8-Day Majestic Türkiye Tour: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus, Troy & Gallipoli

Arrive in Istanbul at any time. Upon your arrival at Istanbul New Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW), our team will be waiting for you at the exit of the international arrivals area, holding a sign with your name on it. You will then be transferred to your hotel for check-in. Overnight in Istanbul.

The rest of the day is free for you to relax or explore the city at your leisure. Alternatively, you can choose to join the Night Cruise on the Bosphorus with Dinner & Show at an additional cost. This optional activity offers a magical evening on the Bosphorus, featuring a delightful dinner, live entertainment, and stunning views of Istanbul’s illuminated landmarks.

After breakfast, around 8:30 AM, you will be picked up from your hotel for a full-day guided tour of Istanbul’s most iconic Byzantine and Ottoman landmarks.

First, visit Hagia Sophia, a masterpiece that served as a cathedral, mosque, and now a museum, showcasing centuries of Christian and Islamic heritage.

Next, head to Blue Mosque, celebrated for its stunning blue Iznik tiles and six towering minarets, a hallmark of Ottoman architecture.

Continue with a stop at Hippodrome, once the heart of Byzantine social life. Here, admire the Obelisk of Theodosius, Serpent Column, and German Fountain, each steeped in historical significance.

After these explorations, enjoy a lunch break at a local restaurant and savor traditional Turkish cuisine.

In the afternoon, discover Topkapi Palace, the former residence of Ottoman sultans. Walk through its grand courtyards and treasuries, and optionally visit the Harem, the private quarters of the sultan and his family.

Conclude your day at the vibrant Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. Explore its lively atmosphere and browse through an array of goods, from spices and carpets to jewelry and ceramics.

At the end of the tour, you’ll be transferred back to your hotel around 5:00 PM. The rest of the evening is yours to relax or explore more of Istanbul at your leisure. Overnight in Istanbul.

You will be picked up from your hotel around 4:00 AM and transferred to the airport for your flight to Kayseri or Nevşehir, departing between 6:00 – 7:30 AM. Upon arrival, our representative will meet you at the airport and transfer you to Cappadocia, where you will meet your guide and begin your full-day North Cappadocia Tour.

The day begins with a visit to وادي ديفيرنت, known for its surreal fairy chimneys and imaginative rock formations. Next, continue to Pasabag Valley (Monks Valley), where the striking mushroom-shaped pinnacles await. Then, head to أفانوس, a town famous for its centuries-old pottery traditions along the Kızılırmak River.

After lunch at a local restaurant, your tour continues to the Zelve Open Air Museum. Here, you’ll explore ancient rock-carved churches and dwellings that reflect the monastic life of early Christians. Toward the end of the day, stop at Uchisar for panoramic views. Although entry into the castle is not included, the surrounding landscape provides fantastic photo opportunities.

Following the tour, at approximately 4:00 PM, you will be transferred to your hotel in Cappadocia for check-in. The remainder of the day is free for you to relax or explore on your own. Overnight in Cappadocia.

Optional Evening Activities (available at an additional cost; only one can be selected due to timing):
– Traditional Turkish Night Show with Dinner
– 2-hour ATV Safari Tour
– 2-hour Horseback Riding Tour
– 1-hour Whirling Dervish Show

For an optional early morning experience, you may book a رحلة منطاد الهواء الساخن to enjoy breathtaking aerial views of Cappadocia’s valleys and unique landscapes. Please note this activity is available at an additional cost and requires advance reservation.

After breakfast at the hotel, at around 9:30 AM, you will be picked up and meet your tour guide to begin your South Cappadocia Tour. Your guide will provide an overview of the day’s itinerary before starting with a visit to Red Valley, home to spectacular rock-cut churches. From here, you will enjoy a scenic 5 km hike through the Rose Valley (Güllüdere Vadisi).

Next, explore Cavusin Village, an ancient settlement known for its abandoned rock houses and churches used by early Christian clergy. Around noon, you’ll take a break for lunch at a local restaurant.

Following lunch, visit the picturesque Pigeon Valley (Güvercinlik Vadisi), named after the countless pigeon houses carved into the cliffs. In the afternoon, you will explore one of Cappadocia’s remarkable underground cities—either مدينة كايماكلي تحت الأرض أو مدينة أوزكوناك تحت الأرض—used as shelters by early Christians escaping persecution.

The tour concludes around 3:30 PM. After the tour, you will be transferred to either Kayseri أو Nevşehir Airport for your late evening flight to Izmir, with a layover in إسطنبول. Upon your arrival at Izmir Airport, our representative will meet you with a sign bearing your name and transfer you to your hotel. Overnight in Kuşadası.

After breakfast at around 7:30 AM, you will be picked up from your hotel in Kusadasi and transferred to the meeting point in Selcuk, where the full group will gather. From Selcuk, the journey to Pamukkale begins at approximately 8:30 AM, with a drive of about 3 hours, including a brief 10-minute stop for a restroom break along the way.

Upon arrival in Pamukkale around 11:45 AM, the group will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, at approximately 1:00 PM, your guided tour will begin with a professional licensed guide. You will explore the stunning Cotton Cliffs, a remarkable natural wonder created by deposits of calcareous salts. You’ll also visit the ancient ruins of Hierapolis, an ancient Greco-Roman city. Highlights include the Theatre and the Roman Baths.

After the guided tour, you’ll have about 1 hour of free time to explore the area at your own pace. If desired, you may choose to swim in the Pamukkale Antique Pools (optional and at your own expense). Your guide will provide the exact meeting point and time before your free time begins.

After the tour ends at approximately 4:00 PM, you will begin the drive back to your hotel in Kusadasi, with an expected arrival around 7:30 PM. Overnight in Kusadasi.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will check out and be picked up around 8:30 AM to begin your full-day tour of أفسس, one of the most important cities of the ancient world. Highlights of your visit include the Temple of Hadrian, the impressive Great Theater, and the Trajan Fountain.

After lunch at a local restaurant, the tour continues to the House of the Virgin Mary, a sacred site believed to be where Mary, the mother of Jesus, spent her final years. You’ll also visit the site of the once-majestic Temple of Artemis—one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—of which only a few columns and ruins remain today.

Your final stop will be the elegant Isa Bey Mosque, a beautiful 14th-century structure that reflects the grandeur of Seljuk architecture.

After the Ephesus tour, you will return to Kuşadası, where you will board a public intercity bus to Çanakkale at approximately 6:30 PM. The journey takes about 6 hours with two scheduled rest stops. You will arrive in Çanakkale around 12:30 AM. Upon arrival at the Çanakkale bus station, a representative will meet you and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. Overnight in Çanakkale.

After breakfast, you will check out of your hotel in Çanakkale and be picked up around 8:30 am. Your morning will begin with an exciting Troy Tour, where you will explore iconic historical sites including the famous Trojan Horse, a replica symbolizing the legendary trick used during the Trojan War, and the Sacrificial Altars, ancient ceremonial sites that date back thousands of years. The 3700-year-old City Walls will provide a glimpse into the ancient fortifications of the city. You will also visit the Houses of Troy I, dating from 3000 B.C. to 2500 B.C., the Bouleuterion (Senate Building) where councils and meetings took place, and the Odeon, an ancient concert hall. Finally, you will witness the remains of cities from Troy I through Troy IX, offering a fascinating look at the layers of history spanning different eras.

The Troy tour will conclude around 11:30 am, after which you will be transferred to Eceabat. Here, you will have some free time until 1:00 pm to explore at your leisure. Lunch will then be provided at a local restaurant in Eceabat, giving you the opportunity to enjoy regional flavors.

In the afternoon, the Gallipoli Tour will commence. You will visit several significant sites, starting with Brighton Beach, the intended landing site during the Gallipoli campaign, followed by Beach Cemetery located at Anzac Cove, the resting place of many soldiers from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). Continuing on, you will see Ari Burnu Cemetery, situated near the landing place of the first ANZAC wave, and the ANZAC Commemoration Site, which honors the soldiers who fought in this historic campaign.

The tour will then proceed to the Lone Pine Australian Memorial, which commemorates the capture of Turkish trenches by Australian forces during the August offensive. You will explore Johnston’s Jolly, where the preserved trenches and tunnels used by both Allied and Turkish troops can still be seen. The journey continues to the 57th Regiment Turkish Memorial, a tribute to the heroic Turkish soldiers who fought valiantly, followed by a visit to The Nek, a narrow ridge that became the site of a tragic battle for ANZAC forces. The tour will conclude at the Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial, dedicated to the New Zealand soldiers who participated in one of the campaign’s most critical battles.

At around 6:00 pm, the tour will end, and you will begin your journey back to Istanbul. The expected arrival in Istanbul is around 11:00 pm, at which point you will be dropped off at your hotel. This will mark the end of the day’s excursion and our services.

After breakfast, you will check out from your hotel in Istanbul (hotel check-out is before 12:00 noon) and will be transferred to Istanbul International Airport according to your flight schedule. This concludes your tour and our services.