This tour is fully escorted by an expert English-speaking guide who will accompany you throughout the tour.
This tour is conducted at a medium-fast pace. Some long travel days may be required to complete this itinerary and you will typically spend two nights at each destination, with some one night stays required. This trip includes a mix of sightseeing and free time to explore at your own pace. You will be required to move about unassisted, including getting on and off vehicles, walking up and down stairs and some activities will be conducted on uneven or steep terrain. You will be required to handle your own luggage.
These tours allow you to experience the destination with a comfortable sized group. You will travel with between a maximum of 26-30 other guests depending on your selected tour. Please see the Important Information on your selected tour for exact group size. Enjoy features such as a wide range of included sightseeing, comfortable accommodation and a range of optional activities to choose from to best suit your travel style.
✓ Incredible sightseeing including the ancient cities of Epheus, Troy and Pergamon, Cappadocia’s 'Fairy Chimneys' and underground cities, and Istanbul’s rich cultural tapestry
✓ Comfortable group size of no more than 30 travellers
✓ 9 nights in 4 to 5-star and boutique accommodation
✓ 3 nights in a spectacular cave hotel in Cappadocia
✓ Breakfast daily, 3 lunches and 4 dinners
✓ Fully escorted by a professional English-speaking tour guide
✓ In-depth sightseeing, including all entry fees as per the itinerary
✓ Dedicated, air-conditioned transportation
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Welcome to Turkey!
Prepare to be spellbound by this continent-straddling metropolis that the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans have all called home. Upon arrival into Istanbul, make your own way to your centrally located hotel.
This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel where you will meet your fellow travellers and tour leader.
After breakfast, enjoy a guided tour of Istanbul. The day begins with a visit to the Hagia Sophia, a former Orthodox Christian cathedral and Ottoman mosque that is now a museum. You will also visit the Basilica Cistern, an underground reservoir that was used to store water for the city, and Topkapi Palace, the former residence of Ottoman sultans.
In the afternoon, explore the Grand Bazaar, one of the world's oldest and largest covered markets.
Enjoy the evening at leisure.
After breakfast we depart for Ankara, the capital of Turkey. During the 5-hour drive we will enjoy scenic views of the Anatolian Plateau.
Upon arrival, visit the Anatolian Civilizations Museum, which displays the cultural heritage of Anatolia from prehistoric times to the Ottoman period. From here, we will visit the monolithic mausoleum of the founder of modern day Turkey; Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant tonight with your fellow travellers.
After breakfast, we drive to Cappadocia, a unique region known for its surreal landscape of rock formations and cave dwellings. On the way we stop at Lake Tuz Salt Lake for a photo opportunity.
In the evening, we immerse ourselves in Turkish culture during a Turkish folk dance night with dinner included.
Today we embark on a tour of some of Cappadocia’s most impressive sights. Our first stop will be at Esentepe Panoramic spot, which offers a breathtaking view of the landscape. We’ll then proceed to the Love Valley, known for its fairy chimneys and unique rock formations. We then enjoy a pottery demonstration where you can watch skilled craftsmen create beautiful ceramics using traditional techniques.
In the afternoon, we explore the fascinating Özkonak Underground city, a well-preserved underground city that was carved out of the soft tufa rock by early Christians fleeing from persecution. You'll have the opportunity to explore the underground tunnels, see the ventilation systems, and learn about the daily life of the early Christians who lived there.
Marvel at the lunar landscape of Cappadocia today as we visit the Goreme Valley Open Air Museum and the fairy chimneys. You'll see fascinating rock formations such as cones, peaks and fairy chimneys made from tuff – a light, porous rock formed by consolidated volcanic ash – as well as man-made cave chapels from early Christian times.
Afterwards we head to the Pigeon Valley, named after the thousands of pigeon holes that were carved into the soft rock by early inhabitants of the area. The valley is known for its unique beauty and stunning views of the surrounding rock formations.
Our final stop of the day will be at an onyx demonstration, where you'll learn about the traditional techniques used to create beautiful onyx objects.
After breakfast, our tour continues to Konya, a city known for its rich history and Islamic heritage. On the way we stop at the Sultan Han Caravanserai, a 13th-century inn that served as a resting place for travellers along the Silk Road. Once in Konya, we visit the Mevlana Museum, which is dedicated to the famous Sufi poet and philosopher Rumi, and the Alaaddin Hill, which offers a panoramic view of the city.
Tonight, enjoy dinner in our hotel.
We depart Konya and drive to Aspendos, where we’ll visit the Aspendos ancient site, known for its well-preserved Roman theatre. We have lunch on the way to Perge ancient site, which was an important city in ancient Pamphylia. After the guided tour, we arrive in Antalya for an evening at leisure.
We start the day with a half-day tour of Antalya, including visits to the Antalya Museum, which showcases the region's history and culture, and the Kaleici district, a charming old town with narrow streets and Ottoman-era houses. The afternoon is free for you to explore the city on your own.
Our day starts with a 3 and a half hour drive to Pamukkale, where we visit the famous travertine terraces and Hierapolis ancient site. The Travertines phenomenon was created by deposits from thermal waters that cascaded down the mountainside over hundreds of years, forming a myriad of pools and terraces. As the water overflows from the pools, dazzling cream-coloured stalactites are formed that, from afar, resemble cotton or snow. The pools are filled with hot spring waters that supposedly have healing properties for a person's circulation and digestive systems.
Close to Pamukkale are the ruins of Hierapolis, which was founded by the King of Pergamon in 190 BC and by the 2nd Century AD it had become an important Roman bath centre. The extensive ruins of Hierapolis are well worth exploring and include a theatre, temple, holy area, monumental fountain, bath, basilica and necropolis. Enjoy an included dinner this evening.
After breakfast, we drive to Selçuk to visit the ancient city of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world, and arguably the greatest Greco-Roman site in the world. Marvel at the vast amphitheatre, stroll the marble streets once walked by Cleopatra and Mark Antony, and wander through the gymnasium, baths and beautifully restored Library of Celsus.
After the tour, we drive to the nearby village of Şirince for lunch and a walking tour. Şirince is a charming village known for its traditional architecture and local handicrafts. You'll then drive to Kuşadası, a popular beach town on the Aegean coast, where you'll spend the night.
Today is a free day in Kusadasi, giving you the chance to explore the town at your own pace. You may want to take a stroll along the beach or through the town's lively bazaar, or you can choose to take an optional full-day boat trip to nearby islands.
Enjoy a full day boat trip including lunch from Kusadasi. Set sail along the beautiful coastline and marvel at the rugged landscape of the Aegean coast. Explore secluded bays where you have the opportunity to swim and enjoy the pristine waters. Return transfers from your hotel are included.
Duration: 8 hours
After breakfast, we drive to Bergama to visit a carpet factory for an educational presentation on traditional Turkish carpet making, followed by a local lunch.
Then, we continue on to the ancient city of Troy, known for the Trojan War, as described in Homer's epic poem, the Iliad. Your guided tour of Troy and the Troy Museum will take you through the ruins of the ancient city, including the famous Trojan Horse.
Afterwards we travel to Çanakkale.
After breakfast we will travel to the Gallipoli peninsula, where we'll visit the beach and cemeteries of Anzac Cove. From here, we'll head up the hill toward the poignant memorials of Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair. We'll spend a moment in quiet contemplation, looking down upon the rough hills and gullies that became the graveyard for so many thousands of young men from both sides. We’ll tour the former battlefields and find remnants of trenches used by the Turkish soldiers.
Afterwards, we continue on to Istanbul for our final evening. We enjoy a farewell dinner tonight and toast to the magical adventure through Turkey.
Today marks the end of your incredible tour through Turkey. At the appropriate time, make your own way to the airport for your onward flight.
Secure your trip with a ₹3,999.00 deposit per person.
Once we receive your deposit, we will send you an invoice with your remaining balance and payment options.
Instalment Schedule:
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
This particular tour is categorised as a”3”
Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs, get on and off the coach and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.
Tipping
A friendly reminder that tipping is not included in your package. Tipping is not compulsory on your trip, but they can make a big difference to locals employed in the tourism industry. If you are happy with the services provided, a tip is an appropriate way to thank them. While it may not be customary to you, it is of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels and inspires excellent service.
Over the years we have found that many of our travellers find the need for tipping to be both tiresome and embarrassing, especially if they don’t have the correct small change. To overcome this, your leader might raise the idea of a group tipping kitty, whereby everybody contributes an equal amount and then your tour leader pays the tips as you go. The leader will keep a running record of all monies spent (except restaurant tips). The record can be checked at any time and any money remaining at the end of the tour returned to group members. This amount is usually €2-4 (AUD$3-6) per person per day. This kitty does not include tips for your leader and crew.
You may also consider tipping your tour leader for outstanding service throughout your trip. The amount is entirely a personal preference; however as a guideline of €2-4 (AUD$3-6) per person per day can be used. Of course, you are free to tip as you see fit, depending on your perception of service quality and the length of your trip.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, however, any changes are beyond our control.
Single Supplement
Single supplement is ₹54,418.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.
Triple Share
Not available.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory for this tour to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while traveling.
Visa & Passport information
It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return.
Visas may be required.
Please note that these details are subject to change without notice. We recommend visiting https://www.vfsglobal.com/ for up to date information in terms of entry requirements.
Group Size
10-30 people
Children
Children must be 5 years old or above and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.
Tour Style
To meet the needs of various types of travelers, we choose to operate various types of tours, and depending on your selected package will mean different services are provided throughout your trip. The following descriptions of each tour style we hope will ensure that each traveller has appropriate expectations before they start their travels:
To enhance your journey, we are offering guests a choice of the following optional activities (prices are per person):
Optional tours can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add Optional Tours, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance. If you choose not to select them at this time, you can choose to add them later by logging in to your Account online.
Please note that you must select your Optional Tours no later than 70 days before departure, after which you will be required to purchase them on tour. Please keep in mind that anything purchased on-tour is subject to availability and prices may vary as you will be paying in local currency. We appreciate your understanding.
You can enhance your holiday by arriving or departing before or after the tour. On this tour you can choose from the following options:
Pre Tour Accommodation
Post Tour Accommodation
Arrival and departure airport transfers
Your transfer may be shared with other Inspiring Vacations customers.
Please select the number of extra nights required in the 'Additional Nights Accommodation' field when making your purchase. The additional cost for these arrangements will be added to your final payment invoice and are subject to availability.
This package is sold as land only, however you do have the option of adding international airfares to your booking. Simply click on’ book now’, and under upgrades , you will be asked “Would you like us to contact you around our flight service?”
By selecting this option Inspiring Vacations will contact you to discuss adding flights to your chosen destination. We can assist with flying the airline of your choice to turn your booking into a flight inclusive package.
We would be more than happy to provide you with a quote for the following requests:
We are currently unable to provide a quote for the following requests:
Online check-in
Some airlines may not permit online check-in where flights have been booked by a travel company. Where unavailable to do so online, you will be required to check-in at the airport. Inspiring Vacations cannot check-in online on behalf of our customers.
Click HERE for more information on weather in Turkey.
28 Feb 2023
Straddling two continents, Turkey is the perfect example of east meets west. But, when is the best time to go? Turkey's fusion of vibrant, age-old cultures, incredible architecture and natural wonders have been wowing travellers for ages. The grand city of Istanbul is like no other – with imposing mosques, palaces...
28 Feb 2023
Partake in this age-old bathing ritual for a full Turkish immersion Few cultural experiences remain as close to its authentic roots the way a Turkish hamam does. Known as a Turkish steam bath, its origin dates back to when the Ottomans took Constantinople (now known as Istanbul) from the Romans in 1450, bringing with...
28 Feb 2023
The city of Istanbul is not short on vantage points to admire its mesmerising beauty Istanbul, a city that pulls you in with its east-meets-west vibe, a skyline dotted with minarets and Byzantine church spires where chic rooftop bars lie close to the golden dome of the Hagia Sophia. Everywhere you turn there’s someth...
28 Feb 2023
From cave churches to grand mosques and subterranean cities, Turkey’s sights above and below ground will leave you with something to write home about A fascinating country that needs little introduction, Turkey’s charms are plentiful. From its rich history dating back to the 3rd millennium, 18 UNESCO heritage sites a...
28 Feb 2023
With more than 40 different kebabs to sample and a vast array of natural ingredients, spices and flavours, it’s no wonder Turkish cuisine is among the best in the world With a culinary history that dates back to the Ottoman Empire, Turkish cuisine is not an easy one to summarise. With its endless variety of dishes –...
