Best of Turkey Tour Package: Istanbul, Cappadocia & Ephesus, 10 Days
Overview
Best of Turkey Tour Package: Istanbul, Cappadocia & Ephesus, 10 Days
A Timeless Journey covers four of Turkey's best-known regions in ten days. The first stop is Istanbul, where you see Byzantine and Ottoman monuments and cruise the Bosphorus.
A flight then takes you to Cappadocia, a land of fairy chimneys, churches carved into caves and underground cities. If you like, you can watch the valleys at sunrise from a hot air balloon.
Ephesus and Pamukkale
Down on the Aegean coast you follow the marble-paved streets of Ephesus and see the House of the Virgin Mary. Pamukkale's white travertine terraces bring the trip to a close.
Tour Info
Choose your hotels
This package comes with a mid-range hotel. To stay somewhere else, pick another hotel below and we add only the difference in price. We confirm availability with you.
Select a check-in date and the exact prices for those dates will appear.
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Middle ClassThe hotel prices here are estimates. Before your booking is final, our team will get in touch to confirm the price and availability.
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Istanbul
On arrival at Istanbul Airport our team greets you and drives you privately to your hotel. You have the rest of the day free. Night in Istanbul.
Day 2 – Istanbul Old City Tour with Private Guide
Following breakfast, your private guide leads you around the Old City. On the list today:
- Hagia Sophia
- The Blue Mosque
- The Hippodrome (Sultanahmet Square)
- Topkapi Palace
- The Basilica Cistern
- The Grand Bazaar
Overnight stay in Istanbul.
Day 3 – Spice Market, Bosphorus Cruise and Dolmabahce Palace
After breakfast you explore the Bosphorus area of Istanbul:
- the Spice Market, also called the Egyptian Bazaar
- a boat trip along the Bosphorus, with Europe on one side and Asia on the other
- Dolmabahce Palace
- the Ortakoy district
- Taksim Square plus Istiklal Street
You stay the night in Istanbul.
Day 4 – Flight to Cappadocia and North Cappadocia Tour
You fly to Cappadocia in the morning. Your guide meets you there and the North Cappadocia tour begins:
- Uchisar Castle
- Goreme Open Air Museum
- Monks Valley (Pasabag)
- Devrent Valley
- Avanos, known for its pottery
You stay overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 5 – Optional Balloon Flight and South Cappadocia Tour
(Optional) Early in the morning there is the option of a hot air balloon flight over the valleys of Cappadocia. A short celebration follows the landing, and each guest is given a flight certificate.
Once breakfast is over, you set off on the South Cappadocia tour:
- The underground city at Kaymakli or Derinkuyu
- The Pigeon Valley
- Ortahisar
- Mustafapasa, once called Sinasos
Overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 6 – Green Tour: Ihlara Valley, Belisirma and Selime Monastery
Following breakfast you head to the Ihlara Valley for a riverside walk, then visit the village of Belisirma and Selime Monastery. Night in Cappadocia.
Day 7 – Flight to Izmir, Ephesus and House of the Virgin Mary
Once you have had breakfast, you fly from Cappadocia west to Izmir and meet your guide there. The day covers:
- Ephesus Ancient City: Curetes Street, the Temple of Hadrian, the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre
- The Terrace Houses
- The House of the Virgin Mary
- The Temple of Artemis
You stay overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 8 – Sirince Village and Free Time in Kusadasi
After breakfast you go up to Sirince, a village on a hillside known for its old houses, where you join a wine tasting. You spend the afternoon at leisure on the Kusadasi coast. Night in Kusadasi.
Day 9 – Pamukkale and Hierapolis Day Trip
Following breakfast the road takes you from Kusadasi to Pamukkale, where you see:
- The travertine terraces of Pamukkale
- Hierapolis Ancient City and its theatre
- Necropolis
- Cleopatra Pool (swimming optional, extra fee)
In the evening you drive back to Kusadasi. Night in Kusadasi.
Day 10 – Flight to Istanbul and Departure
After breakfast a transfer takes you to Izmir Airport, where you fly to Istanbul and connect to your international flight home.
Our service ends here. Thank you for choosing us for your trip.
Inclusions & Exclusions
- ✓9 hotel nights with breakfast at a middle-class hotel we pick, booked subject to availability and once you approve it
- ✓Lunch on every tour day
- ✓Flights within Turkey
- ✓Every airport and hotel transfer
- ✓Tours with a private guide
- ✓A professional, licensed guide
- ✓Entry fees for the sites listed
- ✕International Flights
- ✕Dinners
- ✕Hot Air Balloon Flight (Optional)
- ✕Personal Expenses
- ✕Tips for Guides and Drivers
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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Best of Turkey, a timeless journey over 10 days: the key facts
Over ten days, A Timeless Journey links Turkey's four best-known areas, Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale, with private guided tours. Prices start at $3,299 per person. You get nine nights in hotels with breakfast, flights within Turkey, every transfer between airports and hotels, a professional licensed guide, lunches on touring days and entry to the sites listed. The route allows three full days in Cappadocia and also takes in Sirince, a village on a hillside near the Aegean.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| How long | 10 days, 9 nights |
| Cost | from $3,299 per person |
| Itinerary | Istanbul, Cappadocia, Kusadasi, Pamukkale, then back to Istanbul |
| Accommodation | 9 nights with breakfast in middle-class hotels we select, confirmed once you approve them |
| What is covered | Flights inside Turkey, all transfers, private guided touring, a licensed guide, lunches on touring days, site entry fees |
| What is extra | Flights to and from Turkey, evening meals, the optional hot air balloon, tips, personal spending |
What happens on each of the 10 days?
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | You land in Istanbul; private transfer |
| Day 2 | Old City: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, Grand Bazaar |
| Day 3 | Spice Market, Bosphorus cruise, Dolmabahce Palace, Ortakoy |
| Day 4 | Fly to Cappadocia; North Cappadocia with Uchisar Castle, Goreme Open Air Museum, Pasabag |
| Day 5 | Sunrise balloon (optional); South Cappadocia tour |
| Day 6 | Walk in the Ihlara Valley, Belisirma village, Selime Monastery |
| Day 7 | Fly to Izmir; Ephesus with the Great Theatre, Library of Celsus, Temple of Hadrian, House of the Virgin Mary |
| Day 8 | Sirince village and a wine tasting; afternoon free on the Kusadasi coast |
| Day 9 | Pamukkale travertines, Hierapolis, its theatre and necropolis; Cleopatra Pool if you wish |
| Day 10 | Fly to Istanbul to catch your international flight home |
How is this route different?
All tours are private and led by your own licensed guide, so you set the speed. Cappadocia has three days rather than two, with the North, South and Ihlara tours spaced out, which gives you more mornings to try a balloon flight. On the Aegean, Sirince offers an easy half-day in an old village with a wine tasting, and then you have the afternoon free by the sea.
How does it compare with our other Turkey tours of around 10 days?
| Turkey package | Days | How it differs | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Turkey tour | 10 days | A hammam, a private car day and a Turkish night show | $2,800 per person |
| This package | 10 days | Private tours all the way, three days in Cappadocia, Sirince | $3,299 per person |
| Private Turkey tour | 8 days | The same regions at a quicker pace | $2,250 per person |
| Best of Turkey tour package | 15 days | Also the Antalya coast | $3,980 per person |
What does the hot air balloon cost?
The balloon is optional, and you can book it for the morning of day five: the standard flight starts at $199, the comfort flight at $275 and the premium luxury flight at $399. Three nights in Cappadocia mean you get further tries if the wind grounds the balloons.
What is the best season to travel?
All four areas are at their best from April to June and from September to November. In summer, Ephesus and Pamukkale are hot. In winter the coast stays mild, while Cappadocia is cold and often under snow.
What should you pack?
Take comfortable shoes, layers for Cappadocia, sunscreen and a hat for the Aegean, a bag to carry your shoes in at Pamukkale, modest clothes for the mosques and the House of the Virgin Mary, and your passport for the domestic flights.
How do I make a booking?
Pick your dates on this page and submit the form, or send us a WhatsApp message with your international flight details. Once you approve the hotels we confirm them and send you the plan in writing; payment is due only once that confirmation arrives. For other ideas, browse our Turkey tour packages.
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