Istanbul & Cappadocia Tour Package: 5 Days with Flights and Bosphorus
Overview
Istanbul & Cappadocia Tour Package: 5 Days with Flights and Bosphorus
If this is your first trip to Turkey, this 5-day package covers Istanbul and Cappadocia in a short but complete way. You start in Istanbul's Old City, spend a full day on the Bosphorus and the Asian side, and then fly to the valleys and rock-cut scenery of Cappadocia.
The Old City day includes Topkapi Palace with its Harem as well as the Grand Bazaar. On the next day you begin at the Spice Bazaar, then cross the Bosphorus Bridge to Camlica Hill and Beylerbeyi Palace. In Cappadocia the Red route leads from Devrent Valley to the Uchisar viewpoint, and the Yellow route adds Pigeon Valley and an underground city before your flight back.
Transfers, flights, guides and hotels are all taken care of, so you can relax and enjoy each day.
Tour Info
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Istanbul
We meet you at Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) or Istanbul Airport (IST), whichever your flight uses, and bring you to your hotel in the centre of Istanbul for check-in. The transfers are part of the package.
You spend the night in Istanbul.
Day 2 – Istanbul Old City, Topkapi Palace and Grand Bazaar
Meals: breakfast and lunch. Transfers included.
08:30 – Pick-up at your hotel for the historic peninsula.
Hagia Sophia: completed in 537 AD, it tells the story of Byzantine Constantinople and Ottoman Istanbul under one huge roof. The dome, mosaics and marble panels, and the way its religious role has changed over time, make it the natural first stop in the Old City.
Hippodrome: the center of ceremonies and sport in Byzantine Constantinople. The Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpent Column and other monuments still line the middle of the old chariot track.
Blue Mosque: the Sultan Ahmed Mosque is known for its six minarets and its blue Iznik tiles. People still pray here every day, so your visit brings together architecture, living faith and the grand scale of the Ottoman empire.
Grand Bazaar: trading since the 15th century, the bazaar is a covered maze of shops, courtyards and market lanes. After the big monuments, it adds a lively, commercial side to the day.
Topkapi Palace and Harem: for centuries the Ottoman court was run and lived here. The Harem shows the private family world hidden behind the official courtyards.
17:00 – Transfer back to your hotel.
Night in Istanbul.
Day 3 – Bosphorus Cruise and Two Continents Tour
Meals: breakfast and lunch.
08:30 – The day starts at the Spice Bazaar, followed by a cruise on the Bosphorus between Europe and Asia.
Spice Bazaar: one of Istanbul's most colourful covered markets, full of spices, Turkish delight, dried fruit, teas and food stalls. It is a lively start before you head to the water.
Bosphorus Cruise: the boat follows the strait that divides Europe and Asia, past Ottoman mansions, palaces, fortresses and suspension bridges. Seen from the water, the city looks bigger and richer than from its streets.
Bosphorus Bridge Crossing: driving over the bridge makes it clear that Istanbul lies on two continents. The short ride takes you from the European shore to the Asian part of the route.
Camlica Hill: among the highest viewpoints on the Asian side, looking out over the Bosphorus, the old city and the modern skyline.
Beylerbeyi Palace: an Ottoman summer palace that also hosted visiting foreign rulers. Set right on the water, it shows the elegant palace style of the 19th-century Bosphorus.
17:00 to 17:30 – Return to your hotel.
Night in Istanbul.
Day 4 – Flight to Cappadocia and Red Route
Meals: breakfast and lunch. Transfers included.
04:00 – Early pick-up at your Istanbul hotel and transfer to the airport.
06:55 – Flight to Cappadocia. The flight time and airport can change with the season, the airline schedule and operational availability.
08:20 – Our team meets you at Kayseri or Nevsehir Airport and you go straight on to the Red Route.
Devrent Valley: famous for strange volcanic rocks that look like animals and figures. It is an easy, visual first look at a landscape carved by erosion.
Pasabag Open Air Museum: some of the most striking fairy chimneys in Cappadocia, including pillars with several caps, linked to the early hermits who lived in the area.
Avanos Pottery Workshop: Avanos lies on the Red River, and its clay has supplied local potters for thousands of years. Visiting a workshop links the scenery with a craft that is still practised today.
Zelve Open Air Museum: a former cave village and monastery spread over several valleys. Its empty houses, churches and tunnels show how people shaped the soft volcanic stone.
Uchisar Panoramic View: one of the widest views in Cappadocia, with the castle rock towering over valleys, cave houses and volcanic shapes in the distance.
17:00 – End of the tour and transfer to your hotel.
Night in Cappadocia.
Day 5 – Cappadocia Yellow Route and Flight to Istanbul
Meals: breakfast and lunch. Transfers included.
Optional early-morning add-ons (can be added during booking at the best available price):
- Hot air balloon flight at sunrise, our most booked activity
- Balloon watching tour to the best viewpoints for sunrise photos
09:30 – After breakfast and check-out, the Yellow Route begins.
Red Valley: warm-coloured rock walls, cave rooms tucked out of sight and sunset shades that come from volcanic layers rich in iron.
Gulludere Valley: also called Rose Valley, it mixes soft pink rocks with cave churches and paths that wind between vineyards and old homes.
Cavusin Village: a former village carved into the rock, where houses and churches rise up the cliff. You see how daily life here was once part of the stone itself.
Pigeon Valley: its rocks are full of carved dovecotes, once used to gather fertilizer for the vineyards. The viewpoint also looks out toward Uchisar.
Underground City: a refuge on several levels, with tunnels, storerooms, air shafts and stone doors built to protect people in uncertain times.
17:00 – Transfer to Kayseri or Nevsehir Airport.
20:30 – Flight to Istanbul. The flight time and airport can change with the season, the airline schedule and operational availability.
22:00 – Landing in Istanbul. Our services end at the airport, unless you have booked extra nights in Istanbul.
Inclusions & Exclusions
- ✓Domestic flights Istanbul to Cappadocia and Cappadocia to Istanbul with 15 kg checked baggage and 8 kg cabin baggage per person
- ✓4 nights hotel accommodation with breakfast
- ✓4 lunches during guided tours
- ✓Airport and hotel transfers mentioned in the itinerary
- ✓Guided Istanbul Old City, Bosphorus and Two Continents, Cappadocia Red, and Cappadocia Yellow tours
- ✓Entrance fees mentioned in the itinerary
- ✓Land transportation on the tours
- ✓Local taxes and service charges
- ✕Dinners and unmentioned meals
- ✕Drinks at lunch
- ✕Personal expenses
- ✕Extra Istanbul hotel accommodation after the tour
- ✕Cappadocia hot air balloon flight or balloon watching tour
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Istanbul and Cappadocia in 5 days with flights and a Bosphorus day: the key facts
This group package gives you three nights in Istanbul and one in Cappadocia. You arrive on Day 1 and are met at the airport, spend Day 2 in the Old City with Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar and Topkapi Palace with its Harem, and Day 3 on the Bosphorus and the Asian side. On Day 4 you fly to Cappadocia for the northern valleys, and on Day 5 you see the southern valleys before flying back to Istanbul.
It suits first-time visitors who want a short, guided introduction to both places without planning the city days themselves. The price is from $872 per person. Departures run daily and the page says there is no minimum group size.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Length | 5 days / 4 nights |
| Route | Istanbul – Cappadocia – Istanbul |
| Style | Group tour, 4 guided days, 2 domestic flights |
| Start / end | Pick-up at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) / services end at the Istanbul arrival airport on Day 5 |
| Included | 2 domestic flights (15 kg checked + 8 kg cabin), 4 hotel nights with breakfast (3 Istanbul, 1 Cappadocia), 4 lunches, guided tours, entrance fees in the itinerary, transfers listed |
| Extra | Dinners, drinks at lunch, balloon flight or balloon watching, extra Istanbul nights after the tour |
Where does the tour end, and do we need another hotel?
Plan for this early. On Day 5 you fly back to Istanbul after the southern valley tour, and the page says our services end at the airport, unless you have booked extra nights with us. There is no hotel transfer and no hotel night included after that flight. If you fly home the next day, book an extra Istanbul night and a transfer, either with us or yourself. Our guide on where to stay in Istanbul can help you choose an area.
What does the Old City day include?
Day 2 starts with a hotel pick-up and covers Hagia Sophia, the Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar and Topkapi Palace with the Harem, with lunch included. Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays. If your Day 2 falls on a Tuesday, ask us in writing whether the Old City and Bosphorus days will be swapped so you do not miss the palace.
What should we wear in the mosques?
Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque are both working mosques. Men and women need to cover shoulders and knees, women need to cover their hair, and everyone takes off their shoes at the entrance. Scarves and wraps are usually handed out at the door, but bringing your own scarf saves time in the queue. Mosques close to visitors during prayer times, so the guide may change the order of stops on the day. Our page on what to wear in Istanbul has more detail.
What happens on the Bosphorus day?
Day 3 starts at the Spice Bazaar, then a cruise on the Bosphorus past palaces, fortresses and the bridges. You cross the Bosphorus Bridge by road to Camlica Hill for the view, then visit Beylerbeyi Palace on the Asian shore. Lunch is included and you are back at your hotel between 17:00 and 17:30. Compared with the Old City day this one involves less walking and more time seated on the boat and in the vehicle.
How do the Cappadocia days work?
Day 4 starts with an early hotel pick-up and a flight to Kayseri or Nevsehir. You go straight to the northern route: Devrent Valley, Pasabag, an Avanos pottery workshop, Zelve Open Air Museum and the Uchisar viewpoint. On Day 5 you check out after breakfast and do the southern route: Red Valley, Rose Valley, Cavusin, Pigeon Valley and an underground city, then fly back. The page does not give flight times for either leg, so ask for them in your written plan.
Is the balloon flight included?
No. Both the balloon flight and the balloon watching tour are excluded but can be added when you book. With only one night in Cappadocia, your only chance is the morning of Day 5, before the southern tour. Balloon flights need civil aviation permission each morning and are cancelled for every company in wind, rain or fog, so there is no second try on this route. See our standard sunrise balloon flight for timings.
Which hotels do we stay in?
Three nights in a central Istanbul hotel and one night in Cappadocia, all with breakfast. The page FAQ says the Hotels section lists the hotels for each class, but no hotel names appear on the page. Ask us to confirm the hotel names and class in writing before you pay. If you want a cave room for your Cappadocia night, mention it when you book.
Can we add nights or choose a longer version?
Yes. The page says you can add days, change cities or swap hotels and see a new price. If one Cappadocia night feels too short, our 6-day Cappadocia and Istanbul package starts from $840 per person and the 8-day Istanbul and Cappadocia package from $1,048. Guides are offered in English, Spanish or Italian, and the price can differ by language. More options are under Istanbul packages.
How do we book this tour?
Use the booking form on this page to pick your arrival date and number of guests, or message us on WhatsApp with your flight details. We send a written plan with the order of the Istanbul days, flight times, hotel names and the final price before you pay. The page shows a general "Free Cancellation" banner and also "7 Days Before Tour - Free Cancellation" beside the price, so ask for the cancellation terms in writing too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the tour begin and finish?
How do we get from one city to the next?
Which hotels do we stay in?
Is a hot air balloon ride part of the price?
What language do the guides speak?
Can I start the tour on any day?
Is it possible to adjust the route or add extra days?
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