Eastern Turkey Tours & Trips

5 Stars! We didn't realize this would be a private tour when we signed up, but it was fabulous! Our guide Deniz was very welcoming and told us we could be flexible about the schedule according to our interests. We chose to spend more time visiting Gobekli Tepe and the related museums. Deniz was very knowledgeable and personable, and attended to all of our needs, including translating from Turkish when needed, addressing problems at hotels, and even negotiating in markets on our behalf. Driver Hamza was not only expert but also concerned for our daily comfort, including smoothly navigating windy roads, slowing down for every bump, and managing our luggage. Despite some initial concerns, we experienced no issues at all as Americans traveling in southeast Turkiye during the Iran war, and several police and local business owners wanted to take their pictures with us to show others that westerners feel safe there. Overall, we recommend the tour wholeheartedly. Greg Eyring and Heidi Kaigler

The tour operator, Umut Kurt from Guide of Ephesus, communicated well, providing reminders and updates for things I needed to do in plenty of time. I ask a lot of questions, and Umut always responded quickly. We had three guides: Sabri Şahin for 5 days in the east, Bünyamin Kavak for Sultanahmet, Ayasofya, and Topkapı Saray on Monday, and Imran for Bosphorus boat ride and Spıce Bazaar on Tuesday. Each was knowledgeable and professional, but Sabri deserves special mention. It seemed like everywhere we went, other guides, restaurant owners, and more recognized him. All said we had gotten the best guide for the entire area. I agree. Sabri was not only knowledgeable, but he improvised things to do based on our interests and the weather. We feel that we have made a lasting friendship with him. In 60+ years of international travel, this was the first time I have ever taken an organized tour. The experience was very good, if somewhat exhausting, as we had a great deal to cover on every day of the tour. Umut did a great job of keeping us informed so there were no surprises.

Our guide Tashin was excellent. Most of the sites we visited were very interesting. I felt we could of skipped Laodecia Ancient City after visiting Ephesus and other sites. 16 in our group had a nice size bus so lots of room and the hotels we stayed at were nice and comfortable.