Original
Explorer
Turkey Highlights
4.9
Excellent
circle620 reviews
location_on 8 days
location_on
Start
Istanbul, Turkey
location_on
Finish
Istanbul, Turkey
tour
Trip Code
ERSK
how_to_reg
Min Age
15
diversity_3
Trip Size
1 - 16
trending_up
Physical Rating
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)
From £978(8 days)
Trip Informations
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 are carved into the cliffs and hot air balloons dot the skyline. Finish your adventure back in Istanbul, where East meets West.
Why you’ll love this trip
verified
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.
verified
Check out how the mouth-watering Gozleme is made in a demonstration and share a home-cooked meal with a local family in Cappadocia.
verified
Explore Kaymakli Underground City and take a scenic walk with your leader through the rugged landscape of Cappadocia. Look out for fairy chimneys, deserted rock-cut homes and cave churches!
verified
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.
verified
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?
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
- DAY 1Day 1 • Istanbul
- DAY 2Day 2 • Canakkale
- DAY 3Day 3 • Troy - 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
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 - Topkapi Palace Combined Ticket (Topkapi Palace + Hagia Irene + Harem) - TRY2750
circleIstanbul - Galata Tower - EUR30
circleIstanbul - Hagia Sophia - EUR25
circleIstanbul - Archaeology Museum - EUR15
circleIstanbul - Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts - EUR17
circleIstanbul - Bosphorus Boat Cruise (Public Boat) - TRY300
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 - Open Air Museum - EUR20
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
Tuesday Jun 30, 2026
Tuesday Jul 07, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - Sold Out
Thursday Jul 02, 2026
Thursday Jul 09, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - Sold Out
Saturday Jul 04, 2026
Saturday Jul 11, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - Sold Out
Tuesday Jul 07, 2026
Tuesday Jul 14, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - 13 spaces left
£1,331£998
expand_more
Saturday Jul 11, 2026
Saturday Jul 18, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - 1 space left
£1,353
expand_more
Tuesday Jul 14, 2026
Tuesday Jul 21, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - 3 spaces left
£1,491
expand_more
Thursday Jul 16, 2026
Thursday Jul 23, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - 11 spaces left
£1,381£1,035
expand_more
Saturday Jul 18, 2026
Saturday Jul 25, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - 5 spaces left
£1,403£1,332
expand_more
Tuesday Jul 21, 2026
Tuesday Jul 28, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - 16 spaces left
£1,326
expand_more
Thursday Jul 23, 2026
Thursday Jul 30, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - 7 spaces left
£1,375£1,238
expand_more
Saturday Jul 25, 2026
Saturday Aug 01, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - 4 spaces left
£1,425
expand_more
Tuesday Jul 28, 2026
Tuesday Aug 04, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - 8 spaces left
£1,408£1,267
expand_more
Thursday Jul 30, 2026
Thursday Aug 06, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - 16 spaces left
£1,326
expand_more
Saturday Aug 01, 2026
Saturday Aug 08, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - 11 spaces left
£1,419£1,135
expand_more
Tuesday Aug 04, 2026
Tuesday Aug 11, 2026
Trip size max: 16 - 3 spaces left
£1,623
expand_more
Important notes
verified
1. This trip starts in Istanbul on Day 1 at 1 pm. This allows time after the welcome meeting to explore Istanbul.
verified
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.
verified
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 (598)
5 stars
537
4 stars
54
3 stars
5
2 stars
2
account_circle
Neethu
Jun 19, 2026
Highly recommended for single travellers looking for small group trips. Trip Leader was a local travel which helped a lot.
You also get to meet with some great people in the trip
account_circle
Leanne
Jun 19, 2026
This is a great way to see a good amount of Turkey in a shirt period of time. There are some longer travel day but these are really well broken up with lunch stops or points of interest.
Really good amount of culture and history
account_circle
Simon
Jun 19, 2026
Great trip covering some highlights of western Turkiye. Great amounts of history and food, very enjoyable. Loved the sleeper train too
account_circle
teresa
Jun 11, 2026
This Turkey Highlights tour exceeded my expectations. We were lucky to have a wonderful tour guide Cagatay who looked after every detail for us as we travelled through Turkey and shared his extensive knowledge of Turkish history. It has been a wonderful journey
account_circle
Jade
Jun 10, 2026
Fast paced trip where you really get to immerse yourself in Turkey. The hot air ballooning in Cappadocia was a highlight
account_circle
Alexandre
Jun 10, 2026
This tour gives you a taste of Turkey by taking you to several of its iconic landmarks.
account_circle
Jaspreet
Jun 10, 2026
This Turkey trip was a real eye opener on its culture and grand history. After this trip I am convinced to come back another time as my experience was unbelievable. From the culture, history and food everything has been outstanding. We visited to many sites during this trip that I couldn’t think of myself to travel to
account_circle
Anahita
Jun 10, 2026
This trip was very fun. Turkey is a very underrated destination and I think a tour like this is a good way to explore the country and cover a lot of bases.
account_circle
Elena
Jun 09, 2026
A lovely tour which allowed Türkiye to be experienced in a beautiful way, with great food, people, places and activities. Lots of fantastic memories were made.
account_circle
Lubna
Jun 09, 2026
There’s no perfect way to summarise this trip...it was truly wonderful. This was my first holiday abroad, and I feel so grateful that it was to the beautiful Türkiye, and with such a fantastic company, Intrepid.
But the most memorable part of the trip was our guide, and now friend, Taylan 🤍 His patience, wisdom, and genuine passion brought every experience to life. Thanks to his incredible food recommendations, I’ve completely fallen in love with Turkish cuisine!
The nine days flew by and Taylan made every second count. Each day was carefully curated, packed with the history and culture of Türkiye. I will especially miss the serene blue waves at the pier in Istanbul, the valleys of Cappadocia, and the peaceful vibes of Çanakkale.
What set this trip apart is the real thought and intention behind every visit. From learning the fascinating history of Kaymaklı Underground City and how locals used it, to visiting the carpet cooperative and discovering the intricate Turkish art of carpet makin, every experience had depth and meaning. I highly recommend this visit as part of an Intrepid tour, especially since you even receive benefits like free shipping if you wish to purchase a carpet, delivered directly to your home. Ashley, our host and talented designer behind the carpets, was incredibly knowledgeable, so it’s a must-see for anyone wanting to indulge in the fine arts of Türkiye. The same goes for the pottery workshops, which were equally fascinating.
Every aspect of the trip was excellent. All our drivers and hotel staff were welcoming and accommodating. Two places that particularly stood out were the Amazon Petite Palace Hotel in Selçuk and the Asir Cave Hotel in Cappadocia, run by Asir and his family. Both were beautiful and added so much charm to our stay. The Weingart hotel in Istanbul was also lovely, and a great place to start and also conclude our trip ☺️
Taylan was more than a tour guide, he was a true friend, making the whole trip amazing from start to finish. He went out of his way to recommend the best Turkish dishes, explain the culture and history. The trip never felt like a standard tour, it felt like a holiday spent with friends.
Kaan, if you’re reading this, thank you so much for everything, you truly made this trip unforgettable! InshAllah until next time !!