Trabzon: 6-Day Eastern Black Sea Tour

Discover the Eastern Black Sea on a 6-day tour from Trabzon, including Trabzon city, Sumela Monastery, Zigana Pass, Hamsikoy, Ayder Plateau, Firtina Valley, Uzungol, Cal Cave and Hidirnebi Plateau. Stay in a 4- or 5-star hotel with breakfast, local guiding, arrival transfer and planned day tours.

• Discover Eastern Black Sea heritage and magnificent landscapes throughout this comprehensive 6-day Trabzon-based tour.
• Stay centrally at one Trabzon hotel throughout, enjoying effortless daily departures and comfortable evenings.
• Explore Sumela, Zigana and Hamsikoy through remarkable heritage, mountain panoramas and authentic regional flavors.
• Experience Firtina Valley, Ayder and Uzungol through highland traditions, lake panoramas and mountain landscapes.
• Discover Cal Cave and Hidirnebi Plateau through cave formations, countryside and sweeping highland landscapes.

1. IntroIntroduction

   

   This 6-day Eastern Black Sea tour from Trabzon is designed for travelers who want a broader first introduction to northeastern Turkey rather than visiting only one or two of its best-known sights. Using Trabzon as your base, you explore a different part of the region each day, combining Trabzon, Sumela Monastery, Ayder Plateau, Uzungol, Hidirnebi Plateau and Cal Cave in one itinerary.

   For international visitors, the tour shows how quickly the landscape and character of the Eastern Black Sea change beyond the coast. One day is dedicated to Trabzon’s historic sites and traditional bazaars, while another takes you into the forested mountains to Sumela, Zigana and Hamsikoy. In Firtina Valley and Ayder, you encounter tea-covered hillsides, stone bridges and highland scenery, with optional rafting and zipline for those who want a more active experience. The Uzungol route introduces local knife-making, Black Sea tea culture and the green landscapes of Solakli Valley, while Hidirnebi Plateau and Cal Cave add a quieter rural and underground side of the region.

   With city-center accommodation, breakfast, scheduled sightseeing, transportation and local guiding arranged in advance, the practical side of exploring the region is kept simple. This makes the itinerary especially suitable for first-time visitors to Trabzon and the Eastern Black Sea who want enough time to understand the region without changing hotels every night.

2. Day 1Arrival in Trabzon and Hotel Transfer

   Upon arrival at Trabzon Airport, you will be met according to the flight details provided with your booking and transferred to your selected 4- or 5-star hotel in Trabzon city center. Standard check-in time is 14:00, while early access to your room is subject to room availability.

   No guided sightseeing is scheduled for the first day. After check-in, you can relax or explore nearby Meydan Square, Uzun Sokak, restaurants and shopping areas at your own pace. Your Trabzon City Tour begins the following morning.

   Accommodation

   • Usta Park Hotel · 4-star · or similar
   • Zorlu Grand Hotel · 5-star · or similar

   Included activities

   • Meet and greet at Trabzon Airport with private transfer to your city-center hotel

   Special info

   As no guided sightseeing is scheduled on the first day, we recommend choosing a flight that arrives in Trabzon at 19:00 or later to make better use of your travel time.

   Guests arriving in Trabzon by intercity bus or private vehicle should make their own way to the hotel. Guests arriving by car may use the hotel’s free parking.

3. Day 2Trabzon City Tour

   After breakfast at the hotel, we set out to discover Trabzon’s historical and cultural highlights. Our first stop is Ataturk Mansion, one of the city’s notable examples of historic residential architecture. We then continue to Trabzon Botanical Park and Trabzon City Museum, where you can learn more about the city’s history, culture and everyday life. Along the route, we also see Trabzon Castle, Gulbahar Hatun Mosque, Zagnos Valley and the historic Ortahisar area.

   In the city center, we walk through Kunduracilar Street, Semerciler, Kemeraltı and the traditional coppersmiths’ bazaar, with some free time to browse and shop.

   We stop for lunch near Sera Lake Nature Park, then continue to Hagia Sophia Mosque to see its architectural details and surviving frescoes. Our final stop is Boztepe, where you can enjoy panoramic views of Trabzon and the Black Sea before returning to your hotel in the city center.

   Accommodation

   • Usta Park Hotel · 4-star · or similar
   • Zorlu Grand Hotel · 5-star · or similar

   Meals

   • Breakfast at your hotel

   Included activities

   • Visit to Ataturk Mansion
   • Visit to Trabzon Botanical Park
   • Visit to Trabzon City Museum
   • Walking tour through Kunduracilar, Semerciler, Kemeraltı and the Coppersmiths’ Bazaar
   • Visit to Hagia Sophia Mosque
   • Panoramic stop at Boztepe

4. Day 3Sumela Monastery, Zigana and Hamsikoy

   After breakfast at the hotel, we leave Trabzon and travel through Macka Valley toward Altindere National Park. From the park, the included shuttle service takes us closer to Sumela Monastery. The final approach involves approximately 350 metres of forest path and stairs. On the way, we stop near St. Barbara Chapel for a panoramic view of the monastery built into the steep cliffside.

   With a local guiding service, we explore the main rock church, frescoes, chapels and living areas while learning about the monastery’s history and architecture. You will also have some free time for photographs and independent exploration.

   After Sumela, we continue to Zigana Pass, a historic crossing point along the old Silk Road, for a scenic mountain stop. Our final visit is Hamsikoy, where you have free time for lunch and may try the village’s well-known rice pudding. Afterwards, we return to your hotel in Trabzon.

   Accommodation

   • Usta Park Hotel · 4-star · or similar
   • Zorlu Grand Hotel · 5-star · or similar

   Meals

   • Breakfast at your hotel

   Included activities

   • Guided visit to Sumela Monastery with a local guide
   • Scenic photo stop near St. Barbara Chapel
   • Scenic stop at Zigana Pass
   • Visit to Hamsikoy

   Special info

   The route to Sumela Monastery includes a forest path and sections of stairs, so the site is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

   The Sumela Monastery entrance fee is €20 per person and is not included in the tour price. For cash payments, the equivalent amount must be paid in Turkish lira at the ticket office. Visa and Mastercard are also accepted.

5. Day 4Ayder Plateau and Firtina Valley

   After breakfast at the hotel, we travel east along the Black Sea coast toward Firtina Valley. Tea gardens, traditional wooden houses and lush valley scenery accompany the route as we pass the region’s characteristic stone arch bridges. Guests who wish may join optional rafting or zipline activities, depending on weather conditions and whether the activities are operating that day; those preferring a slower pace can enjoy free time by the river.

   We then continue toward the foothills of the Kackar Mountains and reach Ayder Plateau, located at approximately 1,350 metres above sea level. Here, you can enjoy views of Gelintulu Waterfall, walk among traditional wooden houses and explore the plateau at your own pace.

   During your free time, you may have lunch and try local dishes such as muhlama and cornbread. In the afternoon, we return to Trabzon through Firtina Valley and drop you off at your hotel.

   Accommodation

   • Usta Park Hotel · 4-star · or similar
   • Zorlu Grand Hotel · 5-star · or similar

   Meals

   • Breakfast at your hotel

   Included activities

   • Visit to Ayder Plateau
   • View of Gelintulu Waterfall

   Optional activities

   • Rafting in Firtina Valley
   • Zipline in Firtina Valley

   Special info

   Rafting and zipline are subject to weather conditions, river levels and the operating conditions of local providers.

   As weather and road conditions can change quickly in the plateau and valley areas, the order of stops may be adjusted when necessary for operational reasons.

6. Day 5Uzungol and Solakli Valley

   After breakfast at the hotel, we travel east along the Black Sea coast toward Uzungol. Our first stop is in Surmene, where you can learn about the region’s traditional knife-making craftsmanship. We then visit a tea factory to see how Black Sea tea is processed and enjoy a tea tasting.

   From Of, the route turns inland and follows Solakli Valley, passing village houses, streams and green mountain slopes before reaching Uzungol. On arrival, we visit the Uzungol Observation Terrace and the artificial waterfalls, followed by free time for lunch and independent exploration.

   Your free time continues until approximately 16:00. You can walk around the lake, relax at a café, browse local shops or choose your own place for lunch. Afterwards, we begin the return journey to Trabzon and arrive back at your hotel in the city center later in the day.

   Accommodation

   • Usta Park Hotel · 4-star · or similar
   • Zorlu Grand Hotel · 5-star · or similar

   Meals

   • Breakfast at your hotel

   Included activities

   • Visit to a Surmene knife factory store
   • Tea factory visit with tea tasting
   • Visit to the Uzungol Observation Terrace
   • Visit to the artificial waterfalls in Uzungol

   Special info

   The KomCafe Summit Viewpoint visit is an optional extra and is offered subject to the day’s operating conditions.

7. Day 6Cal Cave, Hidirnebi Plateau and Return

   After breakfast, complete your hotel check-out and begin the final day of the tour. Our first stop is Cal Cave, where you can walk through one of the region’s remarkable underground formations, with a flowing stream, stalactites and stalagmites shaping the interior landscape.

   We then continue through the countryside of Akcaabat toward Hidirnebi Plateau, located at approximately 1,600 metres above sea level. Along the way, hazelnut gardens, village houses and mountain scenery offer a glimpse of rural Black Sea life. At the plateau, you will have free time to walk, enjoy the surroundings and have lunch at your own expense. On clear days, wide views stretch toward Trabzon and the Black Sea, while misty weather creates the characteristic cloud-covered atmosphere of the highlands.

   In the afternoon, we return to Trabzon. Depending on traffic and road conditions, the tour is expected to finish between 18:00 and 19:00 at Trabzon city center or Trabzon Airport.

   Meals

   • Breakfast at your hotel

   Included activities

   • Visit to Cal Cave
   • Visit to Hidirnebi Plateau

   Special info

   Views from Hidirnebi Plateau may vary depending on weather conditions.

   If you are flying out of Trabzon on the same day, we recommend choosing a flight departing at 20:30 or later to allow sufficient time for possible traffic or road delays.

• 5 nights’ accommodation with breakfast in a selected 4-star or 5-star hotel in Trabzon city center
• 5 full-day tours: Trabzon City Tour, Sumela–Zigana–Hamsikoy, Ayder–Firtina Valley, Uzungol and Cal Cave–Hidirnebi Plateau
• Local guiding service during the scheduled day tours
• Comfortable transportation throughout the tour program
• Arrival transfer from Trabzon Airport to your hotel
• Drop-off at Trabzon city center or Trabzon Airport at the end of the tour
• Altindere National Park shuttle service for the Sumela Monastery visit
• Compulsory package tour insurance under Turkish travel regulations
• VAT and applicable taxes for the listed services