15 Days | Coastal cruising to city choosing – get to know a Turkish way of life.
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Get your Turkish delights on a 15-day Istanbul round-trip adventure. It’s a mix of ancient ruins and modern cities, Islamic mysticism and Ottoman influence, inland discoveries and coastal cruising, and everything in between. Discover Gallipoli on a guided tour that will teach you about its significance during the First World War, unlock the secrets of the ancient city of Ephesus, admire Oludeniz’s Blue Lagoon from high up on a mountain hike, and swim and snorkel in the Mediterranean on a traditional gulet cruise from Kas. From the winding laneways of Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar to the to the bizarre landscapes of Cappadocia, take the plunge and discover a new way of experiencing Turkey.
Trip overview

- Start
- Istanbul, Turkey
- Finish
- Istanbul, 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
- Original
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 16
- Trip code
- ERSI
- Discover the incredible ancient and modern history of Turkey as you explore thousands of years of history hidden within the remarkable ruins of Ephesus and discover Gallipoli on a guided tour that will teach you about the significant events that took place in this area
- Take in the dizzying diversity of this epic landscape with a visit to the stunning natural hot springs of Pamukkale, a cruise along the picture-perfect Turkish coast over Sunken Cities, and an optional hot-air balloon ride over the fairy-tale land of Cappadocia.
- Get to know the friendly locals with fruit wine tasting in the serene village of Sirince and a home-cooked dinner at a local cave home in Cappadocia, plus get treated to a Turkish BBQ feast by your local hosts in Kayakoy
- Pull on your walking shoes and set out on a half-day trek along a section of rugged coastline, following part of the ancient walking trail of the Lycian Way and explore the exotic landscape of Cappadocia on a short hike in the valley.
- Travel and stay a little differently – and come home with memories to last a lifetime – from taking local buses and trains, to enjoying a traditional gulet (boat) trip, to staying in one of the cave hotels that Cappadocia is famed for.
- 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.
- This trip includes a memorable night on a boat cruising the southern coast of Turkey. Cabins and bathroom facilities are shared and not air-conditioned. Our travellers will grab the mattress, blankets and pillows and sleep on the deck under a bed of Mediterranean stars.
- This trip uses a combination of public and private transport, and all vehicles are modern and have air-conditioning and most are fitted with seat belts. Some journeys can be long in order to maximise the areas visited, but this gives you a chance to interact with the local community and see more of the country. You'll also be pleasantly surprised to find most Turkish buses have wi-fi and serve coffee and cake! Please note that you'll have to carry your own luggage on and off the bus, so make sure it doesn’t exceed our weight and size recommendations. You can find specifics under ‘Packing’ in the ‘Essential Trip Information’ section.
Itinerary
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024
Inclusions
14 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners
Private Bus, Public Bus, Train, Dolmus, Gulet (boat), Plane
Hotel (10 nights), Guest house (3 nights), Overnight boat (1 night)
- Istanbul - Orientation Walk
- Gallipoli - Fully guided Gallipoli tour & visit to the Commonwealth graveyards
- Selcuk - Leader-led orientation walk
- Troy - Archaeological site visit
- Ephesus - Archaeological site visit
- Selcuk - Gozleme making demonstration and lunch
- Sirince - Village visit and fruit wine tasting
- Pamukkale - Hierapolis and Travertines National Park
- Kayakoy - Village visit
- Lycian Way - Hike from Kayakoy to Oludeniz Beach
- Kayakoy - Home-cooked Turkish BBQ dinner
- Kas - Leader led orientation walk
- Kas - Handicraft market
- Kekova - Turkish Coast Cruising & Sunken Cities
- Konya - Mevlana Museum
- Cappadocia - Dinner at Local Family Home
- Goreme - Valley walk
- Istanbul - Hagia Sophia - Free
- Istanbul - Whirling Dervish show - TRY900
- Istanbul - Topkapi Palace and Hagia Irine (Excluding Harem) - TRY750
- Istanbul - Archaeology Museum - TRY340
- Istanbul - Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts - TRY390
- Istanbul - Turkish Hamam (inc. massage) - EUR100
- Selcuk - Basilica of St John - TRY130
- Selcuk - Ephesus Archaeological Museum - TRY220
- Ephesus - Terrace Houses entry - TRY320
- Selcuk - Meryemana (Mary's House) entrance fee - TRY250
- Selcuk - Sultankoy Village Carpet Weaving - Free
- Pamukkale - Hierapolis Museum - TRY700
- Pamukkale - Cleopatra Ancient Pool - TRY400
- Antalya - Antalya Museum - TRY340
- Konya - Karatay Museum - TRY50
- Goreme - Hot Air Balloon, Cappadocia Deluxe Flight - EUR320
- Goreme - Hot Air Balloon, Cappadocia Regular Flight - EUR270
- Goreme - Open Air Museum - TRY480
- Goreme - Underground city - TRY300
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement exclude days 8 (Overnight Boat) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. This trip starts in Istanbul on Day 1 at 1.00 pm. This allows time after the joining meeting to explore Istanbul with your Leader.
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.
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