8-Day Private Turkey Tour Package: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Konya, Pamukkale & Ephesus
This private 8-day, 7-night tour starts and ends in Istanbul. You fly to Cappadocia for two nights in a cave hotel, cross Anatolia by road through Konya to Pamukkale, then visit Ephesus and fly back to Istanbul. Two domestic flights, 4-star and cave hotels, a thermal hotel in Pamukkale, all entrance fees, 7 breakfasts, 2 dinners and a private guide are included.
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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 of the cost surprises on a Turkey trip come from entrance fees, and they add up quickly at Topkapı, Göreme, Pamukkale and Ephesus. On this tour they are already included, along with your flights, hotels and guide, so the price you book is close to the price you pay.
The route mixes air and road on purpose. You fly over the long stretches, then drive from Cappadocia to Pamukkale through the heart of Anatolia, stopping in Konya at the shrine of Rumi, the poet behind the whirling dervishes. Because the tour is private, your guide and vehicle are yours, and the pace is set by your party.
Highlights
- Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar
- Two nights in a Cappadocia cave hotel
- Özkonak Underground City and the fairy chimneys of Paşabağ
- The Göreme Open Air Museum and the view from Uçhisar Castle
- The Mevlana Museum in Konya, resting place of Rumi
- An evening in the thermal pools of a Pamukkale hotel
- Hierapolis, the Pamukkale travertines and Ephesus
- All entrance fees included
Day-by-day itinerary
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Day 1Arrive in Istanbul
A representative meets you at Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gökçen with a name sign and takes you by private transfer to your boutique hotel in Sultanahmet. The rest of the day is free. Your hotel sits in the old city, a short walk from the landmarks you will visit tomorrow, so an evening stroll is an easy first look. Send us your flight details when you book.
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Day 2Istanbul's Old City
Your guide meets you at the hotel at 9 a.m. for a full walking day. Start at the Hippodrome, the old chariot track of Constantinople, then spend two hours in Topkapı Palace, the seat of the Ottoman sultans for almost four centuries. Step inside Hagia Sophia, built by Emperor Justinian in 537, and the Blue Mosque with its İznik tiles. End in the covered lanes of the Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest markets in the world.
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Day 3Fly to Cappadocia: Fairy Chimneys and Özkonak
An early transfer takes you to the airport for the flight to Kayseri or Nevşehir, where your guide is waiting. Your first stop is the Three Sisters, the trio of fairy chimneys near Ürgüp that appear on almost every Cappadocia postcard. Look into Pigeon Valley, whose dovecotes were carved into the rock for fertilizer, then descend into Özkonak Underground City, a quieter alternative to the busier sites. Check in to your cave hotel.
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Day 4Paşabağ, Avanos and Göreme
If you booked the optional balloon flight, you rise before dawn to see the valleys from above. After breakfast, walk among the fairy chimneys of Paşabağ, some with two or three stone caps. In Avanos, potters work red river clay on the kick wheel, and you stop here for lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Göreme Open Air Museum and its frescoed rock churches, and end with the panorama from Uçhisar Castle.
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Day 5Konya and the Mevlana Museum, on to Pamukkale
An early start for the longest drive of the trip, across the Anatolian plateau. In Konya, visit the Mevlana Museum, the green-domed shrine of Rumi, the 13th-century poet whose followers became the whirling dervishes. Continue west to Pamukkale and check in to your thermal hotel, where the pools stay open until late evening. Dinner is at the hotel. Bring a swimsuit.
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Day 6Hierapolis and Pamukkale, Drive to Kuşadası
After breakfast, walk up to Hierapolis, a Roman spa city with a large theater, the Temple of Apollo and one of the biggest necropolises in Anatolia. Then go barefoot on the white travertine terraces, where warm water fills shallow pools down the hillside. In the afternoon, drive about three hours west to Kuşadası on the Aegean coast for dinner at your hotel.
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Day 7Ephesus, Fly to Istanbul
Start at the lone column marking the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Then walk through Ephesus, past the State Agora, the Odeon, the Temple of Domitian and the Library of Celsus, along streets paved in marble. Visit the House of the Virgin Mary on its wooded hilltop before transferring to İzmir airport for your flight to Istanbul, where you are met and taken to your hotel.
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Day 8Departure
After breakfast, a private transfer takes you to Istanbul Airport in time for your flight home. If your flight leaves later in the day, there may be time for a final walk around Sultanahmet or a visit to the Spice Bazaar. Tell us your flight time in advance so we can plan the transfer with a comfortable margin for traffic.
What's included
- 7 nights in hotels: 4-star boutique in Istanbul (3 nights), cave hotel in Cappadocia (2 nights), 5-star thermal hotel in Pamukkale (1 night), 4-star or boutique hotel in Kuşadası (1 night)
- 7 breakfasts and 2 dinners
- Domestic flights Istanbul to Cappadocia and İzmir to Istanbul (15 kg checked bag, 8 kg carry-on)
- Entrance fees to all sites in the itinerary, with tickets bought in advance
- Professional licensed private guide
- Private air-conditioned, non-smoking vehicle for all transfers and touring
- Private airport transfers in Istanbul
Not included
- International flights
- Lunches, other dinners and all drinks
- Tips for the guide and driver
- 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)
- Extra nights in Istanbul before or after the tour
Hotels (or similar)
- Istanbul: Yasmak Sultan Hotel or Dosso Dossi Hotels Old City, or similar
- Cappadocia: Zeydem Suites, Melekler Evi or Fresco Cave Suites, or similar
- Pamukkale: Colossae Thermal Hotel or Pam Thermal Hotel, or similar
- Kuşadası: Elite World Kuşadası or Efe Boutique Hotel, or similar
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 | $1,960 | $1,815 | $1,720 | $1,575 | $1,480 |
| Child 2–6 | – | $525 | $525 | $525 | $525 | $525 |
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 | $1,960 | $525 |
| 3 | $1,815 | $525 |
| 4 | $1,720 | $525 |
| 5 | $1,575 | $525 |
| 6+ | $1,480 | $525 |
- Upgrade to 5-star hotels: +$395 per adult for the whole tour.
- Guide in English is included. Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese or Japanese: +$450 for the whole group, shared between the travelers (Chinese and Japanese on request).
Good to know
- Day 5 is a long road day, roughly 8 to 9 hours with stops. The vehicle stops whenever you need a break.
- 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, as you return there on Day 7.
- Depending on flight and hotel availability, the route may run in reverse (Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Cappadocia, Istanbul) with the same sites and hotels.
- Mosques and the Mevlana Museum require modest dress: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off inside, and a headscarf for women in mosques.
- 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 is included in the price?
Seven nights of hotels, seven breakfasts, two dinners, two domestic flights, all entrance fees, a private licensed guide, a private vehicle and every transfer in the itinerary. You pay separately only for international flights, lunches, drinks, tips and optional extras such as a balloon flight.
Is this tour private?
Yes. Only your party travels, with a guide and an air-conditioned vehicle 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.
Why drive from Cappadocia to Pamukkale instead of flying?
There is no direct flight between the two, and the drive lets you see the heart of Anatolia and stop at Konya's Mevlana Museum, which most Turkey tours skip. It is a long day, but you end it in the thermal pools of your Pamukkale hotel.
How is this different from your other 8-day private Turkey tour?
Both cover Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Ephesus. This one includes all entrance fees and two dinners, adds Konya and a night at a Pamukkale thermal hotel, and uses two flights plus one road day. The other uses three flights and visits the Bosphorus and Dolmabahçe Palace, with entrance fees paid separately.
Is the hot air balloon ride included?
No, it is an optional extra on the morning of Day 4. Balloons launch at sunrise and depend on the weather. With two nights in Cappadocia, there is only one balloon morning on this route, so book it in advance. Tell us when you book and we will arrange it.
How much does this tour cost per person?
For two travelers the price is $1,960 per person in US dollars. It falls to $1,480 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 $525 and count toward the group size. Upgrading every night of the tour to 5-star hotels costs $395 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 $1,180. 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.