13-Day Private Turkey Tour: Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pergamon, Pamukkale & Istanbul
This private 13-day, 12-night tour moves through Turkey slowly: three nights in Cappadocia, four on the Aegean coast with Ephesus, Pergamon and a free day, two in Pamukkale and three in Istanbul. It includes 4-star and cave hotels, three domestic flights, all entrance fees, 12 breakfasts, 7 lunches and a private guide and driver, with free time built into every region.
5.0 on Tripadvisor · 145 reviews of our private tours
Your route
Tap a stop or open a day in the itinerary to see where you are.
- Private vehicle
- Domestic flight
- 1Overnight stop
- Day visit
Why travelers choose this itinerary
Most Turkey tours fit four regions into a week and spend half of it in transit. This one takes almost twice as long for the same ground, so you unpack for three or four nights at a time, have afternoons to yourself and a full free day on the Aegean coast.
The extra time also buys you places shorter tours drop: a hike through Ihlara Valley and the cliff monastery of Selime, the abandoned cave town of Zelve, the acropolis of Pergamon and the red springs of Karahayıt. Istanbul comes last, with a full day in the old city and another on the Bosphorus, so you end the trip close to your flight home.
Highlights
- A 3.5 km walk through Ihlara Valley, with lunch in a village
- Derinkuyu Underground City, eight floors below ground
- The Zelve Open Air Museum and the fairy chimneys of Paşabağ
- Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary and the Ephesus Museum
- Pergamon's acropolis and the Asclepion healing center
- Two nights in Pamukkale, with the travertines, Hierapolis and the red springs of Karahayıt
- Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Golden Horn and a Bosphorus cruise
- All entrance fees included
Day-by-day itinerary
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Day 1Arrive in Istanbul, Fly to Cappadocia
Land at Istanbul Airport and connect to your included domestic flight to Kayseri. Your driver meets you on arrival in Cappadocia and takes you to your hotel. There is no touring today, so the rest of the day is yours to rest after the long journey. Send us your international flight details when you book so we can match the connection and leave a comfortable margin.
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Day 2Derinkuyu, Ihlara Valley and Selime
Your guide collects you at 9:15. Start at the Göreme panorama over the fairy chimneys, then go eight floors down into Derinkuyu, one of the deepest underground cities in Cappadocia. Walk about 3.5 km along the river in Ihlara Valley and stop for lunch in a village at the end of the trail. Take in the cone-shaped rocks of the Yaprakhisar viewpoint, explore the cliff monastery of Selime, and end with Pigeon Valley and an onyx workshop.
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Day 3Uçhisar, Zelve and Avanos
Begin at Uçhisar Castle, where your guide explains the history of the region. Walk through Zelve, an abandoned cave town in three valleys, now an open-air museum, and the old village of Çavuşin. After lunch in Avanos, watch a pottery demonstration and visit a carpet and kilim workshop. Finish among the fairy chimneys of Paşabağ, the animal-shaped rocks of Devrent Valley and the twin fairy chimneys.
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Day 4Fly to İzmir, Kuşadası
After breakfast, transfer to Kayseri airport for your flight to İzmir on the Aegean coast. Your driver meets you and takes you to your hotel in Kuşadası or Selçuk, your base for the next four nights. The afternoon is free to settle in and walk by the sea. With four nights in one hotel, this is a good point to unpack properly.
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Day 5Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary
A full day around Ephesus. Visit the House of the Virgin Mary, a small stone chapel on a wooded hill, then walk the marble streets of Ephesus, one of the largest cities of the Roman world, past the Library of Celsus and the Great Theater. Stop at the site of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and end at the Ephesus Museum before returning to your hotel.
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Day 6Pergamon
A day trip north to Pergamon, once a royal capital and home to one of the great libraries of the ancient world. On the acropolis, see the Temple of Athena and a theater cut so steeply into the hillside that it seems to hang over the valley. Below the city, visit the Asclepion, a healing center where patients were treated with water, sleep and diet. Return to your hotel in the evening.
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Day 7Free Day in Kuşadası
A full day to do as you please. Swim at one of the beaches near town, walk out to the small fortress on Pigeon Island, browse the shops of the old bazaar or simply rest at the hotel. After three busy touring days, this is a welcome pause before the second half of the trip.
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Day 8Drive to Pamukkale
After breakfast, your driver takes you inland, about three hours, to Pamukkale. Check in to your thermal hotel and rest for the afternoon. Many hotels here have pools fed by the same mineral springs that formed the white terraces, so this is a good time to relax in the warm water.
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Day 9Pamukkale, Hierapolis and Karahayıt
Start at the red springs of Karahayıt, where iron-rich water has stained the rock in shades of red and orange. Then explore Hierapolis, the Roman spa city on the hill, and walk barefoot down the white travertine terraces through shallow pools of warm water. If you wish, you can also swim among sunken marble columns in Cleopatra's Antique Pool, which has its own ticket, paid at the pool. Lunch is included.
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Day 10Fly to Istanbul
After breakfast, transfer to Denizli airport for your flight to Istanbul. You are met on arrival and taken to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to rest or take a first walk around the neighborhood. Your hotel is your base for the last three nights, so there is no more packing until the flight home.
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Day 11Istanbul's Old City
A full day with your guide in Sultanahmet. Walk the Hippodrome of Constantinople, visit the Blue Mosque and step inside Hagia Sophia, whose dome has stood for nearly 1,500 years. Tour Topkapı Palace, the seat of the Ottoman sultans, and end in the covered lanes of the Grand Bazaar. If you would like a traditional Turkish bath afterward, we can arrange it.
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Day 12The Golden Horn and the Bosphorus
Spend the day on Istanbul's waterways. See the Golden Horn, the city's historic harbor, and walk through the Spice Bazaar, piled with teas, spices and Turkish delight. Then join a cruise along the Bosphorus, past wooden waterside mansions, palaces and fortresses, and under the Bosphorus Bridge that links Europe and Asia. In the evening, a whirling dervish ceremony can be added.
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Day 13Departure
After breakfast, your driver takes you to the airport in time for your flight home. If your flight is later in the day, you may have time for a last walk or some shopping. Let us know your flight time in advance so we can plan the transfer with a comfortable margin for Istanbul traffic.
What's included
- 12 nights in 4-star hotels: Cappadocia (3), Kuşadası or Selçuk (4), Pamukkale thermal hotel (2), Istanbul (3)
- 12 breakfasts and 7 lunches
- Domestic flights: Istanbul to Kayseri, Kayseri to İzmir and Denizli to Istanbul
- Entrance fees to all sites in the itinerary
- Professional private guide on touring days
- Private vehicle with driver
- All hotel and airport transfers
- Bosphorus cruise
Not included
- International flights
- Dinners and drinks
- Hot air balloon flight
- Swimming in Cleopatra's Antique Pool at Pamukkale (separate ticket, paid at the pool)
- Tips, travel insurance and personal expenses
Optional extras
- Upgrade to 5-star hotels for every night of the tour
- Hot air balloon flight in Cappadocia (morning of Day 2 or 3)
- Swim in Cleopatra's Antique Pool, Pamukkale (Day 9, ticket paid at the pool)
- Turkish bath in Istanbul (Day 11)
- Whirling dervish ceremony in Istanbul (Day 12)
Hotels (or similar)
- Cappadocia: 4-star cave or boutique hotel
- Kuşadası or Selçuk: 4-star hotel
- Pamukkale: Doğa Thermal Health & Spa, or similar
- Istanbul: 4-star hotel
Price per person (USD)
The price depends on how many people travel together, because your guide and vehicle are private. Children 0 to 1 travel free; children 2 to 6 pay the child price and count toward group size.
| Travelers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | $10,400 | $5,250 | $4,675 | $4,295 | $4,010 | $3,815 |
| Child 2–6 | – | $2,675 | $2,675 | $2,675 | $2,675 | $2,675 |
Prices valid as of October 15, 2026. Bookings close 10 days before the start date: book today and the earliest start date is October 25, 2026.
| Travelers | Adult | Child 2–6 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $10,400 | – |
| 2 | $5,250 | $2,675 |
| 3 | $4,675 | $2,675 |
| 4 | $4,295 | $2,675 |
| 5 | $4,010 | $2,675 |
| 6+ | $3,815 | $2,675 |
- Upgrade to 5-star hotels: +$675 per adult for the whole tour.
- Guide in English is included. Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese or Japanese: +$730 for the whole group, shared between the travelers (Chinese and Japanese on request).
Good to know
- The Bosphorus cruise on Day 12 is on a shared sightseeing boat; your guide stays with you.
- The Avanos pottery and carpet workshops and the onyx workshop are demonstrations; there is no obligation to buy.
- Day 2 includes a 3.5 km walk on a mostly flat riverside trail, and Derinkuyu has low, narrow passages and steep steps.
- Mosques require modest dress: shoulders and knees covered, and a headscarf for women.
- Bookings close 10 days before the start date. Reserve with a 30% deposit; cancellation is free up to 30 days before travel.
Your guide
Your guide will be one of our licensed team: classmates from Adnan Menderes University with 14 to 15 years of guiding each, plus trusted licensed colleagues in every region.
KübraEnglish, Spanish
Selçuk YılmazEnglish
Can AteşEnglish, French
Bahar ÖzdemirEnglish, Spanish, Arabic
Ege ErtaşEnglish
Osman DemirEnglish
From past trips on this route
Guests on this route
Photos our guests shared after their private tours.
What travelers say
Rated 5.0 on Tripadvisor from 145 reviews of our private tours. Excerpts quoted as written.
“Our minivan was very comfortable, the drivers were punctual and very helpful”
ElenaDit · August 2026 · Tripadvisor
“He was always on the phone when we have question.”
탁동 홍 · September 2026 · Tripadvisor
FAQ
Why choose a 13-day tour over a shorter one?
You see the same headline sites as a one-week tour, plus Ihlara Valley, Selime, Zelve, Pergamon and Karahayıt, without changing hotels every night. Three or four nights in each base, a free day on the coast and free afternoons make this the most relaxed way to see Turkey.
Are flights included?
Yes. All three domestic flights are included: Istanbul to Kayseri on Day 1, Kayseri to İzmir on Day 4 and Denizli to Istanbul on Day 10, with every airport transfer. Only your international flights to and from Istanbul are not included.
Are entrance fees included?
Yes, entrance fees for every site in the itinerary are included, from Derinkuyu and Zelve to Ephesus, Pergamon, Hierapolis and Topkapı Palace. You only pay for optional extras such as a balloon flight, a swim in Cleopatra's Antique Pool, a Turkish bath or a whirling dervish ceremony.
Which meals are included?
Breakfast every day and seven lunches on the main touring days, including a village lunch in Ihlara Valley. Dinners are not included, so you can choose your own restaurants each evening, and your guide is happy to recommend places.
Is the hot air balloon ride included?
No, it is an optional extra. Balloons launch at sunrise and depend on the weather. With three nights in Cappadocia, you have two mornings to try, which gives you a good chance of flying. Tell us when you book and we will arrange it.
How much does this tour cost per person?
For two travelers the price is $5,250 per person in US dollars. It falls to $3,815 per person for a party of six or more, and a solo traveler pays $10,400 because the guide and vehicle are reserved for one party. These are 2026 prices and cover everything listed under What's included.
What do children pay, and can we upgrade to 5-star hotels?
Children up to 1 year old travel free. Children aged 2 to 6 pay $2,675 and count toward the group size. Upgrading every night of the tour to 5-star hotels costs $675 per adult.
How do payment and cancellation work?
You reserve with a 30% deposit by card in US dollars, processed securely by Stripe; for two travelers on this tour that is about $3,150. The balance is charged automatically 30 days before travel. Cancel up to 30 days before your start date and you get a full refund, including the deposit.