Eastern Turkey Travel Guide 2026: Kars, Ani, Van and Doğubayazıt

Eastern Turkey is a different country from the Turkey most visitors see. The western coast and central plateau are well-trodden; eastern Anatolia demands more effort — longer distances, harsher terrain, winters of genuine severity — and rewards it with landscapes and historical depth that have no equivalent elsewhere. The ruins of Ani, visible across the Arpaçay river from the Armenian border, are among the most moving medieval sites in the world. Lake Van, Turkey’s largest lake, sits at 1,640 metres above sea level and has a chemical composition — alkaline, slightly salty — that makes the water buoyant and a particular shade of turquoise-blue. Kars, a city of Russian-era stone buildings and extraordinary cheese, receives travellers on the Eastern Express train who have spent 24 hours crossing the Anatolian interior.

Kars: the gateway city

Kars sits at 1,750 metres on the high plateau of northeastern Turkey, 5 km from the Armenian border. The city’s identity is shaped by two forces: its Russian occupation from 1877 to 1918, which left a grid of stone buildings, wide boulevards, and a distinct urban character unlike anywhere else in Turkey; and the cheese.

Russian architecture: The Russian-era buildings along the main streets — stone-fronted, with arched windows and military proportions — give Kars an anachronistic Central European feeling. The Kars castle (Kars Kalesi), built over Byzantine foundations and expanded by successive Ottoman and Russian governors, has views across the city and the plain.

Cheese: The highland pastures around Kars, grazed by cattle from late spring through autumn, produce exceptional milk. Kars Gravyer is the result — a dense, aged cheese with Swiss gruyère-like character. The main cheese shops (peynirciler) along Atatürk Caddesi sell it aged between 6 months and 3 years; the older examples have a crystalline texture and concentrated flavour. Budget approximately ₺200–400/kg as of 2026.

Hotels in Kars:

• Hotel Katerina Palace — The best-positioned mid-range hotel in the Russian-era building stock, with rooms in a restored stone building. Approximately ₺1,800–2,800/night in peak season 2026.
• Kar’s Otel — The premium option in Kars, with a restaurant serving local cheese-focused menus and a good wine list. Approximately ₺2,500–4,000/night.
• Temel Otel — A reliable budget option near the city centre. Approximately ₺800–1,200/night.

Getting to Kars:

• Eastern Express from Ankara: The most celebrated route — 24 hours, departing Ankara approximately three times per week. Book via TCDD (tcdd.gov.tr); ₺600–2,500 depending on class as of 2026. Reserve 2–3 months ahead for autumn and winter.
• Fly: THY and Pegasus fly to Kars (KSY) from Istanbul; approximately 2 hours. Several flights daily; approximately ₺600–1,500 one-way as of 2026.
• Bus: From Erzurum, approximately 3 hours.

Ani ruins: medieval city on the Armenian border

Ani is the most remarkable site in eastern Turkey. The ruined capital of the Bagratid Armenian kingdom (10th–11th century AD), then a major Seljuk and Mongol city, then abandoned — Ani sits on a dramatic plateau above the Arpaçay gorge, with the Armenian border running along the river 300 metres below. The silhouette of churches, mosques, caravanserais, and city walls visible across the plain from Kars is the image most associated with the Eastern Express journey.

What survives: The Kars Gate and city walls (extensively preserved), the Cathedral of Ani (1001 AD, the largest medieval Armenian church, roofless but structurally standing), the Church of St Gregory of the Abughamrents (with traces of original frescoes), the Menüçehr Mosque (the oldest mosque in Anatolia, 1072 AD), the Church of the Redeemer (partially collapsed), several caravanserais, and the Armenian Silk Road bridge over the gorge.

UNESCO status: Ani was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016 — recognition of a site that had been long neglected.

Entry: Approximately ₺300–400 as of 2026. Open daily 08:00–19:00 (shorter hours in winter). Located 43 km east of Kars on a well-paved road; taxis from Kars approximately ₺300–500 return (negotiate the fare before departure, including waiting time at the site). Shared dolmuş are occasionally available from Kars otogar; ask locally.

Allow: 3–4 hours minimum for a thorough visit. The plateau is open, flat, and often windy — carry a layer even in summer.

Lake Van: Turkey’s inland sea

Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey (3,755 km²) and one of the largest saline soda lakes in the world. Its high alkalinity (pH approximately 9.8) gives the water an extraordinary colour — turquoise-blue — and a silky quality when swimming. The lake sits at 1,640 m above sea level; Van city (population approximately 450,000) on its eastern shore is the main urban base.

Akdamar Island and the Armenian Church of the Holy Cross: This is the defining image of Lake Van — a small island 3 km offshore carrying the perfectly preserved Church of the Holy Cross (Akdamar Kilisesi), built in 915–921 AD by the Armenian King Gagik I. The exterior bas-relief carvings (Old Testament scenes, hunting frieze, animal panels) are extraordinarily detailed and well-preserved. The church reopened as a site of worship in 2010 after 95 years of closure.

Ferry to Akdamar: Boats depart from a dock approximately 40 km west of Van city (near Gevaş village). The ferry takes approximately 20–30 minutes. Departures are roughly every 2 hours in summer when demand exists; the first boat is usually around 09:00. Boat + island entry: approximately ₺150–200 per person as of 2026. A combined taxi from Van city to the dock and return costs approximately ₺600–800.

Van cat: The Van cat (Van kedisi) is one of the most distinctive cat breeds in the world — white, often with differently-coloured eyes (one blue, one amber or green), and reportedly comfortable in water. The Van Cat Research Centre at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University has a colony; the university’s cat house is open to visitors.

Van breakfast: The Van breakfast (Van kahvaltısı) has become one of Turkey’s most celebrated regional food traditions. The spread includes multiple small dishes: local white cheese (Van otlu peyniri, with herbs), butter, honey, clotted cream (kaymak), several types of herb and vegetable dishes, eggs, and warm bread. Allow 1–2 hours. The best Van breakfast restaurants are along Cumhuriyet Caddesi and around the Ulu Cami area; budget approximately ₺150–250 per person.

Hotels in Van:

• Büyük Urartu Hotel — The most established business hotel in Van, with lake views from upper floors and good service. Approximately ₺2,000–3,200/night as of 2026.
• Merit Halley Hotel — Mid-range with a restaurant and reliable facilities. Approximately ₺1,500–2,200/night.
• Elit Otel — Budget-friendly downtown option. Approximately ₺700–1,100/night.

Doğubayazıt: Ishak Pasha Palace and Mount Ararat

Doğubayazıt sits at 1,625 m, 93 km northeast of Van and close to the Iranian border. It is primarily visited for two things: Ishak Pasha Palace and the view of Mount Ararat.

Ishak Pasha Palace (İshak Paşa Sarayı): A semi-ruined Ottoman palace complex built between 1685 and 1784, perched dramatically on a rocky spur above Doğubayazıt at approximately 1,900 m elevation. The palace combines Ottoman, Seljuk, Persian, Armenian, and Georgian architectural elements in a way that reads as a compressed history of the region’s overlapping civilisations. The palace interior includes reception halls, harem quarters, a mosque, a mausoleum, and the original golden gates (removed by Russian forces in 1917; whereabouts disputed).

Entry approximately ₺200–250 as of 2026. Open daily 08:00–19:00 (shorter in winter). From Doğubayazıt town, the palace is 5 km uphill — taxi approximately ₺100–150 return.

Mount Ararat views: The sight of Ararat (Ağrı Dağı, 5,137 m) from Doğubayazıt is one of Turkey’s most dramatic. The mountain dominates the plain for 50 km in every direction; on clear days (more reliable in early morning before afternoon cloud) the summit snowcap is visible in sharp definition. Trekking on Ararat requires a permit obtained through a licensed guiding company; the route is a high-altitude technical climb, not a casual hike.

The Eastern Express experience

The Doğu Ekspresi (Eastern Express) departs Ankara and arrives in Kars approximately 24–26 hours later. The route crosses the Central Anatolian plateau, climbs through the Taurus mountain passes, traverses the high plain of eastern Anatolia, and approaches Kars through the landscape that surrounds Ani.

The train became a phenomenon in Turkish social media around 2016–17 — the combination of dramatic winter photography (snow-covered landscapes, the train silhouetted against the sky), the romantic distance from ordinary Turkish tourism, and the genuine adventure of a 24-hour rail journey across seldom-visited terrain created sustained demand.

Classes: Couchette (kushetli) compartments are the standard booking target — 6 berths per compartment with bedding provided. Private sleeper (yataklı) compartments (2 berths) are available at higher cost and book out fastest. Seat (koltuklu) carriages are available for those who cannot book a couchette.

Booking: TCDD website (tcdd.gov.tr) or mobile app. An account is required; the process works best on the Turkish-language version of the site. Book 2–3 months ahead for October–February weekends. Prices approximately ₺600–2,500 depending on class as of 2026.

What to bring: Warm layers (the train runs through temperatures from Ankara’s mild climate to Kars’s cold plateau), food for the journey (dining car available but limited), and patience — delays of 2–4 hours are not uncommon.

Eastern Turkey overview

Destination	Distance from Kars	Highlights
Ani ruins	43 km	Medieval Armenian capital, cathedral, walls
Lake Van (Van city)	385 km	Akdamar Church, Van breakfast, Van cat
Akdamar Island	425 km	Church of the Holy Cross (915 AD)
Doğubayazıt	280 km	Ishak Pasha Palace, Ararat views
Erzurum	215 km	Grand Mosque, Çifte Minareli Medrese

Explore Eastern Turkey

• Things to do in Eastern Turkey
• History of Eastern Turkey
• Eastern Express train guide

Beyond Kars and Van, eastern Turkey’s other great highlight is Mount Nemrut — the summit sanctuary of King Antiochus I, with giant stone heads of gods and kings arranged around a 50-metre burial mound. See our Mount Nemrut guide for how to reach the summit and what to expect.

Getting there: Flights to Turkey connect via Istanbul with most European carriers. For a door-to-door arrival, pre-book an airport transfer for fixed-price, hassle-free pickup. An eSIM for Turkey activates before you land and keeps you connected from the moment you clear arrivals.