Original
Explorer
Turkey Highlights
8 Days | Hit the hotspots of Turkey, from cosmopolitan Istanbul to the whimsical Cappadocia.
4.8
Excellent
circlelocation_on 8 days
location_on
Istanbul, Turkey
location_on
Istanbul, Turkey
tour
ERSK
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15
diversity_3
1 - 12
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6 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
airport_shuttle
Private Bus, Public Bus, Overnight Train, Plane
bed
Hotel (6 nights), Overnight Train (1 night)
From £1,262(8 days)
Trip Informations
This journey packs a mighty punch in just eight days. Start in Istanbul and marvel at the Blue Mosque before navigating the warrens of the Grand Bazaar. Then, discover Gallipoli on a guided tour that will teach you about the significant events that took place in this area. Travel to the Aegean Sea to soak up sun, salt and history in Kusadasi with a visit to the ancient city of Ephesus. Catch the overnight train to Central Anatolia and the fairytale landscape of Cappadocia, where hot air balloons dot the skyline and dwellings are cut into the cliffs, then finish back in Istanbul, the long-lived metropolis where East meets West.
Why you’ll love this trip
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This short but sweet trip packs a punch with visits to Istanbul, Canakkale, Cappadocia and Ephesus while still leaving plenty of time to relax.
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Discover the incredible ancient and modern history of Turkey as you explore thousands of years of history hidden within the remarkable ruins of Ephesus and discover Gallipoli on a guided tour that will teach you about the significant events that took place in this area.
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Taste local fruit wines in one of the best-preserved Greek Ottoman villages in the country. Get to know the friendly locals with a home-made lunch at a local family in Cappadocia.
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Travel and stay a little differently – and come home with memories to last a lifetime – from taking local buses and trains, to staying in one of the cave hotels that Cappadocia is famed for.
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Discover the back streets and vibrant local markets of Istanbul with your expert guide, find hidden hotspots and local hangouts that you won’t find in the guidebooks.
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By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Tuuur Foundation partner, CYDD (Çağdaş Yaşamı Destekleme Derneği). Donations help them provide scholarships and educational programs for economically disadvantaged youth in Turkey.
Is this trip right for you?
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You will need to carry your bags on and off local trams and trains during this trip. The distances aren't far, and it's possible to do this with a wheelie bag – but be aware of cobblestone streets.
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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 and you'll have plenty chances to stop on the way to stretch your legs.
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This is a relatively fast paced trip which will allow you to see the iconic highlights in Turkey in a short period of time. There's very limited time in Istanbul on the trip so we highly recommend spend more time in this incredible city. Please consult with your booking agent if you wish to book extra accommodation before or after the trip in Istanbul.
Itinerary
- DAY 1Istanbul
- DAY 2Canakkale
- DAY 3Selcuk
- DAY 4Ephesus/Overnight Train
- DAY 5Konya / Cappadocia
- DAY 6Cappadocia
- DAY 7Cappadocia to Istanbul
- DAY 8Istanbul
Inclusions
restaurant_menu Meals
6 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
airport_shuttle Transport
Private Bus, Public Bus, Overnight Train, Plane
bed Accommodation
Hotel (6 nights), Overnight Train (1 night)
festival Activities
circleIstanbul - Old City Walking Tour (Half Day)
circleGallipoli - Fully guided Gallipoli tour & visit to the Commonwealth graveyards
circleSirince - Village visit and fruit wine tasting
circleTroy - Archaeological site visit
circleSelcuk - Leader-led orientation walk
circleEphesus - Archaeological site visit
circleSelcuk - Artemis Temple Visit
circleSelcuk - Gozleme making demonstration and lunch
circleCappadocia - Kaymakli Underground City
circleKonya - Mevlana Museum
circleCappadocia - Valley walk
circleCappadocia - Dinner at Local Family Home
museum Add on activities
circleIstanbul - Bosphorus Boat Cruise (Public Boat) - TRY200
circleIstanbul - Topkapi Palace Combined Ticket (Topkapi Palace + Hagia Irene + Harem) - TRY1700
circleIstanbul - Galata Tower - EUR30
circleIstanbul - Hagia Sophia - EUR25
circleIstanbul - Archaeology Museum - EUR15
circleIstanbul - Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts - EUR17
circleSelcuk - Basilica of St John - EUR6
circleSelcuk - Ephesus Archaeological Museum - EUR10
circleEphesus - Terrace Houses entry - EUR15
circleGoreme - Whirling dervish performance - EUR30
circleCappadocia - Hot Air Balloon Regular Flight - EUR260
circleCappadocia - Hot Air Balloon Deluxe Flight - EUR310
circleGoreme - Open Air Museum - EUR20
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Saturday Oct 12, 2024
Saturday Oct 19, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Tuesday Oct 15, 2024
Tuesday Oct 22, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Thursday Oct 17, 2024
Thursday Oct 24, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Saturday Oct 19, 2024
Saturday Oct 26, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Tuesday Oct 22, 2024
Tuesday Oct 29, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Saturday Oct 26, 2024
Saturday Nov 02, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 3 spaces left
£1,513£1,361
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Tuesday Oct 29, 2024
Tuesday Nov 05, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 7 spaces left
£1,513£1,361
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Thursday Oct 31, 2024
Thursday Nov 07, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 6 spaces left
£1,513£1,361
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Saturday Nov 09, 2024
Saturday Nov 16, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left
£1,727£1,554
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Saturday Nov 16, 2024
Saturday Nov 23, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Tuesday Nov 19, 2024
Tuesday Nov 26, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 5 spaces left
£1,502£1,351
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Saturday Nov 23, 2024
Saturday Nov 30, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Saturday Nov 30, 2024
Saturday Dec 07, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 4 spaces left
£1,403£1,262
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Saturday Dec 21, 2024
Saturday Dec 28, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left
£1,485
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Tuesday Dec 24, 2024
Tuesday Dec 31, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left
£1,606
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Important notes
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1. This trip starts in Istanbul on Day 1 at 1 pm. This allows time after the welcome meeting to explore Istanbul.
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2. There is an internal flight on this trip and most internal flights in Turkey have a luggage restriction of 15kg checked and 8kg cabin.
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3. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 5 (Overnight train) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
Reviews (246)
5 stars
217
4 stars
24
3 stars
3
2 stars
2
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Jo Oxholm
Seeing our guide being greeted so warmly by locals, wherever we went, made us feel immediately welcome and at home. We got a real feel for Turkish hospitality, which was fabulous.
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Randall Yu
My first tour with Intrepid (Highlights of Turkey) was a memorable trip. Our tour leader, Alp Edward Watmough, is one of the best in the industry. The itinerary, inclusions and optional excursions were well-organized. I will definitely recommend Intrepid to my family and friends.
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Sudha Shenoy
Over the years we have travelled to more than 60 countries and have been on many tours. This was our first Intrepid tour and I would highly recommend it. Our tour guide Alp was incredibly knowledgeable and very efficient and professional. He made the tour very interesting. The drivers were excellent too.
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Ian Spinney
I highly recommend Intrepid’s Classic Turkey Tour. Very well organised, great tour guide, excellent itinerary - I loved treading the streets of Troy and Ephesus (take shoes with good grip, as those old marble pavings are deadly!), and visiting the cave city, and seeing the Blue Mosque, for example. I highly recommend!
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Susan Baldwin
The Turkey Highlights trip was fast-paced and covered a lot of territory as billed. Our group all had a great time and got along well, and our trip leader Berk was knowledgeable, thoughtful, organized, and enthusiastic. I had a wonderful time on the trip! It met all my expectations.
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Mary Steponkus
Turkiye Highlights is a great introduction to the country. A good blend of activities, with several add-on optional excursions. Definitely go hot air ballooning in Cappadocia - and unforgettable experience!
Ergun was a fabulous trip leader! So enthusiastic to share his country with the group.
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Stephanie Bartley
Our tour guide Cagatay was amazing. I knew very little about Turkey before I came and am happy to now know more about it’s history and culture thanks to him. Awesome service.
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Fern Reweti
Amazing trip! Very knowledgeable and approachable tour guide, beautiful historical sites to explore. Perfect itinerary.
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Gavin Nias
Really enjoyable trip that included the best sights of Turkey.
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Stacey Murphy
What an amazing country Turkey is. We really enjoyed this introduction to a beautiful country. It was a great experience and would highly recommend to everyone. Our small group of 11 was a perfect size.