Tour Information
This tour is including the most popular destinations of Turkey located on Central and Western Anatolia. The tours starts with Istanbul most popular city of Turkey and you will drive and flyon the rest part of the tour towards West by visiting Cappadocia, Konya, Pamukkale, Aphrodisias and Ephesus on your route.
Day 1: Arrival to Istanbul: Upon your arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by one of our colleagues with a sign of Efendi Travel. He/she will accompany you to our vehicle and you will be transferred to your hotel. Accommodation in Istanbul.
Day 2 : Istanbul Old City Tour: You will be picked up from your hotel at around 09:00 for the Full-Day Walking Tour. You will visit: Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern (Underground Water Palace) and Roman Hippodrome. You may also visit the Harem in the palace which is optional for 15 TL per person extra. Lunch break. The afternoon part starts at around 13:00. You will see: St. Sophia Museum, Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque), Million Stone, Tomb of Sultan Mahmud and ancient Ottoman cemetery and Cemberlitas (Burnt Column). The tour ends at around 16:30 with free time in Grand Bazaar. You will be advised by your guide to return to your hotel on your own. Accommodation in Istanbul. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)
Day 3 : Dolmabahce Palace & Two Continents Tour: Your guide will pick you up from your hotel at around 08:30, then you will drive to Dolmabahce Palace, which was home to six sultans from 1856, when it was first inhabited, up to 1922. The Palace is one of the major highlights of Istanbul and one of the most visited places with a great location along the shores of Bosphorus. The Museum-Palace has golden gilded ceilings, crystal staircases and the largest Bohemian and Baccarat Crystal Chandelier collection in the world. Your tour guide will inform you while you are walking through the ornate building. After visiting the magnificent palace, you will walk to the port where we will take the boat for a 1,5-hour cruise on the Bosphorus. Bosphorus is a 33 km long strait being a natural border between Asia and Europe. The narrowest part is only 660 meters wide. The boat will go up to the narrowest part where Rumeli and Anatolian Fortresses are located. 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’ worth sea-side mansions. Lunch break. After lunch, you will drive to the Asian Side of Istanbul, and you will have a unique chance to step from one continent (Europe) to another (Asian) side in 2 minutes using the Bosphorus Bridge. The first stop is Beylerbeyi Palace which is the summer residence of Ottoman Sultans with its original furniture and magnificent gardens with Harem. The next stop is Camlica Hill which is the highest natural point in Istanbul. At the top of it you can rest and admire the magnificent panorama of Istanbul and Bosphorus from the beautiful gardens, landscaped in traditional style. After the tour, your guide will drop you off at your hotel at around 18:00. Accommodation in Istanbul. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)
Day 4 : Flight Cappadocia & First Day in Cappadocia: You will be picked up from your hotel at 04:30 to be transferred to Ataturk Airport to take 06:35 flight to Kayseri. Upon your arrival at around 07:20, you will meet with your guide and start driving for Cappadocia. You will have breakfast first, then visit Devrent Imagination Valley and walk through this lunar landscape. Next, visit Zelve Open Air Museum, where you will witness houses carved into the rocks, a Seljukian mosque as well as traces of most, if not all, ancient civilizations, Pasabagi (the world-famous Fairy Chimneys), the village of Avanos, where you will witness a Pottery-making demonstration using ancient Hittite techniques, lunch in a local restaurant, Uchisar Rock-Castle, (the highest point in the region, Esentepe (a panoramic view of Goreme valley) and Goreme Open Air Museum (Rock-cut churches, frescoes, monastery). After the tour, your guide will drop you off at around hotel at around 17:00. Accommodation in Cappadocia. (breakfast on the way and lunch on the tour)
Day 5 : Second Day in Cappadocia & Drive to Konya: You will depart from your hotel at around 08:30, and drive to Kaymakli Underground City (largest underground city in the region, used as a shelter for great lengths of time during invasions), Narli Gol (Volcanic Crater lake), Ihlara Valley (Enjoy a pleasant and easy 4km hike through this sheer-sided, lush canyon with a beautiful stream running all the way through). After the lunch, you will drive along the ancient Silk Road towards Konya, stopping for a visit to the huge Seljukian Sultan Han Caravanserai. Then you will continue driving and your guide will drop you off at your hotel in Konya. Accommodation in Konya. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)
Day 6: Konya Tour & Drive to Pamukkale: You will visit the Tomb of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi in the Museum of Mevlana, an important place of pilgrimage for Muslims. Then, you will visit the Ottoman-era Sultan Selim mosque and you will drive to Alaeddin Hill (a prehistoric tumulus) to visit the 1000-year-old Alaaddin Mosque. In its courtyard are the tombs of many of the Seljuk Turkish sultans. Walking down the north side of the Alaaddin Hill we pass the remains of the Seljukian Sultans' palace, then cross the street for a view of the elaborate portal of the Ince Minareli Madrasah, theological college. After lunch, you will drive to Pamukkale to with a stop by Egirdir Lake, which takes around 7 hours' drive. Accommodation in Pamukkale. (breakfast & dinner at hotel, lunch on the tour)
Day 7 : Aphrodisias & Pamukkale Tour: After breakfast, you will visit the travertines of Pamukkale and hot spring water sources at site. The ancient city of Hierapolis located by the travertines has the biggest Necropolis with 1200 gravestones in Anatolia. Red Water (Kirmizi Su) is another highlight of the site where you will stop by to take pictures. The tour will continue with a drive to Aphrodisias. It was the famous sculpture school and center of ancient Asia Minor. Aphrodisias Museum keeps some of the best examples of Greek and Roman sculpture works. After your visits, you will drive to Kusadasi, where you will stay overnight. Accommodation in Kusadasi. (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)
Day 8: Ephesus Tour: You will depart from your hotel at around 09:00, and drive to Ephesus, which is known to be the Commercial, the Religious and the Social Center of Antiquity, and one of the Highlights of any Visit in Turkey. Next visit is to St. John Castle where there is remains of a Christian Basilica and overlooking the Ephesus city. After lunch, you will drive to Temple of Artemis (Diana), the site of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world; House of Virgin Mary, probably where She spent recent years of Her life; Isa Bey Mosque, this impressive mosque from XIV. Century A.D. is unlike any other you will see in this country. After the tour, you will drive to Izmir Airport to take 19:30 flight to Istanbul. Upon your arrival, you will be greeted by one of our colleagues and transferred to your hotel. Accommodation in Istanbul. . (breakfast at hotel, lunch on the tour)
Day 9 : Transfer from your hotel and then have a flight to your home.
Further or prior arrangements can be made upon request in Istanbul and in other parts of Turkey.
The tour cost is 5500 EUR per person
Including Services
- 4 nights’ BB accommodation in double room at Dosso Dossi Old City in Istanbul (www.dossodossioldcity.com)
- 1 night's BB accommodation in double room at MDC Hotel in Cappadocia (www.mdchotel.com)
- 1 night's BB accommodation in double room at Hich Hotel in Konya (www.hichhotel.com)
- 1 night's BB accommodation in double room at Richmond Thermal Hotel in Pamukkale (http://bit.ly/1zyNNkY)
- 1 night's BB accommodation in double room at Ilayda Avantgarde Hotel in Kusadasi (www.ilaydaavantgarde.com)
- 1 night's BB accommodation in double room at Dosso Dossi Old City in Istanbul (www.dossodossioldcity.com)
- 5 full-day driver/guidance service in English w/ professional licensed guide
- Transportation w/ Ford Focus or similar type A/C vehicle
- Entrance fees to the sites visited
- Lunch during the tours (except drinks)
- Breakfast at hotels (or on the way where not possible)
- 2 airport transfers in Istanbul
- Istanbul-Kayseri, Izmir-Istanbul flight tickets
- Fuel, highway tolls, parking fees
Excluding Services
- Dinner
- Personal expenses
- Tips (optional)
Extra Offer
Standard Hot-air Balloon Ride: 160 Eur per person extra