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MARDIN · ŞANLIURFA
Mardin & Göbeklitepe Tour Package – 4 Nights
Mesopotamian Sun: Mardin & Göbeklitepe Expedition
From $1,049 per person
- Duration: 5 days / 4 nights
- Stay: Mardin 2N + Şanlıurfa 2N · 4★ stone hotels
- Meals: Half board (breakfast + dinner)
- Group: Small group · private on request
- Guide: Guide: English, Turkish
- Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 7 days
Tour Overview
5-Day Mardin and Göbeklitepe Tour: Stone Old Town, Dara & Şanlıurfa
This 5-day Mardin and Göbeklitepe tour (4 nights) begins with an airport transfer in Mardin and ends at Şanlıurfa Airport. The nights are split evenly: two in Mardin and two in Şanlıurfa, with the drive between them on Day 3.
In Mardin you walk the honey-coloured lanes of the old town, visit Deyrulzafaran Monastery and Kasımiye Madrasa and browse the silversmith workshops; Dara, the ancient city nicknamed the “Ephesus of the East”, comes on the road to Şanlıurfa and the evening at Balıklıgöl. Day 4 is given entirely to Göbeklitepe, whose pillars are more than 11,000 years old, and the Archaeology Museum, followed by a traditional Sıra Gecesi dinner.
It suits history and heritage travellers who like an unhurried pace with a licensed English- or Turkish-speaking guide. The package is one per-person programme (a private version is available on request) with 4★ boutique stone hotels (or similar), half board, airport transfers and entrance fees for the UNESCO sites and museums on the plan. Flights are not included; optional return flights from Istanbul can be added. Pair it with our 8-day Grand Turkey multi-city tour or browse multi-city Turkey tour packages.
Highlights
- Honey-coloured stone streets of Old Mardin
- Deyrulzafaran Monastery and Kasımiye Madrasa
- Dara ancient city
- Full day at Göbeklitepe and the museum
- Sıra Gecesi dinner in Şanlıurfa
- Harran beehive houses
Quick facts
- Best time to visit: April–May and September–October.
- Summer heat warning: July and August are very hot in Mardin and Şanlıurfa, with daytime temperatures that can pass 40 °C, so carry water and a hat or choose spring or autumn.
- Optional upgrade: return flights from Istanbul; flights are otherwise not included.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
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Day 1Arrival in Mardin & Old Town Walk
You are met at Mardin Airport for the transfer to the old town, about 25 minutes away, and check in at your boutique stone hotel. Mardin climbs a rocky hillside in terraces of honey-coloured limestone, with the Mesopotamian plain spread out below, and the easiest way to understand it is on foot. After settling in, take a panoramic evening walk through the stepped lanes, past carved doorways, vaulted passages and rooftop terraces, as the light turns gold over the plain. Dinner brings local Mesopotamian dishes.
Meals: DinnerOvernight: Mardin — 4★ boutique stone hotel (or similar)Transport: Airport transfer ~25 minTour: Small-group tour (private on request)Entrances: none -
Day 2Deyrulzafaran Monastery, Kasımiye Madrasa & the Bazaar
Spend the day among Mardin’s religious and scholarly landmarks with your licensed English- or Turkish-speaking guide. In the morning you visit Deyrulzafaran Monastery, a Syriac Orthodox monastery just outside the city whose name means Saffron Monastery and which served for centuries as the seat of its patriarchs. Next comes the Kasımiye Madrasa, a historic Islamic school with a pool courtyard, arcades and terraces that look out over the plain. In the afternoon you walk the old bazaar, with its narrow stalls and covered passages, and look into the silversmith workshops where fine silver filigree (telkari) is worked by hand. The evening is yours.
Meals: Breakfast, DinnerOvernight: Mardin — 4★ boutique stone hotel (or similar)Transport: Short drive to the monastery, then on footTour: Small-group tour (private on request)Entrances: included -
Day 3Dara Ancient City & Drive to Şanlıurfa
After breakfast you leave Mardin for Dara, a ruined Byzantine frontier city about 30 km away that is often nicknamed the “Ephesus of the East”. Your guide leads you through the remains of the sixth-century city, with its rock-cut tombs and cisterns, and explains why it was fortified so heavily on the border of the empire. From Dara the road crosses the plain to Şanlıurfa, roughly 2.5 hours with stops, and you check in at your boutique stone hotel. In the evening you visit Balıklıgöl, the Pool of Sacred Fish, which local tradition links with the prophet Abraham, and stroll its gardens and the nearby bazaar.
Meals: Breakfast, DinnerOvernight: Şanlıurfa — 4★ boutique stone hotel (or similar)Transport: Road transfer Mardin → Dara → Şanlıurfa (~3 h driving in total)Tour: Small-group tour (private on request)Entrances: included -
Day 4Göbeklitepe & Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum
This is the day the tour is built around. Göbeklitepe stands on a hilltop about 15 km from Şanlıurfa and holds circles of T-shaped limestone pillars carved with foxes, snakes and other animals, dated to more than 11,000 years ago, before farming and permanent villages. Your guide explains how the site is changing ideas about the first communities and their beliefs, and you walk the raised paths beneath the protective roof. Back in the city you visit the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum, where finds from Göbeklitepe and other Neolithic sites of the region are shown. The evening brings a traditional Sıra Gecesi dinner of local food, music and conversation.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner (Sıra Gecesi)Overnight: Şanlıurfa — 4★ boutique stone hotel (or similar)Transport: Road transfer ~20 min each wayTour: Small-group tour (private on request)Entrances: included -
Day 5Harran Beehive Houses & Departure
After breakfast you drive about an hour south-east to Harran, an old Mesopotamian town close to the Syrian border, known for its traditional beehive houses: rounded, domed dwellings of earth and stone that stay cool in the summer heat. Your guide explains how they were built and lived in, and you have time to walk among them and take photographs. You then return to Şanlıurfa and are taken to Şanlıurfa Airport for your onward flight, which is not included. The time you leave Harran depends on your flight, so check it with us before buying your ticket.
Meals: BreakfastOvernight: —Transport: Road transfer ~1 h to Harran, then on to Şanlıurfa AirportTour: Small-group tour (private on request)Entrances: included (sites on the plan)
Places Along the Route
Mardin Old Town
Houses of pale golden limestone stack up the hillside, each roof a terrace for the one above. Mardin’s carved doorways, vaulted passages and stairways are best explored on foot, with views across the plain.
Kasımiye Madrasa
A late 15th-century madrasa with a pool at the centre of its arcaded courtyard and domed rooms leading off it. The roof terraces overlook the plain, and the carved portal is one of the finest in Mardin.
Balıklıgöl
A pool of sacred carp beside the Halil-ur-Rahman Mosque, linked by local tradition with Abraham. The gardens and arcades around the water fill with visitors after dusk, and feeding the fish is part of the visit.
Göbeklitepe
A hilltop site with circles of T-shaped limestone pillars, some taller than 5 m and carved with animals, and more than 11,000 years old. It is one of the oldest known monumental complexes and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Deyrulzafaran Monastery
The Syriac Orthodox “Saffron Monastery” stands a few kilometres east of Mardin, with carved stone halls and a church still in use. It was the seat of the Syriac patriarchs until the early 1930s.
Mardin Old Bazaar
The long main street of the old town, lined with covered passages and small workshops. Silversmiths still work telkari filigree by hand here, beside coppersmiths and stalls selling almond sweets.
Dara Ancient City
Founded by the emperor Anastasius in 505, Dara was a fortress city facing Persia. Rock-cut tombs, a huge cistern and the lines of its walls remain on the plain.
Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum
The museum holds finds from the Neolithic sites around Şanlıurfa, among them the life-size Urfa Man statue and carved pieces from Göbeklitepe. It helps place the hilltop site in its wider setting.
Harran
An ancient Mesopotamian town near the Syrian border, famous for its domed mud-brick houses with conical tops. It was also an early centre of learning, and the ruins of its university can still be seen.
Why Choose This Mardin and Göbeklitepe Tour?
Two nights in Mardin and two in Şanlıurfa leave no day-trip rush: Göbeklitepe gets the whole of Day 4 together with the city museum, and Dara is visited on the road between the two cities.
- 4★ boutique stone hotels in both cities — Staying two nights in each place turns Mardin’s terraced old town and Şanlıurfa’s Balıklıgöl into evening walks instead of quick stops between long drives.
- A full day for Göbeklitepe — Day 4 is built around Göbeklitepe, whose T-shaped pillars are more than 11,000 years old, followed by the Şanlıurfa museum and a traditional Sıra Gecesi dinner of local food and music.
- Half board and entrances included — Half-board meals, airport transfers (arrival in Mardin, departure from Şanlıurfa Airport) and entrance fees for the sites and museums on the plan are included in the package.
- Licensed English- or Turkish-speaking guide — A licensed English- or Turkish-speaking guide leads the visits to Deyrulzafaran Monastery, Kasımiye Madrasa, Dara, Göbeklitepe and Harran. A private version is available on request.
- Flights your way — Flights are not included, so you can use your own tickets; optional return flights from Istanbul can be added. Children aged 0–2 travel free and ages 3–7 get 30% off.
- Licensed local agency — TÜRSAB A-group licence #18154, Istanbul-based, rated 5.0 on Google (15 reviews), free cancellation up to 7 days before the start date.
Your Hotels on This Tour
These are the hotels we use on this tour, so you know where you’ll stay and can explore them before you book. Your final hotel is confirmed with your booking; if a listed hotel is unavailable on your dates, we reserve another hotel of the same category (or similar).
Mardin · 2 nights
4★ boutique stone hotel in Mardin area
Hotel confirmed with your booking (or similar)
Breakfast and dinner included
Şanlıurfa · 2 nights
4★ boutique stone hotel in Şanlıurfa area
Hotel confirmed with your booking (or similar)
Breakfast and dinner included
Tour Price & Booking
What’s Included
What’s Not Included
Optional Upgrades
Add these to your request — we confirm availability and the final total before you pay.
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5★ hotel upgrade
Ask for 5★ hotels instead of the standard 4★ hotels. We check availability and confirm the extra cost before you pay.
Subject to availabilityHave something else in mind? Ask us on WhatsApp
Good to Know
Guide and Languages
The tour is led by a licensed English- or Turkish-speaking guide.
Heat and Clothing
Daytime temperatures in July and August can pass 40 °C. Wear light, breathable clothing, a hat and comfortable shoes for the stepped stone lanes, and carry water.
Pick-up Times
Your exact pick-up time is confirmed with you the day before each tour.
Hotel Check-in & Check-out
Standard hotel check-in is from 14:00 and check-out is until 12:00. Early check-in or late check-out depends on availability; ask us and we will request it.
Dietary Requirements
Halal and vegetarian options are available. Please tell us about any dietary needs when you book.
What to Wear
Please dress modestly when visiting mosques and religious sites: shoulders and knees covered, and a scarf for women. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended on every tour.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, cancel up to 7 days before the start date.
- If you cancel less than 7 days before, the amount paid is non-refundable.
- Changes made less than 7 days before the start date cannot be accepted.
- If the tour is cancelled due to poor weather, you'll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Payment
Reserve now, pay later (no credit card required). A 30% deposit secures your booking after we confirm availability; the balance is due 15 days before the start date.
What guests say about TourQuaz
"Super und zuverlässige Organisation unseres Fimenausflugs. Zuverlässige Abholungen zu vereinbarten Zeiten und hilfreiche Tips beim Programm vor Ort.
Vielen Dank an das ganze Team. Jeder Zeit wieder!"
"Everything was very good specially the staff there
Special thanks to Mr. Emre for amazing efforts and support during all visit in istany"
"معاملة راقية تجربة تستحق الإشادة شكرا على حسن التعامل"
Frequently Asked Questions
Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) offer the most pleasant weather for exploring these outdoor historical sites; July and August are very hot.
Yes, all entrance fees for UNESCO sites and museums mentioned in the plan are included.
No. The price of $1,049 per person covers the land programme only; flights are not included. If you are travelling from Istanbul, return flights can be added as an optional upgrade for +$219 per person.
Half board: dinner on Day 1, breakfast and dinner on Days 2 to 4 (including a Sıra Gecesi dinner in Şanlıurfa on Day 4), and breakfast on Day 5. Lunches and drinks are not included.
Two nights in a 4★ boutique stone hotel (or similar) in Mardin and two nights in a 4★ boutique stone hotel (or similar) in Şanlıurfa.
It starts with an airport transfer at Mardin Airport on Day 1 and ends with a transfer to Şanlıurfa Airport on Day 5, after the visit to the Harran beehive houses. The time you leave Harran depends on your flight, so check it with us before buying your ticket.
The tour is led by a licensed English- or Turkish-speaking guide, who leads the visits listed in the plan.
Yes, the days are unhurried, with an evening walk, short drives and a full day at Göbeklitepe. Children aged 0–2 travel free; children aged 3–7 get a 30% discount when sharing the room with adults.
Free cancellation: cancel up to 7 days before the start date for a full refund. Reserve now, pay later (no credit card required). A 30% deposit secures your booking after we confirm availability; the balance is due 15 days before the start date.
