Southeast Anatolia: Nemrut Sunrise, Gobeklitepe & Gaziantep Food Tour

Summary

Nemrut sunrise statues Gobeklitepe ruins Gaziantep food culture

You’ll stand in silence as dawn breaks over Mount Nemrut’s ancient statues, feel history under your fingers at Gobeklitepe’s megalithic stones, and taste Gaziantep’s legendary food straight from bustling markets. With a local guide handling all logistics—including hotel stays—you’ll get swept up in Anatolia’s wild contrasts before you even realize it.

What’s the experience like?

I’ll admit, I didn’t expect to be shivering in the dark on Mount Nemrut, waiting for the sun to show up with a bunch of strangers who felt oddly like friends by then. Our guide, Hakan, handed out tea from a battered thermos—strong stuff, smoky—and pointed at the giant stone heads looming around us. “Antiochos wanted to watch the dawn forever,” he said. It was weirdly quiet except for someone’s phone camera clicking and the wind tugging at my jacket. When that first orange crack split the sky over those statues… I still think about that moment sometimes when I can’t sleep.

The drive from Cappadocia was longer than I thought (I kept dozing off and waking up to different landscapes—dry fields, then green valleys), but we stopped at Karatay Han. Hakan told us it used to be a crossroads for traders heading to Syria and Iran. Now it’s just chickens scratching in the dust and old stones echoing footsteps. I tried to imagine it noisy and full of camels but honestly, it’s so sleepy now you can hear your own thoughts bounce off the walls.

Gobeklitepe was next and honestly, I’d read about it but nothing prepares you for how old it feels. The stones are rough under your hand—older than Stonehenge or the pyramids—and there’s this earthy smell, almost like rain on warm rock. A local archaeologist waved us over and explained (in Turkish; Hakan translated) how hunter-gatherers built these circles thousands of years ago. Li laughed when I tried to say “Göbekli Tepe” right—probably butchered it. There were birds everywhere, swooping low over the site.

Gaziantep was all noise and color after that—markets shouting pistachios and baklava, people waving us into little restaurants where lunch just kept coming: lamb kebabs, sour pomegranate salad, something green and spicy I never caught the name of. At Zeugma Mosaic Museum, our guide showed us a mosaic woman whose eyes follow you around—it’s true! By then my feet hurt but I didn’t care much; there was always another bite or story waiting. So yeah… if you want a day trip from Cappadocia that feels like three different worlds in one go, this is it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Travel from Cappadocia to Adıyaman

• Visit Karatay Han trade center
• Overnight in 4 or 5 stars hotel
• Have lunch
• Have dinner

Day 2 — Explore Nemrut and Göbeklitepe

• Visit Nemrut Dağ temple-tomb
• Visit Göbeklitepe megalithic site
• Overnight in 4 or 5 stars hotel
• Have breakfast
• Have lunch
• Have dinner

Day 3 — Gaziantep Mosaic Museum and Food

• Visit Zeugma Mosaic Museum
• Have breakfast
• Have lunch

Top questions

How long does the Southeast Anatolia tour take?

This is a multi-day tour with two overnight stays included in 4 or 5-star hotels.

Is pickup included from Cappadocia?

The tour starts in Cappadocia and includes transfer to Adıyaman as part of the itinerary.

Are meals provided during the Gaziantep portion?

The experience includes a taste-focused visit through Gaziantep with lunch stops at local restaurants.

What sites are visited on this tour?

You’ll visit Karatay Han near Kayseri-Malatya road, Mount Nemrut for sunrise, Gobeklitepe archaeological site, and Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep.

Is this tour suitable for families with young children?

Yes, infants can ride in strollers or prams; specialized infant seats are available too.

How physically demanding is this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels; some walking is involved but nothing extreme.

Does the tour include accommodation?

Yes—two nights’ accommodation in 4 or 5-star hotels are included.

Are public transportation options nearby?

Yes—public transportation options are available near most stops along the route.

What’s included

Your journey covers pickup from Cappadocia with transfers between sites, two nights’ stay in quality hotels (4 or 5 stars), guided visits at each location including Mount Nemrut at sunrise and Gobeklitepe’s ruins, plus time exploring Gaziantep markets—with lunch stops woven into your day before returning relaxed but changed somehow by Anatolia’s layers.