Published on Oct, 2024
I had a fantastic time with Selim the guide. We spoke about the history of the Hittite empire, their beliefs and rituals, daily life, their friends and enemies, their rise and fall, who came after them, and human nature as a whole. Selim was very knowledgeable about history and culture.
Selim was tour guide and driver for this, but usually there is a driver I believe. It was a long day of driving to and from Goreme, but totally worth it. The sights were nice looking at farmland and mountainous landscapes. On the way to Hattusa we stopped for lunch at a local restaurant in Yozgat and had a delicious lamb meal with ayran and tea. Then we went to Yazilikaya where there was beautiful stone reliefs from the Hittites. Then we went to the ancient city of Hattusa which was very impressive after all these years. The ride there and back is about 3hr each way, but Selim offers to stop for a water and/or bathroom break at any time. As for attire, I don’t think hiking shoes or anything are really necessary, the site is surprisingly well maintained and there was very little difficult terrain at all. Maybe bring a large hat and/or sunscreen.
I recommend watching YouTube videos about Hattusa, the Hittite empire, and the Bronze Age before booking this tour to help visualize and contextualize everything. Or afterwards if this tour sparks an interest in the Hittites and Bronze Age. I find the time period fascinating and watched many hours of documentaries and shorter videos online. Also there is an audiobook from “The Great Courses” titled “Great Ancient Civilizations of Asia Minor” that is very interesting and educational about not only the Hittites but other ancient civilizations that inhabited Asia Minor or Anatolia. Lastly the strategic video game “Total War: Pharoah” takes place in the Bronze Age where you can lead the Hittites, or Mycaenean Greeks, Trojans, Babylonians, Sea Peoples, or Egyptians. It features great 3D models of all of these civilizations with historically accurate armor, weapons, chariots, landscapes, buildings, walls, and other city structures of the Bronze Age that is infrequently represented in popular media and culture today. (Well, maybe the Egyptians are well known, but the others are basically unheard of sadly).
Again I highly recommend booking this tour to visit one of the largest and most important cities of the world at one point long ago. It is a unique experience.
Non Refundable
