Turkey Uncovered

14 Days | From Turquoise Coast to the chimneys of Cappadocia

4.8 out of 5 based on 74 reviews submitted.
Explorer
From
AUD $1,845
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See the best of Turkey on this 14-day trip travelling from Istanbul to Cappadocia. Experience cosmopolitan cities, historic battlegrounds, glittering beaches, cities carved from rock and rugged coast. Enjoy an itinerary that takes you to Turkey’s essential destinations, a local leader for insider info and plenty of flexibility and free time to explore at your own pace. With optional excursions to historical sites, abandoned villages and underground cities, you can create the Turkey tour that’s perfect for you.

Trip overview

Map of Turkey Uncovered including Turkey
Start
Istanbul, Turkey
Finish
Goreme, Turkey
Theme
Explorer
Destinations
Turkey
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Basix
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 16
Trip code
ERRS
This trip generates 36 kg of CO2-e per person per day.
We offset these emissions on your behalf. But we know that is not enough, so we also have a carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • Discover the Old City of Istanbul on a walking tour that includes the majestic Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome of Constantinople and the Grand Bazaar.
  • Explore Cappadocia’s wild natural rock formations while hiking through valleys, and see incredible stone-carved buildings in Goreme.
  • Board a ‘gulet’ boat for a day on the sea. Cruise over the sunken city around Kekova Island, swim in crystal-clear water and relax on deck.
  • Reflect on battles fought and lives lost with a moving visit to the Gallipoli Peninsula, touring former battlefields and the remains of Turkish trenches.
  • Spend two days exploring the cliffside waterfalls, cobblestone alleyways and ancient ruins of Antalya, a city on the Mediterranean Coast.
  • By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, CYDD (Çağdaş Yaşamı Destekleme Derneği). Donations help them provide scholarships and educational programs for economically disadvantaged youth in Turkey.

Is this trip right for you?
  • The weather can be hot in July and August, but this is also the best time to enjoy the clear water of the Mediterranean – don’t forget your swim gear.
  • This trip gives you lots of control over your travels, with some included site visits and lots of choices for your free time.
  • You’ll need walking shoes, a hat, sunscreen and a daypack for the Gallipoli site visit and the valley walk in Cappadocia. These tours are guided, but you can wander at your own pace if you prefer.

Itinerary

Map of Turkey Uncovered including Turkey

Inclusions

Meals

13 breakfasts, 1 lunch

Transport

Public Bus, Private Bus, Train, Ferry, Tram

Accommodation

Hotel (11 nights), Pension (1 night), Guest house (1 night)

Activities
  • Istanbul - Orientation Walk
  • Gallipoli - Anzac Cove, Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair
  • Selcuk - Leader-led orientation walk
  • Kekova - Turkish Coast day sailing
  • Konya - Leader led orientation walk
  • Cappadocia - Valley walk
Add on activities
  • Istanbul - Spice Market - Free
  • Istanbul - Bosphorus Boat Cruise (Public Boat) - TRY150
  • Istanbul - Topkapi Palace Combined Ticket (Topkapi Palace + Hagia Irene + Harem) - TRY1500
  • Istanbul - Turkish Hamam (inc. massage) - EUR100
  • Istanbul - Galata Tower - EUR30
  • Istanbul - Hagia Sophia - EUR25
  • Istanbul - Archaeology Museum - EUR15
  • Ephesus - Archaeological site visit - EUR40
  • Ephesus - Terrace Houses entry - EUR15
  • Selcuk - Basilica of St John - EUR6
  • Selcuk - Meryemana (Mary's House) - EUR15
  • Pamukkale - Cleopatra Ancient Pool - TRY200
  • Pamukkale - Hierapolis and Travertines National Park - EUR30
  • Kayakoy - Village visit - EUR3
  • Antalya - Antalya Museum - EUR15
  • Antalya - Aspendos Ancient City - EUR15
  • Goreme - Whirling dervish performance - EUR30
  • Goreme - Open Air Museum - EUR20
  • Cappadocia - Derinkuyu Underground City - EUR13
  • Cappadocia - Hot Air Balloon Regular Flight - EUR260
  • Cappadocia - Hot Air Balloon Deluxe Flight - EUR330
  • Cappadocia - Kaymakli Underground City - EUR13

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. A single supplement is bookable if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. Most entrance fees are not included. If you wish to take part in these activities, you pay these fees as you go along.
3. This trip ends on Day 14 in Cappadocia, there is no included transfer back to Istanbul. Overnight buses are readily available for booking and Cappadocia is serviced by two airports, Kayseri and Nevsehir. Additional accommodation is available for pre-booking with your booking agent.

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 based on 74 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

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Kathleen · Traveled October 2023
Turkey Uncovered was an incredible two week deep-dive into Türkiye. We saw and experienced so much in such a short time; the chaotic city of Istanbul, the horrors of WWI, the ancient ruins of Ephesus, and the picturesque natural wonders of the travertine hot springs in Pamukkale and the valleys and gorges of Cappadocia.
Review submitted 03 Nov 2023

Vincent · Traveled October 2023
An amazing experience all round. We had a great group and leader. I will have such great memories from this trip. The scenery, people, food, culture and sites were all fantastic. I never thought I would have as much fun as I did.
Review submitted 30 Oct 2023

Fiona · Traveled October 2023
My friend and I just completed the 14 day Turkey uncovered. This was a fantastic trip which covered a huge area of some of Turkey's highlights. Turkey has so many amazing places to visit. This was a great way to see lots on a budget. Melike was our tour leader, she was fantastic. Her knowledge of history, culture, geography and general knowledge was excellent. She went above and beyond to ensure we had a fantastic trip. I would highly recommend this trip.
Review submitted 18 Oct 2023

Mary Lynn · Traveled October 2023
An excellent trip that highlighted the beauty of Turkey. There were some long travel days, but this was unavoidable to be able to experience all that Turkey had to offer in the two weeks. Highlights included visits to Ephesus, Pamukkale, the boat tour on the Mediterranean coast around Kekova, and riding the hot air balloon in Cappadocia! I would do this tour again in a heartbeat and recommend this to anyone.
Review submitted 19 Oct 2023

Stephanie · Traveled October 2023
This trip was excellent! We covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time seeing a great variety of landscape. Our guide Melike was wonderful in welcoming us to Turkey!
Review submitted 25 Oct 2023
Turkey Uncovered
From
AUD $1,845