Sumela Monastery, Zigana and Hamsiköy Village Tour
Description
Set out from Trabzon to visit the iconic Sümela Monastery, dramatically built into the cliffs of Altındere Valley. Explore the lush landscapes of Altındere National Park, surrounded by forested mountains and fresh mountain air, and enjoy opportunities to capture stunning photographs along the way.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The first stop is Sümela Monastery, located within Altındere National Park, reached after an enjoyable drive of approximately one hour. Inside the national park, shared minibuses are used, followed by a 300-meter walk along a forest path to reach the monastery. Before entering Sümela Monastery, visit St. Barbara Chapel, which offers one of the best viewpoints to admire the monastery set dramatically against the mountains.
Upon arrival at Sümela Monastery, historic aqueducts, stone stairways, and visitor facilities welcome you. Before entering, take a short moment to enjoy the surrounding nature and scenic views. After passing through the entrance gate reached by stone steps, the monastery complex opens up before you. During the visit, explore the main rock church, chapels, student rooms, library, guesthouse, and sacred spring, along with other sections of this remarkable site. At the end of the visit, meet with the group leader and return along the same path.
On the return route, walk back along the forest path and use the national park service to reach the tour vehicle, then continue toward Zigana Pass. Once an important route of the historic Silk Road, Zigana was traveled by many famous explorers, including Marco Polo. After a stop at the pass, located at an altitude of 2,050 meters, continue the journey to Hamsiköy.
Enjoy a lunch break in Hamsiköy, renowned for its natural scenery and famous rice pudding. After visiting Sümela Monastery, Zigana Pass, and Hamsiköy, return to Trabzon, marking the end of the tour. We look forward to welcoming you on another journey.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Before the Activity: Our tour departs from the meeting point in Trabzon city center at 9:00 AM. Hotel pickups are arranged according to the operational schedule and may occur before or after the tour’s departure time. Our operations team will inform you about your exact pickup time from your hotel prior to the tour. Getting to Sumela Monastery: It is mandatory to use the shuttle service to reach the national park parking lot and the beginning of the trail to the monastery. There is a 350-meter forest trail leading to the monastery, which is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers. Additionally, during the visit to the monastery, you will need to navigate many steps. Lunch: Lunch will be provided at a local restaurant in Zigana. Please note that the cost of lunch is not included in the tour price. The restaurant accepts credit card payments. Entrance Fees (per person): Sumela Monastery: 20 Euro (payable in cash in Turkish Lira or by credit card at the monastery entrance) Shuttle service fee: 70 TL per person (payable in cash in Turkish Lira) What to Bring: Bring an ID or passport, comfortable shoes, and weather-appropriate clothing, including a raincoat even in summer. Important Note: Our guide/agency staff may change the itinerary depending on weather conditions.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(82)
We had a lovely time visiting Sümela Monastery and Zigana, they are truly beautiful places. Taner bey is a very knowledgeable and kind tour guide with lots of information to share about Trabzon and the history of the region and Hüseyn bey is the coolest driver. It was a great way to experience the sights and the nature with this team.
Dear Veronik, thank you for joining our **Sumela Monastery, Zigana and Hamsikoy Village Tour**. We are delighted that you enjoyed the scenery, nature, and history of the region. Your kind words about your tour guide Taner and driver Hüseyin mean a lot to the entire Zenofon Tours team. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. 🌿
We had a wonderful day visiting Sumela Monastery. The tour guide was excellent, providing interesting information and clear explanations throughout the day, which made the experience even more enjoyable. Our driver was also fantastic—friendly, professional, and made the journey comfortable and stress-free. The scenery and history of the monastery were amazing, and the entire tour was very well organised. Highly recommended
Dear Mark and Mellina, Thank you so much for your wonderful review and for sharing these beautiful photos from your day at Sumela Monastery. We are very happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour and felt comfortable with both our guide and driver. It was a pleasure to welcome you, and we truly appreciate your kind recommendation. We hope your memories of Trabzon and Sumela will stay with you for many years. Warm wishes from the entire Zenofon Tours team!
Me and my friends visited Súmela Monastery. I recommend this tour as it’s a good price for a great time .Had great experience with very nice people. The tour guide was great . Overall atmosphere was very nice and friendly, we had enough time to walk around, eat and go to the souvenir stores . We were in a small group which was very nice although it is quite crowded in the Monastery.
Thank you so much for your kind review and recommendation. We are very happy to hear that you and your friends enjoyed the Sümela Monastery, Zigana and Hamsiköy Village Tour with us. We hope to welcome you again to Trabzon and the Black Sea region on another trip.
We had a wonderful tour with Taner as our guide and Hassan as our driver. Everything went smoothly from start to finish. Taner is incredibly knowledgeable about history and explains everything in great detail—you can tell he truly loves what he does. What makes it even more special is that he's the owner of the company, and he comes from a small village in Trabzon. His personal connection to the region really added a unique, authentic touch to the experience. Highly recommend!
Dear Ayman, Thank you very much for taking the time to share such a kind review. It was a real pleasure to spend the day with you and to explore Sümela, Zigana and Hamsiköy together. We are very happy to hear that the tour went smoothly and that you enjoyed the places we visited. Hassan and I truly appreciate your kind words and your recommendation. We hope to welcome you again in Trabzon or in another beautiful part of Türkiye. Warm regards, Taner
Amazing experience and landscapes. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and provided interesting historical facts. The restaurant's view and food were very good.
Thank you so much, Radwan! We’re very happy you enjoyed the tour, the landscapes and the guiding experience.
This is the transportation option to Sumela, departing from downtown Trabzon. So glad we took a tour instead of driving, which could have been challenging on some roads. Our driver and guide Senca were such fun. At some point several scarfed Turkish tourists on on mini bus asked the driver to turn up the traditional music. All we needed was a disco ball. Much singing from the Turks and hand clapping from us made for the most joyful tour ever. We loved the drive through the mountains, villages, tunnels, a stop for a delish lunch and a last stop for pudding . Remember that this is a transportation tour and entrance fees and food are paid by the traveler. It was a highlight of our Black Sea adventure. So glad we booked Zenofon tours. Good company.
22:43Claude responded: Linda, thank you so much for this wonderful feedback.Linda, thank you so much for this wonderful feedback. We're truly happy to hear that you had such a great time with your tour leader Senca and that the spontaneous moments with traditional music made your journey so memorable. Knowing that the drive through the mountains and villages became a highlight of your Black Sea adventure means a lot to us. We'd love to welcome you back to Trabzon whenever you return.
“I joined a group tour with Zenofon Tours in Trabzon and it was excellent. Our guide, Taner Demirbulut, was outstanding. Even though I was the only English speaker in the group, he made sure to translate everything for me so I wouldn’t miss any of the history or explanations. That personal attention really made the tour special for me. The whole experience was well organized, the places were beautiful, and Taner clearly knows his stuff. I felt taken care of the entire time. Highly recommend Zenofun tours.
Dear Hamood, thank you so much for your kind words and for choosing Zenofon Tours in Trabzon. We are very happy to hear that our tour guide Taner’s translations and personal attention helped you enjoy the history, explanations, and the whole experience more deeply. Knowing that our guests leave the tour happy truly motivates us; it was a pleasure to host you, and we hope to welcome you again in Turkey.
I would highly recommend this tour and ask for Taner as your tour guide as he was excellent. He spoke English well and took his time to explain the historical significance of all the locations we visited. The monastery is breathtaking and a must see. We ended the tour with a delicious meal at a restaurant in the mountains with an amazing view overlooking the valley below. Do not miss this.
Dear Babe, Thank you so much for your wonderful review. It was a real pleasure having you and your family on the tour, and we’re delighted you enjoyed the experience with our guide Taner. Our guide Taner’s passion for sharing the history and stories of each location is what truly makes these tours special. Sumela Monastery has such a unique atmosphere, and it’s great to hear you felt that. Ending the day in Hamsiköy with that stunning valley view and a delicious meal is exactly the kind of moment we hope our guests take with them. We’re grateful you chose to explore Trabzon with us, and if your travels bring you back this way, we’d love to welcome you again.
The trip is very expensive on this website. I paid ~58 USD and others in same trip paid 25 USD and 35 USD through local companies or other websites and it was on spot booking. The difference in price is big. Check ur options before u book ur trip. I felt scammed tbh.
Thank you for your feedback, and we’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour experience. Regarding the price, we would like to clarify an important point. On our local website, hotel pick-up is offered as an optional service, not included in the base tour price. When this service is added, the total cost reaches a similar level. In fact, even when hotel pick-up and drop-off are included, our direct website prices for a single participant are generally aligned with the prices shown on platforms like Viator and Tripadvisor. However, platforms like Viator and Tripadvisor do not offer flexible pricing structures for optional services, so these are usually included in the listed price by default. Our priority is always to provide fair pricing and high-quality service, with transparent options for our guests. Thank you again for your honest review, and we hope to welcome you again in the future.
What a waste to money!!! You pay 140TL for the shuttle bus, 185TL for the parking lot and 20 Euros to access probably 5% of the monastery!! What a scam. Free distant views are worth it though.
Dear Sam, Your review appears to describe your independent visit to Sumela Monastery, particularly the parking, shuttle, and entrance fees associated with the national park site. Based on your mention of paying a parking fee, it seems you visited the monastery with your own vehicle rather than joining our guided “Sumela Monastery, Zigana and Hamsikoy Village Tour.” Guests on our organized tours do not pay individual parking fees, as transportation logistics are handled within the tour program. The monastery entrance, shuttle, and parking services are managed by the Altindere National Park administration, not by our agency. These site-related costs are clearly explained on our tour details page so travelers know what to expect before booking. Our guided tours focus on providing a smooth experience and meaningful insight into Sumela Monastery’s history, Zigana Mountain, and Hamsikoy village, helping visitors understand the region beyond the site visit itself. As your comments relate to the monastery access system rather than our tour service, this review may have been posted under the wrong listing. We kindly invite you to consider updating or relocating it to avoid confusion for future travelers. Kind regards, Taner
