Private Cappadocia, Ephesus & Pamukkale Tour with Gulet Cruise

Early morning: We collect you from your Istanbul hotel at 04:00 AM and drive you to the airport for the 06:55 AM flight to Cappadocia.

Morning: Your guide meets you on arrival and takes you to Goreme, where the sightseeing starts. The guided day usually begins at about 09:00 and ends by 16:00 at the latest.

• Goreme Esentepe viewpoint: The first stop sits between Uçhisar and Göreme and looks out over fairy chimneys, the wider Cappadocian scenery and the small town of Esentepe.
• Zelve Open-Air Museum: Once a monastic community and a centre of Christian learning, Zelve still holds old monasteries, churches and chapels whose frescoes have survived in good condition.
• Pasabag (Monks Valley): Paşabağ, sometimes called Pasha's Vineyard, is known for its fairy chimneys with three heads and some of the most dramatic rock shapes in the region.
• Devrent Valley: A short drive away, this valley looks almost 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 have worked in Avanos since 3000 BC, shaping clay taken from the Red River. In a traditional workshop you watch the craft up close.
• Love Valley: The last stop shows what millions of years of erosion can do. Cone-shaped pillars, pinnacles and fairy chimneys, some up to 40 meters tall, make it one of the best places in Cappadocia for photos.

You then return to your cave hotel for the night, with breakfast included.

After checking out of your hotel, you spend the day on more of Cappadocia's sights before flying to Izmir.

Please note: on some days there is no direct flight between Cappadocia and Izmir, so the trip may include one stopover. When a direct flight operates and has seats, we book it.

If you wish, you can start the day with an optional hot air balloon flight over the valleys at dawn.

The guided day usually begins at about 09:00 and ends by 16:00 at the latest.

• Meskendir Valley (4.4 km trek): The day opens with a 4.4 km walk through this valley near Ortahisar. On the way you can step inside Meskendir Church, decorated with bold red geometric patterns and a large cross carved into the chapel ceiling.
• Rose Valley: Behind Ürgüp, this quiet valley hides churches cut into the rock among its unusual formations. Footpaths run through vineyards and gardens between small villages and towns, and local people sometimes offer fresh grapes, apples or apricots.
• Red Valley: Much like its neighbour, Red Valley combines striking rock shapes with old cave churches. Its trails twist like a spider's web, joining remote villages and farmland.
• Cavusin Valley: Çavuşin Village is among the oldest settlements in Cappadocia, a warren of houses carved out of the rock. It is also where you find the biggest cave church in Cappadocia, the 5th-century Church of John the Baptist.
• Underground City: Early Christians dug 36 underground cities here to escape persecution. You visit the largest and best known of them, spread over eight levels, and walk through old wineries, kitchens and living areas.
• Pigeon Valley: On the edge of Göreme, the cliffs are dotted with pigeon houses carved over the centuries. Farmers once used the droppings to fertilise their fields. Today the valley is a favourite photo spot with wide views.
• Uchisar Castle panorama: The tour ends in Uçhisar, the highest point in Cappadocia. Its castle, a tall rock that once served as a fortress, looks out over the whole region as far as Erciyes Mountain.

When the tour ends, 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, the entrance to the ancient city of Ephesus.

Inside, your guide takes you through the main sites:

• Library of Celsus: The library's grand facade is the best-known image of Ephesus.
• Temple of Hadrian: Raised in honour of the Roman emperor Hadrian, it keeps fine columns and detailed relief carving.
• Terrace Houses (optional): These luxurious homes belonged to the wealthiest families of the city.
• Hercules Gate: A monumental gateway carved with figures of the legendary hero.
• Grand Theatre: Up to 25,000 people once filled its seats, and performances are still staged here.
• The Snake Cult of Asklepios: Hear about the cult of Asklepios, god of healing, and see what is left of his temple.
• Herm (Marker) of Hermes: Stone markers that once guided travellers and marked boundaries in the city.
• Artemission: The site of the Temple of Artemis, counted among the ancient world's Seven Wonders.
• 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 grand fountain raised for Emperor Trajan.
• House of Virgin Mary (optional): The tour can finish at the house traditionally held to be the Virgin Mary's final resting place.

Afterwards you return to your hotel in Kusadasi for the night, with breakfast included.

Check out of your hotel for a day at Pamukkale, after which you travel on to Fethiye. Today's tour usually starts at around 07:30.

• Hierapolis: See the Necropolis, the Theatre and the Cleopatra Pool. Swimming in the pool costs an extra admission fee.
• Pamukkale: The main event is the travertines, white terraces of mineral-rich pools. Walk barefoot on the cotton-like rock and enjoy the wide views.
• Pamukkale Naturel Lake: There is also time for Pamukkale Naturel Lake and Park, a pretty addition to the visit.

Please be at Fethiye Harbor by 10:00 AM.

Once you have checked in, you board the gulet and the crew gives a short introduction. The first stop after leaving the harbour is Butterfly Valley, with time to swim, have lunch and, if you like, hike up to the waterfall. More than 136 species of butterflies and moths live in the valley, though on hot days they can be hard to see.

Optional activity – paragliding over the Blue Lagoon: The gulet then moves on to Oludeniz (the Blue Lagoon), one of the most photographed beaches in the world. Here you can choose to paraglide, taking off from Babadag Mountain at 2000 meters and gliding down over the lagoon. Booking ahead gets you a special rate; during the cruise, simply tell the captain if you are interested.

In the evening the gulet anchors at St. Nicholas Island. Walk up through the ancient ruins and watch the sun set from the top.

Meals: lunch and dinner (L, D).

Start the morning with a swim in the clear water of Aquarium Bay near Kalkan, then have breakfast on board.

The gulet then sails to Kas, a small fishing town full of busy cafes, beer gardens and individual shops. It is a good place to look for handmade jewellery, and it also has a well-preserved ancient theatre.

Optional activity – diving: Kas ranks among the top diving spots in southern Turkey. Beginners and certified divers alike can explore caves and wrecks under the water. Booking in advance gets you a lower rate.

You spend the night anchored in a quiet bay between Kas and Kekova.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner (B, L, D).

After breakfast the gulet heads for the Sunken City, a Lycian town that slipped under the sea after an earthquake in the second century. The boat moves slowly over the ruins of this protected World Heritage site so you can look down at them. Swimming, diving and snorkelling are not allowed here.

The next anchorage is close to Kekova, from where you visit Simena Castle. Walking up to the top gives you a lovely view over the bay.

In the afternoon the gulet reaches Demre Harbor and the cruise ends. You are met and driven to the airport for your flight back to Istanbul.

Optional extras

• Hot air balloon flight in Cappadocia (Goreme): $310
• One extra hotel night in Istanbul, before or after the tour: $65
• Private tour upgrade: $350