14-Nights Complete Turkey - Classic

14 nights from: $2,624

Complete Turkey
If you’ve got 15 days and a craving for adventure, this epic journey through Turkey is calling your name. Start in Istanbul - the iconic gateway between East and West - before venturing into the surreal landscapes of Cappadocia, where hot air balloons float dreamily across the horizon. Walk the hallowed grounds of Gallipoli, where battlefield tales bring history to life, then trade the well-trodden path for hidden gems. Explore an open-air museum town with perfectly preserved limestone buildings, step into the ancient "City of 1000 Churches" in Ani, and stand atop the mighty Van Castle, a fortress etched into the landscape since the 9th century BC. A perfect blend of history, culture, and awe-inspiring scenery, this adventure through Turkey is one you won’t soon forget.

Highlights
Discover historic cities and explore the ancient ruins of Ephesus and Troy, Visit the historic WWI battlefield of Gallipoli, Marvel at the extraordinary scenery of Cappadocia, Enjoy dinner in a local family home, Marvel at the ancient site of Gobekli Tepi, Wander the UNESCO-listed open-air museum town of Mardin, Gaze across the mountains towards Mount Ararat, Discover the historic ruins of Ani-the legendary "City of 1,001 Churches"

Accomodation
On this trip you can expect to stay in small family-run hotels or pensions (with the exception of the start and finish hotels, which are often larger city hotels), which will vary a little in standard and facilities: some may not have elevators, air-conditioning or English-speaking staff, but most importantly all are locally-run, with some traditional character, and in excellent central locations to give you maximum time for exploring the sights. You can expect to find clean, safe, simple accommodation in convenient locations.

Group Leader
This G Adventures group trip is accompanied by one of our group leaders, otherwise known as a Chief Experience Officer (CEO). The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting - we think it's the best of both worlds.

Group Size Notes
Max16, avg 12

Meals Included
14 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners

What's Included
Your G for Good Moment: Çöp(m)adam Visit, Ayvalik
Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group
Your Foodie Moment: Pide Demonstration and Lunch, Selçuk
Your Local Living Moment: Dinner with Local Family, Çavusin
Your Discover Moment: Istanbul
Your Local Living Moment: Lunch with a Local Family, Karahan.
Istanbul evening orientation walk. Gallipoli battlefields entrance and guided visit. Troy entrance and guided visit. Ephesus entrance and visit. Orientation walk in the old Kemeralti bazaar in Izmir. Tour the Mevlana Museum. Tea at sunset from a viewpoint over Cappadocia. Hike through the "fairy chimneys" of Cappadocia. Kaymakli underground city exploration. Internal flight. Visit the Karakus Tumulous Monument. Sunset from the summit of Mt Nemrut. Gobekli Tepi archaeological site visit. Walking tour of Mardin. Boat ride on Lake Van. Walking exploration of Akdamar Island. Visit Van Castle. Ishak Pasha Palace Tour in Dogubeyazit. Tour the Ari Complex. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.

The hillside town of Mardin, Turkey, 625 mi/1,005 km southeast of Ankara and overlooking a plain that extends into Syria, is both picturesque and historically and culturally rich. A variety of churches and monasteries testify to its importance as a center of Syriac Christianity. Free Mardin Travel
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The carvings on the minarets of the Ulu and Sehidiye mosques are worth a look, as is the traditional bazaar, the Sultan Isa (Zinciriye) Medrese, and (no joke) the town post office, housed in a beautiful 17th-century caravansaray. The Deyrul Zafaran monastery and the Roman ruins of Dara both make worthwhile half-day excursions. Mardin's relative lack of package tourists may be a refreshing change of pace.