Experience the best of Cappadocia, Ephesus, and Pamukkale in just 2 days with this travel package from Istanbul. Enjoy a hot air balloon ride, camel safari, cave hotel stay, and more!
Departure to Denizli/Pamukkale – Pamukkale, Hierapolis, Laodicea Tour - Overnight at Kusadasi
Istanbul - Departures from Istanbul: Your journey begins with a transfer from your hotel to the airport. A driver will meet you at your hotel reception or Airbnb address (if parking is available) and take you to the airport for your flight to Denizli. Upon arrival at Denizli Cardak airport, your tour guide and another driver will greet you at the terminal exit, and you’ll embark on a full-day tour of Pamukkale Natural Park, Hierapolis Ancient City, and Laodicea Ancient City.
Pamukkale - Departures from Antalya, Fethiye, Marmaris, Bodrum in Turkey by car, and Rhodes, Kos, Samos Islands in Greece by ferry are available for this trip. You can choose one of these options when making your reservation. After departing from these cities, you’ll start a full-day tour of Pamukkale Natural Park, Hierapolis Ancient City, and Laodicea Ancient City.
Hierapolis & Pamukkale - Highlights of Hierapolis Ancient City include the Necropolis, Roman Baths, Domitian Gate, Latrina, Oil Factory, Frontinus Street, Agora, Byzantium Gate, Triton Fountain, Cathedral, Apollon Temple, Plutonium, Theater, and Antique Pool. During your visit to these ancient ruins, you can take photos from the most scenic spots in Pamukkale.
Pamukkale Thermal Pools - After visiting Hierapolis Ancient City, you’ll have 60-75 minutes of free time to explore Pamukkale’s natural beauty and swim in the white travertine thermal pools (or the antique pool, Cleopatra’s pool, for an extra fee). Then, meet your guide again and walk barefoot from the top to the bottom of the travertines.
Cleopatra Pools - Above the Pamukkale white travertine pools is a spectacular location fed by the same hot springs. Here, you can bathe in the same waters Cleopatra once enjoyed! A modern spa facility allows you to experience these historical healing waters. Unlike the white water of the lower pools, the Antique Pool favored by Cleopatra is filled with clear, warm water. Once topped by a Roman Temple to Apollo with ornate Doric columns, you can imagine how Cleopatra experienced it in its glory days.
Pamukkale - You’ll stop at a local restaurant for lunch, which is included in the guided tour.
Karahayit - After lunch, you’ll visit a traditional handcraft workshop to learn about the special stones and metals of Pamukkale.
Pamukkale Tandem Paragliding - Pamukkale Paragliding Adventure (Optional Attraction – You can add this experience for an extra cost): See Pamukkale’s white travertine and ancient Hierapolis, including the enormous theater, from the air on this short paragliding adventure with an experienced pilot. You’ll take off from a slope about 1,300 feet (400 meters) up and glide over the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Laodicea - Excavations have revealed artifacts dating from 3500 BC (Late Chalcolithic) to 3000 BC (Early Bronze Age). The city was named by the Seleucid king Antiochus II after his wife Laodike in the 3rd century BC. Later controlled by the kings of Pergamum, it was bequeathed to the Roman Empire and thrived from the 4th to 6th centuries. It was also one of the Seven Churches of Revelation.
Kusadasi - After your tour of Pamukkale Natural Park, Hierapolis Ancient City, and Laodicea Ancient City, you’ll be transferred to your hotel in Kusadasi.
Kusadasi Castle - This picturesque Byzantine fortress stands on the causeway-connected Guvercin Adasi (Pigeon Island) and has recently been renovated. * This site is not included in the tour. You can visit it on your own after being dropped off at your hotel in Kusadasi.
Okuz Mehmet Pasa Kervansarayi - This caravanserai was built by Grand Vizier Okuz Mehmed Pasha to support maritime trade in the region. This historical building is opposite Kusadasi cruise port. * This site is not included in the tour. You can visit it on your own after being dropped off at your hotel in Kusadasi.
Guided Tour to Ephesus and Its Surroundings - Flight from Izmir to Istanbul – or Flight from Izmir to Cappadocia
Kuşadası - After breakfast at your hotel, your tour guide will pick you up around 09:00 AM for a full-day tour of Ephesus and its surroundings. * At the end of the tour, you’ll be transferred directly to Izmir Airport for your flight back to Istanbul (or a flight to Cappadocia if you choose to extend your trip). The flight ticket from Izmir to Istanbul or Cappadocia is included in both options. Remember to check out of your hotel and collect your luggage before heading out for the Ephesus tour.
Kusadasi Gazi Begendi Park - Before heading to the Ephesus area, you’ll stop at Gazi Begendi Park (Hill) to take photos of the stunning Kusadasi Bay.
Ancient City of Ephesus - Your first visit will be to the Ephesus Ancient City. Ephesus was one of the most important harbor cities in the ancient world and is mentioned in the Book of Revelation as one of the seven churches. Highlights include the Celsus Library and theater. You’ll see the Celcus Library, Temple of Hadrian, Fountain of Trajan, Odeon, Agora, Fountain of Domitian, Hercule Gate, Grand Theater, Nike, Ancient Toilets, and more during your tour.
Ephesus Terrace Houses - Located on the hill opposite the Hadrian Temple, these houses, also known as “the houses of the rich,” provide insights into family life during the Roman period. They were built according to the city’s Hippodamian plan, with roads intersecting at right angles.
Ephesus Experience Museum - The Ephesus Experience Museum offers an immersive journey into Turkey’s rich cultural and historical heritage. Using advanced display systems and content technologies, it provides a captivating time travel experience that brings the past to life.
Selcuk - You’ll stop at a traditional Turkish restaurant for lunch, which is included in the guided tour. After lunch, you’ll visit a traditional handcraft cooperative to learn about the special arts of Turkish villagers.
Ephesus Museum - This charming and well-organized museum features findings from ongoing excavations at the Ephesus archaeological site, as well as artifacts from the Cukurici Mound, the Basilica of St. John, and the Temple of Artemis.
Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport - At the end of the tour, you’ll be transferred to Izmir airport for your flight back to Istanbul.
Istanbul - Upon arrival in Istanbul, you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.
Cappadocia - If you choose to extend your trip to Cappadocia, a flight ticket from Izmir to Cappadocia will be included instead of the ticket to Istanbul.
Goreme - Upon arrival at Cappadocia airport, a different driver will greet you at the terminal exit and take you to your hotel in Göreme or another town in the Cappadocia region.
- Transfers at the mentioned airports for domestic flights in the itinerary
- Hotel / Airport pick-up & drop-off services
- Domestic flight tickets: Istanbul to Denizli - Izmir to Istanbul (or Izmir to Cappadocia)
- Lunch
- Professional tour guide licensed by ministry of culture and tourism
- 1 night hotel accommodation including breakfast
- Breakfast
- One way ferry ticket from Kos and Rhodes Islands to Turkey, if you depart from these Greek Isles
- Dinner & drink
- Entrance fees (Your tour guide will have pre-paid tickets for you can skip the line.)
Explore the premier attractions of western Turkey on this tour, featuring stops at Pamukkale, Hierapolis, Laodicea, Ephesus, and Kuşadası. Additionally, two more significant sites await your discovery. The terrace houses of Ephesus will transport you back to the 1st century AD, with their multi-story structures displaying intricate mosaics, frescoes, and advanced architectural techniques. The Archaeology Museum of Ephesus exhibits artifacts from the ancient city of Ephesus and its surrounding regions.
- Hotel pick-up (tour departure) timing : The pick-up time is between 03.15am and 04.30am for the departure of this trip package. This timing depends the scheduled departure time of flight from Istanbul to Cappadocia on your travel dates. The local tour operator will inform you about exact timing after they booked your domestic flight tickets.
- Hotel drop-off (return to Istanbul) timing : The departure time of return flight will be at the afternoon. The local tour operator will inform you about exact timing after they booked your domestic flight tickets. After you arrived Istanbul, local tour operator will transfer back you to your hotel in Istanbul. This transfer duration will be approximately one hour.
- The prices of package are valid for accommodation at the double or triple room. If you would like add accommodation on single room(s) to your booking, there could be supplement cost. There are not going to be any extra cost for bookings of single / solo travelers. They will already accommodate at single room(s).
- The pre-planned hotels are “Exedra Hotel” - “1811 Cave Boutique Hotel” - “Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel” for your accommodation on this travel. You can choose one of them while booking. If these hotels (which you preferred) are not available for standard/superior rooms on your travel dates, local tour operator can replace it with an equivalent hotel.
- The check-in time of the hotels is 02.00pm, and you can not start use your room before this time. This is about the check-in & check-out policies of the hotels.
- The differences between the package options are about the hotel categories. Tour(s), airport transfer(s) and flight ticket levels will be same for all options.
- The local tour operator will send e-tickets of your domestic flights at three days before your departure date. You will not need the print out copies of the tickets for domestic flights. Your passport, and reservation number on the tickets will be enough for check-in to plane.
- The local tour operator can request your some passport details for the bookings of your flight tickets. If you do not share the details which requested by local tour operator, your domestic flight tickets can not bookable and your booking is going to be no-show / no-refund.
- You will have 15kg luggage + 8kg hand bag quota per person for each domestic flight. If you will need more luggage capacity, please inform that to local tour operator. There could be some extra fee for luggage quotas more than 15kg. This is exactly about the policies of airline companies.
- If your return hotel is different than pick-up hotel, please inform that detail immediately. If you inform that detail after organised your flight tickets, local tour operator can request extra cost because of the distances between the airports and some hotels. If you inform this type changes on service day (last day of your trip), local tour operator do not accept this last minute amending and drop you to your pick-up hotel.
- If your pick-up / drop-off hotels are inside of airports (IST and SAW airports) local tour operator do not provide any hotel pick-up / drop-off service.
- Hot air ballooning is a fully weather-dependent activity and the Civil Aviation Authority determines whether the flight will be held. If your flight is cancelled due to inclement weather conditions, you are entitled to a partial refund. In such a case, your refund will be processed by the day after of that trip.
- The Standard Balloon Ride has an One-hour approximately flight duration with 20 to 28 people capacity basket. The flight duration could be 50-55 minutes or 65-70 minutes. This situation depend the weather conditions before landing, and pilots are decide to that within the safety rules of Civil Aviation Authority. Total activity duration is approximately 3 hours.
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required.
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking.
- This tour is not available for the bookings to children who are 17 years old and under.
If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.
