Turkey Private Tour 12 Days: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus & Pamukkale
Overview
Turkey Private Tour 12 Days: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus & Pamukkale
This private tour spends 12 guided days crossing Turkey, from the great monuments of Istanbul to the valleys of Cappadocia, the Hittite heartland and the classical cities of the Aegean. The trip opens in Istanbul, where Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar are only the start of the list.
Istanbul Neighbourhoods and the Cappadocia Valleys
You walk the colourful streets of Balat and Kuzguncuk and take a boat along the Bosphorus. Then a flight takes you to Cappadocia, whose valleys you can also watch from above on an optional sunrise hot air balloon ride.
Hattusa, Ankara, Ephesus and Pamukkale
At Hattusa you stand in the ruined capital of an empire that disappeared long ago, and in Ankara you see the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. On the Aegean side you explore ancient Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary, then unwind on Pamukkale's thermal terraces and walk through the ruins of Hierapolis.
The pace is relaxed and comfortable, with expert guides at every stop, so the trip suits travellers who want real, first-hand experiences rather than a rushed checklist.
Tour Info
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Istanbul
When you land at Istanbul Airport, our representative is waiting with a sign showing your name. A private van then drives you to your hotel.
Once you have checked in, you have the remainder of the day to explore the city independently. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 2 – Istanbul Old City: Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia and Grand Bazaar
The Old City tour starts when your guide collects you from your hotel lobby or the cruise port. The day covers:
- Highlights of Topkapi Palace Museum: the sultans lived here, but for close to 400 years it was also where the Ottoman state was governed, and it is still one of the finest examples of Oriental architecture.
- Hippodrome / Sultanahmet Square: Roman chariot races once took place on this square. It holds the Byzantine-era Egyptian Obelisk and, today, the German Fountain as well.
- Hagia Sophia: Emperor Justinian had it built in the 6th century, and it matters deeply to Christians and Muslims alike. When the Ottomans took the city and turned the church into a mosque, they took out the bells, the altar and the sacred vessels and covered many of the mosaics.
- Blue Mosque: completed for Sultan Ahmed I in the early 1600s, this masterpiece has proportions that look surprisingly light given how large it is.
- Grand Bazaar: among the oldest and largest covered markets anywhere, with over 4,000 shops selling gold and silver, ceramics, leather goods, rugs and carpets, clothing and handicrafts.
When the tour finishes, your guide goes back with you to your hotel.
*Should one of the mosques be closed to visitors, you see the Basilica Cistern in its place.
Day 3 – Istanbul Bosphorus: Spice Market, Ferry Cruise and Dolmabahce Palace
The Bosphorus day begins with a pick-up by your guide at your hotel lobby or the cruise port. Stops include:
- Spice Market
- Bosphorus Cruise: a public ferry zigzags along the strait between the European side and the Asian side. On the way you pass Galata Tower, Dolmabahce Palace, the Bosphorus Bridge, Beylerbeyi Palace, Rumeli Fortress, historic Ottoman mansions and the mosques along the water.
- Dolmabahce Palace
- Taksim Square
- Cicek Passage
- Istiklal Street
*If you would rather do the Bosphorus cruise on a private yacht, just tell us.
After the last stop your guide goes back with you to your hotel.
Day 4 – Istanbul Golden Horn: Suleymaniye, Fener, Balat and Chora
The Golden Horn tour starts when your guide picks you up in the lobby of your hotel or at the cruise port. On the route:
- The Suleymaniye Mosque
- The Fener quarter
- The Balat district
- The Church of St. Stephen
- Pierre Loti Hill, reached by cable car
- The Chora Church, now the Kariye Mosque
At the end of the day the guide takes you back to the hotel.
Day 5 – Istanbul Asian Side and Flight to Cappadocia
At 9:00 am you set off from your hotel with your guide to explore the Asian side of Istanbul. Along with the guide's commentary, the tour takes in:
- Beylerbeyi Palace
- Cengelkoy and Cinaralti
- The old traditional houses of Kuzguncuk
- Camlica Hill
- A viewpoint with a wide panorama over the Bosphorus
When the tour ends, a transfer takes you to Istanbul Airport for the flight to Nevsehir, the airport for Cappadocia. On arrival our representative waits with your name on a sign and drives you to your hotel in Cappadocia in a private van. Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 6 – North Cappadocia: Optional Balloon Flight, Goreme and Pasabag
(Optional) You can start the day with an early pick-up for an hour-long hot air balloon flight above the Cappadocia valleys. Once the balloon lands, there is a short celebration in the valley with a flight certificate ceremony, and you are driven back to the hotel for breakfast.
The North Cappadocia tour starts at 10:00 am, when your driver and private guide come to collect you. The stops are:
- Uchisar Castle
- Goreme Open Air Museum
- Avanos
- Valley of Monks (Pasabag)
- Devrent Valley
When the tour is done, your guide and driver bring you back to the hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 7 – South Cappadocia: Kaymakli Underground City and the Valleys
The South Cappadocia tour begins at 10:00 am with a hotel pick-up by your driver and private guide. With commentary from your guide, you see:
- Kaymakli Underground City
- Rose Valley
- Love Valley
- Pigeon Valley
- Ortahisar Castle
- Mustafapasa (Sinasos)
Your guide and driver return you to the hotel after the tour. Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 8 – Hattusa, Yazilikaya and Drive to Ankara
You leave the hotel with your guide at 9:00 am and drive out to Hattusa and Yazilikaya.
These are ancient Hittite sites in Central Anatolia, and both are on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Once the visit is over, a transfer brings you to Ankara, Turkey's capital, and your hotel there. Overnight in Ankara.
Day 9 – Ankara: Anitkabir, Anatolian Civilizations Museum and Flight to Izmir
At 9:00 am your guide meets you at the hotel to begin the day in Ankara. The sights are:
- Anitkabir, Ataturk's Mausoleum
- The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
- The castle of Ankara
- The Vakif Eserleri Museum in Ankara
When the touring is done, a transfer brings you to the airport for your flight to Izmir. Our representative waits at Izmir Airport holding a sign with your name, then takes you in a private van to your Kusadasi hotel. You spend the night in Kusadasi.
Day 10 – Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary and Isa Bey Mosque
Your guide meets you at your hotel in Kusadasi and sets the scene for Ephesus before the walk through the ruins begins. Stop by stop, the guide covers:
- The Great Theatre
- The Library of Celsus
- Hadrian's Temple
- Harbour Street
- The Terrace Houses
- The House of the Virgin Mary
- The Isa Bey Mosque
Afterwards the driver and guide return you to the hotel. You spend the night in Kusadasi.
Day 11 – Pamukkale and Hierapolis, Flight to Istanbul
At 9:00 am your driver and private guide collect you for Pamukkale, where thermal water has formed natural calcium pools. The drive is about 3 hours, and on the way your local guide talks you through the sites.
The visit covers:
- The calcium pools
- Necropolis
- Roman Baths
- Domitian Gate
- Latrina
- Frontinus Street
- Agora
- Byzantium Gate
- Triton Fountain
- Cathedral
- Temple of Apollo
- Plutonium (described from outside, as excavations are still going on)
- Theater
- Hierapolis
(Optional, extra cost) Time permitting, you can take a swim in the Cleopatra Pool.
Once the tour ends, a transfer takes you to Denizli Airport, where you catch the flight to Istanbul. At Istanbul Airport our representative greets you holding a name sign and drives you to your hotel in a private van. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 12 – Free Day and Departure from Istanbul
Spend a free day in Istanbul, seeing the city at whatever pace suits you.
A transfer gets you to Istanbul Airport in good time for your international flight.
Our service ends here. Thank you for choosing to travel with us, and we hope to see you again.
Inclusions & Exclusions
- ✓Tours run privately
- ✓Guides from the local area
- ✓Flights within Turkey (economy)
- ✓Private van for all transport
- ✓Transfers to and from the airport (as listed)
- ✓Hot air balloon flight of 1 hour (optional)
- ✓Entry fees for museums and attractions
- ✕Optional Activities & Tours
- ✕International Flights
- ✕Hotel Bookings (Available Upon Request)
- ✕Meals & Drinks
- ✕Gratuity (Suggested)
- ✕Personal Expenses
Cancellation Policy
Cancel at no charge until 7 days before your tour and you receive a full refund. If you cancel within the final 7 days before the tour, no refund is given. All times shown are local.
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12-day private Best of Turkey tour: the key facts
This fully private twelve-day trip covers Istanbul, Cappadocia, Hattusa (the Hittite capital), Ankara, Ephesus and Pamukkale, with skilled local guides and all transfers taken care of. In Istanbul you visit Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar, stroll through colourful districts like Kuzguncuk and Balat, and cruise the Bosphorus. The price covers economy-class flights within Turkey, airport transfers, a private van, local guides, and museum tickets and attraction fees; a hot air balloon ride of one hour is available as an extra. Since the cost varies with your group and dates, we quote it on request.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Length | 12 days |
| Cost | Quoted on request for your group and dates |
| Format | Entirely private, with local guides |
| Itinerary | Istanbul, Cappadocia, Hattusa, Ankara, Ephesus, Pamukkale |
| What you get | Flights within Turkey, airport transfers, private van, local guides, attraction fees and museum tickets |
| Optional | A one-hour hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia |
What are the main sights over the 12 days?
| Region | Main sights |
|---|---|
| Istanbul | Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace, Kuzguncuk, Balat, Bosphorus |
| Cappadocia | Kaymakli Underground City, Goreme Open Air Museum, the valleys, balloon as an option |
| Central Anatolia | Ankara Castle, Hattusa, Anitkabir, Museum of Anatolian Civilizations |
| Aegean | Ephesus, Temple of Hadrian, Library of Celsus, House of the Virgin Mary |
| Pamukkale | Hierapolis and its theatre, the travertines, Cleopatra Pool as an option |
12 days or 14: which Best of Turkey tour?
| Tour of Turkey | Days | What changes | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| This tour | 12 days | Istanbul, Cappadocia, Hattusa, Ankara, Ephesus, Pamukkale | On request |
| 14-day Best of Turkey private tour | 14 days | Adds Miletus, Priene, Laodicea and Didyma | On request |
| Grand Turkey package, 10 days | 10 days | Package at a fixed price, without central Anatolia | $2,800 per person |
| Private Turkey package, 8 days | 8 days | The four classic regions | $2,250 per person |
Why add Hattusa and Ankara?
They fill in a chapter that most travellers skip. Hattusa served as capital of the Hittite Empire, with the Lion Gate and the rock reliefs at Yazilikaya. In Ankara, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations shows treasures from the Stone Age through the Roman era, which puts the rest of your trip in context. Anitkabir, Ataturk's mausoleum, tells the story of how modern Turkey was founded.
What is Kuzguncuk like?
Kuzguncuk is a neighbourhood with a village feel on the Bosphorus' Asian shore. It has colourful wooden houses, little cafes and a long tradition of churches, synagogues and mosques standing next to each other. It offers a quiet change from the crowded Old City.
What does the hot air balloon cost?
The Cappadocia balloon ride is an extra. As a guide, our standard balloon flight at sunrise costs from $199 per person.
Does the price include hotels?
We confirm hotel arrangements along with your quote, according to the standard you prefer. Let us know which style of hotel you like when you get in touch.
When should you go?
For every region, April to June and September to October are ideal. Summer is hot both inland and on the Aegean; winter is cold in Cappadocia and central Anatolia.
What should you pack?
Comfortable walking shoes, layers, sun protection, a bag to carry your shoes in at Pamukkale, modest clothes for churches and mosques, and your passport for the flights within Turkey.
How does booking work?
Send your preferred dates and the number of travellers through the form on this page or on WhatsApp. We confirm the price, the hotels and the full itinerary in writing, and payment is due only after confirmation. More ideas are in our Turkey tour packages.
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