Best of Turkey

Best of Turkey

Get your Turkish delights on a 15-day Istanbul round-trip adventure. It’s a mix of ancient ruins and modern cities, Islamic mysticism and Ottoman influence, inland discoveries and coastal cruising, and everything in between. Discover Gallipoli on a guided tour that will teach you about its significance during the First World War, unlock the secrets of the ancient city of Ephesus, admire Oludeniz’s Blue Lagoon from high up on a mountain hike, and swim and snorkel in the Mediterranean on a traditional gulet cruise from Kas. From the winding laneways of Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar to the to the bizarre landscapes of Cappadocia, take the plunge and discover a new way of experiencing Turkey.

Activities

• Istanbul – Orientation Walk
• Gallipoli – Fully guided Gallipoli tour & visit to the Commonwealth graveyards
• Selcuk – Leader-led orientation walk
• Troy – Archaeological site visit
• Ephesus – Archaeological site visit
• Selcuk – Gozleme making demonstration and lunch
• Sirince – Village visit and fruit wine tasting
• Pamukkale – Hierapolis and Travertines National Park
• Kayakoy – Village visit
• Lycian Way – Hike from Kayakoy to Oludeniz Beach
• Kayakoy – Home-cooked Turkish BBQ dinner
• Kas – Leader led orientation walk
• Kas – Handicraft market
• Kekova – Turkish Coast Cruising & Sunken Cities
• Konya – Mevlana Museum
• Cappadocia – Dinner at Local Family Home
• Goreme – Valley walk

Highlights

• Discover the incredible ancient and modern history of Turkey as you explore thousands of years of history hidden within the remarkable ruins of Ephesus and discover Gallipoli on a guided tour that will teach you about the significant events that took place in this area
• Take in the dizzying diversity of this epic landscape with a visit to the stunning natural hot springs of Pamukkale, a cruise along the picture-perfect Turkish coast over Sunken Cities, and an optional hot-air balloon ride over the fairy-tale land of Cappadocia.
• Get to know the friendly locals with fruit wine tasting in the serene village of Sirince and a home-cooked dinner at a local cave home in Cappadocia, plus get treated to a Turkish BBQ feast by your local hosts in Kayakoy
• Pull on your walking shoes and set out on a half-day trek along a section of rugged coastline, following part of the ancient walking trail of the Lycian Way and explore the exotic landscape of Cappadocia on a short hike in the valley.
• Travel and stay a little differently – and come home with memories to last a lifetime – from taking local buses and trains, to enjoying a traditional gulet (boat) trip, to staying in one of the cave hotels that Cappadocia is famed for.