Turkey tour: Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale and Istanbul
Tour code AKSR0807. City Getaways. 8 days, 4 cities.
Cappadocia (2 nights), Kusadasi (2 nights), Pamukkale (1 night), Istanbul (2 nights), Istanbul
Starts in Cappadocia. Ends at Istanbul. Tour in English.
From $1,899 per person, twin sharing. Next departure 17 April 2027.
About This Tour
This Turkey tour package covers the four places most travelers dream of seeing on a first visit, in eight days. You begin in Cappadocia with two nights in a cave hotel, then fly to the Aegean coast for Ephesus, travel inland to Pamukkale and finish with two nights in Istanbul.
The route runs from east to west and then north so you never double back. Two domestic flights and one road day of about three hours, from Kusadasi to Pamukkale, keep the travel time short, and a third flight takes you on to Istanbul. Each region gets a full guided day: the fairy chimneys, Goreme Open Air Museum and Uchisar Castle in Cappadocia, the Roman city of Ephesus with the Terrace Houses and the Temple of Artemis, the travertines and Hierapolis at Pamukkale, and Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.
Evenings have their own moments, from a Turkish night show in Cappadocia to a dinner cruise on the Bosphorus. Hotels move from a cave room to a seaside hotel in Kusadasi, a thermal hotel in Pamukkale and a central hotel near Taksim Square.
This 8 day Turkey tour is a tailor-made land package from the USA, so it suits couples, families and first-time visitors who want to travel at their own pace. Day tours are shared, with English-speaking guides, and airport transfers are private. Every guest can tell us about vegetarian, Jain or other food needs when they inquire, and we will confirm what is possible before you book.
Highlights
- Fairy chimneys of Pasabag, Cappadocia
- Goreme Open Air Museum, Goreme
- Ancient Ephesus, Ephesus
- Pamukkale travertines, Pamukkale
- Bosphorus dinner cruise, Istanbul
- Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosque, Istanbul
Day by day
Day 1: Arrive in Cappadocia and a Turkish night show
Cappadocia
Sights: Cappadocia, Turkish night show
Your Turkey holiday begins with a flight into Cappadocia. A private transfer meets you on arrival and drives you to your cave hotel. On the way, the land turns strange and beautiful, with soft volcanic rock shaped by wind and water into cones, ridges and valleys.
At the hotel you settle into a room carved into the stone, cool and quiet, with arched ceilings and thick walls that have kept people sheltered here for centuries. Take time to rest after the journey and look out over the rooftops of the village.
In the evening you go out for a Turkish night show with dinner, a lively first taste of local music and dance. Then it is back to your cave room for a deep night's sleep, with a full day of Cappadocia ahead of you.
Hotel: Elika Cave or similar
Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Fairy chimneys, Goreme and Uchisar Castle
Cappadocia
Sights: Devrent Valley, Pasabag, Avanos pottery workshop, Goreme Open Air Museum, Esentepe viewpoint, Uchisar Castle, underground city
After breakfast, your guide collects you at 9:30 am for a full day on the Cappadocia Red Plus tour. Your first stop is Devrent Valley, where the rock has been worn into shapes that look almost lunar.
At Pasabag, near Zelve, you walk among the famous fairy chimneys, tall stone cones with caps of harder rock. Lunch is in Avanos, a center of pottery since about 3000 BC, followed by a demonstration in a traditional workshop. In the afternoon you visit Goreme Open Air Museum, where churches cut into the rock hold frescoes from the 10th to 13th centuries. From the Esentepe viewpoint, the whole Goreme valley and its cave houses spread out below you. You then see Uchisar Castle, a tall rock that is the highest point of the area, and end the day underground, in one of the region's underground cities.
You return to your cave hotel in the evening, with the evening free to rest.
Hotel: Elika Cave or similar
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Day 3: Fly to Kusadasi on the Aegean coast
Kusadasi
Sights: Kusadasi
You have breakfast in Cappadocia and say goodbye to the cave hotel. A private transfer takes you to the airport for your flight west to the Aegean coast.
On landing, another private transfer drives you to your hotel in Kusadasi, a seaside town about an hour from Izmir airport. The landscape changes completely from the rock valleys of Cappadocia. Here there are olive groves, blue water and the soft light of the Aegean. Your hotel sits on the shore, and the rest of the day is yours to enjoy it.
You might sit by the pool, walk along the water or simply rest after two busy days. Dinner is at the hotel this evening. Tomorrow you visit one of the great cities of the ancient world, so it is a good night for an early, easy sleep.
Hotel: Charisma Deluxe or similar
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Day 4: Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis and Mary's House
Kusadasi
Sights: Ephesus, Terrace Houses, Temple of Artemis, House of the Virgin Mary
After breakfast, you are picked up at your hotel for a small group tour of Ephesus. An air-conditioned vehicle takes you a short way inland to one of the best preserved Roman cities in the Mediterranean.
Your guide leads you along the marble streets of Ephesus and shares stories of the people who lived and traded here. You also visit the Terrace Houses, where the homes of wealthy Roman families kept their wall paintings and mosaic floors. Then you see the Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the House of the Virgin Mary, a quiet stone chapel on a wooded hillside. Entrance fees are included, and lunch is part of the tour.
You are dropped back at your hotel in Kusadasi in the afternoon. Dinner is at the hotel, with the sea outside and a day of history behind you.
Hotel: Charisma Deluxe or similar
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 5: Pamukkale travertines and ancient Hierapolis
Pamukkale
Sights: Pamukkale travertines, Hierapolis, Necropolis, Domitian Gate, Agora, Temple of Apollo
After breakfast you check out in Kusadasi and meet your guide for the drive inland to Pamukkale, about three hours away. The road climbs through farmland and hills toward a white cliff that shines from far off.
Pamukkale means cotton castle, and the travertines explain the name. Mineral water from nearby hot springs has built terraces of white stone and pale blue pools down the hillside. Above them lies Hierapolis, an ancient spa city that played a part in the spread of Christianity through Anatolia. You see its Necropolis, the Domitian Gate, the Agora and the Temple of Apollo. Lunch is included, and at the end there is free time to wander. The Cleopatra Pool is an optional extra, not included, so bring a swimsuit if you would like a dip.
You are dropped at your thermal hotel in Pamukkale, with dinner at the hotel tonight.
Hotel: Thermal Colossae or similar
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 6: Fly to Istanbul and a Bosphorus dinner cruise
Istanbul
Sights: Istanbul, Bosphorus cruise
After breakfast at your thermal hotel, a private transfer takes you to the airport for your flight to Istanbul. From the air you begin to see the size of this city, spread across two continents on either side of the water.
A private transfer meets you in Istanbul and takes you to your hotel, a short walk from Taksim Square. You have time to check in and rest before the evening.
Tonight you board a Bosphorus cruise with a live show and dinner. The Bosphorus is the strait that divides Europe from Asia, and from the water you see palaces, mosques and old wooden houses lit up along both shores. Music and dinner make it a festive evening. Afterward you head back to your hotel, ready for a full day in the old city tomorrow.
Hotel: Golden Age or similar
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Day 7: Istanbul old city, Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosque
Istanbul
Sights: Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome, German Fountain, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Hagia Irene, Caferaga Medrese, Sogukcesme Street
After breakfast, your guide collects you at 8:30 am for a full day in the historic heart of Istanbul.
You start at Topkapi Palace, home of the Ottoman sultans for centuries and one of the richest museums in Turkey. You walk through its four courtyards, the Audience Hall, the Imperial Council, the old kitchens and the Treasury. The day also takes in Hagia Sophia, the Hippodrome where chariot races once ran, the German Fountain and the Blue Mosque, known for the blue tiles inside its domes. You see Hagia Irene from outside, the old Caferaga Medrese and Sogukcesme Street with its wooden houses, and you step into the Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest covered markets in the world. Lunch is included.
You return to your hotel in the evening. It is your last night in Turkey, a good time for a slow walk near Taksim.
Hotel: Golden Age or similar
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Day 8: Farewell to Istanbul
Istanbul
Sights: Istanbul airport
Your last morning in Turkey begins with breakfast at the hotel. Take your time, finish your packing and enjoy one more look at the busy streets around Taksim.
When it is time to leave, a private transfer takes you to the airport for your flight home. Your departure time depends on your flight, and hotel check-out is usually at 12:00 noon.
On the way to the airport you can look back on a week of very different places. The cave rooms and fairy chimneys of Cappadocia, the marble streets of Ephesus, the white terraces of Pamukkale and the domes of Istanbul all fit into one short journey. Your holiday with us ends here, and we hope to welcome you on another trip soon.
Meals: Breakfast
Where you will stay
Cappadocia (2 nights)
- Elika Cave or similar, 4 star (Comfort). A cave hotel in the village of Ortahisar, near Urgup in the heart of Cappadocia. Rooms are carved into the rock, with stone walls, arched ceilings and traditional Turkish textiles, and some suites have their own pool. The hotel also has a spa.
Kusadasi (2 nights)
- Charisma Deluxe or similar, 5 star (Comfort). A 5-star hotel on the Aegean shore in Kusadasi, close to Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis and the House of the Virgin Mary, and about an hour from Izmir airport. It has sea view rooms, pools and a beach area, a spa and sauna, a fitness center, restaurants and bars.
Pamukkale (1 night)
- Thermal Colossae or similar, 5 star (Comfort). A 5-star thermal hotel in Karahayit, next to the Pamukkale travertines and the ruins of Hierapolis, open since 1990. It sits on large green grounds and has indoor and outdoor thermal pools, a mud pool, Turkish baths, a sauna and a 2,000 square meter spa.
Istanbul (2 nights)
- Golden Age or similar, 4 star (Comfort). A hotel a short walk from Taksim Square in central Istanbul, renovated in 2015 with art inspired by ancient civilizations on each floor. Breakfast is a buffet at La Coq Restaurant, and there is a terrace restaurant, a pool bar and a spa.
What is included
Hotels and stays
- 7 nights in the hotels listed or similar: 2 in Cappadocia, 2 in Kusadasi, 1 in Pamukkale and 2 in Istanbul
- Deluxe cave room in Cappadocia, superior sea view room in Kusadasi, double room in Pamukkale and standard double room in Istanbul
Meals
- Daily breakfast at the hotel
- Dinner at the hotel in Kusadasi and Pamukkale
- Lunch on the Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale and Istanbul tours
- Dinner with the Turkish night show and on the Bosphorus cruise
Coach and ground transport
- 6 private airport transfers
Tour manager and guides
- English-speaking guide on the shared Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale and Istanbul tours
Sightseeing and entry fees
- Full day Cappadocia Red Plus tour
- Ephesus tour with entrance fees and hotel pick-up
- Pamukkale and Hierapolis tour
- Istanbul old city tour
- Turkish night show with dinner
- Bosphorus cruise with a live show and dinner
What is not included
Hotels and stays
- Accommodation tax, charged per room per night and paid directly at the hotel
Meals
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
Flights and visa
- International flights to and from Turkey
- Domestic flights within Turkey, three on this route
- Visa fees, if a visa is needed
Travel insurance
- Travel insurance
Tips and gratuities
- Tips for drivers, guides and escorts
Personal expenses
- Personal expenses
Optional tours
- Optional tours not in the itinerary, including the Cleopatra Pool at Pamukkale
Departures
- 17 April 2027 from Land Package - $1,899 per person
- 23 April 2027 from Land Package - $1,899 per person
- 14 May 2027 from Land Package - $1,899 per person
- 21 May 2027 from Land Package - $1,899 per person
- 17 June 2027 from Land Package - $1,899 per person
Frequently asked questions
Are flights included in this Turkey tour package?
No, flights are not included. International flights and the three domestic flights on this route, into Cappadocia, on to the Aegean coast and on to Istanbul, are extra. Six private airport transfers are included, and we are glad to book the flights for you.
Which cities does this Turkey tour cover?
This Turkey tour covers Cappadocia, Kusadasi with a day at Ephesus, Pamukkale and Istanbul. You spend two nights in Cappadocia, two in Kusadasi, one in Pamukkale and two in Istanbul.
Do you stay in a cave hotel in Cappadocia on this tour?
Yes, the two nights in Cappadocia are in a deluxe cave room at a cave hotel in Ortahisar, or a similar hotel. The rooms are carved into the soft volcanic rock of the region.
Which meals are included on this Turkey tour?
Breakfast is included every day after arrival, along with 9 more meals. These are lunch on the four guided tours, dinner at the hotel in Kusadasi and Pamukkale, and dinner with the Turkish night show and on the Bosphorus cruise.
Are the tours in this Turkey package private or shared?
The day tours in Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale and Istanbul are shared, with an English-speaking guide. All six airport transfers are private.
Can this Turkey itinerary be changed?
Yes, this is a tailor-made itinerary, so hotels and excursions can be changed to suit you. Tell us what you would like when you inquire and we will quote the changes.
Is this Turkey tour good for Indian and South Asian travelers from the USA?
Yes, Akshar Travels has planned trips for South Asian travelers since 1997 and is based in New Jersey. Travelers can share vegetarian, Jain or other food needs when they inquire, and we will confirm what is possible on this route before they book. On this tour you get private airport transfers, English-speaking guides on every touring day and an itinerary we can shape to your family.
Need to know
- Meals on arrival and departure days depend on flight times. If your flight lands early in the morning or leaves late in the evening, Akshar Travels will arrange the meals for that day
- If a sight is closed on the day it is scheduled, we will replace it with a comparable sight on the same tour
- Hotel check-in is usually 3:00 pm and check-out is usually 12:00 noon. Early check-in and late check-out are subject to availability and may carry a charge
- Baggage on domestic and internal flights follows the airline's own policy and weight limits, which are often lower than on your international flight. Please pack to the lowest allowance on your tour. Excess baggage fees are charged by the airline and paid by the guest
- This is a tailor-made itinerary. Hotels and excursions can be changed to suit you
- Day tours run on a shared basis with other travelers and an English-speaking guide
- Pick-up for the Cappadocia tour is at 9:30 am and for the Istanbul city tour at 8:30 am
- The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and Topkapi Palace on Tuesdays, so the Istanbul day is planned around them
- The route uses three domestic flights, which are not included. We are glad to book them for you
- Bring a swimsuit if you would like to use the Cleopatra Pool at Pamukkale. It is optional and paid locally
- Modest dress is needed to enter mosques, with shoulders and knees covered. Women also cover their hair
Terms & Conditions
The essentials of booking with Akshar. The full terms apply at checkout
- Prices are per person in US dollars on a twin-sharing basis and can change until your booking is paid in full
- A deposit confirms your seat. The balance is due by the date shown at checkout, before departure
- Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the tour ends. Visas, where needed, are your responsibility. We will guide you
- International airfare is not included unless the package says so
- The itinerary can change because of weather, local conditions or operational reasons. We offer a comparable alternative wherever possible
- Hotels listed are indicative. A property of the same category may be used
- Group departures run with a minimum number of guests. If Akshar cancels a departure you receive a full refund or a free date change
- Travel insurance is strongly recommended. Guests are responsible for their own health, belongings and conduct on tour
Cancellation policy
- 50 days or more before departure: 30%
- 21 to 49 days before departure: 50%
- 20 days or less before departure: 100%