5 Days Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Priene, Miletus, Didyma & Ephesus Tour

Day 1: North Cappadocia Tour

Early in the morning, around 4:00 am, you will be collected from your Istanbul hotel and transferred to the domestic airport for a flight to Kayseri or Nevsehir between 6:00 – 7:30 am. After arriving at either airport, continue by transfer to Cappadocia, where your professional guide will meet you for the full-day North Cappadocia tour. Begin at Devrent Valley to view its distinctive fairy chimneys, then continue to Pasabag Valley (Monks Valley) for its mushroom-shaped pinnacles. The route then takes you to city of Avanos. After lunch, visit Zelve Open Air Museum in Cappadocia, with its carved caves and ancient churches reflecting the region’s monastic history. Towards the end of the tour, before returning to the hotel, see the natural castles of Uchisar. Afterwards, transfer to your Cappadocia hotel for check-in.

You can also choose to attend a traditional Turkish Night show with dinner.

• Overnight in Cappadocia
• Included Meal(s): Lunch
• Accommodation: Heaven Cave House OR Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel OR Holiday Cave Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 2: South Cappadocia Tour and Flight to Izmir

You may book an early morning hot air balloon ride to see the valleys from the air; this activity is available at an extra cost.

After breakfast at the hotel around 9:30 am, you will be picked up and met by your tour guide to begin your full-day tour of South Cappadocia. Your tour guide will brief you on the day’s activities. Your tour will begin with a visit to the Red Valley where you will be able to explore the famous rock-cut churches and hike approximately 5 km through the Rose Valley (Gulludere Vadisi). Next, you will visit Cavusin Village which is famous for its houses and churches of Christian Clergymen. We will take a break for lunch around noon. After lunch, you will drive to the Pigeon Valley (Guvercinlik Vadisi). In the afternoon you will visit the Kaymakli Underground City or Ozkonak Underground City where early Christians lived. This will be the end of your full-day tour.

After the tour, transfer to Kayseri airport for your flight to Izmir via Istanbul. On arrival, you will be met and taken to your hotel in Kusadasi for check-in.

• Overnight in Kusadasi
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Efe Boutique Hotel OR Neopol Hotel Deluxe OR Derici Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 3: Pamukkale and Hierapolis Tour

After breakfast around 8:00 am, you will be picked up from your Kusadasi hotel and taken to the Selcuk meeting point to join the full group. Travel by road from Selcuk to Pamukkale, a journey of approximately 3 hours starting around 8:30 am. After 1.5 hours, there will be a 10-minute restroom break en route. Upon arrival around 11:45 am, the group will have lunch before a guided tour of the Pamukkale and Hierapolis area with a professional licensed tour guide after lunch at around 1:00 pm. In Pamukkale, see the Cotton Cliffs, one of the natural wonders of the world, formed by deposits of calcareous salts. Visit the ancient ruins of the City of Hierapolis with its basilica, theatre, and Roman Baths. At the end of the guided tour, you will have free time to explore the area on your own. During this time, you may optionally swim in the Pamukkale antique pools (at your own expense). The tour guide will inform you of the exact meeting point and time. At the end of the tour around approximately 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to your hotel in Kusadasi at around 7:00 pm.

• Overnight in Kusadasi
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Efe Boutique Hotel OR Neopol Hotel Deluxe OR Derici Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 4: Priene, Miletus and Didyma Tour

Your hotel pickup is at around 8:30 am. The day’s tour takes in Miletus, one of Ionia’s oldest cities, together with the ancient cities of Priene and Didyma. First, visit Priene, once considered one of the most spectacular ancient Ionian cities. Then head to Miletus for its theatre and the Byzantine fortress on the acropolis above. The final visit is Didyma, featuring the world’s largest Ionic Temple, dedicated to Apollo, as well as the huge cracked head of Medusa that fell from the frieze long ago. Return to your hotel after the tour at around 5:30 pm.

• Overnight in Kusadasi
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Efe Boutique Hotel OR Neopol Hotel Deluxe OR Derici Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 5: Ephesus Tour and Flight to Istanbul

After breakfast at the hotel around 08:30, you will be picked up and met by your tour guide to begin your full-day tour of Ephesus. Your tour guide will brief you on the day’s activities. You will first visit the Temple of Artemis which was once one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Next, you will visit the world-famous ancient Greco-Roman City of Ephesus, the most well-preserved example in the world. After visiting this impressive site, you will have a break for lunch. After lunch, you will visit the House of the Virgin Mary, where it is believed she spent her last days. This is a holy place for both Christians and Muslims. Afterwards, you will visit the Isabey Mosque. Next, you will be taken to the Sirince Village; which is an old Greek village and is well-know for its quaint beauty and wine tasting and production. Here you will have one hour free to explore on your own without a guide the different foods and wines of the area and visit various small traditional village shops. At the end of the tour around approximately 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to Izmir airport for your late evening return flight around 7:00 – 10:00 pm (1 hour 20 minutes flight duration) to Istanbul. END OF OUR SERVICE and TOURS.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: No accommodation is included on this day.

Important notes: Your return flight from Izmir arrives at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW), subject to availability when tickets are booked. Our service ends on arrival; the airport-to-hotel transfer is not included, so please arrange your own. To request a specific arrival airport, email us before booking; changes after confirmation cost extra.

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• Pick up from Istanbul hotel and transfer to Istanbul Airport (on the European side of Istanbul only)
• Domestic flight tickets as per the itinerary
• 1 night in Cappadocia at a cave hotel including breakfast
• 3 nights in Kusadasi at a 4-star hotel including breakfast
• English-speaking guide during the tours
• Meals as per itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch)
• Entrance fees mentioned by the itinerary
• Local taxes and service charges

NOT INCLUDED:

• Drop off transportation service from Istanbul New Airport OR Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Istanbul Hotel upon returning to Istanbul
• Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride.
• Optional tours mentioned in the program, they will be provided at an additional cost.
• Services not mentioned in the program.
• Drinks with meals.
• Travel insurance (recommended).

IMPORTANT INFO:

• The order of the itinerary is indicative and subject to change, but all visits described will take place.
• This is a regular group tour, but if requested at cost can be provided as a private tour.
• The regular group tour has shopping stops included in the tour.
• Vegetarian lunch option available upon request.
• You can swim in the Antique pool in Pamukkale. However, please note that there is an extra charge that you will have to pay directly at your own expense before entry to the pools. This entrance fee to the pools is not covered as part of your tour. Please note that you must bring your own towel, swimsuit etc. if you need to use the pools.
• The normal arrival time in Istanbul is between 7:00 – 10:00 pm. If you are planning on reserving your plane back home that same day, we recommend you book a plane ticket from 1:30 am onwards, to avoid missing your flight.

WHEN TO BOOK?

• Book as soon as possible to guarantee availability, especially during public holidays and festivities.
• You can book up to 2 days before (Istanbul local time) if there are still places available. If less than 2 days before start of your requested tour date, please contact us by email or phone as it would be a last-minute booking that will need to be checked for availability before your tour reservation is confirmed.