The Perfect Sunrise Tour at Mount Nemrut

Your sunrise tour will start very early in the morning. We will pick you up from your hotel at around 3 to 4 AM (depending on the season) on Day 2.

If you are enjoying another tour with us and Nemrut is an extension, your transfer will already be included, but if you are flying direct to Kahta and arriving late in the afternoon, we will offer to include the private transfers and booking your accommodation as well.

Mount Nemrut

After hotel pickups, our guide will take you to Mount Nemrut, where we will hike to the summit. The highest peak of the mountain is 2134 m high, but guided trails will make the climb easier.

The sunrise won’t be the only feature waiting for you at the top; there is a magnificent mausoleum built by the Commagene king, Antiochus. It consists of ancient statues of King Antiochus, an eagle, a lion, and Greek gods. Here among statues, you will witness the sunrise in a spectacular fashion unique to Mt. Nemrut.

As the sun illuminates your surroundings, you will be able to appreciate the impressive sight that is the colossal statues of King Antiochus and Greek gods. The historical significance of this mausoleum has made Mt. Nemrut a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Arsemia

After a magnificent sunrise experience, the tour will head to the ancient city of Arsemia (Old Castle). The town, which was once the seat of the Commagene Kingdom, still holds a few features testament to its once important past. These include ruins of the fortress of Yenikale and the Field of Iron, where residents once smelted iron.

Cendere Bridge

Close to Arsemia is a Roman bridge from the 2nd century CE. The bridge is still mostly intact, with only one of its four pillars missing. There is a sad story behind the missing pillar which the guide should narrate.

Nonetheless, the tour will let you appreciate one of the finest remaining pieces of Roman road architecture in the world.

Karakus Tumulus

Finally, Our Mt Nemrut Tour will conclude at another mausoleum, the Karakus Tumulus. The name roughly translates to Black Bird Burial Mound due to one column topped by an eagle. There are other columns in the mausoleum, each topped with reliefs, steels, and statues of a bull, lion, and an eagle.

The burial mound was built by King Mithridates II, son of Antiochus, in honor of his dead mother and sister. There are tombs in the sites, which are unfortunately empty due to visits by grave robbers once the Roman Empire annexed Commagene. Nonetheless, the Karakus Tumulus is still a beautiful sight to behold, with Greek inscriptions decorating the side of one column.

After the completion of your tour of Mount Nemrut, we will take you back to your hotel.