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Begin in Istanbul on a 7-day Pamukkale, Ephesus and Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul covering western Turkey’s ancient sites and Cappadocia’s unusual landscapes. The route starts with travel to Denizli for Pamukkale, where the program visits Hierapolis, the Temple of Apollo, Theatre, Necropolis, Roman Baths, Cotton Cliffs, Karahayit’s red waters, and the optional Cleopatra Antique Pools.
The journey continues to Kuşadası for a full-day Ephesus tour, including the Temple of Hadrian, Great Theater, Trajan Fountain, House of the Virgin Mary, Temple of Artemis, and Isa Bey Mosque. Later, travel onward to Cappadocia for free time and a North Cappadocia tour, with an optional hot air balloon ride at extra cost.
You will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to Istanbul Airport for an afternoon or evening flight (depending on availability) to Denizli. Upon arrival, you will be met by a representative and transferred to your hotel in Pamukkale. After checking in, the rest of the day is free for you to relax or explore the local area at your own pace.
After breakfast at your hotel, check out and prepare for your full-day tour of Pamukkale and Hierapolis, beginning around 10:30 am. You'll be picked up from your hotel and start with a visit to the historic city of Hierapolis, known for its remarkable ruins. Key highlights include the Temple of Apollo, the majestic Theatre, the extensive Necropolis, and the ancient Roman Baths, which hold the tragic history of St. Philip's martyrdom.
After exploring these fascinating ancient sites, you’ll pause for lunch at a local Turkish restaurant, where you can enjoy traditional dishes and regional flavors. Following lunch, you will have about one hour of free time to explore Pamukkale further at your own pace. You can take a leisurely walk along the Cotton Cliffs, take stunning photos, or even enjoy swimming in the famous Cleopatra Antique Pools (for an additional fee), known for their warm, mineral-rich waters.
After this break, the tour will continue to Karahayit, renowned for its healing red waters and thermal springs. When the Pamukkale tour ends around 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to Kuşadası, a journey of about 3.5 hours, depending on traffic. Upon arrival, you’ll check in to your hotel and have the evening free to relax or explore.
After breakfast at your hotel around 8:30 am, you will be picked up and meet your guide and group to begin your full-day tour of Ephesus, one of the most significant ancient cities of the Greek and Roman eras.
You’ll start by exploring the impressive Ephesus Ancient City Ruins, known for their well-preserved architecture and rich history. Key highlights include the Temple of Hadrian, the majestic Great Theater, and the Trajan Fountain. After immersing yourself in the ancient world, you’ll break for lunch at a local restaurant.
The afternoon continues with a visit to the House of the Virgin Mary, believed to be the place where the Virgin Mary spent her final years. Afterward, you will pass by the Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, though little remains of its former grandeur.
Next, visit the Isa Bey Mosque, a beautiful example of Seljuk architecture.
After the tour ends around 4:00 pm, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Kuşadası. The remainder of the day is free for you to relax and enjoy your surroundings.
You will be transferred to Izmir Airport for a morning or afternoon flight (subject to availability) to Kayseri or Nevşehir via Istanbul. Upon arrival, you’ll be met by our representative, who will transfer you to your hotel in Cappadocia.
After check-in, the remainder of the day is free for you to relax at your hotel and enjoy the unique surroundings.
For an additional option, you can book an early morning hot air balloon ride and enjoy breathtaking aerial views of the valleys. Please note that this activity comes at an extra cost.
After breakfast around 9:30 am, you will be picked up from your hotel to begin your full-day North Cappadocia tour. Your first stop will be at the Devrent Valley to marvel at the unique fairy chimneys. Next, you will visit the Pasabag Valley (also known as Monks Valley), famous for its mushroom-shaped rock formations.
Following this, the tour continues to the charming city of Avanos, renowned for its pottery-making traditions. After lunch, you will explore the Zelve Open Air Museum, where you can experience a series of ancient caves and churches that highlight the region’s monastic history.
Finally, before returning to your hotel, you will have a chance to stop at Uchisar Castle to take panoramic photos of the surrounding landscape. Please note that entry into the castle itself is not permitted.
The tour will end around 4:00 pm, and you will be transferred back to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to relax, explore, or participate in additional activities.
For extra activities, you can choose a 2-hour ATV tour, a 2-hour horseback riding tour through the valleys, or attend a 1-hour Whirling Dervish show. All of these activities are available at an additional cost.
After breakfast, around 9:30 am, embark on your full-day guided tour of South Cappadocia. Your first stop will be the stunning Red Valley, where you can enjoy a 5 km hike through the picturesque Rose Valley (Gulludere Vadisi). This valley is famous for its striking rock formations and historical churches carved into the cliffs.
Next, you will visit Cavusin Village, known for its ancient houses and churches, which were once home to Christian clergymen. Following this, take a break for lunch around noon at a local restaurant.
Afterward, head to Pigeon Valley (Guvercinlik Vadisi), renowned for its pigeon houses carved into the cliffs, which were once used by locals to collect pigeon droppings for fertilizer.
In the afternoon, explore either the Kaymakli Underground City or Ozkonak Underground City, fascinating subterranean settlements where early Christians sought refuge from persecution.
The tour will end at around 4:00 pm, and you will be transferred back to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to relax or explore at your leisure.
Optionally, in the evening, you can attend a traditional Turkish Night show with dinner. This event offers an immersive experience of Turkish culture, featuring live music, folk dances, and a delicious meal. Please note, this activity is available at an additional cost.
After breakfast around 9:30 am, you will be picked up from your hotel to join the full-day Green Tour of Cappadocia. The day starts with a visit to Esentepe, offering a stunning panoramic view of Göreme. This spot is ideal for capturing the enchanting landscape of the Göreme Valley. From there, the tour takes you to the Derinkuyu Underground City, a remarkably well-preserved subterranean complex dating back to the Hittites and later utilized by early Christians. This ancient city, with its intricate design including stables, kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms, provides a unique glimpse into historical survival strategies.
Next on the itinerary is the Ihlara Valley, where you embark on a scenic 4 km hike. This beautiful valley, dotted with small churches from the early Christian period, is a peaceful haven with a meandering stream and the gentle sounds of nature. After the hike, you will enjoy a delightful lunch in Belisirma Village, situated charmingly by the river.
The adventure continues with a visit to the 13th-century Selime Monastery. The tour’s final stop is at Yaprakhisar, known for its breathtaking panoramic views and as a filming location for the famous “Star Wars” movie.
At the end of the tour, around 3:30 pm, you will be transferred to Kayseri or Nevsehir Airport for your evening flight back to Istanbul. Departure times are subject to flight availability, typically between 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm, with the flight lasting approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. END OF OUR SERVICE and TOURS.
Please note that transportation from Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) to your hotel in Istanbul is not included in the tour price.
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If you need to cancel your tour or change your travel dates, please notify us at least 5 days before the tour start date. As this tour includes domestic flights and bus tickets, which are non-refundable, the cost of these tickets will be deducted from your payment and the remaining balance refunded to you. For cancellations or date changes made less than 5 days before the start date, no refund will be issued and the booking will be treated under our no-show policy.
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It was a well-rounded tour, which overall was just as promised. Although we still see some room for improvement, we were nevertheless quite satisfied.
We took the tour for Pamukkale, Ephesus, and Cappadocia starting from our Istanbul hotel pick-up. The drivers all arrived on time. The local guides were all friendly and informative. We especially enjoyed our time in Cappadocia, it was such a unique city. Pamukkale hotel was something else though, they only gave you very little bottled water in your room and charged you like 80 lira when you requested for more during dinner. There was no convenience stores near our hotel so we didn’t have much option. We were also a bit sad that most of the white pools in Pamukkale had already dried off 🙁
Some minor input, coordination between One Nation and the local guides could be improved. On our first morning in Cappadocia, were picked up 25 minutes late. Then I was informed I would be picked up around the same time for the next day. However, I was suddenly picked up in the middle of my breakfast the next day. It was quite inconvenient since I was really enjoying my breakfast spread in my Cappadocia hotel (which was a really exceptional Turkish breakfast!).
There were also some mandatory shopping stops, but we weren’t really pressured to buy anything (although some of the shop employees kept following us the entire time lol). I was actually brought to the exact same shops twice in Cappadocia, but our guide was very nice and he let us wander around the surrounding area on our own instead (and pointed out the way to a nearby popular photo spot in Pigeon Valley).
Overall, I recommend this tour agency for anyone who’s planning to travel to Turkey. Our agent, Mr. Can Berber was also very effective, always responding to our WhatsApp almost immediately the entire time. He also waited for us at the Istanbul Airport and drove us back to our Istanbul hotel at the end of our tour.