Grand Black Sea Journey
A broader exploration of Türkiye’s Black Sea coast, blending coastal cities, local gastronomy, mountain landscapes, historic sites and the green highlands of Rize and Ayder.
Journey Overview
- Duration
- 9 Days / 8 nights
- Route
- Samsun – Ordu – Giresun – Trabzon – Rize – Ayder
- Suggested airports
- SZF – TZX
- Travel style
- Black Sea Journeys
Destinations on This Journey
Samsun – Ordu – Giresun – Trabzon – Rize – Ayder
Journey Highlights
- Samsun to Trabzon — Travel the coast east through Ordu and Giresun at a realistic pace.
- Ordu & Boztepe — Panoramic Black Sea views from the city’s celebrated viewpoint.
- Sümela Monastery — The region’s iconic monastery set into a sheer mountain face.
- Rize Tea Country — Lush valleys and the culture of Türkiye’s tea heartland.
- Ayder Highlands — Finish among cool pastures and highland traditions.
- Black Sea Gastronomy — Regional tables from anchovies to mıhlama along the way.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 — Arrival in Samsun
Samsun
Private welcome at Samsun Airport and transfer to your hotel. The evening is free along the seafront, where the Black Sea coast road begins.
Day 2 — Samsun to Ordu
Ordu
Travel east along the coast to Ordu. The afternoon includes Boztepe, reached by cable car, with panoramic views over the town and the sea from the hillside above it.
Day 3 — Ordu to Giresun
Giresun
A shorter coastal drive to Giresun, a hazelnut-growing town with a castle above it. The pace is deliberately unhurried, with time to walk the harbour before evening.
Day 4 — Giresun to Trabzon
Trabzon
Continue east to Trabzon, the largest city on this coast. The afternoon covers its Byzantine heritage and the old quarter, with the harbour front free in the evening.
Day 5 — Sümela Monastery
Sümela
Drive up the Altındere valley to Sümela Monastery, set into a sheer cliff high above the forest. Access depends on current restoration works and weather conditions on the day.
Day 6 — Uzungöl
Uzungöl
Travel inland to the alpine lake at Uzungöl, ringed by forested slopes. The afternoon is free for the lake shore or a walk into the surrounding hills.
Day 7 — Rize & Tea Country
Rize
Head east to Rize and its terraced tea gardens, with a plantation visit and time to understand the culture built around the crop.
Day 8 — Ayder Highlands
Ayder
Climb into the highlands at Ayder — cooler air, open pasture and mountain character. Highland roads are seasonal, and the programme adapts to conditions.
Day 9 — Departure from Trabzon
Trabzon
Descend to the coast and transfer to Trabzon Airport for your onward journey.
What This Journey Includes
- Private airport transfers
- Selected accommodation
- Licensed private guides
- Private sightseeing transportation
- 24/7 local assistance
Final inclusions depend on the selected programme and confirmed proposal.
Optional Experiences
- Boztepe Viewpoint — Panoramic views over Ordu and the coastline, reached by cable car.
- Tea Plantation Visit — The terraced gardens of Rize and the culture built around them.
- Black Sea Culinary Experience — Regional cooking from the coast to the highlands with a local host.
- Hotel Upgrades & Extra Nights — Higher categories along the coast or extra highland nights.
Journey Gallery
Plan This Journey
Tell us your preferred dates, hotel style and interests and our local team will tailor this itinerary around your travel plans.
Plan your trip · info@allwaytour.com · +90 534 397 1515