Original
Explorer
Best of Turkey
15 days • 4.8
5
Excellent
222 reviews
15 days
Start
Istanbul, Turkey
Finish
Istanbul, Turkey
Trip Code
ERSI
Min Age
15
Trip Size
1 - 16
Physical Rating
Meals
14 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners
Transport
Private Bus, Public Bus, Train, Dolmus, Gulet (boat)
Accommodation
Hotel (10 nights), Guest house (4 nights)
From £1,638(15 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
Discover the ancient and modern lives within Turkey as you explore thousands of years of history in the remarkable ruins of Ephesus, discover a WWI battlefield in Gallipoli and immerse yourself in the vibrant vibe of the university town Eskisehir.
Take in the diversity of this epic landscape with a visit to the natural hot springs of Pamukkale, a cruise along the picture-perfect Turkish coast over Sunken Cities, and an optional hot-air balloon ride over Cappadocia.
Get to know the friendly locals over a home-cooked dinner in Cappadocia, then get treated to a Turkish barbecue feast by your local hosts in Kayakoy.
Pull on your walking shoes and set out on a half-day hike along a section of rugged coastline, following part of the ancient walking trail of the Lycian Way and exploring the landscape of Cappadocia.
Get among local life – from taking local buses and a traditional gulet (boat) ride to staying in one of the cave hotels that Cappadocia’s famed for.
Is this trip right for you?
This trip uses a combination of public and private transport, and all vehicles are modern and have air-conditioning and most are fitted with seat belts. Some journeys can be long in order to maximise the areas visited, but this gives you a chance to interact with the local community and see more of the country. You'll also be pleasantly surprised to find most Turkish buses have wi-fi and serve coffee and cake! Please note that you'll have to carry your own luggage on and off the bus, so make sure it doesn’t exceed our weight and size recommendations. You can find specifics under ‘Packing’ in the ‘Essential Trip Information’ section.
Itinerary
Get to know a Turkish way of life, from coast to city
Get your Turkish delights on a 15-day adventure from Istanbul. This trip is a mix of ancient ruins and modern cities, Islamic history and Ottoman influence, inland discoveries and coastal cruising – and everything in between! Discover Gallipoli on a guided tour that will teach you about its significance during the First World War, unlock the secrets of the ancient city of Ephesus, admire Oludeniz’s Blue Lagoon from high up on the Lycian Way and swim in the Mediterranean on a traditional gulet cruise from Kas. From the winding laneways of Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar to the bizarre landscapes of Cappadocia, you'll discover the local’s side to Turkey.
Inclusions
Meals
14 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners
Transport
Private Bus, Public Bus, Train, Dolmus, Gulet (boat)
Accommodation
Hotel (10 nights), Guest house (4 nights)
Included activities
Istanbul - Orientation Walk
Gallipoli - Fully guided Gallipoli tour & visit to the Commonwealth graveyards
Selcuk - Leader-led orientation walk
Troy - Archaeological site visit
Ephesus - Archaeological site visit
Pamukkale - Hierapolis and Travertines National Park
Kayakoy - Village visit
Lycian Way - Hike from Kayakoy to Oludeniz Beach
Kayakoy - Home-cooked Turkish BBQ dinner
Kas - Leader led orientation walk
Kas - Handicraft market
Kekova - Turkish Coast Cruising & Sunken Cities
Konya - Mevlana Museum
Cappadocia - Leader-led orientation walk
Cappadocia - Dinner at Local Family Home
Goreme - Valley walk
Eskisehir - Odunpazarı Village Visit
Optional activities
Istanbul - Topkapi Palace Combined Ticket (Topkapi Palace + Hagia Irene + Harem) - TRY2000
Istanbul - Turkish Hamam (inc. massage) - EUR100
Istanbul - Hagia Sophia - EUR25
Istanbul - Archaeology Museum - EUR15
Istanbul - Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts - EUR17
Selcuk - Basilica of St John - EUR6
Selcuk - Ephesus Archaeological Museum - EUR10
Selcuk - Meryemana (Mary's House) - EUR15
Ephesus - Terrace Houses entry - EUR15
Pamukkale - Hierapolis Museum - Free
Pamukkale - Cleopatra Ancient Pool - TRY340
Konya - Karatay Museum - EUR3
Goreme - Whirling dervish performance - EUR30
Cappadocia - Hot Air Balloon Deluxe Flight - EUR230
Cappadocia - Hot Air Balloon Regular Flight - EUR200
Goreme - Open Air Museum - EUR20
Goreme - Underground city - EUR13
Dates and availability
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Important notes
1. This trip starts in Istanbul on Day 1 at 1.00 pm. This allows time after the joining meeting to explore Istanbul with your Leader.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip, subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
Reviews (225)
5 stars
192
4 stars
23
3 stars
5
2 stars
3
1 star
2
Troy
Jun 06, 2025
Johanne
Jun 06, 2025
The best of Turkey tour did not disappoint. Taha, our guide was excellent with his knowledge in all aspects. He was respectful, considerate and patient. Accomodation and meals excellent. Thank you for a wonderful experience
Peter
May 26, 2025
An excellent trip. Plenty if variety in the amazing places we visited led by a very competent tour leader
Paul
May 22, 2025
A great trip to experience culture and history of Turkiye. The itinerary covered top locations of interest. A couple of days travel on the train made a nice change from road travel. Even so we had regular stops en-route for snacks, coffee etc. The contrasts between busy Istanbul and quirky landscape of Cappadocia, or the historical sites like Ephesus and the boat trip from Kas made this trip enjoyable and memorable. (Note: the forest walk to Oludeniz is not possible until 30 Nov 2025 as path is closed over summer to reduce fire risk)
Carol
May 21, 2025
An Intrepid tour is an immersive and interesting way to explore and understand a country. I have really enjoyed this experience.
Elizabeth
May 21, 2025
Loved this throughly trip, such an easy way to see this incredible country, our tour leader Can helped make this a truly wonderful 14 days.
Steve
May 21, 2025
Would recommend this trip gives all that is promised and more a wonderful taste of turkey leaves you fitter wiser and wanting more
Geoffrey
May 21, 2025
One of the best trips we have taken with Intrepid. Turkey has such a rich history of culture and food. With so many historical sites to visit and activities along the way, hiking, swimming, hot air ballons. The pace of the trip was very well balanced with amazong food and hotels alog the way. After 2 weeks, I have a much greater appreciation of Turkey now and I'm sure we will be back soon.
Ian
May 21, 2025
What a fantastic experience.
Roslyn
May 21, 2025
Excellent trip, and would use them in the future
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