Step into a world where monasteries whisper ancient prayers, villages echo with forgotten languages, and every stone tells a story older than history.
Table of Contents
Introduction: A Land of Living Faith and Forgotten Kingdoms
Hidden in the rugged highlands of southeastern Turkey lies Tur Abdin, the “Mountain of the Servants of God“—a region revered as the spiritual heart of the Syriac Orthodox Church. This is not a typical destination. It’s a living archive of ancient faith, monastic endurance, and multi-layered civilizations.
With its remote stone villages, 4th-century monasteries, and interwoven traditions of Christianity, Islam, Yazidism, and pre-Abrahamic faiths, Tur Abdin offers an experience that is both otherworldly and deeply grounding. It is a place where time stretches out and collapses all at once—a landscape that reshapes your understanding of culture, spirituality, and resilience.
Tour Highlights & Itinerary
🔹 Round-trip Turkish Airlines flights from Istanbul
🔹 VIP transfers and private guiding throughout
🔹 Visits to legendary sites like Mor Gabriel, Deyrulzafaran, Mor Augin, and Dara
🔹 Exploration of ancient Syriac villages: Beth Kustan, Hah, Zaz, and more
🔹 Cultural immersion in Mardin, Savur, and Midyat
🔹 Optional dinners at unforgettable local gems like Bağdadi Restaurant and Leyli Muse
Day 1 — Diyarbakır to Mardin
Flight: Turkish Airlines | IST 06:00 → DIY 08:00
🔹 Great Mosque of Diyarbakır (Ulu Camii)
🔹 Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı House Museum
🔹 Ten Arches Bridge (On Gözlü Köprü)
🔹 Zerzevan Castle & Mithraeum
🔹 Arrival & walking tour in Old Mardin
What to Expect
After arriving in Diyarbakır, we begin with a deep dive into its millennia-old history—from Islamic architecture to Ottoman poetry. Then, we journey eastward to the ancient Roman frontier fortress of Zerzevan, home to a recently uncovered underground Mithras temple. By late afternoon, we reach Mardin, a city carved from golden stone.
Check into your beautiful special-class hotel in the heart of the old city, then enjoy a guided evening walk through Kırklar Church, the Grand Mosque, and the timeless alleys of Mardin.
🍷 Dinner suggestion: Bağdadi Restaurant — a charming spot serving elegant Mesopotamian cuisine in a restored stone mansion.
🛏️ Overnight: Mardin
Day 2 — The Mountains of Tur Abdin
Savur – Kıllıt – Kafro – Mor Melke – Mor Gabriel – Midyat
🔹 Hillside town of Savur
🔹 Abandoned Syriac village of Kıllıt
🔹 Revived community of Kafro
🔹 Mor Melke Monastery
🔹 Legendary Mor Gabriel Monastery
🔹 Telkari artisans & old town of Midyat
What to Expect
Today we head into the spiritual core of Tur Abdin. Savur, with its Ottoman mansions and serene slopes, feels like a forgotten fairytale. The ghost village of Kıllıt tells a more somber story—of migration, exile, and hope.
In Kafro, visit Syriac families who have returned to rebuild their ancestral homes and taste homemade dishes in a family-run pizzeria.
Later, enter the profound silence of Mor Gabriel, the oldest functioning Syriac monastery in the world. End the day in Midyat, a town of silver filigree and medieval charm.
🎶 Dinner suggestion: Leyli Muse Restaurant — live music, local dishes, unforgettable ambiance.
🛏️ Overnight: Midyat
Day 3 — Lost Villages & Sacred Monasteries
Beth Kustan – Hah – Zaz – Mor Augin – Return to Mardin
🔹 Living Syriac village of Beth Kustan
🔹 Double-domed basilica in Hah (Anıtlı)
🔹 Mor Loozor Monastery in Zaz
🔹 Trek (optional) to mountaintop Mor Augin Monastery
What to Expect
This day is a spiritual pilgrimage through silence and stone. Start with Beth Kustan, where villagers still speak Turoyo, the Syriac language. Continue to Hah, once believed to house relics of the Magi, and see one of the most unique church designs in the Christian East.
If you’re up for it, hike to Mor Augin, located on Mount Izla, the cradle of Eastern monasticism. Each stop today is rare, raw, and utterly real.
🛏️ Overnight: Mardin
Day 4 — Final Wonders of Mesopotamia
Deyrulzafaran – Kasımiye – Dara – Mor Yakup – Beyazsu
🔹Patriarchal seat of Deyrulzafaran Monastery
🔹Sufi symbolism at Kasımiye Medrese
🔹Ancient rock-cut city of Dara
🔹Early Christian heritage at Mor Yakup
🔹Nature break at Beyazsu
What to Expect
After breakfast, visit the sun-drenched corridors of Deyrulzafaran, once the center of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Reflect at the symbolic fountains of Kasımiye, then descend into the dramatic, carved ruins of Dara, once a mighty Roman fortress-city.
At Mor Yakup, learn how this monastery once led all of Tur Abdin. Finally, breathe deep under the trees at Beyazsu, a peaceful spot to close the journey.
🛫 Flight: Turkish Airlines | MQM 20:10 → IST 22:25
You’ll be transferred directly to Mardin Airport and welcomed back in Istanbul with a private vehicle to your hotel.
Important Notes
🔹 Only breakfasts are included.
🔹 We do not include lunches or dinners in the tour fee, allowing guests full freedom of choice.
🔹 However, we’ve handpicked incredible restaurants along the way (e.g., Bağdadi, Leyli Muse) where credit cards are accepted and service is top-notch.
🔹 Please pack light but bring walking shoes — some sites involve cobblestones, village paths, and optional short hikes.
🔹 We are deeply connected with the communities we visit. Respect for local customs, photography sensitivity, and a curious, open mind will enhance your journey.
What's Included
✅ Round-trip Turkish Airlines flights (IST–DIY / MQM–IST)
✅ All private airport and in-tour transfers (VIP vehicles)
✅ 3 nights in special class or 4-star accommodations (with breakfast)
✅ Private, professional English-speaking guide throughout
✅ All local taxes & full travel insurance
What's Excluded
❌ Museum/site entrance fees
❌ Lunches and dinners
❌ Beverages and personal expenses
❌ Tips (optional but appreciated)
Final Words
This isn’t just a tour — it’s a passage into a land where time breathes differently.
By the time you leave, Tur Abdin won’t just be a place you visited; it’ll be a part of how you see the world.
At The Other Tour, we don’t offer checklists — we offer connection, reflection, and depth.
And we can’t wait to welcome you into this story.
