11-Day Turkey Tour from Istanbul: Gallipoli, Ephesus, Cappadocia
Overview
11-Day Turkey Tour from Istanbul: Gallipoli, Ephesus, Cappadocia
This 11-day tour from Istanbul follows one of the fullest classic routes in Turkey: Istanbul, Gallipoli, Troy, Ephesus, Pamukkale and Cappadocia. You start with your airport arrival and time in Istanbul, carry on along the Dardanelles and the Aegean coast, and end among the volcanic valleys and underground cities of Cappadocia before flying back to Istanbul. Hotels, guided tours, transfers, intercity bus legs, domestic flights, entrance fees and the listed meals come together in one practical package.
A free day in Istanbul comes first, then a guided round of the Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, and a Bosphorus cruise. After the Gallipoli battlefields you stay a night in Canakkale. A bus heads south once you have seen Troy, and later a flight from Izmir brings the valley days at Pasabag, Zelve, Rose Valley and Pigeon Valley.
Leave the planning to us and simply enjoy the trip.
Tour Info
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Istanbul
Transfers: included. Free time: rest of the day.
Our airport team meets you after you land at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW), based on your flight details. You are driven to your Istanbul hotel to check in, and the remainder of the day is free to recover from the journey.
Ideas for your free time: a ferry ride on the Bosphorus, the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar, or the streets of Galata and Karakoy. You stay overnight in Istanbul.
Day 2 – Free Day in Istanbul
Meals: breakfast. Free time: all day.
The whole day is yours in Istanbul. Rest, explore the nearby neighbourhoods, go shopping or book an optional city experience.
Ideas for your free time: Istiklal Avenue and Taksim, a Turkish bath (hamam), or sunset from Galata Tower. You spend another night in Istanbul.
Day 3 – Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Bosphorus Cruise
Meals: breakfast. Transfers: included.
At 08:30 we pick you up at your hotel and drive you to the old city.
- Hagia Sophia: Istanbul's most important Byzantine-Ottoman monument, where you see how the city changed from one empire to the next.
- Blue Mosque: admire the graceful domes, the six minarets and the blue Iznik tiles of Sultanahmet Mosque.
- Hippodrome: the historic square of Constantinople, home to the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpent Column and the Constantine Obelisk.
- Bosphorus Cruise: sail between Europe and Asia past palaces, fortresses, bridges and waterside mansions.
The Istanbul tour finishes at 16:00 and you go back to your hotel for the night.
Day 4 – Gallipoli Battlefields and Night in Canakkale
Meals: breakfast and lunch. Transfers: included.
At 06:30 you are collected from your Istanbul hotel and leave for the Gallipoli Peninsula. The drive takes around 4.5 to 5 hours, with a short stop on the way.
- Gallipoli Battlefield Areas: you visit the main memorials and battle sites, including ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, The Nek, Chunuk Bair and the Turkish memorial areas, while your guide explains the 1915 campaign from both sides.
The Gallipoli tour ends at 16:00, followed by the transfer to your hotel in Canakkale for the night.
Day 5 – Troy Ancient City and Bus to Kusadasi/Selcuk
Meals: breakfast. Transfers: included.
At 08:30 you are picked up at your Canakkale hotel and driven to Troy.
- Troy Ancient City: explore the legendary site with its city walls, layers of settlement, ancient gates and remains tied to the tale of the Trojan War.
The Troy visit finishes at 12:00 and you transfer to the bus station. At 13:00 the intercity bus leaves for the Izmir area. At 18:30 our local team meets you on arrival and drives you on to your hotel in Kusadasi/Selcuk, where you spend the night.
Day 6 – Ephesus, House of Virgin Mary and Temple of Artemis
Meals: breakfast and lunch. Transfers: included.
At 08:30 we collect you at your Kusadasi/Selcuk hotel and drive to the Ephesus area.
- Ephesus Ancient City: walk one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities, with Curetes Street, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian and the Great Theater.
- House of Virgin Mary: a peaceful place of pilgrimage in the hills above Ephesus.
- Temple of Artemis: the remains of a once-mighty sanctuary, counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The Ephesus tour ends at 16:00 and you return to your hotel for a second night in Kusadasi/Selcuk.
Day 7 – Pamukkale Travertines and Hierapolis
Meals: breakfast and lunch. Transfers: included.
At 08:00 you are picked up at your Kusadasi/Selcuk hotel and set off for Pamukkale.
- Pamukkale Travertines: walk beside the white calcium terraces shaped by thermal water.
- Hierapolis Ancient City: explore this ancient spa town with its theatre, baths, necropolis and Roman streets.
- Cleopatra Antique Pool: you can view the pool area as part of the visit; only a swim among the thermal columns costs extra, paid on site.
The Pamukkale tour finishes at 16:00 and you return to Kusadasi/Selcuk for a third night.
Day 8 – Flight from Izmir to Cappadocia
Meals: breakfast. Transfers: included. Free time: rest of the day.
After breakfast your driver meets you at the hotel and takes you from Kusadasi/Selcuk to Izmir Airport. You fly from Izmir to Kayseri or Nevsehir. If no direct flight runs on your date, we book the most suitable connection via Istanbul.
In Cappadocia our local team meets you at the airport and drives you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free.
Ideas for your free time: a sunset viewpoint above Goreme, Uchisar castle, or an optional Turkish night show. You spend the night in Cappadocia.
Day 9 – Cappadocia Red Tour: Devrent, Pasabag, Avanos and Zelve
Meals: breakfast and lunch. Transfers: included.
Optional early-morning add-ons: a hot air balloon flight, the most booked activity and rated the top Cappadocia experience for its sunrise views, or a balloon watching tour at the best sunrise photo spots, with the best viewpoints guaranteed. Either can be added at the best available price during booking.
At 09:30 you are picked up at the hotel to start the northern route.
- Devrent Valley (Pink Valley): fairy chimneys in fanciful shapes, carved by volcanic erosion.
- Pasabag Open Air Museum: home to some of the best-known mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys in Cappadocia.
- Avanos Pottery Workshop: watch a local potter at work with the traditional red clay of the region.
- Goreme Panoramic View: a stop for wide views across the valleys and chimneys.
- Zelve Open Air Museum: rock-cut churches, homes and valley settlements to explore.
- Uchisar Castle (exterior view): see the highest natural rock landmark of Cappadocia from the outside.
The Red Tour ends at 17:00 and you go back to your hotel for a second night in Cappadocia.
Day 10 – Cappadocia Yellow Tour and Evening Flight to Istanbul
Meals: breakfast and lunch. Transfers: included.
After breakfast and check-out, you are collected at 09:30 for the southern route.
- Red Valley: a walk through one of the most colourful volcanic valleys in Cappadocia.
- Rose Valley (Gulludere Valley): cave churches, carved rooms and softly coloured rock.
- Cavusin Village: an old village known for houses cut into the rock and wide views from the cliff.
- Pigeon Valley: carved pigeon houses in the valley between Goreme and Uchisar.
- Underground City: tunnels, rooms and storage spaces that once served as shelters.
The Yellow Tour finishes at 17:00 and you transfer to the airport. At 20:45 you fly from Cappadocia to Istanbul; the flight time and airport can change with seasonal airline schedules. You land at 21:55, meet our team and are driven to your hotel for the night in Istanbul.
Day 11 – Departure from Istanbul
Meals: breakfast. Transfers: included.
After breakfast you check out of the hotel. Based on your international flight details, we drive you to Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW). The 11-day Turkey tour ends once this airport transfer is complete.
Inclusions & Exclusions
- ✓10 nights accommodation: 4 nights in Istanbul, 1 in Canakkale, 3 in Kusadasi, and 2 in Cappadocia
- ✓10 breakfasts and 6 lunches according to the itinerary
- ✓Intercity bus sectors and domestic flights with 15 kg checked baggage and 8 kg cabin baggage on flight legs
- ✓Airport, bus station, hotel, and tour transfers on scheduled days
- ✓Guided touring in Istanbul, Gallipoli, Troy, Ephesus, Pamukkale, and Cappadocia
- ✓Entrance fees listed in the itinerary
- ✓All local transportation, parking, highway, and bridge fees
- ✕Personal expenses
- ✕Drinks at lunches
- ✕Dinners and unmentioned meals
- ✕Optional swimming in Cleopatra Antique Pool in Pamukkale
- ✕Optional activities
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11-day Turkey tour from Istanbul with Gallipoli, Ephesus and Cappadocia: the key facts
This 11-day, 10-night group tour begins with an airport pick-up in Istanbul and two easy days before the guided programme: a free day, then a full day at the Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and on the Bosphorus. On Day 4 you drive to the Gallipoli battlefields and sleep in Canakkale, see Troy the next morning and take a bus to Kusadasi/Selcuk for three nights with Ephesus and Pamukkale. A flight from Izmir takes you to Cappadocia for two touring days, and an evening flight brings you back to Istanbul for a last night.
It suits travellers who want Gallipoli and Troy together with Istanbul and Cappadocia, without the Mediterranean coast and without a night bus. The price is from $1,616 per person.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Length | 11 days / 10 nights, all in hotels |
| Route | Istanbul - Gallipoli - Troy - Kusadasi/Selcuk (Ephesus, Pamukkale) - Cappadocia - Istanbul |
| Style | Group tour, guided in English |
| Start / end | Airport pick-up at Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gokcen on Day 1 / airport transfer on Day 11 |
| Included | 4 nights Istanbul, 1 Canakkale, 3 Kusadasi/Selcuk, 2 Cappadocia; breakfasts and lunches as listed; intercity bus and 2 domestic flights (15 kg + 8 kg); transfers; guided touring; listed entrance fees; parking, highway and bridge fees |
| Extra | Dinners and unlisted meals, drinks at lunch, Cleopatra Pool swim, optional activities, personal expenses |
How many meals are included?
The inclusions say "10 breakfasts and 6 lunches". The breakfasts match the day plan (Days 2 to 11). The lunches do not: the day-by-day text lists lunch on Days 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10 only, which is five, and Day 3, the Istanbul and Bosphorus day, shows breakfast only. Ask us to confirm in writing which days include lunch. Dinners are never included, and drinks at lunch are extra.
How do we get from one region to the next?
By road, one bus and two flights. Day 4 is a 06:30 pick-up and a drive of about 4.5 to 5 hours to Gallipoli. On Day 5, after Troy, the intercity bus leaves at 13:00 and our team meets you around 18:30 to drive you to Kusadasi/Selcuk. On Day 8 you fly from Izmir to Kayseri or Nevsehir; if there is no direct flight, the page says we book a connection via Istanbul. On Day 10 you fly from Cappadocia at about 20:45 and land around 21:55. Flight times and airports can change with the airline.
What do we see at Gallipoli and Troy?
The Gallipoli tour on Day 4 covers ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, The Nek, Chunuk Bair and the Turkish memorial areas, with the 1915 campaign explained from both sides; it ends at 16:00 and lunch is included. On Day 5 you are collected at 08:30 for Troy: the city walls, settlement layers and gates, finishing at 12:00. Read more about Gallipoli, the Gallipoli peninsula historical site and Troy.
What should we wear in the mosques and at Pamukkale?
Day 3 includes Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Cover shoulders and knees, women cover their hair, and shoes come off at the door. Mosques close to visitors during prayer times, longest at Friday midday, so the guide may change the order. At Pamukkale on Day 7, shoes are not allowed on the travertine terraces; carry them in a bag. Viewing the Cleopatra Pool is part of the visit and only a swim is paid on site. See what to wear in Istanbul.
How hard are the days?
Days 4 to 7 are four guided days in a row with early starts. Ephesus (08:30-16:00) is on uneven marble with little shade, and the Pamukkale day is a return trip from Kusadasi/Selcuk, so expect several hours in the vehicle. Day 8 is a lighter travel day with a free afternoon in Cappadocia. Day 9 (Red Tour) and Day 10 (Yellow Tour with Red Valley, Rose Valley, Cavusin, Pigeon Valley and an underground city) both run 09:30-17:00, and Day 10 ends with the evening flight, so it is a long day.
Is the hot air balloon included?
No. A balloon flight or a balloon watching tour can be added for the morning of Day 9 or Day 10, before the 09:30 pick-up. Balloon flights depend on wind and weather and are decided on the morning, so booking for Day 9 leaves Day 10 as a possible backup; ask us whether that can be arranged. See Cappadocia balloon flights and the balloon watching tour.
Which hotels are used, and when should we go?
The page gives the nights per town but does not name the hotels or their category, although the FAQ refers to a Hotels section. Ask us to list them for your dates. For timing, April-May and September-October are usually the most comfortable months for Ephesus and Pamukkale; in July and August these sites often pass 32°C, so carry water and a hat on the Aegean days. The tour departs daily with no minimum group size. More in best time to visit Turkey.
How do we book this package?
Use the booking form on this page to choose your start date and number of guests, and send your arrival and departure flight details. You can also message us on WhatsApp at +90 545 307 67 88. We check the bus, the two flights and the hotels for your dates and send the full plan in writing, including the lunch days, before you make any payment. If you want Antalya as well, compare the 10-day package tour starting in Istanbul or other multi-city packages. Get Turkey Tours is operated by Viracocha Travel Turizm, TÜRSAB licence A-15751.
Frequently Asked Questions
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