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 £1,179(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 (365)
5 stars
326
4 stars
31
3 stars
5
2 stars
3
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
Sharyn
May 16, 2025
First experience with intrepid won't be the last. Wonderful time
Brock
May 16, 2025
Turkey Highlights was amazing. Really great to see the history of such a beautiful nation.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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.
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