Abraham's Path Turkey

Abraham’s Path Turkey follows the first footsteps of Abraham, whose journey marks the beginning of the Biblical narrative, from his birth. and the start of a spiritual and cultural tradition shared by more than half the people in the world today. Join a journey that links history and myth to living cultures and communities: traverse the semi-arid steppes, discover ancient shrines, and trade stories with local host families.

- The City of Şanlıurfa, the site where Abraham was born according to legend

-Gobekli Tepe, the oldest known structure on Earth 

-A vibrant community of homestay hosts and local guides 

-Harran, rumored to be the place where Abraham dwelt with Sarah before traveling on to the promised land

Between 2007-2012, API invested $250,000 in the development of Abraham’s Path Turkey. 170 km of trail were mapped and waymarked, homestays were established in Kurdish and Arab communities along the route, and local guides were trained in guiding and the English language. 

Congratulations to our partners’ successful earthquake recovery efforts!

After the 2023 earthquake shook central Turkey, API partners, and the trail they have stewarded, were at the epicenter. API quickly invested to help these communities rebuild. Our long-time partner Ömer Tanık led a team to re-waymark the Path from Yuvacali to Kisas, along with using the opportunity to upgrade existing infrastructure. 

API Fellow Ömer Tanık’s Guest House in Şanlıurfa is a perfect place to start!

Now the Path has been rehabilitated to even greater heights than it was previously and is welcoming visitors. 

In 2024, API fellows are scouting extensions beyond the Path’s current 170km to connect even more communities.