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| Highlights –Istanbul, Kayseri, Soganh Valley, Cappadocia region, Goreme, Ihlara Valley, Faralya, Kabak Valley, Konya, Antalya, Fethiye, Termessos, Patara, Ephesus |
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| Day 1: Istanbul Meet with your guide at the airport, transfer to hotel, briefing about the tour. Walk to Sultanahmet to visit Blue Mosque famous for its six minarets and beautiful Iznik tiles as interior decoration, built in the classical period of Ottomans one of the best examples of classical Turkish art. |
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| Day 2: Istanbul A full day tour at the Old City which has been the throne of power of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires; the city that ruled the world for nearly 15 centuries. We start our tour with Sultanahmet Square, which was the Hippodrome of Byzantine Empire. Some of the important monuments of the Hippodrome are; Egyptian Obelisk dating back to 16th century BC, Serpentine Column from 5th century B.C., and the Stone Obelisk erected in 10th century AD. We visit the Topkapi Palace built in the 15th century by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, the imperial residence of Ottoman sultans housing the souvenirs of 600 years and exhibiting imperial treasury, Chinese porcelains, weapons, calligraphy section, etc. Lunch in old Pudding Shop near Sultanahmet. After the marvelous underground cistern day ends in the Grand Bazaar, the most attractive shopping center in the world with more than 4,000 shops. |
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| Day 3: Istanbul St Sophia, one of the greatest marvels of architecture constructed as a basilica in 536 AD by Emperor Justinian. The Church was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in the 15th century and into a museum after the Republic. Next to the Spice Bazaar with its domed and vaulted shops selling spices and herbs - also known as Egyptian Bazaar. Then we head to the pier for a Bosporus cruise on a public ferry. Starting the trip from the Golden Horn and sailing through the waterway separating the two continents, Asia and Europe- with a possibility to take pictures of the marble palaces, old wooden villas of Ottoman architecture besides modern residential. We land in Sariyer district which has the old and modern taste together. One Optional visit is with a private transfer to Suleymaniye Mosque which was dedicated to Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent and built by the famous architect, Sinan. Option Two: Drive to Golden Horn for a short break at the Café known as the Pierre Loti, which commands a superb view of the Golden Horn. |
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| Day 4: Kayseri (Soganlı Valley, Ayvali, Sinassos, Uchisar). Transfer to Airport to take flight to Kayseri. Drive to Soganlı valley to see a beautiful corner of Cappadocia; Soganlı valley which is not a much visited site. This view will give an idea about a typical Turkish village life. Christian monasteries located on the skirts of hills are unique for their wall paintings amongst all Cappadocia churches. Lunch is in a restored village house in village Ayvali. We head on to the town Mustafapasa (old Sinasos) an ancient Greek town with its spectacular houses: very fine examples of late ethnic settlements and architecture. Tour finishes with the spectacular view of Uchisar. Tonight we will stay in a cave Hotel in Goreme. |
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| Day 5: Cappadocia ( Göreme Open-Air Museum, Cavusin, Pasabag, Devrent Valley, Avanos) Optional Hot-air Balloon in the morning. In the morning we visit Open-Air museum of Goreme which was a very important monastic settlement in the early Christian age. There are a number of churches hollowed from rocks and painted with wall paintings. Drive to Cavusin, visit monastery and St Baptist Church, famous with it’s unique wall painting Salome’s dance. Tour continues with lunch and a visit to Avanos which is a pottery producing centre since the ancient times. We visit Pasabag which is one of the most beautiful corners of the region with hermitages hollowed out volcanic tufa. Looking at the rock formations in Devrent valley is like looking at the clouds. They seem they take the shape of whatever you imagine about them. |
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| Day 6: Cappadocia and Ihlara Valley Head on to Kaymakli Underground City, one of the wonders of Cappadocia. Settlement was dug as deep as of 5 layers below ground level and used for hiding for centuries. Drive to Ihlara valley for a day-long valley walk. After a short tea break, we walk about 3.5 hours and en route visit three rock-cut churches. After a late lunch at around, we continue walking by the river down to Selime town, and the walk ends nearby Selime Monastery. After visiting the monastery and climbing the 300 steps up the passages. We end our day in the lovely hotel Karballa Hotel which was a nunnery in the past or optional stay to be the guest of villagers in their house. |
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| Day 7: Antalya via Konya On the way to Konya we will stop for a visit to Sultanhani Caravanserai. It was an overnight stop for merchants and camels on the Silk Road via Anatolia. Konya, once a capital of Anatolian Seljuk's is now famous with Mevlana Museum (Whirling Dervishes). Mevlana (Rumi) who was a great theologist and the founder of Sufism lived in 13th AD. We head on to Antalya with the picturesque views of Taurus Mountains. |
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| Day 8: Antalya-Fethiye-Termessos Walk in the old part of the city in the streets which will take you to the past homes built in Ottoman Period. Drive to Fethiye and stop to visit Termessos on the way which was a Pisidian city built at a height of 1050 meters in the Taurus Mountains. Termessos constitutes an unusual synthesis of a large number of rare plants and animal species, which are under protection in the Termessos National Park. After having breath-taking views of Termessos we drive by the plateau of Taurus Mountains to Fethiye-Ovacik where we'll start our walk next day. |
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| Day 9: Ovacik-Faralya We transfer to the beginning of the Lycian Way, and start walking with spectacular views as we climb the shoulder of Baba Dagi (Father Mountain) (5-6 hrs walk). |
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| Day 10: Faralya-Kabak In the morning we have an optional descent to Butterfly Valley, down dry waterfalls. We can swim at the Butterfly Valley beach and climb back up to Faralya (4 hrs scramble). In the afternoon we trek from Faralya to Kabak along a forested path; dinner and night in tree houses (3.5 hrs walk). Optional midnight swim. |
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| Day 11: Kabak-Alinca For those who wake up early there is a possibility for a morning swim. After breakfast we trek into the forested Kabak valley; splash in the waterfalls, and we climb up a beautiful old mule trail to Alinca, with spectacular views over Yedi Burun (Seven capes) (4-5 hrs). |
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| Day 12: Alinca-Gey From Alinca village we have an optional descend to a secret beach; explore and swim in crystal waters. Then we then return to main trail (4 hrs). We walk along cliff tops to Gey village (3 hrs). |
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| Day 13: Gey- Gavuragili We trek a tiny goat path around a spectacular bay to Bel, then to Belcegiz and descend a steep rocky Roman road to Gavuragili (7 hrs). We meet our vehicle here and take a transfer to Letoon. It is home of mother goddess of Leto who was the wife of Zeus. |
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| Day 15: Ephesus We have a long transfer to Selcuk today, about 5 hours. Than we visit Ephesus, one of the most beautiful ancient cities in the world. In ancient times, its convenient location at the mouth of the Cayster River made it the foremost commercial city of a coastal region, but the silting up of its harbor gradually resulted in the loss of this importance feature. The ancient site has been excavated for more than 100 years. Some of the stunning ruins are Temple of Hadrian, Celsus Library, terrace houses, and theater. After Ephesus we visit an important Christian site, the house of Mother Mary, where she lived for some time. Overnight in a Rum (Anatolian Christians) village, Sirince which is also famous for home-made wines. |
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| Day 16: Transfer to Kusadasi or Izmir Airport Transfer to Izmir airport or transfer to Kusadasi airport for departure. |
| Return flight to your point of departure. |
