Compare 10 Days Private Exclusive Turkey Tour by Ada Vegas Travel vs Turkey Highlights by Intrepid Travel

Day 1: Istanbul

Welcome to Turkey! After your arrival in Istanbul, we will transfer from you from the airport to your central hotel. Enjoy a relaxed overnight stay in Istanbul.

Day 2: Private Istanbul City Tour

Starting the day at 09:00, we will begin our private city tour of Istanbul.

First, we will explore Topkapi Palace, the great palace of Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries. In addition to stunning architecture and monuments, the palace complex houses an exquisite collection of crystal, silver, Chinese porcelain, historic robes, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, and the Holy Mantle.

After admiring the remarkable Hagia Sophia, originally dating back to the 4th Century A.D., we will explore the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque.

Just across from the Hagia Sophia, this impressive mosque was built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet, and is known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles.

Outside the Blue Mosque we will have the chance to walk through the Hippodrome. Once the scene of chariot races, this beautiful open area is home to three historic monuments: the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine.

After a lunch break we will head to the Egyptian Bazaar. The air inside this bustling market is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other herb and spice.

After the day tour you will have the option to experience a relaxing and and inspiring Bosphorus Cruise. Enjoy magnificent views of the Bosphorus by sunset, and cruise through the passage that connects Asia to Europe. The rest of the evening is yours to enjoy in Istanbul on your own. Overnight at your hotel in Istanbul.

Day 3: Istanbul to Izmir Airport / Kusadasi

Enjoy a free day in Istanbul until the your domestic afternoon flight to Izmir. Upon arrival, we will transfer you from airport and check in to your hotel in Kusadasi, where you will spend the night.

Day 4: Private Ephesus Tour

Our fully-guided Ephesus Tour starts at 09:00, letting you experience one of the best-preserved ancient ruins in the world. Once the commercial center of the ancient world, with wealth and patronage to support a splendid architectural program, Ephesus was dedicated to the goddess Artemis.

Her enormous temple, once considered one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World and rebuilt several times, dates in its latest form from the third century B.C. The tour of the ruins also includes a theatre, gymnasium, agora and baths, as well as the Library of Celsus. After the day tour, enjoy free time and an overnight stay in Kusadasi.

Day 5: Private Pamukkale Tour

Today at 09:30, we will depart for our tour of Pamukkale. Take in this remarkable place, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admire the stunning hot springs and limestone travertines, and the ancient city of Hierapolis.

Then, visit the Domitian Gate, Colonnaded Gate and Cathedral, and the red waters of Karahayit. After lunch we will visit Pamukkale Museum to learn more about the history of this fascinating place, and then visit the travertines of Pamukkale in person. After our time here, we will take you back to Kusadasi for an overnight stay.

Day 6: Izmir – Kayseri Airport / Cappadocia

After breakfast, we depart for Izmir Airport for our domestic flight to Cappadocia. Upon arrival, transfer from Kayseri airport to your Cave hotel. The rest of the day is yours to explore Cappadocia, where you will spend the night in a Cave Hotel.

Day 7: Private Cappadocia Tour

After breakfast we will start our private Cappadocia tour including visits to the Goreme Open Air Museum, Dervent Valley, and Pasabag Valley.

After lunch, we will make a shopping tour in which you will be shown some of the ancient arts of Turkey, including carpet weaving, leather manufacturing and its jewellery. As this will be a guided tour, you will avoid being hassled, which will let you enjoy the shopping experience whilst gaining the knowledge of the ancient craftsmen.

After our day tour, enjoy another free evening and overnight stay in a Cave Hotel.

Note: Before the tour there is an option to go hot air ballooning: The Hot Air Balloon begins its ascent at sunrise and the ride lasts for approximately 45 minutes floating through valleys, between fairy chimneys and caves.

The balloon will rise approximately 1000 feet, letting you take in the extraordinary views Cappadocia has to offer. Upon landing, champagne will be served to toast our arrival.)

Day 8: Private Cappadocia Tour / Istanbul

After breakfast we will head to one of the most interesting sites of Cappadocia: Kaymakli Underground City. The Christians hid from the armies of Rome and the raids of hostile tribes in these self-sufficient cities, with halls for stocks of crops barns, rooms, kitchens and ventilation channels.

The second part of our Cappadocia Tour will include Uchisar Castle, Avcilar, and Pidgeon Valley. After the tour we will rest at the hotel and have a free afternoon until our transfer to the airport for a flight back to Istanbul.

Upon arrival, transfer from the airport and check-in to your central hotel. Enjoy the mystical atmosphere of Istanbul at night as you stay here overnight once more.

Day 9: Private Istanbul City Tour

Today you dont have to wake up early. At 10:30 we will start a different city tour of Istanbul, giving you a new point of view on this amazing place.

We will visit the Taksim District, the heart of the night and intellectual life of Istanbul. It is a bustling center of activity and outdoor pedestrian shopping malls, bars, restaurants, cafe, cinemas a street at the center of the Turkish Film Industry. Enjoy more free time at night and another overnight stay in Istanbul.

Day 10: Istanbul – End of Tour

After breakfast, check out from your hotel. We hope your private luxury Turkey tour was a memorable one and we would love to see you again in the future. Have a nice trip back home and thanks for choosing Ada Vegas Tours

Day 1 Istanbul

Welcome to Istanbul, the continent-straddling metropolis that the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans have all once called home. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 1 pm, followed by a guided tour of the Old City with your expert leader. Visit the scene of many a chariot race in the ancient hippodrome, check out the Blue Mosque, take a walk past the wares of the Grand Bazaar and marvel at the architectural masterpiece that is Suleymaniye Cami. If you're not too exhausted after all the exploring, join your new friends for dinner and bask in the beauty of a real Turkish kebab. While you might be familiar with the shaved meats and pita bread sensation that you may have come across at 2 am, nothing beats the kind they wrap up in Istanbul.

Day 2 Canakkale

After breakfast this morning, hit the road enroute to Canakkale – a port city on the southern shore of the Dardanelles. You’ll stop along the way to explore Gallipoli on a guided tour that will teach you about the significant events and history embedded in this area. Your guide will take you to ANZAC Cove and major memorial sites like Brighton Beach and ANZAC commemorative Site. You’ll also take in the views across the Dardanelles Strait and the Gallipoli Peninsula. This evening, we’ll spend the night in Canakkale with free time to grab dinner and get ready for tomorrow’s adventures.

Day 3 Selcuk

This morning, we’ll drive to Selcuk with a stop in Troy – where history and mythology sit side-by-side – along the way. You’ll wander the ancient city walls with your group leader and even get a chance to enjoy a photo op with a replica Trojan Horse. You’ll learn more about how this place has confounded historians and archaeologists alike before continuing on to Selcuk. After arrival in the town, on the slopes of Ayasoluk Hill lie several historical buildings – you’ll follow your leader on an orientation walk, passing Isa Bey Mosque and the imposing Byzantine citadel of the Grand Fortress.Then drive out to the nearby picturesque village of Sirince and taste some locally produced fruit wines. This authentic Greek Ottoman village seems to have been overlooked by modern development and the unique local architecture nestled in the hills make for a photographer's dream. Return to Selcuk and the evening is yours.

Day 4 Ephesus/Overnight Train

This morning, take a private minivan to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus – one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman classical cities in the world. Once the capital city of Roman Asia Minor, the city has a fascinating history, which really comes alive with a local guide to enhance your experience. Considering their age, the ruins are in incredible shape, and it’s not difficult to imagine them in their full glory over 2000 years ago, equipped with running water, public toilets, a medical institute, and Roman baths. The theatre is well preserved and regularly hosts concerts, but it's perhaps the magnificent library that is the most striking. Then enjoy a lunch after the tour and don't miss out the chance of peeking into their kitchen where the local ladies make the delicious gozleme. You'll some free time later before being transferred to Izmir in the early evening - an overnight train, will be waiting to transport you through the night to the central Anatolian city of Konya.

Day 5 Konya / Cappadocia

Wake up in Konya, a traditional Turkish city that's closely linked with the whirling dervish sect of Islam developed in the 13th century by Celaleddin Rumi, considered one of Islam's greatest Sufi mystics. Visit the Mevlana Museum and stretch your legs in town before hitting the road to Cappadocia. Keep an eye out for the fairy chimneys, the hallmarks of Cappadocia's otherworldly landscape, as you drive across the Anatolian plains. Stop enroute at one of the underground cities that once provided a safe haven in times of war or persecution. Arrive in the Cappadocian town of Ugrup in the late afternoon and take a sunset valley walk before settling in for the evening. This evening, you'll be treated to a stay in a local cave hotel that Cappadocia is famous for here.

Day 6 Cappadocia

This morning you have the option to take a hot air balloon flight, a once-in-a-lifetime experience during which the sun illuminates a skyline dotted with balloons. Later this morning, enjoy a guided walk through one of the nearby valleys, possibly the Valley of Love, which features fairy chimneys, deserted rock-cut homes and churches. Your leader will know a number of fantastic scenic routes, and a good walk is by far the best way to experience this unique environment. In your free time today, maybe visit the UNESCO-listed Goreme Open Air Museum, a monastic complex composed of churches, rectories and dwellings cut into the soft cliff face, or check out the Dark Church. This evening you’ll be warmly welcomed into a local cave home where the family will prepare a special home-cooked dinner for you and your group. Sit down to a feast made with passion, enjoy a friendly chat with your affable host and perhaps top off the night with some Turkish delight.

Day 7 Cappadocia to Istanbul

Wave goodbye to Cappadocia and transfer to the airport for a flight back to Istanbul (expect to arrive between 1 pm and 4 pm), and get transferred to your hotel. Meet up with your travel buds in the evening and take a stroll to one of the city's trendiest neighbourhoods, a place of contradictions where tool-selling tradesman share space with chic cafes and galleries – this is the place to be seen. Perhaps, try a local favourite, balik ekmek (fish sandwich), for dinner, then cleanse the palate with a baklava. Maybe check out a few of the bars, or simply enjoy a farewell cay (Turkish tea) overlooking the Bosphorus.

Day 8 Istanbul

Your Turkey adventure comes to an end after breakfast today, and there are no activities planned. However, if you'd like to spend more time in Istanbul, we’re happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability).