Sapanca Lake & Masukiye Day Trip from Istanbul with Lunch

Sapanca Lake and Masukiye day trip from Istanbul with lunch: the key facts

This is a relaxed group day trip from Istanbul to the green countryside around Sapanca Lake and the village of Masukiye. Instead of monuments, the day is about scenery and free time: a walk by the lake, time in Masukiye with optional outdoor activities, lunch at a local restaurant, a visit to the Mahmudiye Waterfalls and a stop at a shop selling Turkish delight and organic honey. The page gives an 08:30 pickup from central Istanbul hotels and a return at around 20:30.

It suits families, friends and repeat visitors to Istanbul who want a day out of the city with fresh air and a slower pace, The tour leader can speak English or Arabic. It is a group tour that runs every day with no minimum group size. The price is from $33 per person.

What time does the day start and finish?

The FAQ gives a pickup at 08:30 from central Istanbul hotels and a return at around 20:30, so plan for about 12 hours. The booking form on the same page offers start times from 08:00 to 14:00, with 09:00 marked as suggested, which does not match the FAQ. Ask us to confirm your exact pickup time in writing when you book. The page does not give the order of the stops or the time of lunch, so the day may run in a different order from the list above.

Is hotel pickup included everywhere in Istanbul?

Only in the central pick-up zone. The inclusions cover hotel pickup and drop-off from centrally located hotels, and the exclusions list an extra transfer fee for hotels outside that zone. The page does not say which districts count as central or how much the extra fee is. Send us your hotel name and address when you book, and ask us to confirm in writing whether pickup is included or what it costs. Our page on Istanbul tours with hotel pickup explains how pickups usually work.

What is included in the low price, and what costs extra?

The $33 covers transport, the guide and tour leader, lunch at a local restaurant, entrance fees to the sights mentioned and local taxes. Drinks at lunch are extra. The optional activities in Masukiye, the Glass Terrace, the zipline and the ATV safari, are not included, and the page does not give their prices. If you plan to try them, ask us for the current prices before you go and bring cash or a card. The shop stop for Turkish delight and honey is part of the route; the page does not say you must buy anything.

Which language does the guide speak?

The inclusions list both an English or Arabic speaking tour leader and a professional English-speaking licensed tour guide, and do not explain whether both come on every date. If you need Arabic, tell us when you book and ask us to confirm in writing which language your tour leader will speak. We also have an Arabic page on the Sapanca and Masukiye trip with information in Arabic.

Is the day suitable for children and older travellers?

Yes, for most people. The day has no long hikes on the page: you walk by the lake, around the village and to the waterfalls, with lunch and shop stops in between, and the optional activities are your choice. Bring comfortable shoes for paths that may be wet near the waterfall. The longest part of the day is the drive there and back, so bring snacks and something to do for children. The optional ATV and zipline may have their own age or weight rules, so ask before booking.

What should we wear and bring?

Dress for a day outdoors: comfortable shoes with grip, layers you can take off, and a light rain jacket outside summer. Bring a hat and sunscreen in summer, a small bag for snacks and water, and some cash for drinks, the optional activities and any honey or Turkish delight you want to buy. If you have a camera, the lake shore and the waterfall are the main photo stops on the route.

How is this different from the other Sapanca trip?

We also sell a Sapanca and Masukiye day tour with ATV, zipline and cable car options, listed at 10 hours from $70 per person. Ask us which of the two fits your plans, and what each one includes, before you choose. The FAQ on this page compares the tour with an Istanbul city tour in euros while the booking box uses dollars, so use the price on each tour's own page.

Are there other day trips out of Istanbul?

Yes. The Bursa day tour from Istanbul with the Uludag cable car costs from $52 per person, and the Princes' Islands full-day tour from $34. Our page on day trips from Istanbul and our full list of day tours compare the options.

How do I book this tour?

Choose a date and the number of guests in the booking form on this page, or message us on WhatsApp at +90 545 307 67 88. Send your hotel name so we can confirm whether pickup is in the central zone. Before any payment, we send a written plan with the pickup time, the guide or tour leader language, any transfer fee and the list of inclusions. Read the cancellation policy before you confirm. The tour is operated by Viracocha Travel Turizm, TÜRSAB licence A-15751.