The Heart’s Turn

TÜRKIYE 2025

Two unique journeys into the Heart of Turkish Sufism

Step into the whirling path of devotion and Turkish Sufi traditions with two distinct offerings this year.

WHY TRAVEL WITH LILA?

  • Authentic, Culturally-Rich Experiences: We collaborate with local communities to offer genuine encounters with sacred traditions not typically accessible to most travelers.

  • Deep Spiritual Exploration: All our experience foster personal transformation through music, dance, and sacred rituals, connecting you with yourself and the Divine.

  • Exclusive Access and Intimate Group Size: Small groups allow for exclusive access to spiritual teachers, local artists and musicians, hidden locations, and deeper, more personalized experiences.

  • Purpose-Driven Travel: Your participation supports the preservation of cultural traditions, helping them thrive for future generations.

“This was, at its essence, pure love manifest […] and by the end of our tour my heart was birthed anew! I am grateful and humbled to have been a part of this journey of many lifetimes!”

-Ana F.

OVERVIEW OF BOTH EXPERIENCES

A rare and transformative immersion into the heart of Turkish Sufi devotion.

OVERVIEW

Focusing on the sacred practice of Sema, this experience is for those seeking to immerse deeply in the devotional tradition as practiced by Mevlana Rumi himself.

After two days of guided preparation, allowing participants—whether new or experienced—to ease into the practice, we step into an unbroken five-day portal of whirling, music, invocation, and prayer—a journey beyond time and self with a community of dedicated seekers from Turkey and around the world.

Yenice Vadi Retreat Center, Muğla, Türkiye

7 Day Sema Retreat

LOCATION

July 2 - 10, 2025

11 Day Sufi Tour & Rumi Retreat

A sacred journey through the heartlands of Sufi tradition, tracing the footsteps of Rumi and the mystics of Anatolia

OVERVIEW

Focusing on the rich tapestry of Sufi tradition, this journey is for those seeking to walk in the footsteps of Rumi and the great mystics of Anatolia. Traveling through Konya, Cappadocia, Şanlıurfa, and Hatay, we will visit sacred sites, immerse in Sufi teachings, and experience the living traditions of zikr, poetry, and music.

Guided by musicians and spiritual masters this pilgrimage offers a deep spiritual and cultural immersion, culminating in a 2-day Sema retreat.

Konya | Cappadocia | Sanliufra | Hatay Türkiye

September 10-20, 2025

LOCATIONS

YOUR HOSTS

Cem Baba

Turkish Sufi Master in the Rifai Lineage

Founder of LILA, Event Producer & World Music DJ

Omar Aena

“It gave me a sense of being beyond time and place, which is perhaps the goal of all spiritual experience, connecting to eternity. The sema in cappadocia under the moonlight, the joining a dhikr meditation in Konya, these are the experiences that were grounding , spiritually elevating, shaking the dust off of the eyes of my heart as Mevlana might say.”

-Yousef Z.

GET ALL PRICING & ITINERARY DETAILS:

PREVIOUS TOUR IN TURKEY

TESTIMONIALS

  • There are no words to describe how nourishing and expanding this Journey with Lila Series Tours was. Firstly the accommodations, food , and travel provided were all exceptional. Most amazingly this was a journey of the heart, of participants and experiencers , not of tourists and intellectual accumulators. We became an international family of joyous participation from whatever varied levels of exposure we had had previously to Sufi culture. I am deeply grateful and astoundingly enriched by this journey. I will never be the same. Thank you , Mahalo, Tesekkur ederim!

    Sarah M

  • The trip was magic. All around us, with us in every way. Magic that awakened dormant seeds and brought to life love, laughter and deep connection. I know I was deeply touched and I believe everyone was deeply touched in some way. Thank you for making this happen.

    Kelley J.

  • Omar and Amira and the team in Turkey did a wonderful job. The community of open-hearted people that journeyed together to Turkey made the trip amazing for me. It gave me a sense of being beyond time and place, which is perhaps the goal of all spiritual experience, connecting to eternity. The semah in cappadocia under the moonlight, the joining a dhikr meditation in Konya with a community that has been doing dhikr together there for decades, these are the experiences that were grounding , spiritually elevating, shaking the dust off of the eyes of my heart as Mevlana might say. The trip was amazing. 10/10 stars.

    Yousef Z

  • “My experience in Morocco was thrilling, authentic and deep. Omar and the guides did an impeccable job curating the experience for us, and above all that, staying present and attentive throughout every step of the journey. I’d recommend this experience for anyone! Particularly those looking to explore an enchanting place in the company of deep souls, who enjoy traveling within a group that feels like home, and who feel called to touch and taste the essence of a place that rests beneath the TripAdvisor seafoam on the surface”

    Emily S.

  • “I can't fully express how fun, adventurous and immersive the trip to Morocco was.

    Traveling through the country's cities, shores, the Sahara desert and the Atlas mountains in a van with 16 semi strangers, we explored such a wide range of what this country has to offer with a focus on Gnawa music; which was incredibly connecting and heart opening.”

    Edyta H.

  • “From the heart: This wasn't just a tour -- it was a total immersion into the rich cultural, musical, and spiritual gifts that Morocco has to offer. I feel so grateful to have had so many amazing new experiences there. Including a full-on Lila ceremony, which was one of the most transcendent experiences of my life.”

    Simi M.

  • “The kind of journey you’ll remember for a lifetime. Curated with the help of local insiders, the team carefully planned an itinerary of authentic cultural activities, musical gatherings, healing modalities, educational opportunities and leisure time to discover breathtaking historic sites. The accommodations are comfortable, food is delicious, and overall, their passionate team does a great job with complex logistics. A genuinely respectful approach, and constant communication, ensures the group feels safe and honors the heritage we are exploring; while sharing the experience with enthusiastic locals. I would highly recommend this trip for anyone looking for a conscious group travel adventure at the intersection of history, music, culture and dance.”

    Beatriz Z.

  • “The best trip I've had in my whole life. Masterfully organized and curated”

    Carlos M.

  • "This trip enriched my life, made it fuller, and will stay with me forever."

    Sallie S.

PREVIOUS TOURS

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Omar Aena

Omar is the founder of the Lila Series and is a world music DJ, community organizer and event producer based in NYC.

His passion is in bringing people together to experience higher states of consciousness through natural means; particularly through sacred music and dance. He has hosted many events around the world, including retreats and group trips in Guatemala & Morocco. He is also working on a docu-series about the roots of Ecstatic Dance, with each episode focusing on a particular traditional culture that integrates art & spirituality. 

As a DJ he mixes together traditional world music with electronic sounds, with a particular focus on songs from his middle-eastern heritage.

Cem Baba

Cem Baba is a Sufi teacher based in Turkey. He received his ijazet (Master initiation) from Sherif Baba who comes from the lineage of Pir Ahmed Er Rifai (11th century).

He studied and experienced various spiritual practices until he met his Master Sherif Baba in New York in 1991. He lived in North Carolina with Sherif Baba and traveled all around the US as well as countries like China, India, Canada, and Lebanon, together as his translator and companion. He speaks Turkish, English, Dutch, and some level of French and German. He moved back to Turkiye in 2008 and currently resides in Samandag, where he and his community are engaged in earthquake relief service.

He continues his teachings both in Turkey and abroad, which are based on both traditional as well as modern universal Sufi wisdom. 

 FAQs

  • Sufism is the poetry, music and mysticism of Islam. It’s vision revolves around realizing the current of love that runs through human life and the unity behind all forms. It’s method is the development of presence and love to awaken from our enslavement to the world and our own psychological processes, and into Unity with the Source of all.

    The Sufis are those who love and are purified by love, free of themselves and their own qualities, and fully attentive to the Beloved.

    (Adapted from Kabir Helminski, Living Presence.)

  • Sema is a devotional ceremony that includes live music, chanting and whirling movement meditation. It is performed as part of a process of remembering our true nature as being one with the divine source.

  • Yes absolutely! This tour is open to people from all walks of life. Sufism in its essence is simply the path of the heart. So we welcome anybody who resonates with this path.

  • The tour will start in Konya so you would fly into one of the two major airports in Istanbul and then either take a connecting flight or high-speed train to Konya

    The tour will end in Yenice Vadi so you would fly out of Dalaman Airport.

  • Yes, in fact the majority of people who come on these tours come by themselves, but return with many new friends.

    We will pair you up with someone who you’d share a room with, or if there are private accommodations available for an additional fee.

  • Yes, Turkey is known to be a very safe place for travelers from all over the world. They take their hospitality seriously, as it is part of their cultural norms and values. Keep in mind, we will be traveling as a group and will have guides with us so you won’t need to worry about being places in unsafe situations.

  • Turkey does not have any COVID protocols in place. To ensure our group’s health safety, however, we will be requiring that anyone symptomatic take a COVID test.

    If you test positive, you will need to quarantine at your own expense. You can rejoin the group once no longer testing positive.

  • Please note that deposits and subsequent payments are non-refundable. In the event of a travel ban due to COVID-19 or any other unforeseen circumstances, trip dates will be rescheduled to a later date. No refunds will be issued. Any unease with regards to travel or quarantine upon return will not be considered. All payments are final and non-refundable.

    If you are unable to attend for whatever reason, you may transfer the trip to a family member or friend, assuming they are approved by the Lila Series.

  • Turkey requires visas for entry for most passport holders. Please check requirements for your passport’s issuing country. Visas can be applied for online here and are granted immediately after paying the $50 fee.