4-Day Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Ephesus Tour (Starts from Istanbul and Ends in Izmir)

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): Breakfast
• Accommodation: Heaven Cave House OR Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel OR Romantic Cave Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 2: South Cappadocia Tour – Overnight bus from Cappadocia to Pamukkale

For an optional extra, book an early morning hot air balloon ride and experience breathtaking aerial views of the valleys. Please note that this activity comes at an additional 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 and 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 09:30 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. Around 10:00 am 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 around 10:30 am. 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, and 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. At 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. At 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 – Trip ends in Kusadasi

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. Tour will end at approximately 4:00 pm.

There are two available options at the end of the Ephesus tour.

Option 1: You can end your tour in Kusadasi. This will be the end of our service.

Option 2: You can choose to be transferred to Izmir Airport to take a domestic or International flight or be transferred to the Kusadasi or Izmir main bus station to take a bus to another destination e.g. Bodrum, Marmaris, Antalya, Fethiye and Istanbul. The cost of the domestic flight ticket or bus ticket for your onward journey is not included. If you want we can arrange a domestic flight or bus ticket for you at an extra cost for your chosen next destination within Turkey. This will be the end of our tour service.

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

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• All transfers mentioned in the itinerary
• Domestic flight ticket from Istanbul to Kayseri or Nevsehir only
• Overnight intercity coach ticket (Cappadocia to Pamukkale)
• 1 night in Cappadocia at a cave hotel including breakfast
• 1 night in Kusadasi at a 4-star hotel including breakfast
• English-speaking guide during the tours
• Meals as mentioned in the itinerary: (B) breakfast, (L) lunch
• Entrance fees mentioned by the itinerary
• Local taxes and service charges

NOT INCLUDED:

• End of the Tour in Ephesus on Day 4, bus and/or flight tickets are not included.
• 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.
• Vegetarian lunch option available upon request.
• On Day 4 the tour finishes at approximately 4:00 pm. You have the option to be dropped off directly to the Izmir airport, Izmir bus station or in Kusadasi / Selcuk area. This will be the end of our tour service.
• You can swim in the Antique pool in Pamukkale. However, please note that there is an extra charge that you will have to pay directly at your own expense before entry to the pools. This entrance fee to the pools is not covered as part of your tour. Please note that you must bring your own towel, swimsuit etc. if you need to use the pools.
• 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.