Turkey Unplugged (10 Days)
$2,929.00 per person
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All prices are dynamic and may change
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Final pricing is based on availability at time of booking
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Trip Outline
Saturday. Welcome to Turkey and the start of your holiday. There’s an included arrival transfer to our hotel. After check in, relax in the hotel or head out and explore the city. At 8 pm, we’ll gather in the hotel to meet our fellow travellers and the guide before our adventure begins.
This morning we’ll embark on a fascinating tour through the Old City of Istanbul, we’ll visit stunning examples of architecture that hail from the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires eras. We’ll visit the stunning Blue Mosque, both inside and out. See the six exterior minarets and the famed blue Iznik tiles. Discover the Hippodrome and view the exterior of Hagia Sophia, which was constructed as a Basilica in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian. Finally, we explore the impressive interior of Topkapi Palace, which was the main residence of the Ottoman sultans in the 15th century.
Istanbul – Gallipoli. Today we explore ANZAC Cove and the many memorials dotted across the WW1 battlefields. Our guided tour takes in sights including ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine Memorial and cemetery, Chunuk Bair Memorial and cemetery, the Nek, Johnston’s Jolly and the many fortified trenches still clearly visible amongst the scrub after all these years.
Gallipoli – Kusadasi. This morning we enjoy a short guided tour of Troy. The legend of the lost city of Troy and Homer’s poetry was brought to life by it’s rediscovery in 1863. Subsequent excavations revealed nine ancient cities, one on top of the other, dating back to 3000 BC. We enjoy a tour of the ruins and admire a replica of the Trojan wooden horse that, as legend goes, was filled with Aechaean soldiers who helped to sack Troy.
Driving further south we reach the ancient ruins of Pergamum, home to one of the steepest amphitheatres in the classical world. Pergamum was also famous for its Asclepion (medical centre). We continue to Kusadasi on the Aegean Coast via a leather manufacturing house.
Today, we explore legendary Ephesus – perhaps the best-preserved classical city in the eastern Mediterranean. Under Roman rule, Ephesus was a vast and prosperous city with a population nearing 250,000. It was an important centre of commerce and a popular destination for pilgrims who came to see the great Temple of Artemis – one of the Seven Ancient Wonders.
We have plenty of time to tour the marble ruins of Ephesus. Discover the famous Library of Celsus, the Stadium, the gymnasium of Vedius and the Great Theatre. We’ll see ancient public toilets, a brothel, fountains and various temples. There’s also a visit to a carpet manufacturing house.
Kusadasi – Pamukkale. Driving east, we arrive at Pamukkale – home of the famous gleaming white calcium terraced pools. Known locally as the Cotton Castles, they’re a natural phenomena and gift from Mother Nature. Pamukkale was formed when warm, calcium rich mineral water cascaded over the cliff edge, cooling and depositing in the process. The calcium built natural shelves and pools on the cliffs are known as travertines. Take a barefoot walk along the travertines or opt for a dip in the warm waters of the thermal pool, with its submerged fragments of fluted marble columns.
Our last stop of the day is the ruined spa town of Hierapolis, famed for the curative powers of its mineral springs. These were dammed to create communal baths.
Pamukkale – Cappadocia. On day 7 we drive to Cappadocia, stopping to visit some ancient caravanserais (roadside inns) such as Sultanhani. Tonight there’s a fun optional evening of Turkish folklore.
On day 8 we enjoy a guided tour of Cappadocia – perhaps the jewel in Turkey’s crown. Cappadocia is one of Turkey’s most extraordinary national treasures. The utter improbability of the surreal landscape has to be seen to be believed with its ‘stuff of fables’ cave dwellings and phallic ‘fairy chimneys’ landscape. Whole troglodyte villages, subterranean churches and fortresses have been hewn from the soft, porous, eerily eroded rock of Cappadocia.
A guided tour of the region takes us to the World Heritage listed Goreme Valley. See stunning examples of rock-cut Byzantine churches, chapels and temples. Marvel at Zelve, with its phallic-like eroded landscape. Stopping on the outskirts of Goreme Village we have the opportunity to see Pigeon Valley, where centuries old pigeon houses are carved into the surrounding cliffs. Our tour also takes in the incredible Uchisar castle-mountain. Enjoy marvelous views of Cappadocia from the summit and explore the underground city of Kaymakli.
You’ll also have the opportunity to visit an Onyx shop, which specializes in historic jewellery designs that are unique to Turkey and crafted using local materials. For those not interested in shopping, there’s time to relax and grab a drink from the local cafe. This evening, we enjoy dinner at the hotel.
Please note: Hot air ballooning in Cappadocia is dependent on the weather conditions. Book and pay locally – budget EUR €390 per person.
Cappadocia – Istanbul. Today we head back to Istanbul, stopping en route for lunch (payable locally). We arrive into Istanbul in the evening.
Trip Includes
- Breakfast daily and 6 dinners
- 9 nights 4 star and special class hotels
- Airport arrival transfer on day 1 of tour and departure transfer (to Istanbul International Airport) at 9am and 1pm only on day 10
- Guided sightseeing – Istanbul, Gallipoli, Troy, Ruins of Ephesus and Pergamum, Pamukkale, Hierapolis and Cappadocia
- Escorted by an English speaking, degree qualified Turkish tour guide
- All relevant transfer and transportation in private modern air-conditioned vehicles
Trip Highlights
- Cappadocia – Admire the surreal landscape and explore Goreme Valley, discovering clifftop houses, rock-cut chapels and castles
- Istanbul – Visit highlights of the Old City including the beautiful Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and imposing Topkapi Palace
- Ephesus – Tour the marble ruins of this Roman city which was once the site of the great Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders
- Pamukkale – Stroll around the terraced pools and opt for a relaxing dip in the naturally warm and calcium rich waters
- Gallipoli – Pay your respects at the Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair memorials and visit ANZAC Cove, a famous WW1 landing site
- Troy – Discover the legendary ruins and see a replica of the famous wooden horse which as the story goes, was used to sack the city
- Pergamum – Marvel at the Roman amphitheatre which is one of the steepest in the classical world
- Hierapolis – See the UNESCO-listed ruins of this ancient spa town, built on the site of natural hot springs
Trip Excludes
- International flights and visa
- Tip for your tour guide and driver. We recommend you allow EUR €5 – 7 per day, per traveller as a tip for your guide and EUR €2 per day for your driver. Tipping your guide and driver is an entirely personal gesture
- Entrance Fees: EUR€255-275pp, paid in EUR
- Tipping Kitty: EUR€50-60pp, paid in EUR
Note: Tipping is not a natural part of many Western cultures and many of us feel uncomfortable, or unsure, about when, or how much, to tip. However, in the places you will visit, tipping makes up a significant part of many people’s wages so it’s important that we get it right. For this reason we’ve developed a very simple system to take all the hassle out of tipping. With our ‘tipping made easy’ policy, a nominal pre-determined amount is collected from all group tour participants to cover tips en route. This then saves you the hassle of when and how much to tip bellhops, luggage handlers, local guides and other support staff through the tour. Our ‘tipping made easy’ doesn’t include a tip to your group tour leader. Naturally, though, the amount is up to you as tipping is an entirely personal gesture.
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