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Days
17
Price from
2595EUR
Map of Turkey in Depth including Turkey

Istanbul, the Aegean and Cappadocia to the rugged northeast plateaus and the Black Sea

Get under the skin of Turkey on this 17-day Peregrine journey from Istanbul. Travel to the clear coastal waters and ancient cities of the Bodrum Peninsula and discover the otherworldly landscapes of the Cappadocia region. Explore Kars – a transit point between Anatolia and the Caucasus – a place often overlooked on Turkey adventures. Continue on a train journey to Erzurum – a stronghold for the Seljuks of Anatolia – and wander through cities and villages of the Black Sea region before circling back to Istanbul. Your local leaders will show you the best this country has to offer, and with plenty of free time to experience Turkey independently, you will get to see this ancient nation on another level.

Start
Istanbul, Turkey
Finish
Istanbul, Turkey
Destination
Turkey
Style
Peregrine
Code
PECSC
Physical rating
Ages
Min 18
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • Relax on traditional gulet as our local friends take you on a cruise to their favourite spots and cook up some classic Turkish barbecue on board.

  • Go deep into Cappadocia when you explore the underground city of Kaymakli, hike the surreal fairy chimney valleys and learn about the art of rug making from a master.

  • Stay in style with accommodation that includes a historical Ottoman hotel in Istanbul, located right in the heart of the Old City.

  • Explore the Islamic architecture of Istanbul and the ancient streets of Ephesus with a local leader who has rigorous, multi-year training in Turkish history.

  • Explore the UNESCO-listed ruins of Ani. Once a stately Armenian Capital, Ani is now an abandoned city with crumbling structures lying out on a windswept plateau.

Is this trip right for you?

  • This trip covers a lot of Turkey in 17 days. We have made it as relaxed as we can with three flights and an overnight train so that you have more time to see the sights. There are few longer travel days in the north but the scenery in the region is fantastic and the travel is comfortable.

  • The overnight train is a first class sleeper and very comfortable, compartments do have wash basins and refrigerators and all linen is supplied. Each compartment has its own climatic control and is lockable from the inside. A single supplement is available for the train journey if you prefer your own compartment. There are no toilets in the compartments but modern toilets at the end of each carriage.

  • Turkey can get hot in the summer months of July and August but this is normally a dry heat and is easier to cope with than humidity. Where possible, you'll be taken to sites in the early morning before it gets too hot. In direct contrast, the northeast can get cold even in the spring and autumn months. Therefore, pack some warm clothing for this trip and a coat and hat for outside if travelling in March, April, October or November.

  • Watch where you walk!  Surfaces like the cobble stones of ancient cities and the walking paths of valleys can get a little slippery. Pack some good footwear and watch your footing, you can always sit out a walk if you prefer.

Itinerary
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Welcome to Istanbul, the continent-straddling metropolis that the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans have all called home. Your welcome meeting will take place at 1 pm today, after which the group'll head out to explore the Old City of Istanbul, visiting the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Grand Bazaar. The rest of the afternoon and evening is free for you to explore and there are plenty of sights left to see, including the Archaeology Museum and Hagia Sophia.
Accommodation
  • Legacy Ottoman Hotel (Feature Stay) (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Istanbul - Blue Mosque
  • Istanbul - Grand Bazaar
Optional Activities
  • Istanbul - Basilica Cistern - TRY30
  • Istanbul - Archaeology Museum - TRY50
  • Istanbul - Dolmabahce Palace (Excluding Harem) - TRY60
  • Istanbul - Whirling Dervish show - TRY135
  • Istanbul - Hagia Sophia - TRY100
  • Istanbul - Chora Church - TRY65
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
It's very important you attend the welcome meeting as we'll be collecting your insurance details and emergency contact information at this meeting, so please have these on hand. If you're going to b late, please let the hotel or your booking agent know.

Cost listed for optional activities listed throughout this itinerary cover entry fees only and are subject to change. Please note there is an Istanbul Museum Pass available for purchase at most Istanbul Museums. This card is valid for 5 days use and costs TL 185. This card is not available for entry at Dolmabahce Palace, Basilica Cistern and Galata Tower.

Transfer to the airport after breakfast for a 1-hour flight to Bodrum, a modern resort town that was once the ancient city of Halicarnassus. Here, along the southern end of Turkey's Aegean coast, lies the original Mauosoluem, which the group will visit during an afternoon walking tour of Saint Peter's Castle, the Underwater Archaeological Museum, the Ancient Theatre and Mindos Gate. Potentially finish up at Cevat Sakir Caddesi, a main thoroughfare surrounded by alleys and streets hosting the local fish markets and a number of mayhanes (taverns), where you can select your own catch of the day and have it prepared for dinner.
Accommodation
  • Manastir Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Bodrum - Bodrum Castle
Optional Activities
  • Bodrum- Daily Cooking Class & Market Visit - EUR85
  • Bodrum - Mausoleum at Halicarnassus - TRY12
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

There's a reason Bodrum is considered a boating paradise. Spend a day sailing off the beautiful peninsula on a gulet, a traditional wooden sailing vessel originating in this area. Sit back on the deck and soak up some sun as the boat sails down the coast with stops to swim, snorkel and explore the shore, as well as a break at the small island of Kara Ada. Enjoy lunch on board and a relaxing afternoon before returning to the hotel in the evening.
Accommodation
  • Manastir Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Bodrum - Gulet/Boat Excursion
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Drive to Selcuk this morning after breakfast (approximately 3 hours). Check into the hotel then take a walk through this sprawling town lying at the base of the ancient fortress on Ayasoluk Hill. Visit the last remaining column of the Temple of Artemis and the 14th-century Isabey Mosque, then journey to gorgeous little village of Sirince, nestled in the hills outside Selcuk. This was a predominantly Greek village before WWI and the narrow streets host beautifully decorated houses, silversmiths, leather shops, jewellers and market stands. Enjoy a special Peregrine Moment and meet Pervin, from whom you'll learn the art of manti (Turkish ravioli) whilst relaxing over a glass of the local fruit wine.
Accommodation
  • Kalehan Hotel or similar (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Selcuk - Basilica of St John - TRY25
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Wake up early this morning to beat the crowds and head to Ephesus, one of the best-preserved classical cities in the Eastern Med and arguably the greatest Greco-Roman site in the world. Tour around the amphitheatre, stroll the marble streets once walked by Cleopatra and Mark Antony, and marvel at the gymnasium, baths and beautifully restored Library of Celsus. Return to the hotel to relax before checking out and heading to the Ephesus Museum, then transfer to Izmir for an overnight train to Konya, in Central Anatolia. The train will arrive in Konya at 7.30 am, so enjoy the first-class sleeping compartments and included dinner in the restaurant car (with backgammon lessons courtesy of your Peregrine leader).
Accommodation
  • Konya Mavi Train (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Ephesus - archaeological site
  • Overnight Train - Backgammon Lessons (Peregrine Moment)
Optional Activities
  • Ephesus - Terrace Houses Entry - TRY45
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
The overnight train journey on this trip between Selcuk and Cappadocia is first class. Cabins are twin-share, have individual climate control, a small refrigerator and a sink. Toilets are available at each end of the carriage. Bedding is supplied. There is a restaurant car available offering basic snacks. Single supplement is available for this leg of the journey, too.

Arrive early in Konya, an important Roman city, and tuck into a full Turkish kahvalti (breakfast). Konya is the home of the mystic Sufi practice of whirling and after breakfast you'll visit the mausoleum of Mevlana, a famous mystic, as well as the museum housing manuscripts of his work and various mystic artefacts before driving three hours to the captivating region of Cappadocia. Check in to the hotel then head out with your leader to stretch your legs on a valley walk. Your leader has their own special place to introduce you to.

Accommodation
  • Heybe Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Konya - Mevlana Museum
  • Cappadocia - Valley Walk
  • Cappadocia - Kaymakli Underground City
Optional Activities
  • Goreme -Hamam Turkish Bath - EUR25
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
If you would like to organise a hot-air balloon flight for tomorrow morning you must speak to your leader at the welcome meeting on Day 1.

This mornig you can choose whether to take an optional hot air balloon rise over Cappadocia. Even if you don't choose to take a flight, it's worth getting up just to see the balloons rising with the sun. Have a relaxing breakfast from your terrace overlooking the valley then visit the Goreme Open Air Museum, which features houses, churches and monasteries carved into the soft cliff faces. Later in the afternoon, take a guided tour of Kaymakli, a troglodyte cave-city. Next, meet a local rug master and learn about the strong tradition of rug making from early nomadic styles to now. Head back to the hotel in Goreme. The rest of your day is free. Maybe take a relaxing Turkish bath to unwind after a long day experiencing some truly incredible history.
Accommodation
  • Heybe Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Goreme - Carpet Demonstration
  • Cappadocia -Kaymakli Underground City
  • Cappadocia - Goreme - Open Air Museum
Optional Activities
  • Goreme - Hot Air Balloon, Cappadocia Deluxe Flight - EUR250
  • Goreme - Hot Air Balloon, Cappadocia Regular Flight - EUR195
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
If you would like to organise a hot-air balloon flight for tomorrow morning you must speak to your leader at the welcome meeting on Day 1.

Drive to the airport after breakfast for a 1.5-hour flight back to Istanbul. Transfer to your hotel on arrival and enjoy a free afternoon. In the evening take the ferry to Kadikoy on Istanbul's Asian shore. Take a walk around this lively area and find a harbourside spot for dinner with your travelling companions.
Accommodation
  • Legacy Ottoman Hotel (Feature Stay) (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

This morning after breakfast you will have the day to further explore the city. You may like to ask your group leader for suggestions on how to spend your time. The Spice Market is very close to your hotel and a cruise on the Bosphorus never disappoints. Keep in mind that there will be a group meeting to discuss the next stage of your itinerary at 6 pm and you're welcome to attend, as this is a great chance to meet your new fellow travellers.
Accommodation
  • Legacy Ottoman (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Istanbul - Dolmabahce Palace (Excluding Harem) - TRY60
  • Istanbul - Chora Church - TRY65
  • Istanbul - Urban Adventures - Istanbul Conquered - EUR95
  • Istanbul - Galata Tower - TRY35
  • Istanbul - Hagia Sophia - TRY100
  • Istanbul - Topkapi Palace (Excluding Harem) - TRY72
  • Istanbul - Basilica Cistern - TRY30
  • Istanbul - Grand Bazaar - Free
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
As this is a combination trip, your group leader and the composition of your group will likely change today. There will be a group meeting to discuss the next stage of your itinerary. It’s important that you attend the meeting as your new group leader will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Transfer to the airport after breakfast for a two-hour flight to the north eastern province of Kars. This town is known for the ruins of Ani, a medieval Armenian city once called the City of 1001 Churches. Historians believe it sustained a population of 100,000 at one stage, and the rugged ruins present a haunting scene on the high plateau near the Turkish-Armenian border. Arrive mid-afternoon and check in to the hotel before taking a walking tour around town to see the castle and Kumbet Camii – a beautiful Armenian church now converted into a mosque. In the evening, perhaps enjoy some roasted goose (a local specialty) for dinner, and you may even be lucky enough to catch some local musicians playing the baglama.
Accommodation
  • Kars-ı Şirin Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Kars - Kars Castle and Walking Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

This morning, head out of town to a small Malakan village called Bogatepe for a local organic breakfast. Continue with a visit to the Bogatepe Cheese Museum, tasting a few samples of Kars' gruyere – a little taste of Switzerland in Eastern Anatolia. Then, explore the local region this afternoon, including a visit to the Ani Ruins. Ruled by a vast array of kingdoms and empires over the centuries – from the Byzantines to the Ottomans – the city of Ani once housed many thousands of people, becoming a cultural hub and regional power under the medieval Bagratid Armenian dynasty. The crumbling, rust-coloured brick Cathedral of Ani guards this deserted city, perched alone on the remote highlands of North Eastern Turkey. Return to Kars for the evening.
Accommodation
  • Kars-ı Şirin Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Kars - Cheese Museum and Tasting
  • Kars - Ani Ruins UNESCO Site
  • Kars - Bogatepe Village Organic Breakfast
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

After an early breakfast, make your way to the train station for an 8.30 am departure on the Dogu Express. This train connects the north-east of Turkey with Ankara, the capital, but the group will hop off at Erzurum after a 4-hour journey through spectacular scenery. Erzurum, the largest city in eastern Anatolia, sits at 1950 metres and was a stronghold for the Seljuk Empire during the 12th and 13th centuries. Spend the afternoon exploring important Seljuk sites like the Cifte Minareli Medrese, the Mongol-built Yakutiye Medrese and various distinctive tombs. Try a cag kebab in the evening – a horizontally stacked kebab and a local specialty.
Accommodation
  • Hotel Zade or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Erzurum - Cifte Minareli Madrasah
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Enjoy a leisurely morning before departing for Amasya, a journey of approximately 5.5 hours. Amasya sits in a valley on the banks of the Yepilrmak River. It was once the capital of the Pontic Kingdom and the tombs of the Pontic Kings are carved into the cliffs behind the town, making an impressive sight when lit at night. Today, the town is famous for both its timber houses and lush orchards. Take a walk around the town centre then join a local family for a home-cooked meal in the evening.
Accommodation
  • Apple Palace Hotel or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Travel to Safranbolu this morning, a journey of around 4.5 hours. Safranbolu is a UNESCO-listed town that played a key role in the caravan trade over several hundred years. The town influenced architecture all over the Ottoman Empire as a result of its trade-related prosperity, and this architecture is still well preserved. Spend the afternoon strolling through town and enjoy a special Peregrine Moment tasting saffron-flavoured Turkish delight – a regional specialty and favourite of many Ottoman sultans. The group will also visit Hidirlik Hill for superb views over the town, and spend the evening staying in a local konak (a large Ottoman house).
Accommodation
  • Akce Konak Hotel (Feature Stay) (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Amasya - Pontic King Tombs
  • Safranbolu - Walking tour
  • Safranbolu - Candy tasting (Peregrine Moment)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Depart for a half-day tour to Amasra after a traditional Turkish breakfast. Drive through the countryside, mountains and little villages to arrive in what is arguably one of the prettiest villages on the Black Sea. Amasra is well loved by Turkish tourists but not yet popular with foreign travellers, especially when compared with some of the Mediterranean or Aegean destinations. Take a tour of the town including the Byzantine citadel and Old Bazaar and look down from the bridge into the bright blue water. Return to Safranbolu in the afternoon for some free time wandering around the Old Bazaar and watching the traditional craftsmen at work. Coppersmiths, cobblers and saddle-makers will go about their business then you can go about yours, picking somewhere for dinner and a drink before spending another night in a traditional konak.
Accommodation
  • Akce Konak Hotel (Feature Stay) (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Safranbolu - Kaymakamlar House Museum
  • Amasra - Amasra Daily Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Depart for Istanbul after breakfast, arriving mid-afternoon for some last-minute exploration and shopping. Walk through the bazaars or visit the sights you may have missed earlier in the trip before meeting up with the group in the evening to enjoy an optional farewell dinner. Toast Turkey and all its treasures you've discovered, then perhaps share one last Turkish delight together.
Accommodation
  • Legacy Ottoman or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Today, there are no activities planned after breakfast. You're free to depart your accommodation at any time, and hotel check out is midday.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Meals

16 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners

Transport

Boat, Plane, Private aircon bus, Overnight train

Accommodation

Comfortable Hotel (11 nights) Overnight Train (1 night) Feature Stay (Legacy Ottoman Istanbul -2 nights; Feature Stay (Akce Konak Safranbolu – 2 nights)

Included Activities

  • Istanbul - Blue Mosque
  • Istanbul - Grand Bazaar
  • Bodrum - Bodrum Castle
  • Bodrum - Gulet/Boat Excursion
  • Ephesus - archaeological site
  • Overnight Train - Backgammon Lessons (Peregrine Moment)
  • Konya - Mevlana Museum
  • Cappadocia - Valley Walk
  • Cappadocia - Kaymakli Underground City
  • Goreme - Carpet Demonstration
  • Cappadocia -Kaymakli Underground City
  • Cappadocia - Goreme - Open Air Museum
  • Kars - Kars Castle and Walking Tour
  • Kars - Cheese Museum and Tasting
  • Kars - Ani Ruins UNESCO Site
  • Kars - Bogatepe Village Organic Breakfast
  • Erzurum - Cifte Minareli Madrasah
  • Amasya - Pontic King Tombs
  • Safranbolu - Walking tour
  • Safranbolu - Candy tasting (Peregrine Moment)
  • Safranbolu - Kaymakamlar House Museum
  • Amasra - Amasra Daily Tour

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Important notes

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights on your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to a Peregrine booking agent for further information.

TRANSFERS
A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel. For 2020 departures this transfer will be available from both Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) and Istanbul Airport (IST).

INCLUDED FLIGHT
This trip has three internal flights. Luggage on this trip is restricted to 15 kg per person checked and 8 kg carry-on cabin baggage. It is possible to safely store any excess luggage in the starting point hotel.

ITINERARY
The overnight train is reserved on a first class couchette basis. Cabins are twin share, have individual climatic control for your comfort, a small refrigerator in each couchette and a wash basin. Toilets are available at each end of the carriage. Bedding is supplied. There is a restaurant car available offering basic snacks.

Temperatures in the far north east of Turkey can get very cold with temperatures in Kars in March and April ranging from 4–12° during the day and -3° in the evening. t is important that you pack warm clothing. Hotels will be heated but walking during the day you will require a hat, scarf and coat.

TURKEY
We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest information on travelling in Turkey before your departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas of your itinerary. We have links to prominent government travel advisories and regular updates on issues affecting this trip on our Travel Alerts page – www.peregrineadventures.com/travel-alerts

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

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