12-Day Turkey and Jordan Tour

Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul

Upon your arrival at Istanbul New Airport(IST) or Sabiha Gökcen Airport(SAW), our team will be waiting for you at the exit of the international line of the Airport, holding a sign with your name written on it. After which, you will be transferred to your hotel. The afternoon is free for you to spend at leisure. Alternatively, you can join the Night Cruise on the Bosphorus with Dinner & Show.

• Overnight in Istanbul
• Included Meal(s): No meals are included on this day
• Accommodation: Muyan Suites OR Antea Hotel OR Ayasultan Hotel OR Deluxe Golden Horn Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 2: Istanbul Byzantine and Ottoman Relics Tour

Breakfast at the hotel, and your tour guide will pick you up and lead you to explore this charming city, which separates Europe and Asia. The first stop of your best Turkey tours is the ancient Hippodrome, which is now a public square, and only three monuments still stand there. Then we move to the nearby Blue Mosque, one of Istanbul’s landmarks. The origin of its name is because its walls used more than 20,000 pieces of blue and white İznik tiles. Next, we will visit Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya in Turkish), which is a masterpiece of religious architecture that combines Christian and Islamic styles.

After lunch, we will continue to visit the Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. The bazaar has 65 streets and houses more than 4,000 shops. There are tea sets, spices, porcelain, carpets, gold and silver ornaments, lamps and lanterns, paper art gadgets, and so on. Some shops also serve local Turkish delicacies such as barbecued meat and burritos. This is a must-visit spot in Istanbul for tourists. After the trip, we will return to the hotel.

• Overnight in Istanbul
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Muyan Suites OR Antea Hotel OR Ayasultan Hotel OR Deluxe Golden Horn Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 3: Bosphorus Cruise – Fly from Istanbul to Izmir

After breakfast at around 8:30 am, you will join the Half-day Morning Bosphorus Cruise. At the start of this tour, you will enjoy a drive to the pier in Eminonu for a short visit to the historical Spice Market (Egyptian Bazaar).

Following this, you will join a shared boat tour and cruise along the Bosphorus which is a narrow strait between the continents of Europe and Asia connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. You will be able to view the Ottoman palaces, the Bosphorus bridge, citadels, centuries-old mansions, and the European and Asian shorelines while onboard the boat.

At the end of the tour, you will be dropped back to your hotel to pick up your luggage and then will be transferred to the Istanbul domestic airport for your flight to Izmir which is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes in duration. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Kusadasi. Check in to your hotel in Kusadasi and the rest of the day is free.

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

Day 4: Pamukkale & Hierapolis Tour

After breakfast around 8:00 am, you will be picked up from your Kusadasi hotel and taken to the meeting point in Selcuk where the full group will first meet.

You will then begin the Pamukkale tour with a drive from Selcuk starting at 8:30 am to Pamukkale which will be around 3 hours. En route to Pamukkale after 1.5 hours, there will be a 10-minute stop for a restroom break. Upon arrival around 11:45 am, the group will be first taken to have lunch and after lunch, at around 1:00 pm you will begin your guided tour of the Pamukkale and Hierapolis area with a professional licensed tour guide.

In Pamukkale, you will see the Cotton Cliffs, one of the natural wonders of the world formed by deposits of calcareous salts. Also, you will visit the ancient ruins of the City of Hierapolis with its basilica, theatre, and Roman Baths. At the end of the guided tour, you will have some free time to explore the area on your own. As an option, you may choose to swim in the Pamukkale antique pools (at your own expense) during this free time. The tour guide will inform you about the exact meeting point and time.

At the end of the tour around approximately 4:00 pm, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Kusadasi at around 7:00 pm.

• 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 5: Ephesus Tour – Fly to Cappadocia

After breakfast at the hotel around 8:30 am, you will be picked up and met by your tour guide to begin your full-day tour of Ephesus.

Your tour guide will brief you on the day’s activities. You will first visit the Temple of Artemis which was once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world. Next, you will visit the world famous ancient the Greco-Roman City of Ephesus, the most well-preserved example in the world. After visiting this impressive site, you will have a break for lunch. After lunch, you will visit the House of the Virgin Mary, where it is believed she spent her last days. This is a holy place for both Christians and Muslims. Afterwards, you will visit the Isabey Mosque.

Next, you will be taken to the Sirince Village; which is an old Greek village and is well-know for its quaint beauty and wine tasting and production. Here you will have one hour free to explore on your own without a guide the different foods and wines of the area and visit various small traditional village shops.

After the tour,  you will be transferred to Izmir Airport for your flight to Kayseri or Nevsehir through Istanbul. Upon your arrival at the Kayseri or Nevsehir airport, a representative will be present holding your name sign to pick you up and transfer you to your hotel.

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

Day 6: North Cappadocia Tour

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

After Breakfast at the hotel, depart from the hotel around 9:30 am for a full-day tour of North Cappadocia. Begin with a stop to take photos at Uc Guzeller which are famed fairy chimneys in Cappadocia.

Next, visit Devrent Valley has various types of fairy chimneys. Among these are those with caps, cones, mushroom-like forms pillar, and sharp rocks. We will take a walk through this amazing valley.

Then, you will visit Pasabaglari (Monk’s Valley) where you will see many fairy chimneys with multiple stems and caps can be found here, this style is unique to this area. A chapel dedicated to St. Simeon and a hermit’s shelter is built into one such fairy chimney with three heads. After visiting Pasabag, we will drive to Avanos which is known for the pottery, a craft dating back to the Hittite period. The red clay which is worked by local craftsmen comes from the residue in the Kizilirmak river. The Kizilirmak, which divides Avanos into two, is Anatolia’s longest river.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Continue to Goreme Open Air Museum. You will visit the churches, chapels, and monasteries carved into the fairy chimneys from the 10th to the 13th centuries with frescos painted on the walls. End your tour with a stop to take photos in Uchisar Castle and Esentepe. After the trip is completed, we will transfer you back to your hotel.

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

Day 7: South Cappadocia Tour – Fly back to Istanbul

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 tour guide will brief you on the day’s activities. Your tour will begin with a visit to the Red Valley where you will be able to explore the famous rock-cut churches and hike approximately 5 km through the Güllüdere (Rose) Valley.

Next, you will visit Çavusin village which is famous for its houses and churches of Christian Clergymen. We will take a break for lunch around noon. After lunch, you will drive to the Pigeon Valley. In the afternoon you will visit the Kaymakli Underground City or Ozkonak Underground City where early Christians lived.

At the end of the tour, you will be transferred to Kayseri or Nevsehir airport for your late evening return flight to Istanbul. Upon your arrival in Istanbul, you will be met at the airport and transferred from the airport to your hotel.

• Overnight in Istanbul
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Muyan Suites OR Antea Hotel OR Ayasultan Hotel OR Deluxe Golden Horn Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 8: Fly from Istanbul to Amman (Flight Not Included)

After breakfast, you will proceed to Istanbul International Airport to board your international flight to Amman. Upon arrival, you will be met by our representative and will be transferred to your Amman hotel for check-in. The rest of the day will be free.

Please note that international flight tickets from Istanbul to Amman are not included in the tour package. You will be responsible for arranging your own flight tickets.

• Overnight in Amman
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast
• Accommodation: Amman International Hotel OR Sulaf Luxury Hotel OR Downtown Hotel Apartments or similar (Standard quality)

Day 9: Amman city tour – Private transfer to Petra

After having breakfast at the hotel, your English-speaking driver will see you at the hotel lobby and send you to visit the Roman Amphitheatre, one of the most notable landmarks in Jordan. It was built along a hillside in the 2nd century, large enough to seat about 6,000 spectators in one time, and is still used as a venue for the city’s cultural events. Then we will visit Amman Citadel located on the top of the city’s highest hill. It has a long history of being occupied by several great civilizations and therefore many featured remnants of different cultures were left. Particularly remarkable is its panoramic view of the entire city. Inside the fortress, you will also visit Jordan Archaeological Museum and Umayyad Palace, an 8th-century palatial complex with an imposing domed entrance chamber. When the Amman city tour is completed, we will drive 2 hours to Petra, a must-see on our Wadi Rum tours list, and overnight there.

• Overnight in Petra
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast
• Accommodation: Petra Moon Hotel OR Petra Boutique Hotel OR Petra Guest House or similar (Standard quality)

Day 10: Petra visit & Wadi Rum tour (120 km)

Today we are going to tour around Petra, the ancient capital established by mysterious Nabataean. It, described by a poet as “a rose-red city half as old as time”, is a city carved into the surrounding sandstone mountains, and so did the evidences of its history and ancient civilization. You will have a horse ride from the entrance gate to a 1.2-kilometer-long gorge called Siq. Then hike through the deep and narrow gorge to visit Al-Khazneh Temple, better known as The Treasure. It is one of the most extraordinary rock-cut architectures in Petra, which was hewn into a red-colored sandstone cliff, supported by tall columns and engraved with intricate carvings. Other places within the city center such as Royal Tombs, the Monastery, and the Theatre are also worth exploring.

In the early afternoon, we will take a 1.5-hour drive to Wadi Rum, nicknamed The Valley of the Moon well-known for its spectacular alien-like landscape. The red sandstone mountains, strange rock formations, sea of rolling red dunes, and clear night sky make people feel like stepping on the moon. If weather permits, you may catch the chance to see its awe-inspiring sunset. At the end of our Wadi Rum tour, we will have dinner and overnight at the campsite inside the desert.

• Overnight in Wadi Rum
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Accommodation: Sun City Camp OR SunCity Camp or similar (Standard quality)

Day 11: Private transfer from Wadi Rum to Dead Sea

Today we will go for a 3 hours drive to the Dead Sea, the last stop of our Wadi Rum tour packages. After the hotel check-in, you could enjoy exploring the place on your own. Dead Sea, more precisely, a hypersaline lake, located 430 meters (1,410 feet) below sea level, holds its reputation as the lowest place on the surface of the earth. Though without fish and aquatic plants living in it, its high salinity environment offers a magical body buoyancy experience and its mud rich in minerals is very good for skin massage.

• Overnight in Dead Sea
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast
• Accommodation: Holiday Inn Resort OR Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa or similar (Standard quality)

Day 12: Drive to Amman Airport for departure – End of Tour Service

After breakfast, you will check out from your hotel in Dead Sea (hotel check-out is before 11:00 am) and will then be transferred to the Queen Alia International Airport according to your flight details. This will be the end of our tour and services.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• Arrival, departure airport transfers and ground transportation.
• Domestic flight tickets from Istanbul to Izmir and Izmir to Cappadocia and Cappadocia to Istanbul.
• 3 nights in Istanbul at Special Class or 4-star hotels including breakfast.
• 2 nights in Kusadasi at a 4-star hotel including breakfast.
• 2 nights in Cappadocia at a cave hotel including breakfast.
• 1 night in Amman at a 4-star hotel including breakfast.
• 1 night in Petra at a 4-star hotel including breakfast.
• 1 night in Wadi Rum at a Desert Camp including breakfast.
• 1 night in Dead Sea at a 4-star hotel including breakfast.
• English-speaking local guide during Turkey tours.
• English-speaking local guide in Petra for 2.5 hours.
• Meals as per itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner).
• Entrance fees are mentioned by the itinerary.
• Local taxes and service charges.

NOT INCLUDED:

• International Flight Tickets.
• Flight Ticket from Istanbul to Amman.
• Entry visas to Turkey and Jordan.
• Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride.
• Escorting tour guide.
• 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.
• Please note that the Blue Mosque is not open for visitation on Fridays as it is closed for religious prayer services. You will only be able to visit the outside of the Blue Mosque area on tours operated on Fridays. No visitation will be allowed inside the Blue Mosque for tourists on Fridays.
• Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesday, it will be replaced with the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici).
• Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday.
• During religious holidays, the Spice Market and Grand Bazaar are closed.