Black Sea Tour — 3 Days, 2 Nights (Trabzon & Uzungöl)

While most visitors never leave Istanbul’s straits, Turkey’s Black Sea coast offers an entirely different rhythm—tea-green valleys, clouds you can almost touch, and monasteries that seem glued to cliffs. This Black Sea tour from Istanbul flies you to Trabzon for three days of mountain drama and lakeside calm: Sumela Monastery, the Zigana pass, the glittering chambers of Karaca Cave, and two nights in a wooden lodge at Uzungöl. Colina Rojo Travel handles flights, lodge, guide and road logistics—tap WhatsApp for your personalised quote.

Day 1 — Trabzon & the cliff monastery

Morning pickup in Istanbul and a short domestic flight to Trabzon, the historic port where Laz culture meets Black Sea weather. Your coach climbs into the Altındere Valley for the day’s masterpiece: Sumela Monastery, a Byzantine wonder clinging to a sheer rock face 1,200 metres above the forest. Wander stone courtyards, frescoed chapels and balconies that float above the treetops—then descend through cool pine air to the valley floor. Evening transfer toward Uzungöl or an interim stop per season; dinner recommendations feature local trout and cornbread (karadeniz pidesi) when available.

Day 2 — Zigana, Karaca Cave & Uzungöl lodge

Cross the legendary Zigana Mountain pass—watch clouds pour between ridges like a slow waterfall. In Gümüşhane province, descend into Karaca Cave, where decades of careful lighting reveal stalactites in caramel, ivory and rose quartz hues. By afternoon you reach Uzungöl, the mirror-still lake framed by twin minarets and wooden chalets. Check into your cozy wooden hotel, stroll the lakeside path as mist rolls off the water, and breathe air scented with fir and woodsmoke. Optional highland viewpoints reward early risers with sea-of-clouds panoramas.

Day 3 — Nature trails & return to Istanbul

After breakfast, enjoy unhurried time around the lake—short forest walks, photography from hillside lookouts, or coffee on a terrace above the water. Midday transfer to Trabzon Airport for your flight back to Istanbul and hotel drop-off, carrying pine-scented memories far from the usual tourist trail.

Why the Black Sea with Colina Rojo?

Trabzon and Uzungöl are not plug-and-play DIY destinations: mountain roads, flight times and lodge availability shift with season. We coordinate round-trip flights, two lodge nights, English guiding and a logical route so you see Sumela without a 5 a.m. self-drive gamble. Pricing depends on month, lodge category and group size—we quote on WhatsApp with no hidden extras.

Who will love this tour?

Nature photographers, hikers who prefer gentle trails, families wanting cooler summer temperatures, and travellers who have “done” Cappadocia and Ephesus and crave something greener. The pace is restorative, not adrenaline—perfect after hectic days in Sultanahmet.

Practical tips

Pack a waterproof layer and sturdy shoes—Black Sea weather changes hourly. Sunscreen still matters at altitude. Sumela involves steps and uneven stone; modest dress for active chapel areas. Lodge rooms are charming but simple; set expectations for mountain hospitality, not five-star city luxury.

Licensed Turkish tour operator TÜRSAB No. 16602. Tap Get info via WhatsApp to reserve your Black Sea dates and receive a tailored quote.