Origins of Civilization Journey

A signature eight-day luxury expedition through Southeastern Turkey and Upper Mesopotamia — from Gaziantep's mosaics and legendary kitchens, along the Euphrates at Halfeti, into the Neolithic sanctuaries of Şanlıurfa, and on to the timeless stone city of Mardin.

Sample Journey · Fully Tailor-Made

This itinerary is a sample. Every Sumera journey is composed privately around your interests, pace and timing — durations, sites and stays are rewritten for your party.

Duration

8 days · 7 nights

Party

2 – 8 guests

Starting from

From €3,650 per guest

Prices are per person, based on double/twin sharing. Final rates may vary depending on group size, travel dates and final arrangements.

Day by day

The itinerary in detail.

Day 01
D01 · Gaziantep · Arrival & Welcome. Private VIP airport meet & greet and Mercedes transfer. Check-in at a luxury boutique hotel. Welcome cocktail and a signature fine-dining experience overlooking the old city.
Day 02
D02 · Zeugma & Gaziantep Gastronomy. Private luxury breakfast, followed by the ancient city of Zeugma and a privately guided visit of the Zeugma Mosaic Museum with its lead curator. An immersive Gaziantep gastronomy experience through the copper bazaar and legendary kitchens. Evening at leisure.
Day 03
D03 · Halfeti & Şanlıurfa · Along the Euphrates. A scenic journey through Mesopotamia to Halfeti. Private boat experience on the Euphrates and exploration of the sunken town. Riverside gourmet lunch. Arrival at a luxury hotel in Şanlıurfa, welcome cocktail and signature dinner.
Day 04
D04 · Göbeklitepe · Karahantepe · Taş Tepeler. Private luxury breakfast, then a privately guided visit to Göbeklitepe — the one of the world's earliest known monumental ritual sites — with the lead archaeologist. Privately guided privately guided visit to Karahantepe and discovery of the Taş Tepeler archaeological landscape, with private interpretation throughout. Sunset return to the hotel.
Day 05
D05 · The Legacy of Civilization · Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum & Balıklıgöl. Private luxury breakfast and a privately guided visit to Turkey's largest archaeology museum, followed by the magnificent Haleplibahçe mosaics. Balıklıgöl, the sacred pool of Abraham, and a walk through the historic bazaar. Signature regional fine dining.
Day 06
D06 · The Timeless Stone City · Mardin. Luxury breakfast and a scenic journey to Mardin. Exploration of the honey-stone old town and check-in at a luxury boutique hotel. Sunset fine-dining experience on a private terrace above the Mesopotamian plain.
Day 07
D07 · The Last Chapter of Mesopotamia · Dara & Deyrulzafaran. Luxury breakfast, then the ancient city of Dara and the Syriac monastery of Deyrulzafaran. Leisure time in old Mardin, sunset farewell cocktail and a curated farewell dinner.
Day 08
D08 · Mardin · Departure. A leisurely breakfast and last impressions of Mardin's terraces before a private transfer to the airport.

Included

·Private chauffeured transfers throughout, in late-model luxury vehicles
·Stays in hand-selected boutique residences, suites and cave hotels
·Daily breakfasts, curated tasting menus and signature dinners
·Privately guided visits with lead archaeologists, curators and local scholars
·Privately guided visits where applicable (Karahantepe and selected sites)
·All museum, monument and site entrance fees
·24/7 on-call concierge throughout the journey

Not included

·International flights to and from Turkey
·Domestic flights between regions when scheduled in the itinerary
·Travel insurance (we strongly recommend comprehensive cover)
·Visa fees where applicable
·Personal expenses, premium spirits and gratuities

Visions of the journey

From Roman mosaics to the Neolithic horizon.

A glimpse of the textures that compose this sample journey — Zeugma's incandescent floors, the Euphrates at Halfeti, Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe, and Mardin's terraces above the plain.