Tour Description

This 15 day tour, starts and ends in Istanbul, Turkey.
This magical trip is a true showcase of the best of Western Turkey. You'll soak up the rich history of cosmopolitan Istanbul, be amazed by incredible landscapes and waterfalls, soak up the sun, swim in crystal-clear waters, walk in the footsteps of some of history's greats as you visit impressive ruins and take a day cruise on the Mediterranean.

Single Supplement USD750

Tour Highlights

Ankara - Atatürk's Mausoleum
Antalya - Kaleiçi (Old Town)
Antalya - Hadrian's Gate
Antalya - Suna-İnan Kıraç Kaleiçi Museum
Aspendos - Ancient Site
Cappadocia - Çavuşin Village
Cappadocia - Pigeon Valley
Cappadocia - Avanos - Pottery Village
Cappadocia - Kaymakli - Underground City
Cappadocia - Red Valley
Dalyan - Kaunos Kings Tombs
Dalyan - Dalyan River Cruise and Mud Baths
Ephesus - UNESCO Heritage site
Fethiye - Fethiye 12 Island Cruise
Gallipoli - Battlefields Tour
Gallipoli - Johnson's Jolly - original tunnels
Gallipoli - The Nek - original trenches
Gallipoli - ANZAC Cove
Gallipoli - Chunuk Bair - New Zealand Memorial
Gallipoli - Lone Pine - Australian Memorial
Göreme - Open Air Museum
Göreme - UNESCO Heritage site
Istanbul - Hagia Irene (Aya İrini)
Istanbul - Old City - UNESCO Heritage site
Istanbul - Topkapi Palace
Istanbul - Blue Mosque
Istanbul - Hippodrome
Istanbul - St. Sophia Museum
Kayaköy- Greek Village
Konya - Sille Village
Konya - Mevlana Museum
Konya - Tinaztepe Caves
Pamukkale - Hierapolis
Pamukkale - Calcium Travertines - UNESCO Heritage site
Pergamon - UNESCO Heritage site
Sirince - Village
Sultanhani Caravansary
Site of the Temple of Artemis
Troy - UNESCO Heritage site

Day 1: Arrival Day Istanbul

Saturday

Istanbul
Welcome to Istanbul! You will be met by our Pink Lotus Tours representative and transferred to your hotel and the remainder of the day is yours free to explore at your own pace.

Overnight Istanbul

Day 2: Istanbul Old City

Sunday

Istanbul Old City
After breakfast, you enjoy a fully guided tour of the only city to span two continents, visiting the Blue Mosque, St Sophia Museum, Topkapi Palace and the Hippodrome.
OPTIONAL: Cruise between two continents on the stretch of water that separates Europe from Asia in the afternoon with an optional 'Half day Bosphorous cruise'.

Overnight Istanbul
Breakfast included

Day 3: Gallipoli Battlefields

Monday

Gallipoli Battlefields
Today we visit the WW1 battlefields of Gallipoli including Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair Memorials, ANZAC Cove, The Nek, Johnston's Jolly, original trenches and tunnels.

Overnight Çanakkale
Breakfast and Dinner included

Day 4: Troy - Acropolis of Pergamum

Tuesday

Troy, Acropolis of Pergamon
Step back in time today as we visit Troy and its famed Trojan Horse, followed by a tour of the magnificent acropolis of Pergamon. Its impressive temples and library made it a renowned cultural and political centre in its time.

Overnight Kuşadasi
Breakfast and Dinner included

Day 5: Ephesus to Kusadasi

Wednesday

Ephesus, Kusadasi
Absorb yourself in history today with a guided tour of Ephesus and a visit to the site of the Temple of Artemis.
Feel the mystical atmosphere of the ancient city and theatre before continuing to the former Greek village of Sirince, famous for its fruit wines.
Carpet weaving has long traditions in Turkey and at the carpet village we learn how the carpets are made by hand and what determines their value.

Overnight Kuşadasi
Breakfast and Dinner included

Day 6: Pamukkale

Thursday

Pamukkale, Hierapolis
This morning we will head to the magnificent white calcium terraces, known as Travertines, in Pamukkale where we also tour the ancient city of Hierapolis. Take a dip, amongst ancient columns, in the hot springs that were used in Roman times for their therapeutic powers.

Overnight Pamukkale
Breakfast & Dinner included

Day 7: Fethiye

Friday

Today our first stop is the lake side town of Dalyan. Here we take a leisurely boat trip along the Dalyan River, passing the ancient Kaunos tombs that have been carved into the cliff face.
The Dalyan Delta is a nature conservation area and a home to protected loggerhead turtle (Caretta Caretta) nesting grounds. And finally, there is the Sultaniye mud baths, fun, rejuvenating and surely a great chance for a snapshot.

From here its a short drive to our final stop, the seaside town of Fethiye.

Overnight Fethiye Marina Boutique Hotel

Breakfast included

Day 8: Fethiye 12 Island Cruise

Saturday

Today we take a 12-island boat cruise from Fethiye, you can swim in the crystal-clear blue water and enjoy the amazing views of the Turquoise bays, small islands and secluded beaches. You may even see dolphins or sea turtles!

Overnight Fethiye Marina Boutique Hotel

Breakfast and Lunch included

Day 9: Kayakoy to Antalya

Sunday

This morning we head to Kayakoy. The morning light provides excellent photos of this deserted Greek village. Afterwards we drive to the resort town of Antalya. Here we will take a walking tour of the old town area of Antalya known as "Kaleiçi". Amongst other things we'll visit Hadrian's Gate, the Ancient Harbour and Suna-Inan Kiraç, Kaleiçi Museum which even has a Greek Orthodox Church in its garden!

Overnight Antalya
Breakfast included

Day 10: Aspendos, Konya, Cappadocia

Monday

Today we head for mystical Konya, visiting Aspendos and Konya along the way. In Aspendos, you can see the Roman Theatre built in the 2nd century and seating 15,000 people. On the way to Konya, we will also visit Tinatepe Cave.

Overnight Konya
Breakfast & Dinner included

Day 11: Konya, Silk Road, Cappadocia

Tuesday

We will visit the mausoleum of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi with its accompanying Mevlana museum. We continue along the ancient Silk Road visiting the Greek village Sille and Sultanhani Caravansary before arriving in Cappadocia.

Overnight Cappadocia
Breakfast & Dinner included

Day 12: Cappadocia, Goreme, Underground City

Wednesday

Marvel at the lunar landscape of Cappadocia today as we visit the Goreme Valley Open Air Museum and the fairy chimneys, and explore the many levels of an underground city.

Overnight Cappadocia
Breakfast & Dinner included

Day 13: Cappadocia Underground City

Thursday

Today we visit Pigeon and Red Valley, followed by Cavusin village and lastly Avanos town where we will learn about hand-made pottery

Overnight Cappadocia
Breakfast & Dinner included

Day 14: Ankara

Friday

Early morning departure to the nation's capital, Ankara, where we visit Anitkabir, mausoleum of the famed Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, before returning to Istanbul.

Overnight Istanbul
Breakfast included

Day 15: Departure Day Istanbul

Saturday

After breakfast our tour concludes and we say goodbye to our new friends and are transferred to the airport for your onward flight.

Breakfast included

Package Includes

Inbound Transfer - Istanbul
Istanbul Airport (IST)
Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW)
Outbound Transfer - Istanbul
Istanbul Airport (IST)
Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW)
Professional English-speaking tour guide for the duration of the tour
Transportation in a fully air-conditioned, non-smoking vehicle
Tips except Driver and Guide
Fethiye 12 Island Cruise
Dalyan River Cruise and Mud Baths
Entrance fees
14 nights - accommodation
14 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 8 Dinners

Package Excludes

International Airfares and Entrance Visa
Compulsory Travel Insurance
Optional activities
Meals not specified in itinerary
Tips - Driver and Guide