Destinations |
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Ankara ♦ Cappadocia ♦ Konya ♦ Pamukkale ♦ Ephesus ♦ Istanbul |
Tour Style |
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Luxury-Private Tour |
Duration |
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5 Days / 4 Nights |
Accommodations |
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Charming Boutique & 5* Hotels |
Meals included |
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Meals are included as shown in the itinerary |
Leaders |
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Professionally-Licensed, English-Speaking Tour Guides |
Transportation |
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Luxury, Private, Chauffeur-Driven Vehicles with A/C, DomesticFlights |
Departures/Dates |
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Guaranteed Daily Departures, year-round |
DAY 1: ANKARA – CAPPADOCIA [L] Arrive to Ankara Esenboga Airport early in the morning. Upon your arrival to Ankara Airport you will be met by your guide and driver and start this 5-day adventure.
Our first stop is; the Anatolian Civilization Museum - one of the most impressive and comprehensive collections of artifacts dating back more than 10,000 years, all housed in the ancient market and caravanserai area. Before heading to Cappadocia our last stop will be; The Mausoleum of Ataturk - a sacred place for all Turks. The Mausoleum entrance way and architecture, exhibit the extraordinary reverence and love for the father of the Republic of Turkey. Then, it's time for lunch - a hearty full lunch of traditional Turkish dishes in a local restaurant.
Afterwards we begin our drive towards the fairy-tale land of Cappadocia. Along the way we'll stop at the Salt Lake and the Agzikarahan Caravanserai. Built along the Silk Road, these buildings served as lodging for traders traveling during the medieval Seljuk times. These great walled fortresses were safe havens for travelers; bringing spices, cloth and precious metals along the ancient trade routes. Only a few are still standing and the Agziıkarahan Caravanserai is one of the best preserved in the area. We arrive to Cappadocia late at the evening. Your driver and guide will deliver you to your hotel. Overnight stay in Cappadocia. DAY 2 - CAPPADOCIA [B, L] Optional Hot Air Balloon Flight in the morning! (The flights are scheduled early in the morning to catch the sunrise. Pick-up and drop-off from the hotels are included)
Pick-up from your hotel after the breakfast around 09:00 – 09:30. Today the tour will start with Kaymaklı Underground City with rock-cut stables, wineries, chapels and housing - the resourcefulness of the carvers to create fully-functioning underground cities allowed these villagers to escape from marauders throughout the millennia.
Next we’ll drive to see some of the most spectacular rock formations - Devrent Valley (aka. Imagination Valley). Here the rocks have eroded naturally to form magical and interesting shapes which includes the well-known camel rock that stands at the entrance of the valley.
We’ll continue our tour with Pasabag Valley (Monk’s Valley) where the iconic Fairy Chimneys dot the landscape. Our tour will continue with a tasty lunch at a local restaurant offering traditional Turkish dishes from the region.
The next destination is the town of Avanos, located along the longest river in Turkey. This ancient city was the center of the Hittite pottery-makers and today the same red and white clay from the surrounding hills is used to create the famous pottery.
Before our final stop we will visit the famous UNESCO World Heritage site of the Goreme Open Air Museum. Our final location of the day is at the highest village in Cappadocia - the stunning Uchisar rock-castle fortress panaroma. At the end of the tour your driver and guide will bring you back to your hotel. Overnight stay in Cappadocia.
DAY 3 - CAPPADOCIA – KONYA – PAMUKKALE [B, D] Pick-up from your hotel early in the morning and drive to Konya. We will visit the Sultanhani Caravanserai on our drive to Pamukkale. The ancient Silk Road trade route ran through this area and the caravanserais were mini fortresses protecting merchants as well as providing lodging, places of worship and care for the animals.
As we arrive to Konya city, we will visit the magnificent museum and mausoleum of Celaleddin Muhammad Rumi - known in the west just as Rumi, the Persian Sufi mystic. Famous for his enchanting poetry and the founder of the Whirling Dervishes - this museum offers exquisite artifacts, unique architecture and even a cask with strands of hair from Mohammed. After perusing the museum and grounds, we'll have lunch at a local restaurant serving regional cuisine - and then begin our drive towards Pamukkale, arriving early evening. Overnight stay in Pamukkale. DAY 4 – PAMUKKALE – KUSADASİ [B,D] After breakfast at your hotel, we visit "the cotton castle". The fairy-tale travertine terraces of Pamukkale. This natural wonder offers terraced white pools of natural spring water cascading down the side of the cliff - with spectacular views over the region and light reflected off the shell-shaped pools. We continue on our journey to Ephesus with a stop at Aphrodisias. Named after the goddess of love, Aphrodite - or Venus by the Romans, the ancient city of Aphrodisias is partly excavated today. Famous for the School of Sculpture and large amphitheatre - Aphrodisias is one of the best examples of ancient Greek cities in Turkey. In the late afternoon we arrive in Kusadasi, on the coast. Overnight stay in Kusadasi. DAY 5 – EPHESUS [B] After breakfast at your hotel, we begin our day tour of the magnificent ancient Greek city of Ephesus. One of the must-sees in Turkey, Ephesus is a wonder of carved marble columns, impressive amphitheatres, terraced housing and the famous Celsus Library - among others. Walk in the footsteps of Alexander the Great, Caesar, Cicero and the Apostles Paul and John. Tradition has it that Virgin Mary was brought here by St John after The Crucifixion and lived her final years near the city of Ephesus on an isolated mountaintop. A lovely chapel is constructed on the site tended by Franciscans and open to visitors. It has been designated a pilgrimage site by the Pope. We will continue with Saint John Church where Apostle John spent his final years and was buried. The final visit of the day is to the temple of Artemis to see the remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. After our tour we will transfer you to Izmir Airport to fly back to Istanbul. Goodbye!
NOTES
- Flight tickets are not included in the package but we can gladly offer and book flight tickets for you. Please inform us if you need more services. We’re a fully operational agency and we can assist you with all your needs in Turkey.
- We can also offer these tours in private basis with other languages; Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French…etc .
Customize Your Tour: Add-On Options Flight Bookings: Domestic or International flights and upgrades. We are a full-service travel agency Hotel Upgrades / Changes: we offer our Top Picks for hotels in each area. If you have a different hotel in mind or would like an upgrade please let us know. You may also book your own hotels and join in the tour. For more information please email us Hot Air Balloon Flights in Cappadocia Horseback Riding in Cappadocia Dinner Cruise in Istanbul Turkish Night Show in Cappadocia Whirling Dervishes Ceremony in Cappadocia Turkish Bath Jeep Safaries in Cappadocia |