East & West Turkey Tour - 11 Days (Istanbul-Mardin-sanlıurfa-Harran-Nemrut-Cappadocia-Ephesus)

Tour Information

Turkey is a splendid country with unique places to visit spread from East to West. The tour starts with a Eastern Turkey tour including Mardin, Midyat, Urfa and Harran and continue with visits on Central and Western Turkey including Cappadocia

1st Day – Arrival to Istanbul
You will be met at the airport by our meet&greet staff and transfer to your hotel with a private van. Stay in Istanbul.

2nd Day – Mardin and Midyat Tour
Pick-up from your hotel at 05.00 am and transfer to the airport for an early flight to Mardin. You will be transferred and have a breakfast before starting your tour.  You will visit Deyr-uz Zafaran Monestry (Saffron Monestry), Sultan Isa Medresesi, Kasim Pascha Medresesi, Midyat town and Mor Gabriel. In the late afternoon, you will drive to Urfa with private car and driver. Stay in Urfa. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

3rd Day – Urfa and Harran Tour
After breakfast, you will visit Abrahams Cave and the Pools of Holy Carp surrounding it, than walk around oriental covered bazaar. Drive to Harran, a village of Spellbinding Mud-Birck "beehive" houses mentioned in the book of genesis where Abraham spend last years of his life. Visit the ruins of Harran including city walls, oldest islamic university and the castle dated to eighteen century. In the afternoon, you will drive to Adiyaman via Maras. Stay in Adiyaman. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

4th Day – Mt Nemrut Tour
Early departure from the hotel and drive to the most possible point at skirts of Mt Nemrut. Rest on walk and finally reaching to the top for watching the beautiful sun rise between the colossal size statues and heads of the kings and Gods. After sun rised time to walk around and taking pictures. As the sun rises in the sky, we will get back to the hotel for breakfast. About noon time, you will be transferred to the bus station for taking a public bus to Cappadocia. Stay in Cappadocia. Breakfast and lunch included.

5th Day - Northern Cappadocia Tour
The tour starts about 09.30 am from your hotel in the morning, you'll drive to Devrent Valley where the geografical formations remind a place of another planet. Then in Pasabagi, you'll take a stroll among the amazing fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. From there driving to Avanos to have lunch. Cappadocia is also famous with traditional pottery producument where you will also attend a work shop. The next visit is to Goreme Open Air Museum keeping the best preserved Byzantine cave churches in the area. Then return to the hotel about 17.30. Stay in Cappadocia. Breakfast and lunch included.

6th Day – Southern Cappadocia Tour
Depart from your hotel at 09.30 am and the day starts with a 4km hike through the Rose Valley visiting the churches. The next visit is to Christian&Greek village of Cavusin. We will have the lunch in Pigeons Valley unique with small niches curved in the rocks. Cappadocia has several underground cities used by the residents to escape from their enemies and Kaymakli Underground City is among the famous ones being on our visiting list. You will also visit the Ortahisar Natural Rock Castle offering a beatiful view over the valley. Drop off at your hotel in the afternoon. Stay in Cappadocia. Breakfast and lunchincluded.

7th Day – Ephesus Tour
You will be transferred to the airport for an early flight to Izmir. Upon your arrival, you will be transferred to Ephesus ancient city, the most splendid ancient city in Turkey and requires about 2 hours to visit. The next visit is to Virgin Mary’s House where it is believed she spent the last years of her life and burried. After the lunch, you will visit the remaining important places to see in the area : Ephesus Museum where the objects discovered in Ephesus are exhibited, Diana Temple which was one of the 7 wonders of ancient world, St. John Castle and the remains of Church situated at the top of Ayasoluk Hill and Isa Bey Mosque being the most important structure belonging to Turkish heritage. Stay in Kusadasi. Breakfast and lunch included.

8th Day – Aphrodisias Ancient City, Hierapolis and Pamukkale Tour
Departure from the hotel at 08.30 am and drive to Aphrodisias ancient city, the famous sculpture school and center of ancient Asia Minor. Aphrodisias Museum keeps some of the best examples of Greek and Roman sculpture works. We arrive to Pamukkale about lunch time  famous with white colored rocks formed by thermal waters containing calcium bicarbonate. The ancient city Hierapolis at site was a famous healing center and the hotels at site are still booked for their thermal water pools in present day. The Roman Pool (Cleopatra Pool) at site is still in use. You may use the ancient pool by paying the entrance fee at site on your own. (10 EUR is extra. Please have your towels and slippers with you)  You will be guested in one of the thermal & spa hotels at night to enjoy the hot water pools  After the tour you will be transferred to the airport for a late afternoon flight to Istanbul. You will be met and transfer to your hotel. Stay in Istanbul. Breakfast and lunch included.

9th Day – Istanbul Old City Tour
You will be picked up from your hotel by your guide at 09.00 am to visit the Byzantine and Ottoman Relics found in Sultanahmet area. The tour is on foot as the places of visit are walking distance to eachother. You will visit Hagia Sophia Museum, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Harem of the Palace and Basilica Cictern. The tour ends with Grand Bazaar tour, the most popular historical shopping center of Istanbul. Stay in Istanbul. Breakfast and lunch included.

10th Day – Dolmabahce Palace & Bosphorus & Pera Tour

Departure from your hotel at around 09:00 and start the day by visiting Dolmabahce Palace, the last residence of Ottoman Sultans located on the shores of Bosphorus.  It was home to six sultans from 1856, when it was first inhabited, until 1922. The construction of the palace cost five million Ottoman Mecidiye gold coins, the equivalent of 35 tons of gold. The design contains eclectic elements from Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles. The Museum-Palace has golden gilded ceilings, crystal staircases and the largest Bohemian and Baccarat Crystal Chandelier collection in the world. After visiting this magnificent palace, you will get on a public boat for your Bosphorus tour of about 2 hours. Bosphorus is a 33 km long strait and is a natural border between Asia and Europe. The boat will go up to the narrowest part where Rumeli and Anatolian Fortresses are. During the cruise, you will see the most impressive sights along the shores of the Bosphorus including Ciragan Palace, Maiden´s Tower, Bosphorus bridges, Rumeli and Anadolu fortresses and million dollars seaside mansions. The lunch is served at a nice local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will visit Istiklal Street and Pera District packed with music shops, bookstores, movie theaters, cafes, restaurants and bars. You will also visit Galata Tower offering a gorgeous view of Old City and Pera districts. At the end of the tour, you will be dropped of at your hotel. Accommodation in Istanbul. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)

Please note that Dolmabahce Palace is closed on Mondays and Thursdays.Breakfast and lunch included.

11th Day – Golden Horn Tour
Departure from your hotel at 08.30 am and drive to Suleymaniye Mosque, the imperial mosque of Ottoman Empire constructed by Architect Sinan. The next visit is to Chora Church Museum, a small but impressive building dating to 11th century and unique with Christian frescoes and mosaics inside. The best spot looking over the Golden Horn is Pierre Loti Hill where there is a tea house today for breaks. The tour will go on with a short boat tour in Golden Horn to see the site from the sea. In the afternoon, you will drive to Asian side of the city with visits to Beylerbeyi Palace, the summer residance of Ottoman Sultans and Camlica Hill, the highest point of Istanbul offering a panaromic view of the city. The tour ends around 17.00. Stay in Istanbul.  Breakfast and lunch included.

The tour ends with the last night accommodation in Istanbul. Further arrangements provided upon request.

The tour including ;
- 4 or 5 star hotel accommodation
- Domestic flight tickets, economy class. Business class flights available upon request if available.
- Inter cities bus transport  with major companies using comfortable, air-conditioned and new buses. All buses have stops on the way.
- Private tour arrangements at all sites visited ; Mardin, Urfa, Nemrut, Cappadocia, Ephesus,  Pamukkale, Aphrodisias and Istanbul. You will have a private tour guide with you on all the tours, no any other tour attenders. All your land transport on the tours will be provided with an air-conditioned luxury private van.
- All the entrance fees on the tours
- Meal services as noted in the itinerary. Breakfasts are continental type, lunch and dinners are local cuisine suitable for foreigners. Vegaterenian or Colyak food available with advance notice. The drinks are self payment.
- Tipping to the guide, drivers, hotel and restaurant staff are optional.
- No other fees for for the services above.

The tour cost is as follows :

All prices are per person including taxes.

You will be requested a down payment to confirm the tour. There is 5% discount over the balance payment if you pay it in cash.

 The hotel information on the tour as follows :

All hotels are subject to availability at the time of definite confirmation and may changed with a similiar one with advance notive.