Transport

There are some long travel days and some rough travelling in areas away from main tourist routes. Windy roads, rough surfaces and cramped conditions make for some challenging travel experiences. On some long travel days we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimise our time at our next destination. If you experience travel sickness we recommend you consider medication to help ease the discomfort. Private Bus , Public Bus , Overnight Train , Plane

Flights

There is an internal flight on this trip and most internal flights in Turkey have a luggage restriction of 15kg checked and 8kg cabin. *** All other flights are not included.

Guide

All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. We endeavour to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues, and introduce you to our local friends. You can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip. In Turkey, in accordance with local regulations your Leader will also be a registered Guide with the Ministry of Tourism. They will have vast general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, specialized knowledge of the sites visited and provide full guiding services.

Meals

6 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Others

Istanbul - Old City Walking Tour (Half Day) Gallipoli - Fully guided Gallipoli tour & visit to the Commonwealth graveyards Sirince - Village visit and fruit wine tasting Troy - Archaeological site visit Selcuk - Leader-led orientation walk Ephesus - Archaeological site visit Selcuk - Artemis Temple Visit Selcuk - Gozleme making demonstration and lunch Cappadocia - Kaymakli Underground City Konya - Mevlana Museum Cappadocia - Valley walk Cappadocia - Dinner at Local Family Home

Accommodation

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation. Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available. Hotel (6 nights), Overnight Train (1 night)

Not included:

Optional

Istanbul - Bosphorus Boat Cruise (Public Boat) - TRY150 Istanbul - Galata Tower - TRY650 Istanbul - Archaeology Museum - TRY340 Istanbul - Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts - TRY390 Istanbul - Hagia Sophia - Free Istanbul - Topkapi Palace (entrance fee) - TRY750 Selcuk - Basilica of St John - TRY130 Ephesus - Terrace Houses entry - TRY320 Selcuk - Ephesus Archaeological Museum - TRY220 Goreme - Whirling Dervishes - Sema Performance - EUR30 Goreme - Hot Air Balloon, Cappadocia Regular Flight - EUR270 Cappadocia - Goreme Open Air Museum - TRY480 Goreme - Hot Air Balloon, Cappadocia Deluxe Flight - EUR320

Others

Other activities and services not included.

Insurance

Insurance is not included. Travel insurance is required for this tour. Please make sure you are adequately covered. If you require travel insurance, TourRadar has partnered up with World Nomads to provide a hassle-free experience. More information can be found here (https://www.tourradar.com/travel-insurance).

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Day 1 Day 1: Istanbul
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Istanbul

Welcome to Istanbul, the continent-straddling metropolis that the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans have all once called home. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 1 pm, followed by a guided tour of the Old City with your expert leader. Visit the scene of many a chariot race in the ancient hippodrome, check out the Blue Mosque, take a walk past the wares of the Grand Bazaar and marvel at the architectural masterpiece that is Suleymaniye Cami. If you’re not too exhausted after all the exploring, join your new friends for dinner and bask in the beauty of a real Turkish kebab. While you might be familiar with the shaved meats and pita bread sensation that you may have come across at 2 am, nothing beats the kind they wrap up in Istanbul.
Day 2 Day 2: Çanakkale
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Çanakkale

After breakfast this morning, hit the road enroute to Canakkale – a port city on the southern shore of the Dardanelles. You’ll stop along the way to explore Gallipoli on a guided tour that will teach you about the significant events and history embedded in this area. Your guide will take you to ANZAC Cove and major memorial sites like Brighton Beach and ANZAC commemorative Site. You’ll also take in the views across the Dardanelles Strait and the Gallipoli Peninsula. This evening, we’ll spend the night in Canakkale with free time to grab dinner and get ready for tomorrow’s adventures.
Day 3 Day 3: Selcuk
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Selcuk

This morning, we’ll drive to Selcuk with a stop in Troy – where history and mythology sit side-by-side – along the way. You’ll wander the ancient city walls with your group leader and even get a chance to enjoy a photo op with a replica Trojan Horse. You’ll learn more about how this place has confounded historians and archaeologists alike before continuing on to Selcuk. After arrival in the town, on the slopes of Ayasoluk Hill lie several historical buildings – you’ll follow your leader on an orientation walk, passing Isa Bey Mosque and the imposing Byzantine citadel of the Grand Fortress.Then drive out to the nearby picturesque village of Sirince and taste some locally produced fruit wines. This authentic Greek Ottoman village seems to have been overlooked by modern development and the unique local architecture nestled in the hills make for a photographer’s dream. Return to Selcuk and the evening is yours.
Day 4 Day 4: Ephesus/Overnight Train
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Ephesus/Overnight Train

This morning, take a private minivan to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus – one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman classical cities in the world. Once the capital city of Roman Asia Minor, the city has a fascinating history, which really comes alive with a local guide to enhance your experience. Considering their age, the ruins are in incredible shape, and it’s not difficult to imagine them in their full glory over 2000 years ago, equipped with running water, public toilets, a medical institute, and Roman baths. The theatre is well preserved and regularly hosts concerts, but it’s perhaps the magnificent library that is the most striking. Then enjoy a lunch after the tour and don’t miss out the chance of peeking into their kitchen where the local ladies make the delicious gozleme. You’ll some free time later before being transferred to Izmir in the early evening - an overnight train, will be waiting to transport you through the night to the central Anatolian city of Konya.
Day 5 Day 5: Konya / Cappadocia
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Konya / Cappadocia

Wake up in Konya, a traditional Turkish city that’s closely linked with the whirling dervish sect of Islam developed in the 13th century by Celaleddin Rumi, considered one of Islam’s greatest Sufi mystics. Visit the Mevlana Museum and stretch your legs in town before hitting the road to Cappadocia. Keep an eye out for the fairy chimneys, the hallmarks of Cappadocia’s otherworldly landscape, as you drive across the Anatolian plains. Stop enroute at one of the underground cities that once provided a safe haven in times of war or persecution. Arrive in the Cappadocian town of Ugrup in the late afternoon and take a sunset valley walk before settling in for the evening. This evening, you’ll be treated to a stay in a local cave hotel that Cappadocia is famous for here.
Day 6 Day 6: Cappadocia
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Cappadocia

This morning you have the option to take a hot air balloon flight, a once-in-a-lifetime experience during which the sun illuminates a skyline dotted with balloons. Later this morning, enjoy a guided walk through one of the nearby valleys, possibly the Valley of Love, which features fairy chimneys, deserted rock-cut homes and churches. Your leader will know a number of fantastic scenic routes, and a good walk is by far the best way to experience this unique environment. In your free time today, maybe visit the UNESCO-listed Goreme Open Air Museum, a monastic complex composed of churches, rectories and dwellings cut into the soft cliff face, or check out the Dark Church. This evening you’ll be warmly welcomed into a local home where the family will prepare a special home-cooked dinner for you and your group. Sit down to a feast made with passion, enjoy a friendly chat with your affable host and perhaps top off the night with some Turkish delight.
Day 7 Day 7: Cappadocia To Istanbul
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Cappadocia To Istanbul

Wave goodbye to Cappadocia and transfer to the airport for a flight back to Istanbul (expect to arrive between 1 pm and 4 pm), and get transferred to your hotel. Meet up with your travel buds in the evening and take a stroll to one of the city’s trendiest neighbourhoods, a place of contradictions where tool-selling tradesman share space with chic cafes and galleries – this is the place to be seen. Perhaps, try a local favourite, balik ekmek (fish sandwich), for dinner, then cleanse the palate with a baklava. Maybe check out a few of the bars, or simply enjoy a farewell cay (Turkish tea) overlooking the Bosphorus.
Day 8 Day 8: Istanbul
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Istanbul

Your Turkey adventure comes to an end after breakfast today, and there are no activities planned. However, if you’d like to spend more time in Istanbul, we’re happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability).

8 days tour

Turkey Highlights

This tour includes:

Not included:

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Itinerary of your trip Turkey Highlights

Day 1: Istanbul

Day 2: Çanakkale

Day 3: Selcuk

Day 4: Ephesus/Overnight Train

Day 5: Konya / Cappadocia

Day 6: Cappadocia

Day 7: Cappadocia To Istanbul

Day 8: Istanbul

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