Original
Explorer
Turkey Highlights
4.9
Excellent
circle457 reviews
location_on 8 days
location_on
Start
Istanbul, Turkey
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Finish
Istanbul, Turkey
tour
Trip Code
ERSK
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Min Age
15
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Trip Size
1 - 12
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Physical Rating
restaurant_menu
Meals
6 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
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Transport
Private Bus, Public Bus, Overnight Train, Plane
bed
Accommodation
Hotel (6 nights), Overnight Train (1 night)
From £1,502(8 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
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Uncover over 2000 years of history at the ruins of Ephesus. Wander the Library of Celsus, hear your voice echo in the Great Theatre and learn about the wealthy residents who lived in the Terrace Houses.
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Taste local fruit wines in one of Turkey’s best-preserved Greek Ottoman villages and share a home-cooked meal with a local family in Cappadocia.
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Stay a little differently – spend a night in a traditional cave hotel overlooking a valley in the heart of Cappadocia.
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Explore the back streets of Istanbul’s Old City with your leader. Uncover stories of iconic sites like the Blue Mosque and Suleymaniye Cami, find hidden hangouts and get insider tips on what to eat.
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Join a guided tour in Gallipoli to listen to tales of bravery and comradeship of the heroic soldiers who fought here in WWI.
Is this trip right for you?
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You’ll need to carry your bags on and off local trams and trains. 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. All vehicles are modern and have air-conditioning, and most are fitted with seat belts. Some journeys are long to maximise the areas visited, but this gives you a chance to interact with the locals and see more of the country. Plus, there'll be plenty of stops to stretch your legs.
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This is a relatively fast-paced trip that will allow you to see the highlights of Turkey in a short period. Since there's very limited time in Istanbul, we highly recommend spending 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.
verified
You’ll need to carry your bags on and off local trams and trains. The distances aren't far, and it's possible to do this with a wheelie bag – but be aware of cobblestone streets.
verified
This trip uses a combination of public and private transport. All vehicles are modern and have air-conditioning, and most are fitted with seat belts. Some journeys are long to maximise the areas visited, but this gives you a chance to interact with the locals and see more of the country. Plus, there'll be plenty of stops to stretch your legs.
verified
This is a relatively fast-paced trip that will allow you to see the highlights of Turkey in a short period. Since there's very limited time in Istanbul, we highly recommend spending 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
Hit the hotspots of Turkey, from Istanbul to Cappadocia
Journey through Turkey on an eight-day adventure from Istanbul to Cappadocia. Begin in Istanbul, where you’ll explore the Blue Mosque, Suleymaniye Cami and the Grand Bazaar. Then, discover Gallipoli’s historic WWI battlefields before travelling to the Aegean Coast to soak up the sun, salt and history of ancient Ephesus. Catch an overnight train to Konya, then continue to the otherworldly landscapes of Cappadocia, where cave dwellings (including your hotel) are carved into the cliffs and hot air balloons dot the skyline. Finish your adventure back in Istanbul, where East meets West.
- DAY 1Day 1 • Istanbul
- DAY 2Day 2 • Canakkale
- DAY 3Day 3 • Troy - Sirince - Selcuk
- DAY 4Day 4 • Ephesus/Overnight Train
- DAY 5Day 5 • Konya / Cappadocia
- DAY 6Day 6 • Cappadocia
- DAY 7Day 7 • Cappadocia to Istanbul
- DAY 8Day 8 • Istanbul
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 Included 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 Optional activities
circleIstanbul - Bosphorus Boat Cruise (Public Boat) - TRY200
circleIstanbul - Topkapi Palace Combined Ticket (Topkapi Palace + Hagia Irene + Harem) - TRY2000
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
circleGoreme - Turkish Night with Dinner - EUR50
circleNevsehir - Whirling Dervish Tour - EUR40
circleCappadocia - Hot Air Balloon Regular Flight - EUR200
circleCappadocia - Hot Air Balloon Deluxe Flight - EUR230
circleGoreme - Valley Tour - EUR20
circleGoreme - Open Air Museum (including entrance & transport) (min. 4 participants) - EUR30
circleIstanbul - Water Marbling - EUR35
circleIstanbul - Private Bosphorus Cruise Sunset with Soft Drinks - EUR560
circleIstanbul - Beyoglu Night Tasting Trail - EUR85
circleIstanbul - Coffee Workshop - EUR32
circleIstanbul - Mosaic Lamp Workshop - EUR50
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Saturday Aug 30, 2025
Saturday Sep 06, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Sunday Aug 31, 2025
Sunday Sep 07, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Monday Sep 01, 2025
Monday Sep 08, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Tuesday Sep 02, 2025
Tuesday Sep 09, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Thursday Sep 04, 2025
Thursday Sep 11, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Friday Sep 05, 2025
Friday Sep 12, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Saturday Sep 06, 2025
Saturday Sep 13, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 4 spaces left
£1,832
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Sunday Sep 07, 2025
Sunday Sep 14, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 5 spaces left
£1,837
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Tuesday Sep 09, 2025
Tuesday Sep 16, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 2 spaces left
£1,749
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Thursday Sep 11, 2025
Thursday Sep 18, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 2 spaces left
£1,667
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Friday Sep 12, 2025
Friday Sep 19, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 3 spaces left
£1,650
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Saturday Sep 13, 2025
Saturday Sep 20, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left
£1,843
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Sunday Sep 14, 2025
Sunday Sep 21, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left
£1,843
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Monday Sep 15, 2025
Monday Sep 22, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 4 spaces left
£1,535
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Tuesday Sep 16, 2025
Tuesday Sep 23, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left
£1,843
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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 15 kg checked and 8 kg 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 (433)
5 stars
393
4 stars
32
3 stars
5
2 stars
3
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Stephen
Aug 15, 2025
The Turkey highlights trip was a fantastic way to see the main sights of Turkey in one trip with Cappadocia as a stand out highlight. Mete was a great guide, explaining all the sites and making the trip smooth for all the guests with his organisation of everything. And all of this with a great sense of humour. Would highly recommend the trip and Mete as the tour leader.
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Jonah
Aug 15, 2025
Turkey has always been on my bucket list to see the clashing history of Istanbul, the modern history of Gallipoli, the ancient history of Troy/Ephesus, the Turkish culture, the beauty of Cappadocia and the great Turkish food. This trip showed me all of this and so much more in a little time. I'd highly recommend it
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Peter
Aug 15, 2025
The trip to Turkey was a “bucket list” item which exceeded expectations. Intrepid had a good mix of things to do which included historical sites, culture, food and fun activities. 8 days was very much a whirlwind trip but I’ll be be back
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Daryl
Aug 15, 2025
Our group saw and learned so much in such a short time, with an amazing trip leader. Turkiye is amazing! Thank you, Mete!
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Prudence
Aug 15, 2025
Mete is the best, he made our trip amazing. He is passionate about his country and sharing it's interesting history. The tour was well organized with a great range of activities, never a dull moment! Would highly recommend
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Mark
Aug 14, 2025
This trip is amazingly good. You get to see alot in a short space of time. Being small group you never miss out on hearing information or seeing anything.
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maria
Aug 13, 2025
Excellent
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Nicholle
Aug 06, 2025
Turkey Highlights was an amazing experience. Our guide Yeliz was excellent, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, organised. The tour was a good mix of history, spectacular scenery, great food and good company. We travelled as a family and my 15 and 17 year old loved every moment.
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Kerrie
Aug 06, 2025
Fast paced and you see a lot of Turkey, 100% worth it, great value for money. Amazing experience with a great leader and group.
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Peter
Aug 06, 2025
I would definitely recommend intrepid for a guided tour