6-Day Istanbul & Cappadocia Tour from New York, USA

According to your flight schedule, you should make your own way to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Please ensure that you arrive at the airport well in advance to complete your check-in, security screening, and passport control procedures.

Your journey to Turkey will be an overnight transatlantic flight, with an approximate duration of 9 to 10 hours, depending on the airline and routing. During the flight, you can relax and enjoy the onboard services provided as you travel from the United States toward Europe and Asia.

We recommend keeping your passport, e-Visa confirmation, travel insurance, and hotel details in your hand luggage for easy access upon arrival. You may also wish to rest during the flight so you feel refreshed for your first day in Istanbul. Overnight on board your international flight.

Welcome to Turkey. Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport after your flight from New York, complete passport control and customs formalities, then continue to the arrivals hall where a One Nation Travel representative will meet you with a name sign. Your included airport transfer to the hotel in the Sultanahmet or Old City area typically takes 45 to 90 minutes, depending on traffic. Check-in is usually available from 2:00 PM; if you arrive earlier, the hotel will store your luggage while you relax in the lobby or take a short walk nearby. The remainder of the day is free to recover from the journey and settle into the rhythm of Istanbul. Around 5:00 PM, you may wish to enjoy a gentle stroll near your hotel and try a casual Turkish dinner at your own expense. Your guide will confirm tomorrow’s group meeting time by message or hotel notice. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast at the hotel, around 8:30 AM meet your guide and join fellow travelers for a full-day group tour of Istanbul’s classic monuments. Begin with the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, one of the city’s defining landmarks, known for its vast dome, mosaics, and layered Byzantine and Ottoman heritage. Continue to the Blue Mosque, admired for its six minarets and elegant İznik tiles. A short walk brings the group to the Hippodrome, once the ceremonial center of Byzantine Constantinople. Around 12:30 PM, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant with the group. In the afternoon, visit the Topkapi Palace Museum, former residence of Ottoman sultans, with time to see its courtyards and imperial collections; the Harem section is optional at additional cost. Finish at the Grand Bazaar Istanbul before returning to your hotel by about 5:00 PM. Overnight in Istanbul.

Around 4:00 AM, transfer from your Istanbul hotel to the airport for the early morning flight to Kayseri or Nevsehir. Depending on hotel policy and flight timing, a breakfast box may be provided. Upon arrival, meet your local guide and drive approximately 1 hour into Cappadocia, where the group begins the North Cappadocia tour. Start at Devrent Valley, known for unusual rock formations shaped by volcanic tuff and erosion. Continue to Pasabag Valley, where mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys create one of the region’s most photographed landscapes. Next, visit Avanos, a pottery town beside the Red River, with time to see a traditional ceramic workshop. After lunch at a local restaurant, explore the Zelve Open Air Museum, an abandoned cave settlement with rock-cut dwellings, churches, and community spaces. Around 4:30 PM, stop near Uchisar Castle for panoramic photos before checking in to your cave hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia.

Optional early morning hot air balloon ride pickups usually begin before sunrise and must be pre-booked; flights depend on weather and aviation authority approval.

After breakfast at the hotel, around 9:30 AM your guide will lead the group on the South Cappadocia route. Begin with Red Valley, where walking paths pass colorful volcanic formations and rock-cut churches. Continue through Rose Valley, then visit Çavuşin Village, known for historic cave houses and early Christian sites. Around 12:30 PM, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, stop at Pigeon Valley for views of dovecotes carved into the cliffs. Then descend into Kaymakli Underground City or Ozkonak Underground City, selected according to local conditions and the day’s schedule. Around 4:30 PM, transfer to Kayseri or Nevsehir Airport for your evening flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel for check-in and rest. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast at the hotel, check out by 12:00 PM unless a later check-out has been arranged directly with the reception. Depending on your international flight time, you may have a short period free for a final walk near your hotel, last-minute shopping, or a Turkish coffee before departure. Please keep your passport, e-Visa confirmation, airline details, and any required travel documents in your hand luggage for easy access at the airport. Your included transfer to Istanbul Airport will be scheduled according to your flight departure time; the drive generally takes 45 to 90 minutes, though your pickup may be earlier during peak traffic hours. We recommend arriving at the airport at least 3 hours before international flights to allow enough time for check-in, security, and passport control. Board your return flight to New York with memories of Istanbul’s monuments and Cappadocia’s landscapes. End of tour services.