Introduction
Turkey, a land steeped in history, natural beauty, and culture, beckons travelers from around the world with its extraordinary blend of ancient wonders and breathtaking landscapes. If you're looking to embark on an unforgettable journey that combines history, geology, and captivating scenery, a 4-day tour covering Cappadocia, Pamukkale, and Ephesus from Istanbul is the perfect choice. In this tour, we'll take you on a virtual tour of this incredible adventure, exploring the highlights, activities, and essential information you need to plan your trip.
Cappadocia - A Journey Back in Time
Your adventure begins in Istanbul, where you'll catch a flight to Cappadocia, a region that looks like it belongs to a different era. Cappadocia's surreal landscapes, shaped by volcanic activity over millions of years, offer a captivating backdrop for the first leg of your journey.
Göreme Open-Air Museum: Göreme Open-Air Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to rock-cut churches with stunning frescoes that date back to the 10th century. These cave churches provide an insight into the early Christian history of the region.
Hot Air Balloon Ride (Optional): One of the most iconic experiences in Cappadocia is a hot air balloon ride over the unique rock formations at sunrise. This breathtaking journey provides unparalleled views of the "fairy chimneys" and the surreal landscape of the region.
Cave Hotel Experience: Spend your first night in a cave hotel, a unique and immersive experience that allows you to sleep in a room carved into the rock.
Derinkuyu Underground City: Exploring the underground cities of Cappadocia, with a visit to Derinkuyu. These ancient subterranean cities were used as hiding places during times of invasion and provide an intriguing glimpse into the past.
Ihlara Valley: Take a scenic drive to Ihlara Valley, where you can hike along the verdant canyon floor, admiring the striking rock formations and stopping at ancient cave churches along the way.
Pasabag Valley: Explore Pasabag Valley, also known as Monks Valley, known for its peculiar "fairy chimneys" and unique rock formations.
Avanos Pottery Workshop: Visit to Avanos, a town famous for its pottery. You can watch skilled artisans at work and even try your hand at crafting your pottery.
Pamukkale - The Cotton Castle
Pamukkale Hierapolis: Explore the ancient city of Hierapolis, which is famous for its Roman baths, necropolis, and theater. Afterward, soak in the rejuvenating thermal waters of Pamukkale's terraces.
Cleopatra's Pool: Don't miss a swim in Cleopatra's Pool, which is fed by warm mineral waters and surrounded by ancient columns.
Ephesus - Ancient Ruins and History
Ephesus: Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world. Explore the Library of Celsus, the Grand Theater, and the Terrace Houses, which offer a unique look into daily life during ancient times.
House of the Virgin Mary: Adjacent to Ephesus, you can visit the House of the Virgin Mary, believed to be the last residence of the Virgin Mary.
Conclusion
Your 4-day adventure through Cappadocia, Pamukkale, and Ephesus is a journey through time and natural beauty that will leave you with a profound appreciation for the rich history and geology of Turkey. This tour is the perfect blend of ancient wonders, natural marvels, and cultural experiences. Be sure to bring your camera to capture the stunning landscapes and historic sites, and prepare to be enchanted by the wonders of Turkey. Whether you're a history enthusiast, a nature lover, or simply seeking an unforgettable travel experience, this tour is bound to leave you with lasting memories and a deeper understanding of Turkey's treasures.
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| Itinerary | Meals | Hotel |
|---|---|---|
| Pick up from hotel in Istanbul at early morning and transfer to airport to take a flight to Cappadocia. Once you arrive to Istanbul airport, please proceed to counter to do self check-in and take your boarding pass by presenting your passport. Upon the boarding pass information, please go to boarding gate and embark. After your arrival to Cappadocia Airport, pick up at the exit of first gate by driver. (Holding a sign with your name on it.) Join North of Cappadocia Tour and visiting: Uchisar Castle, Open Air Museum, Pasabaglari, Devrent Valley, Love Valley and Avanos. Transfer to hotel. Overnight Cappadocia. | Lunch | Zultanite Cappadocia Hotel or My Cave Hotel or similar |
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| Itinerary | Meals | Hotel |
|---|---|---|
| Hot Air Balloon tour is optional for this morning. Pick you up from hotel to join Cappadocia Tour. Visits to Goreme Panorama, Underground City, Ortahisar Castle, Red & Rose Valley, Pigeon Valley. End of the day, going to hotel. You will then have some time to rest before catching your overnight bus to Pamukkale. Overnight bus Cappadocia to Pamukkale. | Breakfast & Lunch | in Bus |
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| Itinerary | Meals | Hotel |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival Pamukkale, we will pick you up from bus station and take you to a day room for resting during 2-3 hours. After resting in a day room, this day will begin with Pamukkale tour where you will explore beautiful nature and fascinating history and enjoy a delicious lunch. After Pamukkale tour you will get a bus to Kusadasi. Arrive in Kusadasi transfer to hotel and overnight stay in Kusadasi. | Breakfast & Lunch | Ephesus Boutique or similar |
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| Itinerary | Meals | Hotel |
|---|---|---|
| After check out the hotel; You will be picked up from your hotel at 08,30 AM for Ephesus tour by visiting Artemis Temple, Ephesus, House of Virgin Mary. After Ephesus tour you will be transfered to the Izmir airport to take a flight to Istanbul. After your arrival to airport, pick up at the exit of first gate by driver. (Holding a sign with your name on it) Transfer to hotel. End of our service. | Breakfast & Lunch | - |
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| Date Period | Valid Pax | Discount Rate | Discounted Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent | Per person in single or double room | No discount | 550$ |
| Permanent | Per Person in Triple Room | 5% | 522.5 $ |
| 01 January 2025 to 01 January 2027 | 4 to 8 People | 10% | 495 $ |
| 01 January 2025 to 01 January 2027 | 9 to 13 People | 15% | 467.5 $ |
| 01 January 2025 to 01 January 2027 | 14 to 18 People | 25% | 412.5 $ |
My family (husband, daughter, sister-in-law and I) took this package tour from 23rd to 26th December 2023, and we had an awesome trip! We really appreciate My Trip Travel Agency for making all the arrangements for us and doing a great job overall! A more detailed feedback below: 1. Vehicles and drivers: In all the places, the vehicles arranged for us were of good quality, well maintained and clean. The drivers were different ones on different days, and sometimes for different parts of the day, but were all very careful, polite and good drivers. 2. Guides: We had a total of 4 main guides on this trip and all were very knowledgeable of the places they were taking us to. Also, all of them were able to give considerably more information on Turkey in general and on its various regional variations/ specialties. All were also very helpful, cheerful and pleasant. While not super fluent, all the guides could communicate pretty well in English and could respond to all our queries clearly. 3. Accommodations provided: Our tour included 2 nights of hotel stays, 1 overnight bus travel and 1 day hotel. The hotel at Cappadocia (Zultanite) was really very nice but unfortunately not a real cave-cut hotel as we expected; but inspite of that, we really liked it a lot. The day hotel provided at Pamukkale was also pretty decent. However, the hotel at Kusadaisi was a single room with 4 single beds in a row very hardly any space to even put out suitcases down. It was definitely not apt. 4. Tourist attractions covered: We were very satisfied with the variety and number of attractions included in this package. The sites were very carefully selected to include cultural, historical, natural, entertaining attractions that would appeal to a wide variety of tourists. 5. Timeliness: In terms of the actual touring, we really appreciate how time efficient it was. The vehicles/ drivers/ guides were all on time, and where we had fellow-tourists, they were on time too. This was a huge relief compared to some other packages we had been to where everything started late and ended early! So this timeliness was welcome. 6. Food: This package included several meals, especially breakfasts and lunches. All of them except 1 ranged from satisfactory to excellent. The one meal that disappointed was at a river restaurant on the second day in Cappadocia... where the food was still okay, but the hygiene of the venue was not up to the mark. 7. Recommendations for improvement: (a) While we had a good tour, it would have helped if the itinerary could clearly show what the optional activities available in each site were and at what costs. For example, we did not know of the whirling dervishi show and the light and sound show in Cappadocia, the hot air balloon in Pamukkale etc until we actually asked around, and then included. (b) At Ephesus, it would help with the tour included other important Christian landmarks such as the burial place of St. John, historical places like the fortress etc. While the guide spoke a lot on the Roman history, hardly was there a mention of the Christian significance of these places (which to us, Christian tourists, mean a lot). (c) We did have a bit of difficulty getting clear communication on airport pick-up/ drop off and had to ask repeatedly. So if this could be clearly communicated in the package info, this would be great. OVERALL, WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME AND WE ARE THANKFUL WE USED THIS AGENCY AND THIS PACKAGE! WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND IT TO OTHERS!
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