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USD
25% due now
People say that traveling through Turkey is like traveling back in time. Even though Istanbul was once Constantinople, what was once Constantinople was Byzantium, and through thousands of years what was once ancient has transformed into the modern-day, all of the above remains quintessentially Turkish. Explore this ancient and bustling country with Abena Kusi.
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9 days
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8 - 20 spots
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Double occupancy in 3 & 4-star hotels (single rooms available)
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8 breakfasts and 2 dinners included
Activities Included
- Welcome Meeting
- Bosphorus Cruise
- Hagia Sophia Visit
- Blue Mosque Visit
- Hippodrome Visit
- Grand Bazaar Tour
- Ayvalik Walking Tour
- Kucukkoy Village Experience
- Ruins of Ephesus Tour
- Temple of Artemis Visit
- Orientation Walk
- Hierapolis Visit
- Pamukkale Tour
- Goreme Open Air Museum Visit
- Avanos Pottery Experience
- Ozkonak Underground City Visit
- Sunset at Red Valley
Other Inclusions
- Double Occupancy in 3 & 4-star Hotels
- Local Guide throughout Trip
- All City Transfers
- Arrival Airport Transfer (until 5pm on first day)
- Departure Airport Transfer (morning of last day)
- 8 Breakfasts and 2 Dinners
Optional Activities
- Hot Air Balloons Over Cappadocia (Optional)
Exclusions
- International Flights
- Food & Alcohol (except as noted)
- Visas & Travel Insurance
- Airport Transfers Outside of Designated Times
Your Host
Abena Kusi
Hey, I'm Abena @travellingtuesdays, and I'm a budget, solo female travel blogger. I'm really here to tell you that your travel dreams are a possibility! It was as a broke, timid student that I travelled around France on my first solo trip. It was as a nervous and introverted graduate that I spent on a five week trip exploring South East Asia. It's now as a confident young woman to tell you, that if I can do it, you can too.
If you've been wanting to chase your travel dreams, but you're waiting for a community to spear you on: join this group trip! We're going to have so much fun and I can't wait to meet you!
Itinerary
Day 1
Thursday, Jun 02, 2022
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Day 1
Merhaba and welcome to Turkey! This expedition kicks off in Istanbul, the continent-straddling metropolis that the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans have previously all called home. After transferring to your hotel and settling in, you will freshen up and meet your new travel buddies and commence your journey together.
transfer
Airport Transfer
TrovaTrip will provide two transfers from Istanbul International Airport (IST) to the hotel at 3:30 P.M and 6:00 P.M.
activity
Welcome Meeting
7:00 P.M.: Meet in the hotel lobby to get to know your guide and group!
meal
dinner
7:45 P.M.: Included welcome dinner. After the welcome meeting, walk together to a nearby local restaurant for your welcome dinner. Note: Dinner is a set menu.
accommodation
The Haze Hotel
Overnight in Istanbul
Day 2
Friday, Jun 03, 2022
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Day 2
Today you will take a trip through time as you will explore how Turkey’s ancient past has blended in with the current day. You will be walking to each destination as they are all in relatively close proximity.
meal
breakfast
Included breakfast at the hotel
activity
Bosphorus Cruise
Surround yourself with stunning views of Istanbul with the wind at your back on the Bosphorus cruise. (~1 hour - 1 hour & 30 mins)
activity
Hagia Sophia Visit
Hagia Sophia, also known as the Holy Grand Mosque, is a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. Your guide will take you on a trip through the centuries while describing the Mosque’s fascinating transformation from a church to a mosque, then a museum, and recently back to a mosque again. (~1 hour)
activity
Blue Mosque Visit
Your journey continues to the Blue Mosque, one of the most striking sights in Istanbul with its iconic blue tiles, 260 windows, and 6 minarets. (~1 hour - 1 hour & 30 mins)
activity
Hippodrome Visit
Walk through the Hippodrome, a charming promenade where locals congregate. This was once the site for chariot races 1000 years ago. (~1 hour)
activity
Grand Bazaar Tour
Explore the Grand Bazaar where your guide will help you navigate its maze of stalls to search for treasures as many others have for hundreds of years. (~1 hour)
accommodation
The Haze Hotel
Overnight in Istanbul
Day 3
Saturday, Jun 04, 2022
info
Day 3
Today you will say goodbye to the hustle and bustle of Istanbul and make your way to Ayvalik, a charming little seaside town perched on the Aegean Coast. You will check into your hotel and freshen up before your local tour!
meal
breakfast
Included breakfast at the hotel
transfer
Transfer
8:30 A.M.: Meet for your departure to Ayvalik. (~6 hours)
activity
Ayvalik Walking Tour
4:00 P.M.: Surrounded by olive tree groves that produce some of the best olive oil in Turkey and meandering village alleyways that all seem to always lead to the sea, Ayvalik boasts an ambiance that one could describe as quintessential Aegean. Your local guide will lead you around the town on a village walking tour to discover all of its hidden gems. (~1-2 Hours)
accommodation
Bacacan Hotel
Overnight in Ayvalik
Day 4
Sunday, Jun 05, 2022
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Day 4
This morning you will head to Izmir and the historic city of Selcuk.
meal
breakfast
Included breakfast at the hotel
transfer
Transfer
9:00 A.M.: Meet your group for departure on a private transfer to Kucukkoy Village (~30 mins) then continue to Selcuk. (~3 hours)
activity
Kucukkoy Village Experience
9:30 A.M.: On your way to Selcuk, you’ll visit a tiny village on the outskirts of a town called Kucukkoy, a small community of local artists with a laid back cafe life. You’ll pop in for a coffee and check out a few shops and galleries before hitting the road. (~1 hour)
activity
Ruins of Ephesus Tour
1:30 P.M.: Ephesus, Europe’s most intact classical metropolis. The ruins of Ephesus truly make the Greco-Roman world come alive as you will traverse the ancient city. (~3 hours)
activity
Temple of Artemis Visit
4:30 P.M.: Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was once the largest manmade structure on Earth. It was completely rebuilt twice, once after a great flood and the second time destroyed by an East Germanic tribe in 401 AD. (~30 mins)
transfer
Transfer
Return to your hotel from the Artemis Temple and Ruins of Ephesus. (~10 mins)
activity
Orientation Walk
5:30 P.M.: Get familiar with Selcuk with an orientation walk with you guide! (~30 mins)
accommodation
Hitit Hotel
Overnight in Selcuk
Day 5
Monday, Jun 06, 2022
info
Day 5
Today you will take a day trip to Pamukkale to check out the petrified waterfalls and ancient city of Hierapolis.
meal
breakfast
Included breakfast at the hotel
transfer
Transfer
8:30 A.M.: Meet to take a private transfer to Pamukkale. (~3 hours)
activity
Hierapolis Visit
1:30 P.M.: On arrival at Hierapolis, you will first walk through the over 1200 graves over the Necropolis (cemetery) and see the old ruined Roman baths. (~1.5 hours)
activity
Pamukkale Tour
Pamukkale, which translates to ‘Cotton Palace,’ is an oddly beautiful sight of petrified waterfalls that flow into a series of terraced basins. The calcite-laden waters immerge from a hot spring that was once used as thermal spas in antiquity. The ruined baths are still surrounded by temples and Greek monuments to this day. Time permitting, take a dip in the hot springs (at an additional cost)! (~1.5 hours)
transfer
Transfer
4:30 P.M.: Return on a private transfer back to Selcuk. (~3 hours)
accommodation
Hitit Hotel
Overnight in Selcuk
Day 6
Tuesday, Jun 07, 2022
info
Day 6
Today you will take a domestic flight to Cappadocia. Cappadocia is nothing short of a fantastical geological oddity, a semi-arid canyon with massive honey-comb shaped rock formations called ‘fairy chimneys.’ For centuries the locals have utilized the rocks, building homes to what appear to be caves and even underground.
meal
breakfast
Included breakfast
transfer
Transfer/Domestic Flight
5:30 A.M.: Depart from the hotel to the airport (~1 hour) for your domestic flight from Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB) to Kayseri Erkilet Airport (ASR). Arrive into Kayseri Erkilet Airport at 2:10 P.M. Transfer from the airport to the hotel in Göreme. (~1 hour)
activity
Orientation Walk
4:00 P.M.: Upon arrival, your tour leader with take you around for an orientation walk before having time to explore on your own. (~30 mins - 1 hour)
accommodation
Heybe Hotel
Overnight in Cappadocia
Day 7
Wednesday, Jun 08, 2022
info
Day 7
Rise and shine because we have another action-packed day for you and your fellow travelers. After a long day of exploring, your tour leader will take you to a prime location to watch the sunset over the Red Valley.
transfer
Transfer
4:30 A.M.: For those of you who are joining the Hot Air Balloon Ride optional activity in the morning, you will take a shared transfer ride to the hot air balloon site. (~15 mins)
activity
Hot Air Balloons Over Cappadocia (Optional) (Optional)
5:00 A.M.: In the morning, take a shared hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia’s breathtaking landscapes. *Weather dependent. (~1 hour)
transfer
Transfer
Return to your hotel after your hot air balloon ride. (~15 mins)
meal
breakfast
Included breakfast at hotel
transfer
Transfer
9:00 A.M.: Take a private transfer to the Göreme open air museum (~10 mins). After, continue to Avanos (~30 mins). After lunch you will go to the Ozkonak underground city (~20 mins). Finally, you will go to the Red Valley to end the day. (~30 mins)
activity
Goreme Open Air Museum Visit
9:00 A.M.: Explore the Goreme Open Air Museum that was once a vast monastic complex composed of monasteries and churches carved directly into the rock. Bizarre and beautiful, the complex appears like it could be the set of a sci film. (~1-2 hours)
activity
Avanos Pottery Experience
10:30 A.M.: Head to the town of Avanos set on the banks of Turkey’s longest river, the Kizilirmak River. Known as the ‘The Red River,’ the Kizilirmak produces a deep red clay used to make pottery with techniques that date back to 2000 BC. (~1-2 hours)
activity
Ozkonak Underground City Visit
1:00 P.M.: Discovered in 1972 by a farmer who followed the water drainage only to discover the mysterious underground network, the exact age of this Cappadocian city is still unknown. (~30 mins - 1 hour)
transfer
Transfer
2:30 P.M.: Return to Göreme from the Ozkonak Underground City. (~10 mins)
activity
Sunset at Red Valley
6:30 P.M.: At the end of a long day of exploring, your tour leader will take you to a prime location to watch the sunset over the Red Valley. (~1 hour)
accommodation
Heybe Hotel
Overnight in Cappadocia
Day 8
Thursday, Jun 09, 2022
info
Day 8
Today you will be transferred to Kayseri Airport for your flight back to Istanbul. Upon arrival in Istanbul, you will have the afternoon to do any last-minute shopping or sightseeing before heading back to the hotel to freshen up for your final night in Turkey.
info
COVID-19 Test
Covid-19 test will be administered today at 3:00 P.M. at the hotel.
meal
breakfast
Included breakfast at the hotel
transfer
Transfer/Domestic Flight
8:15 A.M.: Transfer to the airport (~1 hour) for your flight from Kayseri Erkilet Airport (ASR) to Istanbul International Airport (IST) (~1 hour). Arrive into Istanbul at 12:35 P.M. Transfer from the airport to your hotel. (~1 hour)
meal
dinner
7:00 PM.: Included farewell dinner at Eleos restaurant. Note: Dinner is a set menu.
accommodation
The Haze Hotel
Overnight in Istanbul
Day 9
Friday, Jun 10, 2022
info
Day 9
All good things must come to an end but only until our next adventure! You will have a group transfer to the airport where you will wave goodbye to Turkey and your travel buddies.
meal
breakfast
Included breakfast at the hotel
transfer
Airport Transfer
TrovaTrip will provide t transfers from the hotel to Istanbul International Airport (IST) at 3:30 A.M., 8:30 A.M., and 1:00 P.M.
Cancellation Policy
| 25% down payment | Additional payments | |
|---|---|---|
| Spot pending | Refundable | Refundable |
| Spot confirmed | Non-refundable* | Refundable |
| 60 days pre-trip | Non-refundable | Non-refundable |
*If you cancel when your spot is confirmed and outside of 60 days until departure, you can receive a trip credit for your down payment minus the $100 cancellation fee.
For our full cancellation policy, see our Terms & Conditions.
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