Original
Explorer
Turkey Highlights
8 days • 4.9
5
Excellent
382 reviews
8 days
Start
Istanbul, Turkey
Finish
Istanbul, Turkey
Trip Code
ERSK
Min Age
15
Trip Size
1 - 12
Physical Rating
Meals
6 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
Transport
Private Bus, Public Bus, Overnight Train, Plane
Accommodation
Hotel (6 nights), Overnight Train (1 night)
From £1,106(8 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
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.
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.
Stay a little differently – spend a night in a traditional cave hotel overlooking a valley in the heart of Cappadocia.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
Inclusions
Meals
6 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
Transport
Private Bus, Public Bus, Overnight Train, Plane
Accommodation
Hotel (6 nights), Overnight Train (1 night)
Included activities
Istanbul - Old City Walking Tour (Half Day)
Gallipoli - Fully guided Gallipoli tour & visit to the Commonwealth graveyards
Sirince - Village visit and fruit wine tasting
Troy - Archaeological site visit
Selcuk - Leader-led orientation walk
Ephesus - Archaeological site visit
Selcuk - Artemis Temple Visit
Selcuk - Gozleme making demonstration and lunch
Cappadocia - Kaymakli Underground City
Konya - Mevlana Museum
Cappadocia - Valley walk
Cappadocia - Dinner at Local Family Home
Optional activities
Istanbul - Bosphorus Boat Cruise (Public Boat) - TRY200
Istanbul - Topkapi Palace Combined Ticket (Topkapi Palace + Hagia Irene + Harem) - TRY2000
Istanbul - Galata Tower - EUR30
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
Ephesus - Terrace Houses entry - EUR15
Goreme - Whirling dervish performance - EUR30
Cappadocia - Hot Air Balloon Regular Flight - EUR200
Cappadocia - Hot Air Balloon Deluxe Flight - EUR230
Goreme - Open Air Museum - EUR20
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
















Important notes
1. This trip starts in Istanbul on Day 1 at 1 pm. This allows time after the welcome meeting to explore Istanbul.
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.
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 (389)
5 stars
347
4 stars
34
3 stars
5
2 stars
3
Patricia
Jun 06, 2025
What an amazing trip! Turkey Highlights was the best small group tour you could ask for. Our guide Saygu was excellent and made our trip fun, informative and memorable. We loved every moment of Türkiye!
caralyn
Jun 06, 2025
The guide Saygu was very informative and passionate about his country and its rich history. He was an absolute gentleman and a pleasure to be around. He showed and shared with us all without Baise why he loves his country and the people in it. We got to see the real people and their way of life. A fabulous trip and highly recommend to all and especially with Saygu as your guide
Carol
Jun 01, 2025
Highlights of Turkey shows travelers the most important places in the history of Asia Minor. They are exposed to the varied confluence of civilizations, power struggles, wars, natural disasters, and cultural gems that can still be seen today in Turkey. I enjoy Intrepid tours, and this one will not disappoint!
Neena
May 31, 2025
We were so fortunate to experience Turkiye through Intrepid. The 8 days we spent in the country and hot air balloon ride will remain our most beautiful memories. Murat is an excellent and respectable guide who sure takes care of everyone and is fair. We totally enjoyed this trip and highly recommend.
Sumati
May 29, 2025
This is one of the best Intrepid tours I took..all the people in the group were fantastic! We had so much fun and I feel like I made a lot of friends! Our tour leader Emre was very understanding and approachable and it was clear that he loved his job! Super..fantastic..great!
Chris
May 29, 2025
First time on a tour. Well exceeded expectations. For a trip with so many parts, there was no stress and everything ran like clockwork. Leaving us to just have fun and live in the moment. Would highly recommend.
Ellen
May 28, 2025
This trip was fantastic capturing the highlights of Turkey. Our leader Furkan was great and made the trip very enjoyable.
Kayla
May 27, 2025
Emre was our guide for Highlights of Turkey and he was amazing. Although the trip was fast paced, I enjoyed every site and stop. Very much worth the trip and will be booking again!!
Chandrakala
May 25, 2025
Great trip. Learned a lot. Excellent leader.
Orlando
May 25, 2025
This tour was so much fun! Cappadocia hot air balloon ride is an absolute must! One of the best things I’ve ever done.
Friends and Family Travel is an agent of Intrepid Travel. All Trip content and associated images are copyright of Intrepid Travel.
You are protected
Contact Information
Call us at
0208 058 4003
Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM GMT.
Contact our customer support
contact@friendsandfamily.travel
We’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

© 2024 Friends and Family Travel | All rights reserved.