4 Days Ephesus, Pamukkale and Cappadocia Tour

Day 1: Flight from Istanbul to Izmir – Ephesus Tour

You will be picked up from your hotel in Istanbul around 4:15 am and will be transferred to the domestic airport for your flight from Istanbul to Izmir between 6:00 – 8:00 am. Upon arrival at Izmir airport, you will be picked up and transferred to Selçuk. In Selçuk, you will meet your professional tour guide to begin your full-day tour of Ephesus.

You will visit the ruins of Ephesus, the ancient Greek city that became an important centre of this time. Visit the Temple of Hadrian, Great Theatre of Ephesus, and Fountain of Trajan. After lunch, let’s visit the House of the Virgin Mary, where it is believed she spent her last years. We will pass by the Temple of Artemis; there is little to see of this that was one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Afterwards, you will visit the Isa Bey 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. After the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel in Kusadasi for check-in. You can spend the rest of the evening at your leisure, perhaps exploring the town or relaxing in your hotel room.

• Overnight in Kusadasi
• Included Meal(s): Lunch

Day 2: Pamukkale and Hierapolis Tour – Overnight Bus to Cappadocia (649 km)

After breakfast around 7:30 am, you will be picked up from your hotel in Kusadasi and taken to the meeting point in Selcuk, where you will meet the rest of the tour group. The group will depart from Selcuk at 8:30 am in a comfortable, air-conditioned coach for a 3-hour journey to Pamukkale, also known as the “Cotton Castle.” Along the way, you will make a 10-minute stop at a rest area to allow for a restroom break and stretch your legs. Upon arrival in Pamukkale at approximately 11:45 am, you will have lunch at a local Turkish restaurant. After lunch, you will meet your expert local guide and begin a guided tour of the Pamukkale and Hierapolis area. You will start by marveling at the stunning Cotton Cliffs, formed by deposits of calcareous salts and considered one of the natural wonders of the world. You will then visit the ancient ruins of the City of Hierapolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you will explore the well-preserved basilica, Roman Theatre of Hierapolis, and Roman baths, and learn about the city’s rich history from your guide. During the tour, you will have the opportunity to swim in the thermal pools of Pamukkale (at your own expense). At the end of the tour around approximately 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to the bus station for your overnight bus to Cappadocia. The overnight bus departs from Pamukkale to Cappadocia around 9:00 pm. You will have free time at the bus station from the time you are dropped off at the bus station till the time the bus is ready to depart. You can have your dinner around the bus station if you like at this time. You will travel overnight to Cappadocia in a non-smoking, fully air-conditioned local bus. The total duration of travel will be 10 hours. There will be three breaks on the way to Cappadocia for your personal needs.

• Overnight Bus to Cappadocia
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

Day 3: North Cappadocia Tour

Upon your arrival at the Goreme bus station in Cappadocia, you will be met at the bus station and transferred to your Cappadocia hotel. At the hotel, you can have your breakfast and be ready to meet your tour guide around 9:30 am. Your tour will start with a visit to the Devrent Valley to see the unique fairy chimneys. Next, you will visit the Pasabag Valley (Monks Valley) to see the mushroom-shaped pinnacles. After this visit, you will drive to the city of Avanos. After lunch, you will visit the beautiful open-air museum of Goreme where the remains of rock-cut churches and Christian settlements date back hundreds of years. Finally towards the end of the day tour before returning to your hotel, you will be able to visit the natural castles of Uchisar. At the end of the tour, you will be dropped back at your hotel around 4:00 pm.

• Overnight in Cappadocia
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch

Day 4: South Cappadocia Tour – Fly back to Istanbul

After breakfast at approximately 9:30 am, you will be picked up from your hotel to begin the 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 (Kizil Vadasi) 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. At the end of the tour around approximately 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to Kayseri or Nevsehir airport for your late evening return flight between 7:00 – 10:00 pm (flight duration is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes) to Istanbul. Upon your arrival in Istanbul, you will be met by our representative in the arrivals area of the airport who will be holding a signboard with your name on it. After meet and greet, you will be transferred to your hotel in Istanbul. END OF OUR SERVICE and TOURS.

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

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• Round-trip transfers between your hotel in Istanbul and Airport (on the European side of Istanbul only).
• Domestic flight tickets from Istanbul to Izmir and Kayseri to Istanbul.
• Overnight intercity coach ticket (Pamukkale to Cappadocia).
• 1 night in Kusadasi at a 4-star hotel including breakfast.
• 1 night in Cappadocia at a cave 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:

• International Flight Tickets.
• Visa to enter Turkey.
• 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.
• The normal arrival time in Istanbul is between 8:00 – 10:00 pm. If you are planning on reserving your plane back home that same day, we recommend you book a plane ticket from 12:30 am onwards, to avoid missing your flight.
  On flights luggage allowance is 15 kg per person for checked in luggage. For carry-on, you can take up to 8 kg per person. One carry-on is allowed per person.
• The hot air balloon ride operates in optimum weather conditions. The decision for the flight to take off on any given day is decided by the local government at the last minute depending on weather conditions to ensure passenger safety. If your paid and scheduled hot air balloon ride gets canceled by the tour company at the last minute for weather conditions, we will provide you with a refund of USD 280.00 for the hot air balloon ride if you have it booked with us.