18-Day Grand Turkey Tour: Land of Civilizations & Wonders

Arrival in Istanbul and Free Day

Welcome to Turkey! Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport, a representative from One Nation Travel will meet you in the arrivals hall for a warm greeting before your private transfer to the hotel. After check-in, the rest of the day is yours to relax and recover from your journey at your own pace.

You may choose to unwind at the hotel or explore the surrounding neighborhood independently as you settle in ahead of the days to come. Your guide and fellow travelers will gather for the program in the days ahead, so take this time to rest and prepare for the adventure that awaits across Turkey.

Overnight in Istanbul.

Istanbul Old City Tour

After breakfast at your hotel, your guide will lead the group on a full day exploring Istanbul's historic old city. Around 8:30 AM, join your fellow travelers as you set off toward Sultanahmet, the heart of the city's imperial and religious heritage.

Begin at the magnificent Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, an architectural marvel that has served as both church and mosque across the centuries. Continue to the elegant Blue Mosque, famous for its cascading domes and blue Iznik tiles. Nearby, your guide will share stories of the ancient Byzantine Hippodrome, once the center of chariot racing and public life.

In the afternoon, tour the opulent Topkapi Palace Museum, home to Ottoman sultans for centuries, with a break for lunch at a local Turkish restaurant. Before returning, the group will browse the bustling lanes of the Grand Bazaar. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel at around 5:00 pm. Overnight in Istanbul.

Flight to Konya, Konya Tour and Drive to Cappadocia – Overnight Stay

Early morning pick-up from your hotel in Istanbul around 4:00 AM for the transfer to Istanbul Airport, where you'll board your domestic flight to Konya, scheduled between 6:00 – 8:00 AM (approximately 1.5 hours). Upon arrival at Konya Airport, meet your guide and join fellow travelers for a half-day tour of this historic Seljuk capital.

The tour begins at the Mevlana Museum, home to the tomb of the great poet and mystic Rumi and one of Turkey's most revered pilgrimage sites. Next, visit the elegant Sultan Selim Mosque overlooking the museum complex. Enjoy a traditional Turkish lunch at a local restaurant before continuing.

Your guide leads the group along Mevlana Caddesi towards Alaettin Hill, crowned by the thousand-year-old Alaaddin Mosque, housing the tombs of several Seljuk sultans. Descending the hill, glimpse the remnants of the Seljuk sultan's palace and the intricate portal of the Great Karatay Madrasa, before concluding at the Mosque and Tomb of Shams-i Tabrizi.

Around 4:00 PM, transfer to Konya bus station for the intercity coach to Cappadocia — a scenic journey of approximately 235 km (around 4 hours). Upon arrival in Göreme, our representatives will greet the group and arrange your hotel transfer. Overnight in Cappadocia.

Cappadocia North Tour

After breakfast at your hotel, your guide will lead the group into the northern landscapes of Cappadocia. Your first stop is Devrent Valley, often called Imagination Valley, where wind and rain have sculpted the soft volcanic rock into extraordinary animal-shaped formations and Fairy Chimneys. From here, continue to Pasabag Monks Valley, where towering mushroom-shaped pinnacles rise dramatically from the valley floor — some once used as hermit dwellings by early monks. Next, the group visits Avanos, a charming town along the Kızılırmak River celebrated for its centuries-old pottery tradition. Watch local artisans shape red clay on the wheel, and try your hand at it if time permits.

After enjoying lunch at a local restaurant, you'll explore the Zelve Open Air Museum, a remarkable abandoned rock-cut settlement featuring ancient cave churches, dwellings, and a mosque carved directly into the stone — offering a vivid window into Cappadocia's monastic past. You'll also descend into the Ozkonak Underground City, exploring its multi-level tunnels, ventilation shafts, and hidden chambers once used by early Christian communities. Towards the end of the day, stop at Uchisar for panoramic photographs of the sweeping valleys and rock formations below.

Around 4:00 PM, transfer back to your hotel in Cappadocia for check-in. The remainder of the evening is at leisure. Overnight in Cappadocia.

Cappadocia South Tour

For an optional extra, book an early morning hot air balloon ride to experience stunning aerial views over the valleys of Cappadocia. Please note that this activity comes at an additional cost and must be pre-booked.

After breakfast at the hotel, around 9:30 AM, your tour guide will pick you up to begin the full-day South Cappadocia tour with your group. The day starts at the Red Valley, where you can explore rock-cut churches and enjoy a 5 km hike through the scenic Rose Valley. Continue to Cavusin Village, known for its historic houses and ancient churches carved into the rock.

After a lunch break at a local restaurant, the tour continues to Pigeon Valley, named for the countless dovecotes carved into the soft cliffs. In the afternoon, join fellow travelers to explore the Kaymakli Underground City or Ozkonak Underground City, where early Christians once lived, worshipped, and sheltered through underground levels of tunnels and chambers.

Around 4:00 PM, your guide will lead the group back for the transfer to your hotel, with time to relax in the evening. Overnight in Cappadocia.

Cappadocia Underground City and Valleys Tour – Bus to Ankara

After breakfast around 9:00 am, your guide will pick you up from your hotel to join the full-day Green Tour of Cappadocia with fellow travelers. The day begins at Esentepe, offering a panoramic view over the Göreme Valley and an ideal spot to capture the surrounding landscape.

Next, the group descends into Derinkuyu Underground City, a well-preserved subterranean complex dating back to the Hittites and later used by early Christians, complete with stables, kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms carved deep into the earth.

You then explore the Ihlara Valley on a scenic 4 km hike, passing small early-Christian churches along a meandering stream. Afterward, enjoy a relaxed lunch at a local Turkish restaurant in Belisirma Village beside the river. The journey continues to the 13th-century Selime Monastery, with a final stop at Yaprakhisar, known for its dramatic rock formations and as a "Star Wars" filming location.

After the tour, at around 4:00 PM, you will be transferred to Göreme Bus Station to board your intercity bus to Ankara. The journey takes approximately 5 hours. Upon arrival at Ankara Bus Station around 9:00 PM, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Ankara.

Ankara City Tour and Flight to Antalya

After breakfast, check out from your hotel and meet your guide around 9:00 AM to begin your Ankara city tour. Your first stop is the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, one of Turkey's most important museums, housing an extraordinary collection of artifacts spanning up to 7,500 years. The museum is particularly renowned for its comprehensive Hittite collection, featuring intricate reliefs, pottery, and bronze figurines that illuminate the ancient civilizations of Anatolia.

Around 12:30 PM, the group will pause for lunch at a local restaurant, giving you the chance to sample some of Ankara's regional specialties. After lunch, continue to the Mausoleum of Atatürk (Anıtkabir), the grand memorial and final resting place of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey. The imposing complex features a ceremonial courtyard, a museum chronicling the Turkish War of Independence, and sweeping views across the capital.

In the afternoon, transfer to Ankara Esenboğa Airport for your flight to Antalya, lasting approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. On arrival at Antalya Airport, a representative will meet the group and transfer you to your hotel on the Mediterranean coast. The remainder of the evening is free to relax after your journey. Overnight in Antalya.

Antalya Free Day

Today is yours to enjoy at leisure in Antalya. After a relaxed breakfast at your hotel, the day is completely open with no scheduled activities or group tours planned. You are free to spend the time however you wish, whether that means resting after the previous days of travel or exploring the city at your own pace.

Fellow travelers may choose to relax by the hotel, stroll along the coast, or simply take time to recharge before the journey continues. Your guide is happy to offer suggestions if you would like some ideas, but there are no fixed commitments today.

Meals beyond breakfast are at your own arrangement, giving you the flexibility to sample local cafés and Turkish restaurants as you prefer.

Overnight in Antalya.

Perge, Aspendos and Side Tour

After breakfast at your hotel, around 8:00 AM your guide will lead the group east along the Mediterranean coastline for a full day exploring the ancient cities of Pamphylia. Your first stop is the Perge Ancient City, one of the most impressive ruins in southern Turkey. Walk through the monumental Roman gate, the colonnaded street, and the well-preserved stadium that once seated 12,000 spectators.

Continue to the magnificent Aspendos Ancient Theater, widely considered the best-preserved Roman theater in the world. Built in the 2nd century AD, it still hosts performances today and seats approximately 15,000 — your guide will explain the remarkable acoustics that make this structure so extraordinary.

Around 12:30 PM, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before heading to the Manavgat Waterfall, where the wide cascade of the Manavgat River creates a refreshing spot to stretch your legs and take photographs. In the afternoon, join fellow travelers at Side, a charming ancient port town. Stroll past the Temple of Apollo overlooking the sea and explore the Side Ancient Theater, a striking 2nd-century amphitheater carved into the hillside. By 5:00 PM, the group departs for the scenic drive back to Antalya. Overnight in Antalya.

Transfer to Pamukkale by Intercity Bus – Overnight in Pamukkale

After breakfast at your hotel, check out and join your fellow travelers for a morning transfer to Antalya's main bus station. At around 9:00 AM, board a comfortable intercity coach bound for Denizli. The journey takes approximately 4 to 5 hours, depending on traffic and road conditions.

Upon arrival at Denizli Bus Station, our representative will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Pamukkale. After check-in, enjoy some free time to relax and unwind. Dinner will be served at the hotel this evening. Overnight in Pamukkale.

Pamukkale and Hierapolis Tour – Overnight in Kusadasi

After breakfast and check-out from your hotel in Pamukkale, your guide will gather the group around 10:30 AM for a full guided tour of this extraordinary natural and archaeological site. Begin at the Pamukkale Travertines, where brilliant white calcium terraces cascade down the hillside, shaped over millennia by mineral-rich thermal waters. Walk barefoot across the warm, shallow pools and take in the sweeping views of the valley below.

From the terraces, continue uphill into the ruins of Hierapolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site founded as a Greco-Roman spa city in the 2nd century BC. Your guide will lead the group through key landmarks including the remarkably preserved Hierapolis Theatre, the Apollo Temple, and the imposing Roman Baths. After the guided portion, enjoy approximately one hour of free time — many travelers opt to swim in the Pamukkale Antique Pools (additional entrance fee), where warm mineral waters flow over submerged ancient marble columns.

Around 4:00 PM, join fellow travelers for the transfer by vehicle to Kusadasi, a scenic drive of approximately three hours through the Aegean countryside. Upon arrival by early evening, check in to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the night at leisure — perhaps with a stroll along the waterfront or dinner at a seaside restaurant. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Ephesus Ancient City Tour

After breakfast at your hotel, around 8:30 AM your guide will gather the group for a full day exploring one of the ancient world's most remarkable cities. Begin with a short drive to the Temple of Artemis, once celebrated as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Though only a single column remains standing today, your guide will bring this once-magnificent sanctuary back to life with vivid descriptions of its original grandeur.

Continue to the Ephesus Ancient City, where you'll spend the morning walking its marble-paved streets alongside fellow travelers. Marvel at the iconic Library of Celsus, with its elaborately restored façade, then take in the impressive Great Theatre, which once seated 25,000 spectators. Along the way, your guide will point out the Temple of Hadrian and the Trajan Fountain.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant around 1:00 PM before heading into the hills above Ephesus to visit the House of the Virgin Mary, a peaceful pilgrimage site believed to be where Mary spent her final years. By 4:00 PM, return to your hotel with the evening free to wander the Kusadasi waterfront or enjoy a seaside dinner. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Kuşadası – Pergamon Tour – Çanakkale

After breakfast, check out from your hotel. At approximately 10:30 AM, you will be picked up for your transfer to Pergamon, with an additional pick-up in Selçuk at 11:00 AM as you join fellow travelers for the journey. Arriving in Bergama around 1:00 PM, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before your guide leads the group on a tour beginning at 1:45 PM.

Your visit starts at the Pergamon Acropolis, the hilltop stronghold that once served as the cultural and political heart of this powerful ancient city. Here you will explore the Temple of Athena and the monumental Temple of Trajan, both showcasing the grandeur of Greco-Roman architecture.

Continue to the iconic Altar of Zeus, often referred to as the "Throne of Satan," whose remains are now preserved in the Berlin Museum. The tour proceeds to the Theater of Pergamon, one of the steepest theaters in the ancient world, with a capacity of 10,000. You will also visit the Great Library, which once held over 200,000 scrolls and rivaled the famed Library of Alexandria.

Additional highlights include the Temple of Dionysus, the terraced Gymnasium, and the Lower Agora, an important commercial and civic space during the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

At approximately 6:30 PM, depart for Çanakkale. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel and enjoy a restful evening. Overnight in Çanakkale.

Troy and Gallipoli Tour – Drive to Istanbul

After breakfast, check out from your hotel in Çanakkale and be picked up around 8:30 AM. The day begins with the Ancient City of Troy, where your guide will lead the group through some of the most iconic archaeological sites of antiquity. Discover the Trojan Horse, the Sacrificial Altars, the 3,700-year-old city walls, the Houses of Troy I, the Bouleuterion (Senate Building), and the Odeon (Concert Hall). Walk through the layers of history from Troy I to Troy IX, witnessing the evolution of a city that inspired legends.

After the tour ends around 11:30 AM, you'll be transferred to Eceabat, with some free time before lunch at a local restaurant.

Following lunch, the Gallipoli Tour begins, covering significant World War I landmarks. Join fellow travelers to visit Brighton Beach, the Beach Cemetery at ANZAC Cove, and the Respect to Mehmetçik Monument. Continue to the Lone Pine Monument, Johnston's Jolly—where original Allied and Turkish trenches can be seen—The Nek, the Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial, and the 57th Infantry Regiment Turkish Cemetery.

At around 4:30 PM, you will return to Eceabat. Departure for Istanbul is scheduled for approximately 6:00 PM, with arrival around 11:00 PM (about a 5-hour drive). Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in. Overnight in Istanbul.

Half Day Bosphorus Cruise and Spice Bazaar Tour

After breakfast at your hotel, around 8:30 AM your guide will lead the group to the bustling Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar), one of Istanbul's oldest covered markets. Wander through aromatic stalls brimming with Turkish teas, dried fruits, spices, and handcrafted souvenirs alongside fellow travelers. Take your time browsing before the group makes its way to the nearby pier.

Around 10:00 AM, board a boat for a scenic Bosphorus Cruise along the legendary waterway separating Europe and Asia while connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. As the boat glides along the channel, admire the ornate façade of Dolmabahçe Palace, the elegant Beylerbeyi Palace on the Asian shore, and the sweeping span of the Bosphorus Bridge. Your guide will point out Ottoman-era waterfront mansions, ancient fortresses, and hilltop neighborhoods lining both continents.

By approximately 12:15 PM, the cruise concludes and the group returns to the hotel. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure — perfect for revisiting a favorite neighborhood, picking up last-minute gifts, or savoring a leisurely Turkish meal at a waterside restaurant. Overnight in Istanbul.

Gobekli Tepe Day Trip from Istanbul

Early this morning, you will be transferred to Istanbul Airport for your domestic flight to Sanliurfa, the gateway to one of the world's oldest archaeological sites. Upon arrival, your guide will lead the group to Gobekli Tepe, a remarkable site dating back over 11,000 years.

As you explore the massive carved stone pillars and circular enclosures with your fellow travelers, your guide will explain how this discovery reshaped our understanding of early human civilization, predating Stonehenge and the pyramids by thousands of years. The scale and precision of these Neolithic monuments offer a rare glimpse into the dawn of organized human society.

After visiting the site, enjoy lunch at a local Turkish restaurant featuring regional Sanliurfa cuisine, known for its bold flavors and traditional dishes. In the afternoon, return to Sanliurfa Airport for your flight back to Istanbul. Upon arrival, you will be transferred back to your hotel, and the evening will be free at leisure to relax or enjoy a final stroll through the city.

Overnight in Istanbul.

Istanbul Free Day

Today is yours to enjoy at leisure in Istanbul. With no scheduled activities on the itinerary, the entire day is free for you to spend however you wish. Sleep in, relax at your hotel, or set off independently to explore the city at your own pace.

Whether you choose to revisit a favorite neighborhood, shop for souvenirs, sample local Turkish cuisine, or simply unwind before your departure, the choice is entirely yours. Your guide can offer suggestions if you would like ideas for filling the day, but there are no group commitments to keep.

Make the most of these final hours in the city before heading home tomorrow.

Overnight in Istanbul.

Departure from Istanbul

Your 18-day journey through Turkey comes to a close today. After breakfast at the hotel, you will check out and enjoy any remaining free time at your leisure until your transfer is due. At the appropriate time, a representative will meet you for your shared transfer to Istanbul Airport, timed to your departure flight. We hope you carry home wonderful memories from across the land of civilizations and wonders. Have a safe trip.