DAY 1 ISTANBUL - ERZURUM - BAYBURT (OCTOBER 6)
After meeting with our valued guests at Sabiha Gökçen Airport at 07:00, we depart for Erzurum at 08:20 on AnadoluJet flight “TK7400”. Upon arrival in Erzurum, we begin our city tour with our private vehicle. Our first stop is the Double Minaret Madrasah, whose construction date is uncertain and about which there are various legends. After visiting the Madrasah, we continue to explore the city's landmarks. The structures we will see are the Three Domes, the Yakutiye Madrasah, and the Erzurum Congress Building. We have lunch at Koç Kebap, famous for Erzurum's Cağ Kebab. After lunch, we travel by vehicle to Baksı via the Bayburt road. We check into the Baksı Guesthouse. After a short rest, we visit the Baksı Museum. The Baksı Museum is located in the Eastern Black Sea region, 45 km outside Bayburt, on a hill overlooking the Çoruh Valley. Rising in the village formerly known as Baksı, now called Bayraktar, this extraordinary museum houses contemporary art and traditional handicrafts side-by-side under one roof. Spanning 40 acres and encompassing exhibition halls, a storage museum, workshops, a conference hall, a library, and a guesthouse, the Baksı Museum was conceived in 2000 as the personal vision of Bayburt-born artist and academician Prof. Dr. Hüsamettin Koçan. Following our conversation with the professor, our museum visit will include Vuslat Sabancı's highly acclaimed EMANET exhibition, which will be one of the highlights of our trip.
After visiting Vuslat Sabancı's "Emanet" exhibition, we will have dinner in Baksı. Our accommodation is at Baksı Guest House.
Day 2: Bayburt - İspir - Ovit Mountain - Ayder (October 7)
After breakfast at our hotel, our journey through the green and blue of the region begins via İspir by private vehicle. Our first stop is a mountain between Erzurum (İspir) and Rize (İkizdere) at an altitude of 2640 meters. Due to heavy snowfall in winter, the Ovit Mountain Tunnel project, which will be the 4th largest tunnel in the world, was initiated as a solution to the road closure. The first step for this project was taken during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. For our lunch, the barbecue will be lit and the meat will be cooking at the Genesis Hotel. After lunch, we will head to the Hemşin Plateau, located at an altitude of 1400 meters, which, with its natural beauty, is among the most captivating regions of the Eastern Black Sea. Due to its abundant rainfall and humid climate, it boasts a very rich vegetation. Ayder Plateau welcomes its guests with its magnificent forests, monumental trees, and thousands of varieties of wildflowers in an indescribable riot of colors.
Day 3: Ayder - Trabzon - Istanbul (October 8)
After breakfast at our hotel, we will depart for the Sümela Monastery, an architectural marvel. Founded in the 4th century AD by two monks from Athens, the monastery is built on the steep slope of Mount Kara, 1300m above sea level. We will reach the monastery, with its historical value, magnificent architecture, and the natural beauty of Altındere National Park, via a 300m forest path. Afterwards, we will have a delicious lunch at the famous Hacı Hüsrev Kuru Fasulyecisi in Çayeli. Following lunch, we will travel by private vehicle to the Atatürk Pavilion. After our visit to the pavilion, we will visit the Hagia Sophia Museum, which is now used as a mosque.
After our tour, we will be transferred to the airport. Following the procedures, we will depart for Istanbul at 21:25 on AnadoluJet flight TK7429 to Sabiha Gökçen Airport.
Our accommodation and dinner will be at Kaçkar Resort Hotel.
