4 Days Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Ephesus Tour from Istanbul By Plane & Bus

Day 1: Fly to Kayseri/Nevsehir from Istanbul – North Cappadocia Tour

You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Istanbul around 4:00 am and will be transferred to the domestic airport for your flight from Istanbul to Kayseri or Nevsehir between 6:00 – 7:30 am. Upon arrival at Kayseri or Nevsehir airport, you will be picked up and transferred to Cappadocia. In Cappadocia, you will meet your professional tour guide to begin your full-day tour of North Cappadocia. Your tour will start with a visit to the Devrent Valley to see the unique fairy chimneys. Next, you will visit the Pasabag Valley (Monks Valley) to see the mushroom-shaped pinnacles. After this visit, you will drive to the city of Avanos. After lunch, you will visit the Zelve Open Air Museum in Cappadocia. The museum features a series of carved caves and ancient churches, providing a glimpse into the region’s monastic history. Finally, towards the end of the day tour, before returning to your hotel, you will have the opportunity to visit the natural castles of Uchisar. Please note that the interior of the Uchisar castles is not accessible for visits. After the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel in Cappadocia for check-in.

Optionally, attend a traditional Turkish Night show with dinner.

• Overnight in Cappadocia
• Included Meal(s): Lunch
• Accommodation: Heaven Cave House OR Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel OR Holiday Cave Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 2: South Cappadocia Tour – Overnight local bus travel from Cappadocia to Pamukkale (650 km).

For an additional option, you can book an early morning hot air balloon ride and enjoy breathtaking aerial views of the valleys. Please be aware that this activity comes at an extra cost.

After breakfast at the hotel around 9:30 am, you will be picked up and met by your tour guide to begin your full-day tour of South Cappadocia. Your tour guide will brief you on the day’s activities. Your tour will begin with a visit to the Red Valley where you will be able to explore the famous rock-cut churches and hike approximately 5 km through the Rose Valley (Gulludere Vadisi). Next, you will visit Cavusin Village which is famous for its houses and churches of Christian Clergymen. We will take a break for lunch around noon. After lunch, you will drive to the Pigeon Valley (Guvercinlik Vadisi). In the afternoon you will visit the Kaymakli Underground City or Ozkonak Underground City where early Christians lived. This will be the end of your full-day tour.

After the tour, you will travel overnight to Pamukkale in a non-smoking, fully air-conditioned local bus departing the bus station at approximately 9:00 pm. The total duration of travel will be 10 hours. There will be three breaks on the way to Pamukkale for your personal needs.

• Overnight Bus to Pamukkale
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: No accommodation is included on this day

Day 3: Pamukkale & Hierapolis Tour

Upon your arrival at the Pamukkale / Denizli main bus station between 05:30 – 06:00, you will be taken to a 2-star hotel in Pamukkale to freshen up and have breakfast before the start of the full-day Pamukkale tour. There will be no stay in the hotel room. After freshen up and breakfast, you will meet the rest of the group in the hotel lobby to join the tour.

Around 10:30 am you will be picked up from the hotel to begin your guided tour of the Pamukkale and Hierapolis area with a professional licensed tour guide. You will visit the first destination of Karahayit to see the Red Spring Waters. After Karahayit we will drive to Pamukkale and begin the visit to the ancient city of Hierapolis. The highlights of Hierapolis are Necropolis, Roman Baths, Domitian Gate, Latrina, Oil Factory, Frontinious Street, Agora, Byzantium Gate, Triton Fountain, Cathedral, Apollon Temple, Plutonium, Theater, Cleopatra Antique Pools. You will also be able to take some photos from the nicest corners of Pamukkale. Around 12:30 pm you will be given some free time for approximately 60 minutes to explore the natural beauties of Pamukkale. As an option, you may choose to swim in the Pamukkale antique pools (at your own expense) during this free time. Around 1:30 pm you will meet the guide and will visit the Pamukkale Travertines, also known as Cotton Castle in Turkish, where mineral-rich thermal waters flow down white travertine terraces. You will get a chance to enjoy the beauty of the Cotton Castles and to walk in the middle of the Pamukkale travertines, from top to down without shoes and socks. Around 2:30 pm you will be taken for lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch at approximately 3:30 pm, you will visit an Onyx Factory for approximately 30 minutes.

At the end of the tour around approximately 4:00 pm, you will begin your drive to Kusadasi (approximately 3 hours). We will drop you at your hotel in Kusadasi.

• Overnight in Kusadasi
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Efe Boutique Hotel OR Neopol Hotel Deluxe OR Derici Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 4: Ephesus Tour – Fly back to Istanbul

After breakfast at the hotel around 8:30 am, you will be picked up and met by your tour guide to begin your full-day tour of Ephesus. You will visit the ruins of Ephesus, the ancient Greek city that became an important centre of this time. Visit the Temple of Hadrian, Great Theater, and Trajan Fountain. After lunch, let’s visit the House of the Virgin Mary, where it is believed she spent her last years. We will pass by the Temple of Artemis; there is little to see of this that was one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Afterwards, you will visit the Isa Bey Mosque. Next, you will be taken to the Sirince Village; which is an old Greek village and is well-know for its quaint beauty and wine tasting and production. Here you will have one hour free to explore on your own without a guide the different foods and wines of the area and visit various small traditional village shops. At the end of the tour, you will be transferred to Izmir airport for your late evening return flight between 7:00 – 10:00 pm (flight duration is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes) to Istanbul. END OF OUR SERVICE and TOURS.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: No accommodation is included on this day

Important notes:

• Please note that your return flight from Izmir to Istanbul will arrive at either the New Airport in Istanbul or at the Sabiha Gökçen Airport depending on the availability of flights on the ticket purchase date.
• Upon arrival at Istanbul airport, you will have to arrange your own pick-up service from Istanbul airport to your hotel in Istanbul. This transfer is not included as part of your package tour services with us. Our service ends upon your flight arrival at Istanbul Airport.
• If you have a preference to return to a specific airport in Istanbul i.e. Sabiha Gokcen or Istanbul New Airport, you must request your choice of the airport in Istanbul by email prior to your tour booking. Any changes requested once your booking is confirmed will incur an additional cost.

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• Pick up from Istanbul hotel and transfer to Istanbul Airport (on the European side of Istanbul only).
• Domestic flight tickets from Istanbul to Kayseri or Nevsehir and from Izmir to Istanbul only.
• Overnight intercity coach ticket (Cappadocia to Pamukkale).
• 1 night in Heaven Cave House OR Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel OR Holiday Cave Hotel or similar accommodation in Cappadocia.
• 1 night in Efe Boutique Hotel OR Neopol Hotel Deluxe OR Derici Hotel or similar accommodation in Kusadasi.
• English-speaking guide during the tours.
• Meals as per itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch).
• Visits and entrances fees as indicated in the itinerary.
• Local taxes and service charges.

NOT INCLUDED:

• Drop off transportation service from Istanbul New Airport OR Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Istanbul Hotel upon returning to Istanbul.
• Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride.
• Any optional tours.
• Services not mentioned in the program.
• Optional tours mentioned in the program, they will be provided at an additional cost.
• Drinks with meals.
• Travel insurance (recommended).

WHAT TO BRING:

• Hiking shoes
• Camera
• Swimwear & towel

IMPORTANT INFO:

• The order of the itinerary is indicative and subject to change, but all visits described will take place.
• This is a regular group tour, but if requested at cost can be provided as a private tour.
• The regular group tour has shopping stops included in the tour.
• Cost Is Per Person On Two Sharing Basis.
• For 1 traveler: 1 Single Room Accommodation
• For 2 travelers: 1 Double/Twin Room Accommodation
• For 3 travelers: 1 Triple Room Accommodation
• For 4 travelers: 2 Double/Twin Rooms Accommodation
• For 5 travelers: 1 Double/Twin Room and 1 Triple Room Accommodation
• Vegetarian lunch option available upon request.
• The normal arrival time in Istanbul is between 8:00 – 11:00 pm. If you are planning on reserving your plane back home that same day, we recommend you book a plane ticket from 1:00 am onwards, to avoid missing your flight.
• On flights luggage allowance is 15 kg per person for checked in luggage. For carry-on, you can take up to 8 kg per person. One carry-on is allowed per person.

WHEN TO BOOK?

• Book as soon as possible to guarantee availability, especially during public holidays and festivities
• You can book up to 2 days before (Istanbul local time) if there are still places available. If less than 2 days before start of your requested tour date, please contact us by email or phone as it would be a last-minute booking that will need to be checked for availability before your tour reservation is confirmed.