6-Day Turkey Tour from Istanbul: Gallipoli, Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus, Pamukkale & Cappadocia

6 Days

Group Size

1

Overview

From the quiet shoreline of the Dardanelles to the surreal valleys of central Anatolia, this six-day guided group journey turns Turkey’s great legends into places you can stand inside. Collected from your Istanbul hotel, you join fellow travelers for a moving passage through Gallipoli, where memorials and sea winds carry the stories of the ANZAC campaign, before stepping into the mythic layers of Troy and the hilltop grandeur of Pergamon. The journey softens into the mineral-white terraces of Pamukkale, where warm waters have sculpted the Cotton Cliffs beside the ancient spa city of Hierapolis, then deepens among the marble avenues, theatres, temples, and sacred sites of Ephesus. In Cappadocia, volcanic valleys, cave settlements, pottery traditions, rock-cut churches, and underground cities reveal a landscape that feels imagined rather than built. With your guide leading the group, comfortable transfers, hotels, sightseeing, meals, and domestic flight connections arranged, you are free to absorb the sweep of civilizations, coastlines, and impossible landscapes that make Turkey unforgettable.

Trip Highlights

Trace ANZAC stories along Gallipoli’s windswept memorials
Stand at Troy’s legendary walls and Trojan Horse
Explore Pergamon Acropolis above the Hellenistic theater
Walk Pamukkale’s cotton-white travertines with your guide
Roam Hierapolis’ theatre and Roman bath ruins
Wander Ephesus’ marble streets to the Great Theatre
Pause at the House of the Virgin Mary
Marvel at Pasabag’s mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys
Explore Zelve’s cave churches and rock-cut dwellings
Descend into Kaymakli or Ozkonak Underground City

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day
1

Gallipoli Tour from Istanbul to Canakkale

Around 6:30 AM, you will be picked up from your hotel or accommodation on the European side of central Istanbul and join fellow travelers for the drive to Eceabat, a journey of approximately 5 hours. After time to relax en route, arrive around midday and enjoy lunch before the guided afternoon program begins at approximately 1:00 PM. Your guide will lead the group through the key sites of the Gallipoli Campaign, including Brighton Beach, Beach Cemetery, Anzac Cove, Ari Burnu Cemetery, and the ANZAC Commemoration Site. Continue to the Respect to Mehmetçik Monument, Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Johnston’s Jolly, the 57th Regiment Turkish Memorial, The Nek, and Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial. By about 4:30 PM, transfer to your hotel in Canakkale for check-in and an evening at leisure. Overnight in Canakkale.
Day
2

Troy and Pergamon Tour to Kusadasi

After breakfast at the hotel, meet your guide around 8:30 AM and begin a full day exploring two of western Turkey’s most important archaeological regions. The morning starts at Troy, where you will see the Trojan Horse, Sacrificial Altars of Troy, ancient city walls, Houses of Troy I, the Bouleuterion, and the Odeon. Your guide will explain the layers from Troy I to Troy IX and how this legendary city connects archaeology with Homeric tradition. Around 10:30 AM, depart for Bergama, arriving near 1:30 PM for lunch with the group. In the afternoon, visit Pergamon Acropolis, once a major center of learning and power. Explore the Library of Pergamon, Temple of Athena, Temple of Trajan, Altar of Zeus, Hellenistic Theater, and Temple of Dionysus. After the tour ends around 5:30 PM, continue by road to Selcuk and Kusadasi, arriving by approximately 8:30 PM. Overnight in Kusadasi.
Day
3

Pamukkale and Hierapolis Ancient City Tour

After breakfast, you will be collected from your Kusadasi hotel around 7:30 AM and transferred to the meeting point in Selcuk, where the full group gathers. Depart around 8:30 AM for Pamukkale, with the drive taking approximately 3 hours and a short comfort stop along the way. Arrive near 11:45 AM and enjoy lunch before the guided visit begins at about 1:00 PM. Your licensed guide will introduce the white terraces known as the Cotton Cliffs, formed over centuries by mineral-rich thermal waters. Continue into Hierapolis-Pamukkale, where the group explores the ancient city’s major remains, including the Hierapolis Theatre, Roman Baths of Hierapolis, and other visible ruins from the Greco-Roman and Byzantine periods. Later, enjoy free time to walk the terraces carefully or choose an optional swim in the Pamukkale Antique Pools at your own expense. Around 4:00 PM, meet your group for the return journey, arriving back in Kusadasi at approximately 7:30 PM. Overnight in Kusadasi.
Day
4

Ephesus Tour and Flight to Cappadocia

After breakfast, check out around 8:30 AM and meet your guide for a full-day tour of Ephesus, one of the finest ancient cities in the eastern Mediterranean. Walk with the group through marble streets and along Curetes Street as your guide explains daily life in this former Greek and Roman port. Visit the Temple of Hadrian, admire the Trajan Fountain, and continue to the Great Theatre, once capable of holding thousands of spectators. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue to the House of the Virgin Mary, a peaceful pilgrimage site on the slopes above Ephesus. The afternoon also includes the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and Isabey Mosque, a graceful example of Seljuk architecture. Around 4:00 PM, transfer to Izmir Airport for your late evening flight to Kayseri or Nevsehir, usually via Istanbul. Upon arrival, meet the local representative and transfer to your cave-style hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day
5

North Cappadocia Tour

Optional early morning hot air balloon rides are available at an additional cost and must be booked in advance; operation depends on weather and aviation approval.
After breakfast, meet your guide around 9:30 AM for a full-day North Cappadocia tour with your group. Begin in Devrent Valley, where unusual rock formations create one of the region’s most photographed landscapes. Continue to Pasabag Valley, also known as Monks Valley, to see the distinctive mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys. Around midday, drive to Avanos, a town known for pottery traditions, and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, explore the Zelve Open Air Museum, an impressive rock-cut settlement with cave dwellings, churches, and traces of monastic life. Before returning to the hotel, stop for about 15 minutes at a panoramic viewpoint facing Uchisar Castle from the outside. The tour ends around 4:00 PM, leaving the evening free for optional activities such as Turkish Night, ATV riding, horseback riding, or a Whirling Dervish show. Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day
6

South Cappadocia Tour and Flight Back to Istanbul

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and meet your guide around 9:30 AM for the South Cappadocia tour. Begin with Red Valley, where your guide will lead the group along scenic walking paths and point out rock-cut churches shaped by centuries of local history. Continue through Rose Valley, known for soft-colored formations and excellent valley views, before visiting Çavuşin Village, with cave houses and ancient church remains once used by local Christian communities. Around noon, pause for lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, continue to Pigeon Valley, where carved pigeon houses line the cliffs. Your final major visit is Kaymakli Underground City or Ozkonak Underground City, where early communities created multi-level shelters below ground. Around 3:30 PM, transfer to Kayseri or Nevsehir Airport for your evening flight back to Istanbul, typically scheduled between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM depending on availability. Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gökçen Airport, our representative will meet you in the arrivals area and transfer you directly to your hotel in Istanbul. This marks the end of our tour services.

Inclusions:

Pick-up and drop-off transfers from centrally located European-side Istanbul hotels or addresses are included
1 night hotel accommodation in Canakkale at a 3-star or similar standard hotel
2 nights hotel accommodation in Kusadasi at a 4-star or similar standard hotel
2 nights cave-style hotel accommodation in Cappadocia or similar standard hotel
5 breakfasts at the hotels
6 lunches during guided touring days
Domestic flight from Izmir to Kayseri or Nevsehir, usually via Istanbul, as per itinerary
Domestic flight from Kayseri or Nevsehir to Istanbul as per itinerary
Intercity transport and bus arrangements as described in the itinerary
Professional English-speaking licensed guide during scheduled tours
Entrance fees to sites mentioned in the itinerary
Local taxes and service charges

Exclusions:

Travel insurance, strongly recommended
Cappadocia hot air balloon ride
Optional activities such as Turkish Night, ATV tour, horseback riding, or Whirling Dervish show
Drinks with meals
Personal expenses, souvenirs, laundry, and minibar charges
Gratuities for guides and drivers
Anything not specifically mentioned in the inclusions

Important Information

Cappadocia hot air balloon flights are optional, weather-dependent, and subject to approval by the aviation authority. Book for your earliest available morning when possible.
Domestic flight schedules may vary, and the Izmir to Cappadocia route may operate via Istanbul depending on airline availability.
Domestic flights in Turkey usually allow 15 kg of checked luggage per person. Excess baggage fees are paid directly to the airline.
Comfortable walking shoes are essential, as Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus, Pamukkale, and Cappadocia include uneven stones, slopes, and natural paths.
Pamukkale travertines must be walked barefoot in designated areas to protect the calcium terraces. Bring a small towel and a bag for your shoes.
Summer months can be hot at open-air archaeological sites. Carry water, a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen, especially from June to September.
Cappadocia mornings and evenings can be cool, particularly from October to April. Layered clothing is recommended.
Hotel rooms are generally based on twin or double sharing. Triple rooms are limited, and single supplements apply for solo travelers.

FAQs

How do I book this 6-day Turkey tour?

The deposit or full-payment requirement, currency, balance due date and any disclosed payment-processing charge vary by booking and are stated on the current booking page and in the written confirmation before payment. Flight and bus tickets are issued only under the confirmed booking terms and, once issued, are non-refundable. If you need to cancel or change your travel dates, notify One Nation Travel at least 5 days before the tour starts. For requests received at least 5 days before the tour starts, the cost of all non-refundable flight and bus tickets will be deducted from your paid balance. For requests received less than 5 days before the tour starts, and for no-shows, the full amount paid is non-refundable.

What payment methods are accepted?

What is the cancellation policy?

If you need to cancel or change your travel dates, notify One Nation Travel at least 5 days before the tour starts. For requests received at least 5 days before the tour starts, the cost of all non-refundable flight and bus tickets will be deducted from your paid balance. For requests received less than 5 days before the tour starts, and for no-shows, the full amount paid is non-refundable.

Will I travel with the same group and guide throughout the tour?

Our multi-day Turkey packages are regular group/shared tour arrangements, not fully escorted tours with one tour leader and the same guests from arrival to departure. Sightseeing tours are shared and usually operate with about 15-25 guests, but group size and participants may change by city or day as travelers join or leave different scheduled tours. Licensed English-speaking guides lead scheduled sightseeing visits only. Guides do not travel with guests on domestic flights, intercity buses, airport transfers, hotel transfers, or free-time periods unless this is specifically stated in the itinerary. For flights, buses, and transfers, guests are met by our driver or local representative at airports, bus terminals, or hotels and assisted with the planned transfer. One Nation Travel coordinates the full itinerary, hotels, domestic tickets, transfers, local guides, and support throughout the trip.

Where does the tour start in Istanbul?

The tour starts with pick-up from centrally located European-side Istanbul hotels or addresses at approximately 6:30 AM. Pick-up from airports or the Asian side of Istanbul is not included unless arranged separately.

Are domestic flights included in the package?

Yes. The itinerary includes the domestic flight from Izmir to Kayseri or Nevsehir, usually via Istanbul, and the final flight from Kayseri or Nevsehir back to Istanbul, subject to availability.

Can I add a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia?

Yes. A Cappadocia hot air balloon ride can be added at an extra cost and should be requested in advance. Flights are weather-dependent and may be canceled by the aviation authority for safety reasons.

How much walking is involved on this tour?

This tour includes moderate walking at archaeological sites, memorial areas, valleys, and natural terraces. Guests should be comfortable walking on uneven ground, steps, slopes, and cobblestone surfaces.

Is this tour suitable for first-time visitors to Turkey?

Yes. It is a strong choice for first-time visitors who are already in Istanbul and want to see western Turkey, Pamukkale, and Cappadocia in a structured itinerary with guides, transport, hotels, and flights arranged.