Has anyone been on a tour to Eastern Turkey? How was it? What about independent travel in the East? I am planning to head to Turkey and very much want to see Ani, Lake Van area, Mardin, Nemrut Dagi heads, Harran, and Urfa.

You can travel on your own in the Eastern Turkey, no problem. However you may find it hard and complicated to find public transportation for all the sights. Hotel receptions will be helpful with informations if minimum 4* as at the others it may not be easy to find staff speaking in English.

Explore and Imaginitive Traveller both run tours to that area, but I have not taken one yet so I can't give personal experience.

hi aliebe, i had an Eastern Turkey tour in 2008 and it was really fantastic especialy Ani. I think you ll need a tour guide because it is really hard to find people speaking in English. I highly recommend you to communicate with a travel agency for your tour. If i didn't take proffessional help on my tour, i would have lost in Urfa and Siirt.

We have visited Eastern Turkey and it was wonderful. We arranged a custom private tour through Credo Travels based in Istanbul.There are few English speakers,In fact in certain places, our guide had to check at several restaurants if it was coed or did it have a family section which was usually away from the all male section.Visiting this area was very different culturally and geographically. Everyone was very hospitable-and- we lucked into being invited to a wedding,which was taking place in our hotel.I hope you enjoy this trip as much as we did.