تور ۱۰ روزه ترکیه از آمریکا: استانبول، کاپادوکیه، افسوس

A 10-day Turkey tour from the USA fits Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale comfortably, with three nights in each of the first two regions and three on the Aegean coast. Our private 10-day Turkey tour package follows exactly that split, from $2,800 per person. That includes a mid-range hotel, every flight within Turkey, lunch on touring days and all entry tickets. A group version of the same four regions starts at $1,410 per person. Your flight from the US is booked separately. The plan below works around the overnight arrival and the flight home.

This page shows how the 10 days divide, walks through the private route day by day and compares it with three other 10-day versions. It also explains what you still pay in Turkey and how to time the transatlantic legs.

How the 10 days divide

Ten days gives you 9 nights in Turkey. On every route we run, those nights go to three or four bases, and you fly between them, because the drive from Istanbul to Cappadocia or from Cappadocia to the coast would take a full day each time.

The first three routes stay with the classic triangle of Istanbul, Cappadocia and the Aegean, and visit Pamukkale as a day trip from Kuşadası. The fourth adds Antalya and its ancient theatres, with a last night back in Istanbul, at the cost of fewer nights in each place.

Day by day on the private route

This is the Grand Turkey route as it runs on our itinerary. Times are the planned ones and can move with flight schedules.

A few details worth knowing:

• Day 2 is the long day. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapı Palace all in one day means plenty of walking. Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the mosques. Women need a head covering, and everyone needs covered shoulders and knees.
• Day 4 is yours to shape. The driver stays with you all day, so you can choose Galata Tower, Balat and Fener, the Dolmabahçe area or the Asian side before the flight.
• Day 9 starts early. The drive from Kuşadası to Pamukkale takes about two and a half hours each way. Our itinerary leaves at 08:30 and reaches the travertines around 11:00.

Fitting the transatlantic flight around the 10 days

The tour runs from day 1 in Istanbul to day 10 in Istanbul. Your flights from and to the US sit on either side, and the timing matters.

Getting there. Flights from the US to Istanbul are overnight, so you leave on the evening before day 1 and land on day 1. Turkish Airlines flies nonstop from 14 US airports, and every one of those flights lands at Istanbul Airport (IST). Day 1 has nothing scheduled apart from the transfer, so a late arrival costs you nothing. Our flights to Istanbul from the USA page lists the gateways.

Going home. On day 10, the Izmir to Istanbul flight is planned to land around 14:15. You then have two choices:

• Connect the same day to an evening flight home, if one leaves at a sensible time from the airport you land at. Leave a generous margin, since a domestic delay can cost you the connection.
• Add a night in Istanbul. The itinerary offers this as an option, and it is the safer plan. It also gives you a final evening in the city and a morning departure.

Flying through Istanbul to somewhere else? If Turkey is part of a longer journey, you may be able to build the stop into your ticket. See our page on the Turkish Airlines Istanbul stopover from the USA.

Entry. US citizens with an ordinary passport do not need a visa for a tourist stay of up to 90 days within 180 days. Turkey dropped the e-visa requirement for Americans at the start of 2024.

Private, group or 5-star: choosing your 10-day version

All four routes in the table cover the same core sights. What changes is who you travel with and how much is already paid.

Grand Turkey, private, from $2,800. Private Old City tour and private car day in Istanbul. The price includes a Bosphorus lunch cruise, a hammam and spa visit, the Green and Red Tours in Cappadocia, dinner with a Turkish Night Show, Ephesus and Pamukkale. It also covers lunch on touring days, all airport transfers, all domestic flights and all entry tickets. Personal expenses and the balloon flight are the only listed exclusions.

Timeless Journey, private, from $3,299. Tours with a private, licensed guide throughout. The route adds the Spice Market, Dolmabahçe Palace, the Ihlara Valley with Belisırma, and a morning in Şirince village. Lunch is included every tour day. International flights, dinners, the balloon and tips are excluded.

Four regions, group, from $1,410. The same four regions with shared guided days, 8 breakfasts and 4 lunches, domestic flights with 15 kg checked baggage and the entrance fees in the itinerary. Dinners and drinks are not included. It suits travellers who are happy with fixed pickup times and want the lowest land price.

Best of Turkey, private 5-star, from $3,865. A 5-star or boutique hotel, a private guide and museum entrance fees included. Compared with Grand Turkey, the route gives up one Cappadocia night and two Aegean nights. In their place come two nights in Antalya, with Perge, Aspendos, Side and the Manavgat Waterfall, and a last night in Istanbul. Breakfast is the only meal on the inclusion list.

If none of these fits your dates or interests, our tailor-made Turkey tour page explains how we build a private route from scratch.

What is included and what you pay in Turkey

On the Grand Turkey route, the inclusion list covers:

• 9 nights with breakfast in a mid-range hotel from our list, booked with your approval. You can choose a different hotel and pay only the difference.
• Lunch on touring days, all airport transfers and every flight within Turkey.
• Hotel pickup and drop-off, and transport on tour days.
• The private Istanbul tours, the Bosphorus lunch cruise, the hammam and spa, the Cappadocia Green and Red Tours, and the Turkish Night dinner.
• Ephesus and Pamukkale with entry tickets for every museum and site.
• Around-the-clock WhatsApp help from our team, and all taxes and service charges.

What you pay yourself:

• Your flight from the US.
• Dinners on most evenings, and drinks.
• The optional balloon flight and the optional ATV or horse ride in Cappadocia.
• Personal spending and tips.
• Travel insurance.

For a full breakdown of what changes the price between a 7 and a 10-day trip, see our Turkey trip cost from the USA page. Travellers from Canada can compare Turkey trip cost from Canada.

The balloon morning and other options in Cappadocia

Most Americans who book a 10-day tour want to see the balloons. On the Grand Turkey route, the flight is offered as an option on the morning of day 6, with a 05:00 start, before the Red Tour.

Three things to plan for:

• It is weather dependent. Flights are cancelled when the wind is too strong, sometimes on the morning itself. With three nights in Cappadocia, you have a second morning if the first is cancelled, so ask us to rebook rather than giving up.
• It is not in the package price. The balloon is booked as an extra at the price on the day. Our Cappadocia balloon price update has the current ranges.
• Watching costs nothing. If you prefer not to fly, the launch can be seen from viewpoints around Göreme at sunrise.

The ATV or horse ride at sunset on day 5 is also optional. Compare the rest of the region's tours on our Cappadocia tour prices page, and see the Cappadocia destination guide for the valleys and towns.

Best months for a 10-day trip

Spring (April to early June) and autumn (September to October) are the most comfortable months for this route. Ephesus and Pamukkale have little shade, so mild weather makes a real difference there.

Summer is hot on the Aegean and busy at the big sites, and US flights are at their most expensive. Winter is quiet, with lower prices on many dates. Cappadocia can be snowy, which some travellers love, and our New Year departure from the US is built around that season. Our best time to visit Turkey guide covers each month, and Turkey in winter covers the cold season.

Tours that cover this

• Turkey Tour Package 10 Days, private: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Flights: from $2,800 per person.
• Best of Turkey Tour Package: Istanbul, Cappadocia and Ephesus, 10 Days, private guide: from $3,299 per person.
• Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Ephesus Tour, 10 Days with Flights, group: from $1,410 per person.
• Private Best of Turkey Tour: 10 Days with Domestic Flights: from $3,865 per person.

More routes for American travellers are on Turkey tour packages from the USA, and the 10-day Turkey itinerary guide shows how to plan the same trip on your own.

Frequently Asked Questions