth. Known for its iconic beehive houses and ancient ruins, Harran was once an important center of learning and spirituality, home to scholars, mystics, and astronomers who studied the stars and practiced ancient wisdom.

Harran is often mentioned in ancient texts as a place of deep mystical knowledge and celestial observation. Graham Hancock will delve into his theories on how Harran’s position as a crossroads of civilizations may have made it a hub for the exchange of ancient wisdom and technology, particularly in astronomy and the mysteries of the cosmos.

Hotel: Sanliurfa
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is a highlight of our journey as we explore some of the most mysterious archaeological sites in the world – sites that are rewriting our understanding of human prehistory.

We begin with Göbekli Tepe, believed to be the world’s oldest known temple complex, dating back an astonishing 12,000 years. This groundbreaking site predates the conventional date of Stonehenge construction by 6,000 years! It has revolutionized what we know about the origins of civilization and challenged the idea that organized society began with farming. The site boasts multiple enclosures with tall, T-shaped pillars surrounded by rings of stones, many carved with reliefs.

Photo by Santha Faiia

Graham Hancock will guide us through this enigmatic site and discuss how its construction by early hunter-gatherers defies conventional archaeological understanding. He will explore the possibility that Göbekli Tepe is a legacy of a lost, advanced civilization, and the significance of the animal carvings and astronomical alignments found throughout the site. These megalithic enclosures, covered and preserved for millennia, suggest a deliberate effort to transmit a message across time—possibly warning future generations about cosmic events or cataclysmic disasters.

Next, we visit Karahan Tepe, a sister site to Göbekli Tepe, which may be even older! The excavations here have revealed ritual spaces and carved stone figures that provide further evidence of a highly organized society capable of monumental architecture. Graham will delve into the symbolic carvings, including the serpent motifs, linking them to the mythology of ancient cultures worldwide. Graham Hancock believes that the serpent symbolism might be a warning or a clue about a cataclysmic event, as similar imagery appears in ancient sites across the globe.

Photos by Santha Faiia

After exploring these monumental sites, we visit the Urfa Archaeology Museum, which houses artifacts and recreations from Göbekli Tepe and Karahan Tepe.

We continue our journey to the Pools of Abraham. This mystical site, where sacred fish swim, is tied to the legend of Abraham being saved from a fire.

Nearby, we visit Abraham’s Cave, the reputed birthplace of the prophet. This sacred site, revered for millennia, offers a glimpse into the spiritual traditions that have flourished in this land.

Hotel: Sanliurfa
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

As our incredible journey through Turkey’s ancient wonders nears its conclusion, we take a flight back to Istanbul. After our arrival and transfer to the hotel, the rest of the afternoon is yours to relax and unwind or explore the city at your own pace.

In the evening, we embark on an exclusive private boat cruise along the Bosphorus Strait, offering stunning views of Istanbul’s iconic skyline as the sun sets.

During the sunset, we will enjoy our Farewell Dinner, where Graham Hancock will share his reflections on our journey through Turkey’s ancient sites. This final evening offers a chance to look back on the profound experiences we’ve shared and the mysteries we’ve uncovered along the way.

Hotel: Istanbul
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

As our remarkable expedition through Turkey comes to an end, we transfer you from the hotel to Istanbul Airport for your departure. After two weeks of exploring the secrets of Turkey and the mysteries of human history alongside Graham Hancock, we hope you’ll return home with memories and knowledge that will stay with you long after you’ve left Turkey.

Meals: Breakfast