Cappadocia, Ephesus & Pamukkale Tour by Plane: 4 Days from Istanbul

Early morning: A driver collects you from your Istanbul hotel at 04:00 AM and takes you to the airport for the 06:55 AM flight to Cappadocia.

Prefer not to fly so early? We chose this flight so that you can see Cappadocia properly. If you are happy to miss some of the stops, we can book a later flight, for example at 10:00 AM, at 11:30 AM or in the afternoon. Just tell us in the booking form and we will arrange it.

In Cappadocia, your guide meets you and drives you to Goreme, where the tour begins. The tour usually begins around 09:00 and finishes by 16:00 at the latest. The highlights:

• Goreme Esentepe – Panoramic View: The day opens at the Esentepe lookout between Uçhisar and Göreme, with wide views over the fairy chimneys, the wider Cappadocian landscape and the small town of Esentepe.
• Zelve Open-Air Museum: Zelve was once home to monks and a centre of Christian learning. Its old monasteries, churches and chapels still hold well-kept frescoes that show how people here lived and worshipped.
• Pasabag (Monks Valley): Paşabağ, also known as ‘Pasha’s Vineyard’, is famous for its three-headed fairy chimneys and has some of the most striking rock shapes in the region.
• Devrent Valley: A short drive brings you to a valley that looks like the surface of the moon. Its small, pointed chimneys invite you to spot animals and mythical creatures in the stone.
• Avanos Pottery Workshop: Potters in Avanos have shaped clay from the Red River since 3000 BC. In a traditional workshop you watch local craftsmen at work.
• Love Valley: The last stop. Millions of years of erosion have carved cones, pinnacles and fairy chimneys here, some as tall as 40 meters, making this one of the strangest and most photogenic corners of Cappadocia.

The night is spent at your cave hotel, with breakfast included.

Today you check out of the hotel, see more of Cappadocia and then fly to Izmir.

Please note: on some days there is no direct flight between Cappadocia and Izmir, so the flight may have one stop on the way. When a direct flight runs, we can book it.

If you are interested, you can start the day with an optional hot air balloon flight over Cappadocia in the early morning.

The tour usually begins around 09:00 and finishes by 16:00 at the latest. The highlights:

• Rose Valley: Tucked away behind Ürgüp, this quiet valley is known for its rock formations and churches cut into the stone out of sight. Paths run through vineyards and gardens between small villages and towns, and locals sometimes offer walkers fresh grapes, apples or apricots.
• Red Valley: Much like its neighbour, Red Valley has striking rocks and old cave churches. Its trails cross each other like a spider’s web, joining remote villages and farmland, and they show both the nature and the history of the region.
• Cavusin Valley: Çavuşin is one of the oldest settlements in Cappadocia, a maze of homes cut into the rock. It also has the Church of John the Baptist, the largest cave church in the region, which dates from the 5th century.
• Underground City: Early Christians dug 36 underground cities in Cappadocia to escape persecution. You visit the largest and best known of them, spread over eight levels, and walk through parts of it, including old wineries, kitchens and living rooms.
• Pigeon Valley: On the edge of Göreme, this valley takes its name from the dovecotes carved into its cliffs over the centuries. Farmers once used the droppings to fertilise their fields. Today it is a fine spot for wide views and photos.
• Uchisar Castle Panorama: The final stop is Uçhisar, the highest point in Cappadocia. Its rock castle once served as a fortress, and from the top you look out over the whole region, with Mount Erciyes on the horizon.

After the tour, a transfer takes you to the airport for the flight to Izmir. On arrival you are driven to Kusadasi for the night, with breakfast included.

After breakfast, you are picked up from your hotel at 10:00 AM. A drive of about 20 minutes brings you to the Magnesia Gate of Ephesus Ancient City.

From there a full guided walk takes you past the main sites, including:

• Library of Celsus: Its grand facade is one of the best-known sights of Ephesus.
• Temple of Hadrian: Built for the Roman emperor Hadrian, the temple still has fine columns and detailed reliefs.
• Terrace Houses (optional): Step inside the luxurious homes where the wealthy families of Ephesus once lived.
• Hercules Gate: A monumental gateway decorated with carvings of the legendary hero.
• Grand Theatre: It once seated up to 25,000 people, and performances are still staged here today.
• The Snake Cult of Asklepios: Hear about the ancient cult of Asklepios, god of healing, and see what is left of his temple.
• Herm (Marker) of Hermes: Old stone markers that guided travellers and marked boundaries in the city.
• Artemission: The place where the Temple of Artemis, one of the ancient world’s Seven Wonders, used to stand.
• Stone-carving of the goddess Nike: A finely worked relief of Nike, the winged goddess of victory.
• Fountain of Trajan: The well-kept remains of a monumental fountain raised in honour of Emperor Trajan.
• House of Virgin Mary (optional): The tour can end at the house where, it is believed, the Virgin Mary spent her final days and was laid to rest.

At the end of the tour you are driven back to your hotel in Kusadasi for the night, with breakfast included.

Check out of the hotel today for a visit to Pamukkale, followed by your flight back to Istanbul. On this last day the tour usually starts around 07:30.

The highlights:

• Hierapolis: See the Necropolis, the Theatre and the Cleopatra Pool (there is an admission charge to swim in the pool).
• Pamukkale: The main event is the famous travertines, white terraces of mineral-rich pools that look like cotton. Walk across them and take in the views.
• Pamukkale Naturel Lake: There is also a chance to visit Pamukkale Naturel Lake and its park, which round off the scenery.

After the tour, you transfer to Denizli Airport for the flight back to Istanbul.

Optional extras

• Cappadocia hot air balloon flight (GOREME): $310
• Turkish Night show in Cappadocia: $85
• Cappadocia hot air balloon flight (Soganli Valley): $170