Experience Overview
On the winter edition of our comprehensive Turkey tour, you'll see the country's incredible sights without battling the crowds. Begin your trip roaming the palaces and mosques of Istanbul before journeying into the bizarre as you explore otherworldly Cappadocia. From the ancient city of Hierapolis to the bustling bazaars of Istanbul, our local Chief Experience Officers (CEOs) will show you the region’s hidden gems and make sure your trip burns brightly in your memory long after you've left this crossroads of Asia and Europe.
Highlights
- Discover historic cities and explore the ancient ruins of Ephesus
- Marvel at the extraordinary scenery of Cappadocia
- Enjoy dinner in a local family home.
Trip Details
Product Code: 2437
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Budget
Transport: Private air-conditioned van.
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles: Budget
Supplier Code: ETAW
Starts: Istanbul, Turkey
Finishes: Istanbul, Turkey
Duration: 15 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical rating: Light
Includes
Activities
- Your G for Good Moment: Çöp(m)adam Visit, Ayvalık Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group Your Local Living Moment: Dinner with Local Family, Çavuşin Your Foodie Moment: Cooking Class, Selçuk
- Istanbul walking tour
- Visit to the Göreme Open Air Museum
- Guided walk in a valley with Underground City exploration
- Traditional dinner with local family (Cappadocia)
- Ancient Hierapolis and Pamukkale entrance and guided walk
- Ephesus entrance and visit
- Cooking class in a nearby village
- Troy entrance and guided visit
- Gallipoli battlefields entrance and guided visit
Accommodation
- Hotels (14 nts).
- 14 breakfasts, 2 dinners
Transport
- Private air-conditioned van.
Group Leader
- CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD 2449 (CAD 163 /day)
Itinerary
Day 1: Istanbul
Arrive at any time.
There are no activities planned until our evening welcome meeting. After the meeting, opt to join your CEO and fellow travellers for dinner. Get the most out of your time in Istanbul by pre-booking the following activity to experience before your tour starts: Istanbul Walking Tour and Bosphorus Cruise. If you do, we recommend booking accommodation for an extra night pre-tour.
And don't worry if you can't decide now. This activity is available for pre-booking any time before your tour starts, while any of the optional activities listed can be booked independently upon arrival in Istanbul.
Day 2: Istanbul/Bolu
Enjoy an orientation walk around Istanbul before moving on to the small, but vibrant city of Bolu.
Day 3: Bolu/Göreme
Visit Anitkabir before driving to the Cappadocia region. Enjoy a home-cooked dinner with a local family.
Transfer to the town of Göreme, the base for exploring Cappadocia. With two and a half days free to explore, there will be plenty of time to tour the area by bike, visit neighbouring villages, trek regional valleys or try a hot air balloon ride.
During one of the evenings here, travel to a nearby village and enjoy dinner with a local family.
Day 4-5: Göreme
Enjoy an included visit to the Göreme Open Air Museum before free time to explore this unique region. Enjoy a guided walk through the valley with a visit to an underground city.
Outdoor enthusiast? Hire a bike to get around on two wheels or join your CEO on an optional trekking tour through one of the beautiful valleys of the region.
If you want to go further afield, take a local bus to explore nearby villages.
Day 6: Göreme/Konya
Visit Konya and continue to Beyşehir. Visit the Esrefoglu mosque, one of the unique mosques in the country.
Day 7: Konya/Antalya
Wander the cobbled streets of the old harbour.
Arrive at Antalya around lunchtime.
With a free afternoon, wander the charming cobbled hillside streets of the district of Kaleici, a great place to stop and have a drink with amazing views of the marina below. For a break from the hustle and bustle, head for the greenery and teashops at one of Antalya's beautiful parks or catch some sun at a nearby beach.
Day 8: Antalya
Enjoy more time in Antalya to explore.
Day 9: Antalya/Pamukkale
Guided walk of Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis.
Passing through fruit orchards on the way to Pamukkale.
In the afternoon, visit the famous white cliffs of Pamukkale and the ancient site of Hierapolis, built on top of the white "castle".
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is evidence that the hot springs of Pamukkale were used as a spa since the second century BC.
Day 10: Pamukkale/Selçuk
Visit the ruins of the ancient Roman town of Ephesus.
Travel to the town of Selçuk. In the afternoon, visit the ruins of the ancient Roman town of Ephesus.
Day 11: Selçuk
Free time to walk up to the remains of St John's Basilica, visit the mosque of Isa Bey or just wander the streets and cafés of this vibrant Turkish town. Enjoy a cooking class in a nearby village in the afternoon.
Opt to walk to the remains of St John's Basilica, visit the Mosque of Isa Bey or wander the streets of this vibrant Turkish town. Or catch a local “dolmus” bus to the picturesque village of Şirince (8 km) to sample some local wine or shop for crafts. For dedicated sunseekers, the beach at Pamucaki is also within reach.
Late in the afternoon, drive to a nearby village for a local cooking class. Our host will demonstrate some Turkish dishes for everyone to enjoy at the end of the class.
Day 12: Selçuk/Bergama
Travel to the market town of Bergama, and explore the Acropolis of ancient Pergamon.
Day 13: Bergama/Çanakkale
Visit the G-supported handicraft workshop in Ayvalik, before enjoying free time in the surrounding area. Visit the ancient city of Troy en route to Çanakkale.
çöp(m)adam began as an experimental project in Western Turkey, meant to address lack of employment opportunities for women alongside the importance of recycling/re-using. The co-op aims to use waste in a creative, aesthetic, and unique way, all while providing work for women from impoverished communities. When G Adventures travellers visit the workshop, they can purchase souvenirs and handicrafts that directly support the women that made them. After a visit to this project, continue exploring the seaside town of Ayvalık.
Afterwards, enjoy a visit to the world-famous city of Troy. Continue to the harbour town of Çanakkale, a busy port with a thriving student population.
Day 14: Çanakkale/Istanbul
Guided tour of Gallipoli, including ANZAC Cove, the war cemeteries, and Lone Pine.
Make an early morning visit to Gallipoli, where thousands gave their lives during WWI in the battle of the same name. Take in the sights and learn the sombre story.
Continue on to İstanbul for the opportunity to finish up your sightseeing or get in some last minute shopping.
Day 15: Istanbul
Depart at any time.
Your tour might be finished, but the adventure's far from over. Pre-book the following activity to experience after your tour ends: Istanbul Walking Tour and Bosphorus Cruise. If you do, we recommend booking accommodation for an extra night in Istanbul.
And don't worry if you can't decide now. This activity is available for pre-booking any time before your tour starts, or it can be booked upon arrival in Istanbul.
Tour Operator
G Adventures
G Adventures is an operator of small-group escorted tours. It is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with 28 offices worldwide. It offers more than 700 itineraries in more than 100 countries, and carries 200,000 travelers from 160 countries each year.
In Business Since 1990
Reviews
Harry N. - Traveled, December 2023
Well organised and CEO well trained.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/23/2023
Briony R. - Traveled, December 2023
Our guide was amazing & the itinerary was excellent!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/23/2023
Belinda C. - Traveled, December 2023
A fantastic way to get an overall summary of the country (Turkey).
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/23/2023
Warwick P. - Traveled, December 2023
Small group with a great guide.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/23/2023
Ruby L. - Traveled, December 2023
Tahsin (our CEO) was incredible. He was very knowledgeable, patient and ensured we were able to experience as much as possible on this trip.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/23/2023
Nazia R. - Traveled, December 2023
The primary reason why I have selected the score of 9 for recommending this style of travel to a friend or family member is that I liked the fact that G Adventures plans the itinerary and provides a tour guide who is accustomed to the local language, locations and culture - this helped me to feel more relaxed throughout the tour.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/23/2023
Pia E. - Traveled, December 2023
English is not my native language, so for some of my friends and family it could be hard to keep up.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/23/2023
Jacqueline N. - Traveled, December 2023
G Adventures offers a well organised tour itinerary with a variety of interesting activities. The tour guide is very knowledgeable and able to answer on a number of topics.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/23/2023
Fatima Z. - Traveled, December 2023
How organized the tour was and how the CEO made a huge difference to build a group that was respectful to the time and limits of the tour The whole service was perfect just perfect
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/23/2023
Iqra M. - Traveled, November 2023
it's a great tour to see the part of country that you wouldn't think about visiting on your own
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/25/2023
Eileen W. - Traveled, November 2023
The company G Adventures need to improve it's communication and ensure it's chat function and app work as advertised.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/25/2023
Jeanette M. - Traveled, November 2023
The guide Mithad was excellent and knowledgeable. Mithad was also experienced and able to provide a lot of local advice and assistance. I found the logistical arrangements such as airport transfers and the use of the app very challenging and on the verge of useless. Needs improvement.i didn't receive any information before the tour started and checked into the first hotel myself. At the second hotel I was one of two people whose passport was needed by the guide as it was obvious that G Adventures did not pass on this info even though my travel agent had provided this info
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/25/2023
Wayne K. - Traveled, November 2023
The accommodations, except the second night, we nothing close to what I expected. That seemed to be the statement most of our fourteen travelers expressed OFTEN. Supposed to be three star but in Alberta they would struggle to be two star. The Golden Horn rooms were so small one of us had to be on the bed so the other could get to the bathroom. Breakfasts were very basic and the entire building needs paint and carpet. The rooms in our last three hotels reeked of cigarette smoke so much so a number of travellers left windows wide open all night even though the radiators were not working yet. One hotel said they turn the steam heat on in Dec.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/25/2023
Anson M. - Traveled, November 2023
Great guide, good itinerary..
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/25/2023
Donna M. - Traveled, November 2023
The guides are fabulous. The itinerary is very good. The only thing not 100% are some of the hotels G Adventures chooses
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/25/2023
Georgette M. - Traveled, November 2023
I have always found the company trustworthy , itineraries are interesting and the CEOs are a credit to your organization.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/25/2023
Deirdre B. - Traveled, March 2023
Very well organised trip with enough structure, free time & included activities.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/25/2023
Margot K. - Traveled, March 2023
The CEO are so knowledgeable. The service u provides gives back to the country
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/18/2023
Lisa D. - Traveled, March 2023
G Adventures has great itineraries and the CEO?s make the whole experience that much better.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/18/2023
Susanna K. - Traveled, March 2023
your tours are professionally structured and conducted.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/18/2023
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