Hasankeyf

Hasankeyf is a small village located along the banks of the Tigris River in southeastern Turkey.

It has been settled for perhaps as long as three millennia, though most cliff dwellings are around 2,000 years old. It was perhaps inhabited first by Assyrians and/or Urartians, and then most certainly by successive Roman, Byzantine, Turkic, and Arabic dynasties.

The unforunate thing about Hasankeyf is that it is slated to be inundated upon the completion of a dam project that has been in the works for a couple decades now.

Getting there

Hasankeyf is far from the rest of Turkey, but one can easily reach the city of Batman by bus or rail, and then cover the remaining hour or so of travel by minibuses (dolmuş) offered by Hasankeyf town council (Hasankeyf Belediyesi). It costs 3 TL/person. It's also possible to reach Hasankeyf by taking Batman-Midyat-Mardin minibuses.

See

There isn't much else to do in Hasankeyf but see the ruins, including those of the citadel (Kale, admission fee is 3 TL) on the very top of the town, overlooking the river. But considering how extensive these ruins are, an entire day (or two) could easily be spent exploring old shepherd paths through narrow side canyons and along the tops of towering limestone cliffs. Until the 1970s many families still lived in the ancient cliff dwellings (signposted Mağaralar) along the river, but now there aren't more than a few inhabitants. The great thing about Hasankeyf is that the lack of Western tourists- and pretty much anyone at all- really makes you feel that you're pretty off-the-beaten track.

Eat

There are a couple of places to eat in town, offering typical Turkish fare and good prices.

Drink

A glass of Turkish tea costs 0.50 TL at the open-air village coffeehouse by the new (highway) bridge.

Sleep

As far as sleeping options are concerned, there is only one hotel on the river and the prices are reasonable but not as cheap as other similar quality hotels in this region of the country. However, the rooms are clean and some even have small balconies overlooking the Tigris River.

It's also possible —and legal according to military polices at the checkpoint on the road from Mardin— to camp on the banks of Tigris. The northern bank (the one on which the village is not located) seems to be more discreet, quiter, greener (like a finely mown patch of lawn), and has better views (of the ruins). If it's weekend, to avoid some (excessive) attention, just wait for the evening to arrive, so the local daytrippers from Batman leaves the place, to erect your tent. Also take usual precautions against scorpions - don't leave your tents and bags un-zipped, check your footwear before wearing them, don't remove rocks, and don't wander out of grass/humid areas at night.