12-Day Private Turkey Tour: Istanbul, Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus, Pamukkale & Cappadocia
This private 12-day, 11-night tour follows the classic road loop of western and central Turkey: Istanbul, Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Konya, Cappadocia and Ankara, then back to Istanbul. Your own guide and driver lead every touring day. It includes 4-star and cave hotels, 11 breakfasts, a home-hosted lunch, a Bosphorus cruise 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
This is the route that has introduced generations of Americans to Turkey: Troy and the healing temple of Pergamon, Ephesus, the white terraces of Pamukkale, the Seljuk city of Konya, the valleys of Cappadocia and the capital, Ankara. Here it runs as a private trip, so the full day in Ephesus, the guided day in Cappadocia and the Bosphorus cruise are part of the plan, not optional extras.
You spend two nights in Kuşadası on the Aegean coast and two in a Cappadocia cave hotel, with lunch at a family home on the Silk Road along the way. Evenings are free, and because only your party travels, the timing of every stop is yours.
Highlights
- Hagia Sophia, the Cistern of Theodosius and the Spice Bazaar
- Troy, the setting of Homer's Iliad
- The Asclepion of Pergamon, a Roman healing center
- A full day at Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary
- Hierapolis and the Pamukkale terraces
- The Mevlana Museum in Konya
- The Sultanhanı caravanserai and a home-hosted lunch
- Göreme Open Air Museum and Özkonak Underground City
- The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and Atatürk's mausoleum
- A Bosphorus cruise and the Grand Bazaar on the last day
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.
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Day 2Istanbul: Hagia Sophia and the Cistern of Theodosius
Explore Sultanahmet with your guide. Visit Hagia Sophia, the 6th-century basilica later converted into a mosque, and descend into the Cistern of Theodosius, a 5th-century Byzantine water reservoir of marble columns. Walk across the Hippodrome, where chariots once raced, then wander the Spice Bazaar. The afternoon is free to explore on your own.
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Day 3Troy, on to Çanakkale
Drive west toward the Dardanelles. Stop at Troy, the 4,000-year-old city immortalized in Homer's Iliad, where your guide explains the layers of settlement and the legend of the wooden horse. Continue to Çanakkale and check in with free time in the late afternoon.
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Day 4Pergamon and the Asclepion, on to Kuşadası
Drive south to Pergamon, a powerful Hellenistic kingdom, and visit the Asclepion, a Roman healing temple where patients were treated with water, sleep and the interpretation of dreams. After lunch on your own, continue to Kuşadası on the Aegean coast.
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Day 5Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary
A full day around Ephesus. Walk 2,000-year-old marble streets past the Great Theater, the Odeon, the Fountain of Trajan, the Temple of Hadrian and the Library of Celsus. See the site of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the House of the Virgin Mary in the hills, believed to be her last home.
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Day 6Hierapolis and Pamukkale
Leave early for Pamukkale, the "Cotton Castle." Visit the necropolis and the Roman spa city of Hierapolis above the hot springs, used as a thermal bath since the 2nd century B.C., then walk the white travertine terraces. Check in to your hotel for the evening.
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Day 7Konya and the Mevlana Museum
Drive east to Konya, known for its Seljuk architecture and as the home of the whirling dervishes. In the afternoon, visit the Mausoleum of Mevlana under its fluted turquoise dome, with the works of the 13th-century poet Rumi.
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Day 8Sultanhanı and a Home-Hosted Lunch, Cappadocia
Stop at Sultanhanı, the largest medieval caravanserai in Turkey, built in the 13th century for Silk Road traders. Visit a local family for a home-cooked lunch and conversation about their way of life. Continue to Cappadocia and check in to your cave hotel with free time before the evening.
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Day 9Göreme and Özkonak Underground City
If you booked the balloon flight, you rise very early to float over the fairy chimneys at sunrise. After breakfast, your guide takes you to the Göreme Open Air Museum, a valley of early Christian rock churches, and down into Özkonak Underground City, with its tunnels and rooms carved into volcanic rock. Return to the hotel with free time.
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Day 10Avanos, on to Ankara
Stop in Avanos, a town of potters on the Kızılırmak River, then drive to Ankara. Visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, set in two Ottoman buildings near Ankara Castle, and Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, approached along an avenue of Hittite-style lions. The evening is free.
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Day 11Return to Istanbul, Bosphorus Cruise and Grand Bazaar
Drive back to Istanbul, arriving in the afternoon. Cruise the Bosphorus, the strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, past fishing villages, palaces and suspension bridges. Then visit the Grand Bazaar, with more than 4,000 shops. Your last 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 2 nights in a Cappadocia cave hotel, with daily breakfast
- Home-hosted lunch with a family near Sultanhanı
- Full day at Ephesus and a guided day in Cappadocia
- Bosphorus cruise
- Professional private guide on touring days
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver for the whole loop
- Airport transfers in Istanbul
- Entrance fees to the sites in the itinerary
Not included
- International flights
- Lunches and dinners other than the home-hosted lunch
- 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 9)
- Extra nights in Istanbul before or after the tour
Hotels (or similar)
- Istanbul, Çanakkale, Kuşadası, Pamukkale, Konya and Ankara: 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 | $7,655 | $4,050 | $3,685 | $3,445 | $3,240 | $3,040 |
| Child 2–6 | – | $2,025 | $1,845 | $1,725 | $1,620 | $1,520 |
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 | $7,655 | – |
| 2 | $4,050 | $2,025 |
| 3 | $3,685 | $1,845 |
| 4 | $3,445 | $1,725 |
| 5 | $3,240 | $1,620 |
| 6+ | $3,040 | $1,520 |
- 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
- Expect several early starts and two days with more than five hours of driving.
- Underground cities have narrow passages that may require crouching; they are not suitable for travelers who are claustrophobic or have knee or back problems.
- Some hotels built in traditional style may not have air conditioning.
- 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
Are Ephesus and the Cappadocia day included?
Yes. Many group tours sell Ephesus, the full day in Cappadocia and the Bosphorus cruise as optional extras. On this private tour all three are included, along with entrance fees for every site in the itinerary.
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.
Which meals are included?
Breakfast every day and a home-hosted lunch with a family near Sultanhanı. Other meals are free so you can choose your own restaurants; your guide is happy to recommend local favorites.
How much driving is there?
The loop covers about 2,500 km by road. Most days include two to four hours of driving, and two days are longer. Your private vehicle stops whenever you want for photos, coffee or a stretch.
Is the hot air balloon ride included?
No, it is an optional extra on the morning of Day 9. Balloons fly at sunrise and depend on the weather. Tell us when you book and we will reserve it.
How much does this tour cost per person?
For two travelers the price is $4,050 per person in US dollars. It falls to $3,040 per person for a party of six or more, and a solo traveler pays $7,655 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 $2,025 to $1,520 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 $2,430. 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.