Explorations tours are perfect for confident, savvy travellers who seek personal, unique experiences while connecting with locals and building camaraderie with fellow travellers. Designed for small groups of 14-24 people, these tours offer exclusive access to accommodations, venues, and experiences that larger groups can’t enjoy. With a focus on regional exploration, Explorations tours follow a relaxed pace, allowing for in-depth discovery without feeling rushed, while typically including a higher activity level for those who enjoy walking and active participation.

Your Tour Includes

• 5 Handpicked Accommodations
• 24 Meals

Must-See Inclusions:

• Visit Hagia Sophia and the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul’s Golden Horn (UNESCO) district.
• Cruise the Bosphorus Strait between Europe and Asia.
• Walk through the ruins of Ancient Ephesus in the footsteps of Paul the Apostle.

Cultural Experiences:

• Cruise the Dalyan River to the Aegean Coast.
• Explore the towering rock formations of Cappadocia and underground cities of past civilizations.
• Experience a transcendent Whirling Dervishes ceremony.

Culinary Inclusions:

• Taste your way around Istanbul’s Golden Horn district and Spice Market.
• Learn family recipes during a hands-on cooking class at a restaurant in Cappadocia.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Istanbul, Turkiye

Stay: Elite World Hotel

Welcome to Istanbul, the bridge between east and west, and a hub of intermingling cultures, complex history, and legendary architecture. Settle into your hotel for the next three nights, and then meet your fellow travellers at a welcome briefing before taking the rest of the evening to relax as you please.

Day 2: Istanbul (B,D)

Stay: Elite World Hotel

Today, sample some of Istanbul’s most iconic sites, which connect Greek-Roman heritage with Ottoman-Islamic Art. First is the 17th-century Blue Mosque with its impressive domes and minarets, followed by Hippodrome, the former sporting and social centre of the Roman Empire. Visit Hagia Sophia (UNESCO), a church-turned-mosque and a true embodiment of Byzantine Architecture, and then Topkapi Palace and Harem, former home to the Ottoman Sultans. Whilst exploring the city’s legendary history and architecture, please know that Istanbul is also known for its legendary traffic, which is also an iconic experience — one that requires great patience! This evening, gather at a local restaurant where the chef will delight you with Ottoman-inspired cuisine.

Day 3: Istanbul (B,D)

Stay: Elite World Hotel

Explore Turkiye’s culinary heritage as you taste your way around Istanbul’s Golden Horn district during a walking tour that includes a visit to the city’s famous Spice Market and multiple tastings of Turkish specialities sampled from local street vendors. This afternoon, take in Istanbul’s majestic skyline as you sail between two continents during a cruise of the Bosphorus Strait, which divides Europe from Asia. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore. Perhaps you’ll visit the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art, home to rare artifacts, sculptures, and one of the most important collections of woven carpets in the world, some dating back to the Ottoman Empire. Or, choose to go on an optional excursion to an historic Hammam, where you’ll enjoy an authentic Turkish scrub and foam bath.

Day 4: Istanbul – Izmir (B,L,D)

Stay: En Hotel Izmir

Early this morning, leave the bustle of Istanbul behind and take a flight to Izmir (known as Smyrna in antiquity), Turkiye’s third most populous city and your home for the next two nights. Enjoy free time to explore the seafront promenade with its shops and restaurants, just a short walk from your centrally located hotel. This evening, sample the cuisine of Izmir with Diner’s Choice – choosing from a variety of local restaurants for an included dinner

Day 5: Izmir – Ancient Ephesus – Sirince – Izmir (B)

Stay: En Hotel Izmir

This morning, your in-depth tour of Ancient Ephesus (UNESCO) takes you to the Terrace Houses for a walking tour of these impressive residential villas. See the imposing Library of Celsus, the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, and walk the paths that Paul the Apostle once walked. Conclude the morning with a visit to the Archeological Museum. This afternoon, travel to charming Sirince, a hilltop village once inhabited by the Greek community and abandoned during the population exchange between Turkiye and Greece in 1923. The village today is a rare and protected example of Ottoman Christian architecture, known for its locally produced olive oil, wine, and peaches. Here, relax at a local café, taste a traditional Turkish coffee, and meet with locals who offer Turkish coffee ground readings for those who want to get their fortunes told!

Day 6: Izmir – Pamukkale – Dalyan (B)

Stay: Arp Hotel

Start the day by learning about the folklore of the nazar boncuk (evil eye) at a workshop where these traditional talismans are crafted using a process passed down through generations. Next, continue your journey inland to Pamukkale (UNESCO) to visit the famous Cotton Castle* — named for its natural cascading thermal pools and white limestone — as well as the ruins of the Greco-Roman period. Whilst here, take a guided tour of the archeological site via golf cart and visit the local museum followed by some free time to visit the site’s “Cotton Candy” pools. This evening, arrive in the quaint riverbank town of Dalyan and check into your home for the next two nights at a small, family-run bed & breakfast with simple accommodation and a deck overlooking the river. The evening is yours. Perhaps you’ll stroll the streets of Dalyan browsing the local shops or find your favourite café and soak in the local life.

Day 7: Dalyan – Ancient Kaunos – Dalyan (B,L)

Stay: Arp Hotel

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning before setting off to tour the ruins of Ancient Kaunos followed by a relaxing boat trip along the river that connects Dalyan to the Mediterranean Sea. Enjoy the unique environment as you pass through the marshland that is home to birds, fish, and turtles. Take in views of the Aegean coastline and make some stops (weather permitting) along the way for swimming.** After lunch in a local restaurant, get ready for your Impact Moment at a loggerhead turtle rescue and conservation centre. Return to Dalyan for an evening at leisure.

Day 8: Dalyan – Burdur – Konya (B,L,D)

Stay: Bayir Diamond Hotel & Convention Center

Prepare for a full day of travel, beginning early and following the path of the ancient Silk Road trading route that once led from China all the way to Istanbul. Take some time to explore the downtown of Burdur during a quick lunch stop. Continue on to Konya, arriving in the early evening, where dinner is included at the hotel.

Day 9: Konya – Sultanhani Caravanserai – Cappadocia (B,D)

Stay: Zemi Hotel Cappadocia

Begin the morning in Konya with a visit to the Mevlâna Museum, the world centre of the Whirling Dervishes. Next, visit Sultanhani Caravanserai, one of the largest surviving caravanserai along the Silk Road. After viewing the soaring vaults of this fortified road stop, travel on, arriving in Cappadocia in the early afternoon for a tour of one of the region’s famous underground cities. These subterranean towns, some built almost 3000 years ago, provided refuge for their inhabitants during times of war and invasions. As you head towards your hotel, take in the ethereal scenery and mesmerizing rock formations created by thousands of years of volcanic activity and erosion. This evening, check in to your home for the next three nights.

Day 10: Cappadocia (B,L,D)

Stay: Zemi Hotel Cappadocia

Get an early start with an optional balloon ride*** that takes you soaring above the “fairy chimneys” and rock dwellings dotting the hills and valleys below you. After reconvening with your fellow travellers, immerse yourself in Cappadocia’s lunar landscape. Visit Göreme’s Open-Air Museum (UNESCO), a vast site comprising of 11 early Christian rock-cut churches and monasteries often adorned with colourful frescoes. For lunch, join a local family for a hands-on cooking class using vegetables from the family’s garden, followed by a meal of home-cooked manti (traditional Turkish meat-stuffed dumplings). Then, visit a pottery workshop and learn how locals make use of the area’s natural resources by extracting clay from the surrounding soil and developing pottery into an art form. Later this evening, come together for a Whirling Dervishes ceremony.****

Day 11: Cappadocia (B,D)

Stay: Zemi Hotel Cappadocia

Start the day with a countryside walk in Love Valley, famous for its conspicuous rock formations. Follow the winding path among the fairy chimneys and contemplate the otherworldly view. This afternoon, you’ll learn about the traditional Turkish craft of carpet weaving, from silkworm cultivation to spinning, dyeing, and patterning techniques.

Day 12: Cappadocia – Istanbul (B,D)

Stay: Elite World Hotel

Head to the airport in Cappadocia this morning for a short flight back to Istanbul. After a drive back to the city, stop at the colourful Grand Bazaar. This intricate complex of covered streets and shops has been in operation for over 600 years and is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. Later this afternoon, check in to the hotel before regrouping for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 13: Istanbul – Tour Ends (B)

Your exploration of Turkiye comes to a close today.