6 Days Istanbul, Cappadocia and Pamukkale Tour

Day 1: Arrive and Overnight in Istanbul

Upon your arrival at Istanbul New Airport(IST) or Sabiha Gökcen Airport(SAW), our team will be waiting for you at the exit of the international line of the Airport, holding a sign with your name written on it. After which, you will be transferred to your hotel. The afternoon is free for you to spend at leisure. Alternatively, you can join the Night Cruise on the Bosphorus with Dinner & Show.

• Overnight in Istanbul
• Included Meal(s): No meals are included on this day
• Accommodation: Muyan Suites OR Antea Hotel OR Ayasultan Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 2: Istanbul Byzantine & Ottoman Relics Tour

After breakfast at approximately 8:30 am, you will be picked up from your hotel to begin the full-day tour. Today on the tour you will visit Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque), Hippodrome (Sultanahmet Square), Topkapi Palace and Historical Grand Bazaar. Lunch will be at a local restaurant. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel around 5:00 pm.

• Overnight in Istanbul
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Muyan Suites OR Antea Hotel OR Ayasultan Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 3: Fly from Istanbul to Kayseri/Nevsehir – 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 be able to visit the natural castles of Uchisar. 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): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Heaven Cave House OR Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel OR Holiday Cave Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 4: South Cappadocia Tour – Overnight Bus to Pamukkale (650.9 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 5: Pamukkale Tour – Fly back to Istanbul

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 be transferred to the Denizli/Izmir airport for an evening flight back to Istanbul. Upon arrival, you will be picked up from the airport and transferred to your hotel.

• Overnight in Istanbul
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Muyan Suites OR Antea Hotel OR Ayasultan Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 6: Departure from Istanbul — End of Tour Service

After breakfast, you will check out from your hotel in Istanbul (hotel check-out is before 12:00 noon) and will then be transferred to the Istanbul International Airport according to your flight details. This will be the end of our tour and services.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• Arrival, departure airport transfers and ground transportation
• Domestic flight tickets as per the itinerary
• Overnight intercity coach ticket (Cappadocia to Pamukkale)
• 3 nights in Istanbul at Special-Class or 4 Star including breakfast
• 1 night in Cappadocia at a cave hotel including breakfast
• English-speaking guide during the tours
• Meals as per itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch)
• Entrance fees mentioned by the itinerary
• Local taxes and service charges

NOT INCLUDED:

• International Flight Tickets.
• Visa to enter Turkey.
• Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride.
• Optional tours mentioned in the program, they will be provided at an additional cost.
• Services not mentioned in the program.
• Drinks with meals.
• Travel insurance (recommended).

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.
• Please advise your arrival details at the time of booking.
• Please note that the Blue Mosque is not open for visitation on Fridays as it is closed for religious prayer services. You will only be able to visit the outside of the Blue Mosque area on tours operated on Fridays. No visitation will be allowed inside the Blue Mosque for tourists on Fridays.
• Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesday, it will be replaced with the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici).
• Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday.
• During religious holidays, the spice market and Grand Bazaar are closed.
• 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.