Original
Explorer
Turkey Highlights
8 days • 4.9
5
Excellent
circle382 reviews
location_on 8 days
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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
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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 £1,179(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.
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
circleCappadocia - Hot Air Balloon Regular Flight - EUR200
circleCappadocia - Hot Air Balloon Deluxe Flight - EUR230
circleGoreme - Open Air Museum - EUR20
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Thursday May 29, 2025
Thursday Jun 05, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Friday May 30, 2025
Friday Jun 06, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Saturday May 31, 2025
Saturday Jun 07, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Tuesday Jun 03, 2025
Tuesday Jun 10, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Thursday Jun 05, 2025
Thursday Jun 12, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 2 spaces left
£1,771£1,417
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Saturday Jun 07, 2025
Saturday Jun 14, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 2 spaces left
£1,826£1,461
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Sunday Jun 08, 2025
Sunday Jun 15, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 6 spaces left
£1,623£1,298
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Tuesday Jun 10, 2025
Tuesday Jun 17, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 4 spaces left
£1,650£1,320
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Thursday Jun 12, 2025
Thursday Jun 19, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 8 spaces left
£1,590£1,272
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Friday Jun 13, 2025
Friday Jun 20, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,590
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Saturday Jun 14, 2025
Saturday Jun 21, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 3 spaces left
£1,799£1,439
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Tuesday Jun 17, 2025
Tuesday Jun 24, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left
£1,837£1,470
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Thursday Jun 19, 2025
Thursday Jun 26, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 6 spaces left
£1,606£1,285
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Saturday Jun 21, 2025
Saturday Jun 28, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 3 spaces left
£1,700£1,360
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Sunday Jun 22, 2025
Sunday Jun 29, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,535
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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 (365)
5 stars
326
4 stars
31
3 stars
5
2 stars
3
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Nicola
May 17, 2025
Excellent trip! Packed a lot into the time. Saygu was a great guide! Thoroughly enjoyed all the activities and the ease of exploring so many places. Would definitely recommend
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Sharyn
May 16, 2025
First experience with intrepid won't be the last. Wonderful time
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Brock
May 16, 2025
Turkey Highlights was amazing. Really great to see the history of such a beautiful nation.
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Rebecca
May 13, 2025
Great whirlwind trip to get the best of Turkey allowing you to experience different parts of country (landscapes and architecture), culture and eats. Loved Ephesus ancient city plus the gozleme and kebab variations.
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Jo
May 12, 2025
Highlights of Turkey tour was excellent. Was jam packed with things so be prepared to be busy. But gave us a great overview of some of Turkeys beat bits.
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Sheranne
May 11, 2025
This was an excellent way to see and understand Turkey, many surprising adventures and great local food knowledge Thankyou a great trip
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Linda
May 10, 2025
This trip was outstanding. I have a new love for this country because of what we saw and did on our tour. Out guide made travelling easy and safe. The activities are accessible by all ages and are appropriate. We laughed lots, made new friends and learnt so much. Thank you
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Celeste
May 09, 2025
I recently joined the Turkey Highlights tour. I have been wanting to visit Turkey for many years and finally made it! I enjoyed every second of my time on this tour. The transport was comfortable and the destinations were excellent. The transport and accomodation was excellent. Even the one night on the sleeper train was comfortable. There were many moments where I had to pinch myself to remind myself that I was really standing at the site of Troy, in a hot air balloon above Cappadocia, or watching the spiritual dance of the whirling dervishes. The people I met on the tour were welcoming and friendly and the leader was excellent. He was kind, caring and approachable. He made sure to make sure everyone on the tour was safe and had their needs met. I would highly recommend this tour if you want to experience some once-in-a-lifetime moments surrounded by the welcoming people of Turkey and thousands of years of history.
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Kathleen
May 05, 2025
Turkey Highlights was a fast paced introduction to Turkey with many amazing highlights. Our guide Can was brilliant and made the tour a memorable experience for us. Thanks Can
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Joshua
May 03, 2025
We had a great time on our trip to Türkiye. We highly recommend this tour to anyone. The overnight train was clean and comfortable. However, a good night’s sleep isn’t guaranteed due to the constant rocking and multiple stops along the way to Konya.