12-Day Private Turkey Tour: Istanbul, Safranbolu, Cappadocia, Sagalassos & Fethiye
This private 12-day, 11-night tour takes a less traveled route through Turkey: Istanbul, the Ottoman town of Safranbolu, three nights in Cappadocia, Konya, the mountain city of Sagalassos and two nights on the Turquoise Coast at Fethiye, ending with a flight back to Istanbul. It includes 4-star and cave hotels, 11 breakfasts, 8 lunches, a private boat day and entrance fees.
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 follow the same western loop. This one goes north to Safranbolu, a UNESCO-listed town of wooden Ottoman mansions, and south to Sagalassos, a Roman city high in the Taurus Mountains that sees a fraction of the visitors of Ephesus. It finishes with a full day on a private boat among the islands of Fethiye.
Cappadocia gets three nights, enough for two full days and two chances at a balloon flight, and a flight from the coast saves a long drive back to Istanbul. The trip also brings you into people’s homes: tea in a cave house, a family in a Black Sea village, a glass of local wine in the valleys.
Highlights
- Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the colorful streets of Fener and Balat
- The glass terrace over Tokatlı Canyon and the Ottoman houses of Safranbolu
- Yörük Village and a visit with a local family
- Three nights in a Cappadocia cave hotel
- Göreme Open Air Museum, Paşabağ and the abandoned Greek village of Cemil
- A whirling dervish ceremony
- The Mevlana Museum in Konya and the mountain city of Sagalassos
- A private boat day on Fethiye's 12 Islands, with swimming stops and lunch on deck
- Topkapı Palace, the Spice Bazaar and a Bosphorus cruise
Day-by-day itinerary
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Day 1Arrive in Istanbul
Your driver meets you at the airport and takes you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free. In the early evening, your guide meets you to go through the route. We suggest a flight that lands by 4 p.m. so you have time to settle in.
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Day 2Istanbul's Old City, Fener and Balat
Start at the Hippodrome, then visit the Blue Mosque with its İznik tiles and Hagia Sophia, the great 6th-century basilica. After lunch, head to Fener and Balat on the Golden Horn, where brightly painted houses line steep lanes, laundry hangs between windows and churches, synagogues and mosques stand side by side. See the red-brick Greek Orthodox College above the neighborhood.
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Day 3Safranbolu
Drive east toward the Black Sea region, stopping for lunch on the way. In Safranbolu, a UNESCO World Heritage town, step onto the glass terrace hanging over the edge of Tokatlı Canyon. Visit the Kaymakamlar Museum House, a classic Ottoman mansion from the 18th and 19th centuries, and walk through the old bazaar.
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Day 4Yörük Village, on to Cappadocia
Walk the lanes of Yörük Village, a museum-like hamlet of wooden Ottoman houses, some from the 17th century, and visit a local family at home to hear about village life. Drive south to Cappadocia, stopping for lunch. On arrival, toast the valleys with a glass of local wine before checking in to your cave hotel.
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Day 5Göreme, Avanos and Paşabağ
If you booked the balloon flight, you rise before dawn to float over the fairy chimneys. Start the day with tea at a family's cave home, then explore the Göreme Open Air Museum and its frescoed rock churches. Visit a pottery workshop in Avanos, have lunch, and walk among the fairy chimneys of Paşabağ, set among vineyards. The rest of the afternoon is free.
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Day 6Underground City, Pigeon Valley and Cemil
Explore an underground city, a maze of tunnels and rooms carved into soft volcanic rock, and the carved dovecotes of Pigeon Valley. After lunch, visit Cemil, a village once home to a Greek Orthodox community, with its stone houses and abandoned church left after the 1924 population exchange. In the evening, watch a whirling dervish ceremony with live music.
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Day 7Konya, on to Sagalassos
Set off across the Anatolian plateau. In Konya, visit the Mevlana Museum, the turquoise-domed shrine of the 13th-century poet Rumi. Continue through the countryside to the Sagalassos area, at the foot of the Taurus Mountains, for the night.
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Day 8Sagalassos, on to Fethiye
Explore Sagalassos, a UNESCO-listed Roman city at 1,500 meters, with a theater for 9,000 and remarkably preserved fountains and streets. Drive through the lake district of Isparta, where fields of lavender, roses and lilies bloom in season, and continue to Fethiye on the Mediterranean after lunch.
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Day 9Private Boat Day on the 12 Islands
Board your private boat at Fethiye marina for a full day among the islands of Fethiye Bay. Stop in quiet coves to swim and snorkel in clear water, have lunch on deck and look out for ancient ruins along the shore before sailing back in the late afternoon.
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Day 10Fly to Istanbul
After breakfast, transfer to Dalaman airport for your flight to Istanbul. You are met on arrival and taken to your hotel. The afternoon and evening are free.
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Day 11Topkapı Palace, the Spice Bazaar and the Bosphorus
Tour Topkapı Palace, with its courtyards, pavilions and treasury. Then wander the Spice Bazaar, full of teas, dried fruit and Turkish delight. In the afternoon, cruise the Bosphorus past fishing villages, wooden Ottoman villas and the great suspension bridges between Europe and Asia. Your final evening is free.
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Day 12Departure
After breakfast, your driver takes you to the airport for your flight home. Let us know your flight time so we can plan the transfer with a comfortable margin.
What's included
- 11 nights in 4-star hotels, including 3 nights in a Cappadocia cave hotel, with daily breakfast
- 8 lunches
- Domestic flight Dalaman to Istanbul
- Private boat day on the 12 Islands of Fethiye, with lunch on deck
- Whirling dervish ceremony in Cappadocia
- Professional private guide on touring days
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver
- Airport transfers
- Bosphorus cruise
- Entrance fees to the sites in the itinerary
Not included
- International flights
- Dinners and drinks
- Hot air balloon flight
- 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 5, with Day 6 as a backup)
- Home-hosted dinner with a Cappadocian family
Hotels (or similar)
- Istanbul, Safranbolu, Sagalassos area and Fethiye: 4-star hotels
- Cappadocia: 4-star cave 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 | $12,245 | $6,480 | $5,900 | $5,510 | $5,185 | $4,860 |
| Child 2–6 | – | $3,240 | $2,950 | $2,755 | $2,595 | $2,430 |
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 | $12,245 | – |
| 2 | $6,480 | $3,240 |
| 3 | $5,900 | $2,950 |
| 4 | $5,510 | $2,755 |
| 5 | $5,185 | $2,595 |
| 6+ | $4,860 | $2,430 |
- Upgrade to 5-star hotels: +$620 per adult for the whole tour.
- Guide in English is included. Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese or Japanese: +$675 for the whole group, shared between the travelers (Chinese and Japanese on request).
Good to know
- Days 4 and 7 include five to six hours of driving; your driver stops whenever you need a break.
- Expect three to four hours of walking on most touring days, with uneven ground at Sagalassos and in the underground city.
- Flower fields near Isparta depend on the season: lavender in early summer, roses in late May and June.
- 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
What makes this route different?
It swaps the usual Aegean loop for Safranbolu in the north, Sagalassos in the mountains and Fethiye on the Turquoise Coast. You still see Istanbul and Cappadocia in depth, but the rest of the trip goes to places most American travelers never reach.
Is the boat day private?
Yes. In Fethiye you have a boat for your party only, with several stops for swimming and snorkeling and lunch on deck. You can ask the captain to stay longer in a cove you like.
Which meals are included?
Breakfast every day and eight lunches, including lunch on the boat. Dinners are free so you can choose your own restaurants. If you would like dinner with a Cappadocian family at home, we can add it.
Is this tour private?
Yes. Only your party travels, with a private guide and driver on the dates you choose. Prices are per person and decrease as your party grows.
Is the hot air balloon ride included?
No, it is an optional extra. With three nights in Cappadocia, we book it for Day 5 and keep Day 6 as a backup if the weather cancels the first flight.
How much does this tour cost per person?
For two travelers the price is $6,480 per person in US dollars. It falls to $4,860 per person for a party of six or more, and a solo traveler pays $12,245 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 $3,240 to $2,430 depending on group size and count toward the group size. Upgrading every night of the tour to 5-star hotels costs $620 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 $3,890. 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.