3-Day Pamukkale, Ephesus and Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul

Day 1: Fly to Denizli from Istanbul – Pamukkale and Hierapolis Tour

You will be picked up from your hotel in Istanbul around 4:00 am and transferred to the domestic airport for your flight to Denizli, departing between 6:00 and 8:00 am. Upon arrival at Denizli Airport, you will be picked up and transferred to Pamukkale. In Pamukkale, you will meet your professional tour guide to begin your full-day tour of Pamukkale and Hierapolis.

Around 10:30 am, your first stop will be Karahayit to see the famous Red Spring Waters, known for their healing properties. Afterward, you’ll head to Pamukkale and begin exploring the ancient city of Hierapolis around 11:30 am. Highlights of Hierapolis include the Necropolis, Roman Baths, Domitian Gate, Latrina, Frontinus Street, Agora, Byzantium Gate, Triton Fountain, Cathedral, Temple of Apollo, Plutonium, and the Theater.

At 12:30 pm, you will be taken for lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, around 1:30 pm, you will have approximately 60 minutes of free time to explore the natural beauty of Pamukkale on your own. You may also choose to swim in the Pamukkale Antique Pools (at your own expense), enjoying a relaxing dip in the same thermal waters that Cleopatra is believed to have bathed in. At 2:30 pm, you will regroup with your guide and have the unique opportunity to walk barefoot down the famous Pamukkale Travertines (White Cliffs), feeling the soft limestone underfoot.

After the tour, around 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to your hotel in Kuşadası, arriving at approximately 7:30 pm for check-in. Once settled, you can relax and enjoy the evening at your leisure.

• Overnight in Kusadasi
• Included Meal(s): Lunch
• Accommodation: Efe Boutique Hotel OR Neopol Hotel Deluxe OR Derici Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 2: Ephesus Tour – Fly to Kayseri/Nevsehir from Istanbul

After breakfast, you will check out of your hotel before 8:30 am. You will be picked up and met by your tour guide to begin your full-day tour of Ephesus, the ancient Greek city that became an important cultural and commercial center of its time. Your visit includes key highlights such as the Temple of Hadrian, the Great Theater, and the Trajan Fountain.

After lunch, the tour continues with a visit to the House of the Virgin Mary, where it is believed she spent her last years. Next, you will pass by the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, though little remains of the structure today.

Then, explore the beautiful Isa Bey Mosque, a fine example of Seljuk architecture.

After the tour ends at approximately 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to Izmir Airport for your late evening flight to Kayseri or Nevsehir via Istanbul. Upon arrival, a representative holding a sign with your name will meet you and transfer you to your hotel.

• Overnight in Cappadocia
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Heaven Cave House OR Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel OR Romantic Cave Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 3: Cappadocia Tour – Fly back to Istanbul

For an additional option, you can book an early morning hot air balloon ride and enjoy breathtaking aerial views of the valleys. Please note that this activity comes at an extra cost.

After breakfast at the hotel, around 9:30 am you will be picked up for a full-day Cappadocia tour. During the tour, you will be visiting several breathtaking locations in Cappadocia, starting with Devrent Valley, a unique and surreal landscape, unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. From there, you will head to Avanos Village, known for its pottery and handicrafts.

Next on the itinerary is the Zelve Open Air Museum. Once a monastic retreat between the 9th and 13th centuries, the museum is made up of three valleys where Christians once lived in rock-cut houses and churches. It offers a more rugged and authentic perspective on the life of early Christians in the region.

Following this, you will visit Uchisar Castle, a magnificent rock formation that offers panoramic views of the surrounding valleys.

After a morning full of sightseeing, you will have a lunch break at a traditional Turkish restaurant, where you can taste the local cuisine and savor the flavors of Cappadocia. After lunch, the tour will continue with a visit to Kaymakli underground city, where you can explore the fascinating underground dwellings that have been carved into the rocks.

At the end of the tour around 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to Kayseri or Nevsehir airport for your departure flight to Istanbul (1 hour 20 minutes flight duration) around 7:00 – 10:00 pm. END OF SERVICE and TOURS.

Please note that transportation from Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) to your hotel in Istanbul is not included in the tour price.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: No accommodation is included on this day.

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• Pick up from Istanbul hotel and transfer to Istanbul Airport (on the European side of Istanbul only)
• Domestic flight tickets as per the itinerary
• 1 night in Kusadasi at a 4-star hotel including breakfast
• 1 night in Cappadocia at a cave hotel including breakfast
• English-speaking guide during the tours
• Meals as mentioned in the itinerary: (B) breakfast, (L) lunch
• Entrance fees mentioned by the itinerary
• Local taxes and service charges

NOT INCLUDED:

• Drop off transportation service from Istanbul New Airport OR Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Istanbul Hotel upon returning to Istanbul
• Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride.
• Optional tours mentioned in the program, they will be provided at an additional cost.
• Services not mentioned in the program.
• Drinks with meals.
• Travel insurance (recommended).

IMPORTANT INFO:

• The order of the itinerary is indicative and subject to change, but all visits described will take place.
• This is a regular group tour, but if requested at cost can be provided as a private tour.
• The regular group tour has shopping stops included in the tour.
• You can swim in the Antique pool in Pamukkale. However, please note that there is an extra charge that you will have to pay directly at your own expense before entry to the pools. These entrance fees to the pools are not covered as part of your tour. Please note that you must bring your own towel, swimsuit etc. if you need to use the pools.
• The normal arrival time in Istanbul is between 8:00 – 10:00 pm. If you are planning on reserving your plane back home that same day, we recommend you book a plane ticket from 1:00 am onwards, to avoid missing your flight.

WHEN TO BOOK?

• Book as soon as possible to guarantee availability, especially during public holidays and festivities.
• You can book up to 2 days before (Istanbul local time) if there are still places available. If less than 2 days before start of your requested tour date, please contact us by email or phone as it would be a last-minute booking that will need to be checked for availability before your tour reservation is confirmed.