4-Day Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Antalya Tour from Istanbul

Day 1: Fly to Kayseri/Nevsehir from Istanbul – North Cappadocia Tour

You will be picked up from your hotel in Istanbul around 4:00 am and transferred to the airport for your flight to Kayseri or Nevsehir, departing between 6:00 – 7:30 am. Upon arrival, our representative will meet you at the airport and transfer you to Cappadocia, where you’ll meet your guide and begin your full-day North Cappadocia tour.

Today’s first stop will be Devrent Valley, famous for its unique fairy chimneys and rock formations. Next, you’ll explore Pasabag Valley (Monks Valley), home to stunning mushroom-shaped pinnacles. After enjoying these natural wonders, you’ll head to Avanos, a town renowned for its traditional pottery making.

After enjoying lunch at a local restaurant, you will visit the Zelve Open Air Museum, where you will explore ancient rock-cut churches and caves, providing a glimpse into the monastic history of the region. Towards the end of the day, you will stop at Uchisar Castle for panoramic photos. While entry into the castle itself is not permitted, the surrounding area offers beautiful views of the landscape.

After the tour, at around 4:00 pm, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Cappadocia for check-in. The rest of the day is free for you to relax or explore at your own pace.

For extra activities, you can choose one from the following options: a traditional Turkish Night show with dinner, a 2-hour ATV tour, a 2-hour horseback riding tour through the valleys, or attend a 1-hour Whirling Dervish show. Please note that all activities are available at an additional cost, and you can join only one due to time constraints.

• Overnight in Cappadocia
• Included Meal(s): Lunch
• Accommodation: Heaven Cave House OR Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel OR Zula Cave House or similar (Standard quality)

Day 2: South Cappadocia Tour – Fly to Izmir

For an optional extra, you can book an early morning hot air balloon ride and enjoy breathtaking aerial views of the valleys. Please note that this activity comes at an additional cost.

After breakfast at the hotel around 9:30 am, you will be picked up and met by your tour guide to begin your full-day tour of South Cappadocia. Your guide will brief you on the day’s activities. The tour will begin with a visit to the Red Valley, where you will explore the famous rock-cut churches and hike approximately 5 km through the Rose Valley (Gulludere Vadisi).

Next, you will visit Cavusin Village, famous for its historic houses and churches of Christian clergymen. Afterward, you will take a break for lunch around noon.

Following lunch, you will drive to the Pigeon Valley (Guvercinlik Vadisi). In the afternoon, you will visit either the Kaymakli Underground City or Ozkonak Underground City, where early Christians sought refuge.

After the tour ends around 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to Kayseri or Nevsehir airport for your late evening flight to Izmir via Istanbul. Upon your arrival at Izmir Airport, a representative will be waiting, holding a sign with your name, to pick you up and transfer you to your hotel.

• Overnight in Kusadasi
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Efe Boutique Hotel OR Neopol Hotel Deluxe OR Derici Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 3: Pamukkale and Hierapolis Tour – Transfer to Antalya by Local Bus (approximately 5 hours)

After breakfast around 7:30 am, check out from your hotel in Kusadasi. You will be picked up and taken to the meeting point in Selcuk, where the group will gather to begin the journey. From Selcuk, depart at approximately 8:30 am, for the scenic drive to Pamukkale, which takes about 3 hours. About halfway, there will be a brief 10-minute restroom stop. You’ll arrive in Pamukkale around 11:45 am, and lunch will be served upon arrival.

At approximately 1:00 pm, start your guided tour of Pamukkale and Hierapolis with a licensed professional guide. Discover the stunning Cotton Cliffs, a natural wonder formed by calcium-rich mineral deposits. You will also explore the ancient city of Hierapolis, where you’ll visit the Roman Baths, and the Pamukkale Theatre, all remarkable examples of ancient Roman architecture.

Following the guided tour, you’ll have some free time to explore the area on your own. As an option, you may choose to swim in the Pamukkale Antique Pools (entry at your own expense), which are said to have therapeutic properties.

At the end of the tour, around 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to the main bus station in Denizli. From there, you’ll board an intercity coach to Antalya, with an approximate duration of 5 hours. Upon arrival in Antalya, a representative will meet you at the bus terminal and transfer you to your hotel.

• Overnight in Antalya
• Meals included today: Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: 1207 Boutique Hotel OR Kosa Boutique Hotel OR Alp Pasa Boutique Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 4: Full Day Tour to Perge, Aspendos, Side & Waterfall – Fly back to Istanbul

After breakfast, check out from your hotel, and you will be picked up around 8:00 am for a full-day tour. The first stop is Perge Ancient City, originally settled by the Hittites around 1500 BC, and one of the most significant cities in the Pamphylia region.

From Perge, you’ll head to the Aspendos Ancient Theatre, a remarkably well-preserved Roman theatre built in the 2nd century AD. With a capacity of 15,000 people, it remains in use today for festivals and concerts due to its outstanding acoustics and architecture.

Next, you’ll enjoy a lunch break at a riverside restaurant before departing for Side (pronounced “Seeday”), one of Turkey’s best-preserved ancient port cities. Side was a hub of commerce and home to the region’s largest slave market. During Roman times, extensive construction added to its beauty, including a large theatre, Roman Baths, and the Temple of Apollo. Here, guests will have one hour of free time to explore the city’s ruins, beaches, and local atmosphere.

On the return journey, the tour stops at the scenic Manavgat Waterfall, where you can enjoy the natural beauty of the falls and take photos.

At around 4:00 pm, the tour will end, and you will be transferred to Antalya Airport for your return flight to Istanbul, scheduled between 8:00 and 10:00 pm, depending on availability (approximately 1-hour flight duration). END OF OUR SERVICE and TOURS.

Please note that transportation from Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) to your hotel in Istanbul is not included in the tour price.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: No accommodation is included on this day.

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• Pick-up from your hotel in Istanbul and transfer to Istanbul Airport (European side of Istanbul only).
• Domestic flight tickets: Istanbul to Kayseri, Kayseri to Izmir and Antalya to Istanbul, as per the itinerary.
• Intercity bus ticket from Pamukkale to Antalya.
• 1 night in Cappadocia at a cave hotel, including breakfast.
• 1 night in Kuşadası at a 4-star hotel, including breakfast.
• 1 night in Antalya at a boutique hotel, including breakfast.
• English-speaking guide during the tours.
• Meals as per the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch).
• Entrance fees for all sites mentioned in the itinerary.
• Local taxes and service charges.

NOT INCLUDED:

• Drop off transportation service from Istanbul Airport OR Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Istanbul Hotel upon returning to Istanbul.
• Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride.
• Optional tours mentioned in the program, they will be provided at an additional cost.
• Services not mentioned in the program.
• Drinks with meals.
• Travel insurance (recommended).

IMPORTANT INFO:

• The order of the itinerary is indicative and subject to change, but all visits described will take place.
• This is a regular group tour, but if requested at cost can be provided as a private tour.
• The regular group tour has shopping stops included in the tour.
• For 1 traveler: 1 Single Room Accommodation.
• For 2 travelers: 1 Double/Twin Room Accommodation.
• For 3 travelers: 1 Triple Room Accommodation.
• For 4 travelers: 2 Double/Twin Rooms Accommodation.
• For 5 travelers: 1 Double/Twin Room and 1 Triple Room Accommodation.
• Vegetarian lunch option is available upon request.
• The normal arrival time in Istanbul is between 8:00 – 10:00 pm. If you are planning on reserving your plane back home that same day, we recommend you book a plane ticket from 1:30 am onwards, to avoid missing your flight.
• On flights luggage allowance is 15 kg per person for checked in luggage. For carry-on, you can take up to 8 kg per person. One carry-on is allowed per person.