Motorcycle trip East Anatolia along the Turkish Silk Road

Welcome - Upon arrival at Trabzon Airport, you will be personally greeted and welcomed by us. The drive to the hotel takes about 20 minutes, where the motorcycles are already waiting. We will use the rest of the day to explore Trabzon with historical sites that tell a 3000-year history. While enjoying a cozy dinner, we will discuss the program.

To start this motorcycle journey, there is a leisurely ride where you can get accustomed to the motorcycle, heading to the Sumela Monastery (a Greek Orthodox monastery with historical architecture). We continue with a short ride on a highway before reaching the green forested mountainous region on the Black Sea coast, which offers us almost tropical vegetation. Riding in the mountains is really fun as we navigate one curve after another on a little-traveled road. At 2050 meters above sea level, we enjoy delicious Turkish lamb chops for lunch. The landscape increasingly transforms into a hilly steppe as we reach the city of Erzincan in the Anatolian plateau.

We briefly navigate through the city's traffic before returning to the lonely roads of the Anatolian plateau. Today, we journey through changing landscapes to the Euphrates River, one of the most important rivers and the longest river in the Middle East. In the late afternoon, we reach the city of Malatya, the apricot capital of Turkey. We explore the city, which offers us an atmosphere of the modern Orient.

We show the Enduros what they were built for. The day full of culture and nature begins on flat rolling hills and continues on a winding, adventurous paved path. This somewhat challenging stage is rewarded with a fantastic view from the mountaintop at 2150 meters over the largest and longest river and reservoir in Turkey. After a short hike on foot, we reach Nemrut Dagi, the largest burial mound in the world with its giant stone heads. Here, we see monumental graves and statues, including a statue of Antiochos (a king ruling the region BC) and a statue of the Greek god Zeus. On the way back, we have another chance to enjoy the breathtaking panorama as we travel to our hotel in the city of Kahte.

We leave the small town and drive back through the mountains along the Atatürk Dam. This is the reservoir we saw yesterday. We cross the dam on a ferryboat and reach the plateau of ancient Mesopotamian culture. A small stroll through the bazaar in Mardin gives us the feeling of being truly in the Orient. We get to know the famous cuisine of Mardin in a delicatessen restaurant. We continue through the hilly steppe landscape to the city of Midyat, where we conclude today's ride in a boutique hotel.

Today we ride our motorcycles through wind-swept hilly steppes and rugged rocky landscapes to the city of Hasankey, which lies in the rocks above the Tigris River and represents a kind of mini-Cappadocia. Part of the route leads along the Tigris and then through a hilly plateau. In the nearly untouched landscape of Lake Van (the largest lake in Turkey), lies the small town of Tatvan, our destination today.

A new day full of impressions dawns. Accompanied by an unforgettable sweet scent from the wild flora of the region, fruits, and vineyards, we ride on an unpaved road for about 45 km to the crater lake of Nemrut Dag at 3050 meters above sea level. Here we have a breathtaking view of a large body of water surrounded by snow-capped mountains. On a detour from the lakeside road of Lake Van, we come to the best-preserved Seljuk graves, where we get a glimpse into the history of the Crusades, where this region was also an important battleground. Continuing on the well-developed coastal road, we reach Akdamar. Here we park the motorcycles and take a boat for about 3 hours to the Holy Cross Church located on an island in the lake. Late in the afternoon, we reach the city of Van, where our hotel for the day is located.

Today the tour starts later, so we have more time to savor the famous breakfast from Van. Our route today takes us away from the largest Turkish lake towards Ararat, the highest mountain in Anatolia. The landscape is almost untouched and enchanting, and the view of Ararat leads us to a unique complex of castle, palace, and mosque named Isak-Pasha. We enter into religious history, as according to legend, Noah's Ark is located in the Ararat region. To see this region and the panorama, we take a detour of about 7 km on an unpaved road through villages before reaching the provincial capital of Igdir in the evening.

We ride towards the 5127-meter-high Ararat, while the fascinating views increase along the well-paved road. Parallel to the border with Armenia, the route takes us to the city of Kars.

Today we don't have to change accommodation and make a leisurely day trip through the surroundings of Kars. Through a steppe landscape, we reach the ancient city of Ani. The ruins of this magnificent capital of the former Armenian kingdom of Bagratuni lie on a windy plateau, from where we have a good view of the Arpa Cayi canyon and the Armenian border. In the afternoon, we park our motorcycles and take a city tour through Kars, where we see the historical influences of the Azeri, Armenians, and Russians. We will also indulge in the famous delicacies of Kars, such as honey, yellow cheese, and dried fruits.

Today we ride along the bird-rich Cidir Lake, a picturesque lake. The tranquility around the lake creates a wonderful atmosphere. For an incredible view over the lake, we drive to Seytan Kalesi (Devil Castle). We have lunch in the city of Ardahan, trying the region's specialties. After lunch, we ride along a narrow and winding route, the idyllic landscape resembling a painting of rivers, mountains, and forests. In the evening, we reach Artvin.

Out of the steep-hilled Artvin, we ride through forests, mountains, and alongside rushing rivers. The area is charming Caucasian territory. A well-paved but narrow and winding route takes us through this breathtaking landscape. Today we overnight in the modest town of Yusufeli.

Further in the mountains of the Caucasus, we ride towards the peaks of Anzer Yaylasi, an agricultural region with farming settlements. Mountaineers will find their joy here. A simple local guesthouse is our accommodation for the night, and dinner will be a delicious lamb chop.

Our unforgettable motorcycle journey through East Anatolia (eastern Turkey) is coming to an end. After a rich natural breakfast, as is customary in the Yaylas region, we ride through the idyllic Soganle mountains towards the coast. The unique culture of the Black Sea region allows us to taste a few specialties from local cuisine. Passing coves, tea plantations, and beaches, we arrive back in Trabzon, where we say goodbye to each other.

With countless memories composed of culture and nature in our travel luggage, it is now time to head home. A transfer will take you to Trabzon Airport. We will gladly assist in organizing accommodation for an extended stay upon request.