irnsd

Hi everyone - I was supposed to spend a month in Turkey in June/July 2020, but that trip got canceled. I'm hoping to visit in summer 2022 with a modified itinerary.

July 5-8 Istanbul (flight to Kars on July 9)
July 9-12 Kars (transit to Doğubeyazıt on July 12 -- bus or rental car)
July 12-16 Doğubeyazıt (transit to Van on July 16 -- bus or rental car)
July 16-20 Van (flight to Izmir/Selcuk on July 20)
July 20-24 Izmir/Selcuk (flight to Istanbul, then Boston on July 24)

-I'd really like to add Mardin, but I read about the summer heat. Is it bad enough that I should skip it? Unfortunately, July is the only month I have to travel outside the U.S. I read that Van, Doğubeyazıt, and Kars shouldn't be quite as hot as southeastern Turkey.

-I spent about a week in Istanbul four or five years ago, so a few days should be enough.

-I wasn't sure whether to add Erzerum as a transit point between Istanbul and Kars OR whether I should begin in Ankara rather than Istanbul (I've never visited Ankara).

-I'm curious for feedback re: bus or rental car between Kars and Van. I plan on taking those days slow, so having a rental car to go on a half-day/day trip might be useful. At the same time, I don't drive manual so it might not be worth it price-wise. I'm trying to limit the number of flights I take; otherwise, I would have added Cappadocia.

-Any suggestions re: adding/removing cities or day trips? I'm interested in history and happy to wander around cities, too.

otherchelebi

A commendable itinerary.
- Kars does not need more than two days.
- Dogu Beyazit is a single day city.

Rental car will be very useful at Kars (to vit locl sites and definitely Ani)
and at Dogu Beyazit for visiting Ishak Pasa Palace and that great area.

- You ccan see Mt. Ararat on the route. just hope that the standard mysterious cloud is not capping it.

I do not know Van but it seems to have more sites than Kars and Dogu Beyazit.

I doubt that there are direct flights to Izmir from Van

- If you fly to Ordu instead of Kars, consider drive up to Borcka , and then to Savsat on the route to Kars.
Trip to points at and between Kars-Dogubeyaz?t

The following is part of my advice to another traveler posted ten years ago. I believe it is still valid :
"Here are some recommendations for your safety and traveling fun
:1. Study your simple map first and a decent guide book and know what you're interested in. Understand that two weeks is not a very long time.2. Even in regions where the main highways are reasonably safe and controled by the security forces, village roads and the villages themselves may pose unnecessary dangers, as we were warned a number of times at military check points when we were driving between Mardin and Hasankeyf and Kars and dogu Beyazit and even Kars and Artvin.

3. Forget about East of Midyat, North of Hasankeyf, east of malatya, South of Sivas-Erzincan-Erzurum-Kars, and West of the route between Kars-Dogu Beyazit, and South of Van,

4. In fact, it makes sense to fly into Urfa or Mardin for the Southeast for that area

5. fly into Trabzon or Kars for the Eastern Black Sea and Northeastern turkey

6. Fly into Van for Van and just the very immediate environs.

7. Rent car in trabzon or kars. Do not drive at night, so you should not have problem with ice.

8. rent car in Urfa, Mardin or Diyarbakir. No problem with the weather

9. Do not rent car in Van but take a guide for the sites.

Trip to Borcka Karagol, Artvin, Savsat to Ardahan


Finally, I hope you will have a companion on this trip, for feeling safer and for sharing the adventure.

irnsd

Thank you for the advice! I think I'll spend more time in the southeast and cut out Van/some time in Kars/Dogubeyazit. I looked at Nemrud Dagi National Park, and there are direct flights from Malatya to Izmir.

Regarding point No. 3 when you listed areas to forget about: do you mean I shouldn't rent a car and drive between those places? I was thinking of driving between Kars and Dogubeyazit, spending the night in Dogubeyazit, and then returning to Kars. It looks like a 2.5 hour drive or so. I think I'll fly from Kars to Diyarbakir (will connect in Kayseri) and then take buses between Diyarbakir/Mardin/Malatya.

I'll be traveling solo, but it should be a fun trip.

otherchelebi

The danger of driving on those roads is mainly due to activity by terrorists and the security forces.

Another word of warning, the Southeast, althouh exciting, will be very hot in August.
If you do not est meat, you will be limited to fresh greens, great Northern white beans (kuru fasulye), mixedr salad, rice pilav and desserts like baklava and katmer. in tmost of he whole region, although Mardin has its unique cuisine with more vegetable dishes.

otherchelebi

Some supplementary reading :

OTHERCHELEBI'S TRAVELS: Trip to Mesopotamian Gaziantep, Urfa and environs.

irnsd

Hi everyone -

Quick update: I just booked a round trip flight to Istanbul in July. I appreciate the earlier feedback and revised my itinerary a bit.

-Fly from Istanbul to Kars
-Kars (3 days, third day is travel)
-Van (4 days)
-Mardin (4 days)
-Şanlıurfa (4 days)
-Fly from Şanlıurfa to Istanbul

I plan on taking buses between Kars-Van-Mardin-Şanlıurfa. Does anyone know if this is ill-advised/if I'm better off driving? (Based on previous feedback, driving alone between some of these cities isn't a good idea. I'll be traveling solo.)

I'm interested in historical sites and also enjoy wandering. I'm aware of the heat in July; unfortunately, it's the only month of the year when I'll be able to take three weeks for a trip like this. This is a trip I was supposed to take in July 2020, so I imagine finally being there will be enough to make this trip feel worthwhile. Any other advice, ideas, etc., is welcome. I'll continue to check past trip reports and the Internet for ideas.