7-Day Private Turkey Highlights Tour: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus & Pamukkale
This private 7-day, 6-night tour covers Turkey's four classic highlights in one week: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale. It opens with a Bosphorus dinner cruise and uses three domestic flights so you spend your time at the sites, not on the road. It includes 4-star and cave hotels, all entrance fees, 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, a dinner, a private guide and every transfer.
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
Seeing Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale in a single week only works if you skip the long drives, and this tour does exactly that with three short flights. Every day between arrival and departure is a full touring day, and the evening you land in Istanbul starts with dinner on the Bosphorus.
Everything is paid in advance: hotels, flights, entrance fees, lunches and transfers. Your guide and driver are private, so the day moves at your pace, and you stay in the best-placed hotels for each stop: steps from Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, in the cave town of Göreme and by the sea in Kuşadası.
Highlights
- A welcome dinner cruise on the Bosphorus with music and dance
- Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace, Hagia Irene and the Blue Mosque
- A night in a cave suite hotel in Göreme
- A walk through Red Valley and Love Valley, and Kaymaklı Underground City
- The Göreme Open Air Museum and the fairy chimneys of Paşabağ
- Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary and the İsa Bey Mosque
- Hierapolis and the white terraces of Pamukkale
Day-by-day itinerary
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Day 1Arrive in Istanbul, Bosphorus Dinner Cruise
Your driver meets you at the airport and takes you to your hotel in Sultanahmet, a short walk from Hagia Sophia. Rest for the afternoon. At 7:30 p.m. you are collected for a dinner cruise on the Bosphorus, with live music and a dance show as the lights of both continents slide past. You are back at the hotel later in the evening.
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Day 2Istanbul's Old City
A full day with your guide. Step inside Hagia Sophia, built as a church in 537, then tour Topkapı Palace, the home of the Ottoman sultans, and Hagia Irene in its first courtyard, one of the oldest churches in the city and never turned into a mosque. Visit the Blue Mosque with its six minarets, walk the Hippodrome of Constantinople, and finish in the Grand Bazaar.
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Day 3Fly to Cappadocia: Red Valley and Kaymaklı
An early flight takes you to Cappadocia, where your guide is waiting. Start at Uçhisar Castle, the highest rock in the region, then hike through Red Valley, one of the most beautiful walks in Cappadocia. Visit the cliff village of Çavuşin and the tall rock columns of Love Valley. In the afternoon, go down into Kaymaklı Underground City, then end at Pigeon Valley before checking in to your cave suite in Göreme.
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Day 4Göreme and Avanos, Fly to İzmir
If you booked the optional balloon flight, you rise before dawn to float over the valleys. After breakfast, take in the Göreme panorama, then tour the Göreme Open Air Museum and its frescoed rock churches. Watch a potter at work in Avanos, walk among the shapes of Devrent Valley and the fairy chimneys of Paşabağ, and stop at the Three Beauties near Ürgüp. Fly to İzmir and drive to your seaside hotel in Kuşadası.
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Day 5Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary
Walk the marble streets of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved cities of the Roman world, from the Library of Celsus to the Great Theater. Visit the site of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the House of the Virgin Mary on its wooded hill. End at the İsa Bey Mosque in Selçuk, built in the 14th century with columns taken from ancient Ephesus.
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Day 6Pamukkale and Hierapolis, Fly to Istanbul
Drive inland to Pamukkale, where warm springs have built terraces of white travertine down a hillside. Walk barefoot through the shallow pools, then explore Hierapolis, the Roman spa city above them. If you wish, you can swim among sunken marble columns in Cleopatra's Pool, which has its own ticket, paid at the pool. In the afternoon, fly from Denizli to Istanbul and check in to your hotel in Sultanahmet.
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Day 7Departure
After breakfast, your driver takes you to Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gökçen, arriving about four hours before an international flight. If your flight is late in the day, there may be time for a last walk around Sultanahmet first. Let us know your flight time when you book.
What's included
- 6 nights in hotels: 4-star in Sultanahmet, Istanbul (3 nights), cave suite hotel in Göreme (1 night), 4-star seaside hotel in Kuşadası (2 nights)
- 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches and a Bosphorus dinner cruise with show
- Three domestic flights with taxes: Istanbul to Cappadocia, Cappadocia to İzmir, Denizli to Istanbul (15 kg checked bag, 8 kg carry-on)
- Entrance fees to all sites in the itinerary
- Professional private guide
- Private vehicle with driver
- All airport transfers
Not included
- International flights
- Dinners other than the Bosphorus cruise
- Drinks
- Swimming in Cleopatra's Pool at Pamukkale (separate ticket, paid at the pool)
- Tips 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 4)
- Swim in Cleopatra's Pool, Pamukkale (Day 6, ticket paid at the pool)
- Extra nights in Istanbul before or after the tour
Hotels (or similar)
- Istanbul: 4-star hotel in Sultanahmet, near Hagia Sophia
- Cappadocia: Cave suite hotel in Göreme
- Kuşadası: 4-star hotel by the sea
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 | $3,720 | $2,100 | $2,005 | $1,910 | $1,815 | $1,765 |
| Child 2–6 | – | $1,005 | $1,005 | $1,005 | $1,005 | $1,005 |
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 | $3,720 | – |
| 2 | $2,100 | $1,005 |
| 3 | $2,005 | $1,005 |
| 4 | $1,910 | $1,005 |
| 5 | $1,815 | $1,005 |
| 6+ | $1,765 | $1,005 |
- Upgrade to 5-star hotels: +$340 per adult for the whole tour.
- Guide in English is included. Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese or Japanese: +$395 for the whole group, shared between the travelers (Chinese and Japanese on request).
Good to know
- This is a full week: every day from Day 2 to Day 6 is a complete touring day, and Days 3, 4 and 6 include flights.
- Domestic flight baggage allowance is 15 kg (33 lb) checked plus 8 kg (17 lb) carry-on. You can leave larger bags at your Istanbul hotel.
- Bring comfortable shoes for the Red Valley walk, and a swimsuit if you plan to swim in Cleopatra's Pool.
- 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
Can you really see Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale in 7 days?
Yes, because three domestic flights replace roughly 20 hours of driving. Each region gets a full guided day, and the flights fit around the touring. It is a busy week, so if you prefer a slower pace, our longer tours spend more nights in each place.
Is this tour private?
Yes. Only your party travels, with a guide and driver reserved for you, on the dates you choose. Prices are per person and decrease as your party grows, and children 0 to 1 travel free.
What is included in the price?
Six nights of hotels, three domestic flights, all entrance fees, six breakfasts, five lunches, the Bosphorus dinner cruise, a private guide, a private vehicle and every airport transfer. You pay only for international flights, other dinners, drinks, tips and optional extras.
How many nights are in Cappadocia?
One night, in a cave suite hotel in Göreme, with two touring days in the region: the afternoon you arrive and the morning before your flight to İzmir. That leaves one sunrise for an optional balloon flight, so book it in advance.
Is the hot air balloon ride included?
No, it is an optional extra on the morning of Day 4. Balloons fly at sunrise and depend on the weather, and with one night in Cappadocia there is no backup morning. Tell us when you book and we will reserve it.
How much does this tour cost per person?
For two travelers the price is $2,100 per person in US dollars. It falls to $1,765 per person for a party of six or more, and a solo traveler pays $3,720 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 $1,005 and count toward the group size. Upgrading every night of the tour to 5-star hotels costs $340 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 $1,260. 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.