3-Day Nemrut Mountain & Göbekli Tepe Tour from Cappadocia

Walk among ancient stone kings at sunrise, then stand in the world's oldest temple.

A 3-day tour from Cappadocia through Mesopotamia visiting Nemrut Mountain, Göbekli Tepe, Harran and the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, with a live English or Spanish-speaking guide, hotel pickup, and two nights in 3-star hotels. The route follows the ancient Silk Road, stopping at a 13th-century caravanserai, Abraham's Cave in Urfa, and the world's richest collection of Roman mosaics. Dinners and drinks during meals are not included. The tour ends in Cappadocia around 10pm on day three.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Adıyaman and Nemrut Mountain

• Pick up from hotel or airport in Cappadocia
• Drive through historical Silk Road
• Visit Karatay Han Caravanserai
• Lunch stop at Pinarbasi Village
• Taste handmade ice cream in Kahramanmaras
• Check-in hotel in Adıyaman
• Visit Nemrut Mountain for sunset (summer only)

Day 2: Explore Nemrut and Sanlıurfa

• Early morning drive to Mount Nemrut
• Walk to summit and watch sunrise
• Visit Arsemia relief stele
• See Septimius Severus Bridge
• Visit Karakus tumulus
• Lunch at Ataturk Dam promenade
• Check-in boutique hotel in Sanlıurfa
• Optional Sıra Gecesi dinner show

Day 3: Visit Gobeklitepe and return

• Visit Abraham’s Cave and Holy Carp Pools
• Explore Gobeklitepe archaeological site
• Visit ancient city of Harran and clay house
• Tour Zeugma Mosaic Museum
• Return to Cappadocia or transfer to airport

The experience

The tour departs from your Cappadocia hotel or airport in the morning and heads southeast through the Taurus Mountains toward Mesopotamia along the historic Silk Road. After roughly 90 minutes you'll reach Karatay Han, a 13th-century Seljuk caravanserai still standing from when it served travellers for centuries. A lunch stop in Pinarbasi Village lets you see rural Turkish countryside firsthand, and on the way to Adıyaman you'll taste hand-made ice cream made from goat milk, a regional specialty. You'll overnight in a 3-4 star hotel in Adıyaman, and in summer when daylight stretches longer, the tour climbs Nemrut Mountain that evening to catch the sunset from the summit.

Day two starts before dawn. A 20-minute walk from the van takes you to the peak of Mount Nemrut, where you watch sunrise between colossal stone heads and statues of ancient kings and gods: a UNESCO-registered site since 2015. The rest of the day moves through Commagene Kingdom sites: Arsemia, where you'll see a relief carving of a handshake between Antiochos and Heracles; the Septimius Severus Bridge, a Roman structure built in the 2nd century AD; and Karakus, a monumental tomb where royal family members were buried. You'll have lunch at the Atatürk Dam, the largest on the Euphrates River. That night you stay in a boutique 3-star hotel in Şanlıurfa, known as the city of prophets and sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. A traditional Mesopotamian dinner show with music and dancing is available as an optional add-on.

The final day begins in Şanlıurfa with Abraham's Cave and the Pools of Holy Carp, then a walk through the oriental covered bazaar. Göbekli Tepe comes next: the world's oldest temple, built around 9600 BC, nearly 11,600 years ago. Excavations since 2008 revealed that temples were constructed before settlements grew around them, overturning centuries of archaeological thinking. You'll then visit Harran, an ancient city from 3000 BC where the sun, moon and stars were first worshipped as holy. The itinerary includes a visit to a clay conical-domed house where a family of 47 lives together. The Zeugma Mosaic Museum, one of the world's largest, holds the famous Gypsy Girl mosaic and thousands of Roman-period pieces including sculptures, columns and fountains. The drive back to Cappadocia takes the evening, arriving around 10pm. You can also arrange a flight to Istanbul, Ephesus or another destination and be dropped at Gaziantep Airport instead.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Cappadocia.
• two nights in 3-star hotels (one in Adıyaman, one in Şanlıurfa).
• a live guide in English or Spanish.
• lunch on all three days.
• entry to Nemrut Mountain, Göbekli Tepe, Abraham's Cave, Harran and the Zeugma Mosaic Museum.
• transport throughout the route.
• and hand-made goat-milk ice cream tasting on day one.

Options for this experience

2 options

A 3-day, 2-night tour from Cappadocia to Gobeklitepe and Nemrut MountainGuide in English or Spanish · No fixed timeEnglish-speaking guide, pickup is included

SpanishNo fixed timeSpanish-speaking guide, pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (8 to 80 years) · Child (5 to 7 years) · Infant (under 5)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Cappadocian Guide

Is this one for you?Book this if you have exactly three days from Cappadocia and want to see Nemrut Mountain's sunrise, the oldest temple, and Zeugma mosaics without extra travel days between sites.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 7 years); Infant (under 5).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Göbekli Tepe and why does this tour include it?

Göbekli Tepe is the world's oldest known temple, built around 9600 BC: nearly 11,600 years ago. Excavations beginning in 2008 proved that temples were constructed before settlements formed around them, fundamentally changing how archaeologists understand human history and the origins of civilization.

Do I climb to the top of Nemrut Mountain, or is it accessible by vehicle?

The van takes you to the end of the road, then you walk approximately 20 minutes to the summit. The sunrise happens among colossal stone heads and statues of ancient kings and gods at the peak.

What meals are included in the 3-day tour?

Lunches are included on all three days: at Pinarbasi Village on day one, at the Atatürk Dam on day two, and the itinerary covers meals in Urfa and Harran on day three. Dinners and drinks during meals are not included in the tour price.

What is the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, and what will I see there?

The Zeugma Mosaic Museum is one of the world's largest, named after an ancient Commagene city. It houses thousands of Roman-period mosaics, sculptures, columns and fountains, including the world-famous Gypsy Girl mosaic and pieces showing late antique churches and early Syriac Christian iconography.

Does the tour include a stop at Abraham's Cave?

Yes, on day three in Şanlıurfa you'll visit Abraham's Cave and the Pools of Holy Carp, then walk through the oriental covered bazaar before heading to Göbekli Tepe.