Itinerary
Istanbul – Cappadocia – Pamukkale – 3 Day Tour Package
Day 1 – Istanbul – Cappadocia
You will be picked up in your Istanbul hotel lobby at approximately 4.10am by our driver who will transfer you to the airport for your 06:50am flight to Cappadocia. You will arrive at Kayseri airport at approximately 8.00am, where you will be met by our driver who will be holding your name on a board.
Transfer to Cappadocia where you will meet with your tour group and commence your day tour which includes Devrent Valley, Monk Valley, Goreme Open Air Museum, and Uchisar Castle. At the end of your tour of this area’s magical landscape you will be dropped back at your hotel.
Optional Turkish Night & Whirling Dervishes Ceremony with dinner
Overnight – Cappadocia (L)
Day 2 – Cappadocia Sightseeing Tour / Overnight bus to Pamukkale
Optional: Early morning sunrise hot air balloon ride – ask us for a quote!
Pick up from your hotel after breakfast (approximately 09:30). Our first stop of the day will be Esentepe, a popular spot for enjoying a panoramic view of Göreme and its fairy chimneys and unique rock formations.
We will then drive to Derinkuyu Underground City, one of the deepest of Cappadocia’s many underground cities, and built by early Christians fleeing from persecution. Including rooms such as stables, cellars, chapels and wineries, you’ll be impressed as you wander through this underground city.
We then drive to Ihlara Valley where we will hike a section of the valley, checking out the tiny churches cut into the rocks, along the way. We will then have some chill time and lunch at Belisirma Village. We will also visit Selime Monastery, the biggest rock-cut cathedral in Cappadocia.
After the tour, you will be transferred to the bus station for your night bus to Denizli/Pamukkale.
Overnight – Night Bus
(L)
Note: Pamukkale has some of the world’s best conditions for paragliding, giving you a chance to paraglide over the magnificent travertines (cotton castle) and the ruins of Hierapolis. Please let us know if you would like to enjoy some paragliding in Pamukkale tomorrow, and we will make all of the necessary arrangements for you.
Day 3 – Pamukkale Hierapolis Tour / Domestic Flight to Istanbul
You will be picked up by our driver from Denizli bus station where you will arrive at approximately 6.00am. It’s just a 20 minute drive to Pamukkale from here. On arrival in Pamukkale you will be transferred to a hotel in Pamukkale for an opportunity to freshen up and some breakfast before starting your Pamukkale tour at 9.30am.
Your tour starts with a visit to the nearby village of Karahayit where you will visit the red springs, with waters coloured a rusty-red colour because of the high iron content of the water.
We then drive to the North gate of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed ancient Roman spa town of Hierapolis, and start our tour. Hierapolis was an important place for healing in Roman times because of the believed therapeutic qualities of its waters.
As you wander the ruins with your tour guide, you will see highlights such as the necropolis (graveyard), one of the biggest in the region, with over 1500 graves, the Roman bath, the theatre and the Agora (ancient market). You’ll also hear stories of some of the famous characters from history who visited or lived here including Cleopatra and St Philip, whose tomb is on top of a hill outside the northeastern section of the city walls, and which you will be able to see from a distance.
We’ll then take a break at the Cleopatra Antique Pool where the water is a pleasant 36 degrees Celsius and filled with invigorating minerals. Here, you have the chance to swim over Roman columns which believed to have fallen into the water during an earthquake. Please note that entrance to the swimming pool is an additional 200TL per person, payable at the site.
Your guide will give you free time to paddle in some of the travertine (calcium) pools as you wander down the hill to Pamukkale’s natural park and lake. You will then meet your tour guide for a late lunch.
The tour finishes at approximately 3.30-4.00pm, depending on the size of the group and its interests. You’ll have approximately 30 minutes of free time to wander around the village of Pamukkale before we take you back to the airport at approximately 16:30 for your 18:50 return flight to Istanbul. You will arrive back in Istanbul at approximately 20:00, and be transferred back to your hotel by our driver who will be waiting for you when you arrive. Services conclude on arrival at your Istanbul hotel.
(B, L)
