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2026

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2027

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2028

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Who is travelling?

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels)

10 days
Start and end in Istanbul
4.9
697 traveler reviews

No departure dates available

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Plan your adventure:
Explorer
Curated to ignite your sense of adventure
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Low Intensity
Travelers can expect some light physical activities
Guided in English
Group Size 4 - 40
Ages 18-59
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Highlights

  • Explore Istanbul's historic sites and bazaars
  • Cruise down the Bosphorus for stunning views
  • Discover underground cities and fairy chimneys in Cappadocia
  • Visit the white terraces of Pamukkale and ancient Ephesus
  • Tour the legendary city of Troy and Gallipoli shores

Itinerary

View Full Itinerary
  1. Introduction
  1. Day 1 Istanbul
  2. Day 2 Istanbul City Tour
  3. Day 3 Istanbul, Cappadocia
  4. Day 4 Cappadocia
  5. Day 5 Cappadocia, Konya
  6. Day 6 Konya, Pamukkale
  7. Day 7 Pamukkale, Ephesus, Kusadasi
  8. Day 8 Kusadasi, Troy, Canakkale
  9. Day 9 Canakkale, Gallipoli, Istanbul
  10. Day 10 Istanbul
Want to read it later?

Download this tour’s PDF brochure and start tour planning offline

What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport
  • Free eSIM
    TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Customer Photos

Operated by

Travel Talk

Number of tours

150

Age Range

18 to 60 years old

Response time

within 1 day

Response rate

100%

At Travel Talk, we have one focus and that is simply to make your trip the...

Read more

Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Customer Reviews

  • Overall Rating
    Excellent
    4.9
  • Itinerary
    Excellent
    5.0
  • Guide
    Excellent
    4.9
  • Transport
    Excellent
    4.9
  • Accommodation
    Excellent
    4.9
  • Food
    Excellent
    4.9
  • 4.7
  • Most Recent
  • Most Popular
  • Highest First
  • Lowest First
  • JC
    · January 5th, 2026
    Fantastic experience! Truly the essentials of Turkey’s most historic sites and culture. Tour guide, Aykut was both very knowledgeable and funny! Highly recommended!
    Show more
    Travel Talk commented on this review
    Hi Jennifer, thank you for the fantastic feedback! We’re so glad you had such a great experience exploring Turkey’s historic sites and culture. Aykut will be delighted to hear your kind words, his knowledge and sense of humour really do make the journey... Show more
    Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 1Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 2Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 3Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 4Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 5
    Trip date: November 2025
  • HM
    · May 22nd, 2025
    Tour was big, bus was full for first few days, difficult to make connections. But as tour went on some people on shorter tours moved on. The last week was better with less people. Guide was very good. Some very long travel days.
    Show more
    Travel Talk commented on this review
    Hi Heather, thank you for sharing your experience. We’re glad to hear the guide provided excellent support and that the smaller group size later in the tour enhanced your journey. We appreciate your honest feedback about the travel pace and group... Show more
    Trip date: September 2024
  • Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) reviewer 3
    · March 19th, 2025
    From Kelly Kennedy Essential Turkey Tour w/ Travel Talk - tour guide Yildiray was superb, he went above and beyond to make sure everyone's needs and wants were met (7 women from different places, with different likes, different dietary needs...none of us could complain about his genuine care). I'm posting pictures of us bonding and leaving the tour itself for you to experience on your own, you will not be disappointed with booking it. The excursions were great, the drivers great, the food great... The cost of the tour and all that is included you just can not go wrong with. The cost of excursions were very reasonable in comparison to other tours I have been on! I give this tour, guide, experience, drivers, Travel Talk 5 stars. Definitely try to book with using Yildiray. Often times the guide makes all the difference from a good experience to a great experience! Thanks Yildiray!
    Show more
    Travel Talk commented on this review
    Hi Kelly, thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you had such an incredible experience on the Essential Turkey tour and that Yildiray made it truly special. He’s an absolute gem, and we’re lucky to have him. Your kind words... Show more
    Trip date: March 2025
  • Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) reviewer 4
    · January 4th, 2025
    Travel talks and their tour guide Mustafa done the best job and made the essential Turkey tour a very memorable experience for all of us in the tour. From organising to hotel and sight seeing, they done a great job. Highly recommend!
    Show more
    Travel Talk commented on this review
    Hi Vivian, thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that our team made your Essential Turkey tour such a memorable experience. From the seamless organisation to the hotels and sightseeing, it's wonderful to know everything exceeded... Show more
    Trip date: December 2024
  • MM
    · October 31st, 2024
    A complete, wide ranging tour of Turkey that covers all the essential elements of its history, cultures, sites, and cities. Accommodations were excellent, food outstanding, and the tour guide was experienced and managed a highly efficient tour. Would do it again anytime.
    Show more
    Travel Talk commented on this review
    Hi Marc, thank you for your wonderful feedback on the Essential Turkey tour! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the comprehensive experience, from the rich history and diverse cultures to the excellent accommodations and outstanding food. It’s... Show more
    Trip date: October 2024
  • Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) reviewer 6
    · October 26th, 2024
    We went on a tour of Türkiye (Essential Turkey, 10 days) with Travel Talk, October 5-14, 2024. This was our first time using Travel Talk, but we will definitely go with them again. I have to start by talking about our guide, Yildiray. He was simply the best guide anyone could ask for. He was extremely well organized, friendly, knowledgeable, patient, and fun. He went above and beyond every day. He gave us good information about the places we visited, but also gave us very good recommendations for local food. When we stopped at restaurants for lunch, he was our waiter by taking our orders, and delivering our food. All of this helped everyone build great relationships throughout the trip. By the end, we were sad it was over. As for the other aspects of the trip, I have only good things to say about it. All the hotels were good, the food at the hotels was good, and the locations of the hotels was good, which allowed us access to stroll around the neighborhoods and sometimes visit local shops. The tour bus was very comfortable, and was driven by two excellent drivers who switched driving throughout. We had frequent stops when there were long distances so that we did not feel too tired. I was impressed with the amount of planning, organization, and information provided to us at every step. This was one of the most enjoyable tours we have been on, and I highly recommend Travel Talk, and especially our guide, Yildiray!
    Show more
    Travel Talk commented on this review
    Hi Jonathan, thank you for sharing your fantastic experience on the Essential Turkey tour! We’re delighted to hear that Yildiray made such a positive impact on your journey with his organization, knowledge, and friendly nature. It sounds like he truly... Show more
    Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 1Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 2Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 3Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 4Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 5Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 6
    Trip date: October 2024
  • Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) reviewer 7
    · June 2nd, 2024
    10/10 for our guide Erdem. Very impressive hospitality, attention to detail and Itenerary
    Show more
    Travel Talk commented on this review
    Hi Asma, thank you for your review! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your trip with Erdem, and will be sure to pass on your kind feedback. We hope to see you on another adventure with us soon!
    Trip date: April 2024
  • Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) reviewer 8
    · April 18th, 2024
    Mustafa was a fantastic tour guide ("Essential Turkey - 10 days"). I think he showed us far more over a week and a half than we could have ever seen on our own. He explained everything very thoroughly, with humor, and answered any questions we had. He also made sure to help us with any problems that arose throughout the trip. We never had to worry about transportation as we rode in a comfortable, air-conditioned bus the entire time. Hotel selection was top-notch; all hotels included clean rooms, free Wi-Fi and complimentary breakfast/dinner.
    Show more
    Travel Talk commented on this review
    Hi Courtney, thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you had a great time on your Essential Turkey tour and we really appreciate you sharing your experience. We will be sure to pass your kind words onto Mustafa and hope to see you on... Show more
    Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 1Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 2Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 3Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 4Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 5Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 6
    Trip date: March 2024
  • Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) reviewer 9
    · April 2nd, 2024
    A good tour with lots of things to see. Mustafa is a fantastic tour guide and really looked out for us all. We got unlucky with not being able to do the hot air balloons in cappadocia (too windy) but managed to go up in Pamukkale (which was incredible!). Mustafa got this all sorted for us as well as ensuring we had the best experience with visiting the sites. Hotel wise, some good hotels, some a bit rough around the edges! Be mindful a 4/5* in Turkey isn’t the same as other parts of the world!!
    Show more
    Travel Talk commented on this review
    Hi Sarah, thank you for your review! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your tour through Turkey with us and will be sure to pass your kind words onto Mustafa. We are always trying to improve our tours for future travellers, so we appreciate your... Show more
    Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 1Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 2Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 3Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 4Essential Turkey (5 Star Hotels) customer review photo 5
    Trip date: March 2024
  • A
    · December 6th, 2023
    Loved my recent travel Talk tour "Essential Turkey". Yavuz was a brilliant guide, informative and fun! Highlight was the incredible experience of hot air ballooning over CappadociaWould definitely recommend.
    Show more
    Trip date: August 2019
    Review collected by Travel Talk

What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.
All questions
  • B

    Brett

    Asked on October 14th, 2025

    Do you have many people booked on the tour starting on the 25th December, or is this out of season?

    Group size
    Tour Details
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten October 2025

      There are currently 7 passengers booked on this departure date. While September-October are generally more popular months to visit Turkey, we expect more bookings for this departure as the departure date approeaches.

  • D

    Dan

    Asked on August 30th, 2025

    Does this trip have any visit to the Carpet; Jewellery or Handcrafted factory / shops? Cause I didn't see any mention of stopover along the trip.

    Tour Details
    • D

      Dan

      TravelerWritten August 2025

      Is it possible that certain Hotel that you mentioned in the trip that I may request an upgrade room for that particular hotel?

    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten September 2025

      This trip does not include any visits to carpet, jewellery, or handcrafted factory/shops, as there are no such stopovers scheduled along the itinerary. Unfortunately, it is not possible to request a room upgrade for any of the hotels listed in the trip.

    • 1 more answer
  • C

    Chelsea

    Asked on August 11th, 2025

    I am travelling with my 51 year old partner. I am 65. Your age range says 59 is the cut off? I am very fit and active. Are we able to book this trip?

    Age Range
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten August 2025

      Yes, you are most welcome to join the trip! The age range mentioned is just a general guide, and we often have travellers outside that range who are fit and active. We'd be happy to have both of you on board.

  • T

    Tiffany

    Asked on July 12th, 2025

    Is it too late for the informal meeting?

    Tour Details
    • T

      Tiffany

      TravelerWritten July 2025

      What happened if we miss the informal meeting at 7 pm on the first day of the tour?

    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten July 2025

      No worries at all—if you miss the informal meeting at 7 PM, you can still get all the necessary information from your guide the next morning.

    • 1 more answer
  • D

    Dean

    Asked on June 8th, 2025

    what is the single supplement for this tour? Also 2 in my group are in their 70s and early 80s. Both are fit and walk well. Can they join this tour?

    Age Range
    Single supplement
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten June 2025

      The single supplement is unfortunately not available on TourRadar for this tour. As for your group members in their 70s and early 80s – if they are traveling together and are fit and able to walk comfortably, they are very welcome to join the tour!

  • S

    Shannon

    Asked on April 11th, 2025

    Is this age range strictly enforced? We are both 62 and in excellent shape.

    Age Range
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten April 2025

      The age range listed in the tour description is more of a guideline than a strict rule. At 62 and in excellent shape, you would be absolutely fine to join. We've had many travellers in their early 60s who fit in perfectly and really enjoy the experience.

  • H

    Harley

    Asked on March 13th, 2025

    What should participants expect regarding the tour's activities?

    Other
    Tour Details
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten March 2025

      Participants should expect a blend of cultural, historical, and possibly optional leisure activities.

  • C

    Charlotte

    Asked on February 26th, 2025

    What are the payment expectations after initial booking?

    Payments
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten February 2025

      Any remaining balance must be paid by the specified final payment date after initial booking.

  • M

    Mark

    Asked on January 11th, 2025

    Why is the trip only until 59 years old? Age discrimination?

    Age Range
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten January 2025

      We would like to clarify that all ages are welcome to join our amazing trips! While we don't have strict age restrictions, we do provide guidelines to ensure everyone's comfort. Passengers that falls out of this age group (18-59) and traveling alone may find it beneficial to consider booking a private room. For this reason we request to add a singe supplement. This enhances comfort throughout the tour, providing a personal space to relax and unwind after exciting adventures. However, for this tour, single rooms are not available anymore, you may bring a companion a share the room with, that way you do not have to add a single supplement. Whether you're traveling solo, with family, or friends, our goal is to make your journey memorable and enjoyable. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance in planning your next adventure with us.

  • D

    Danièle

    Asked on December 16th, 2024

    Is travel insurance accepted?

    Travel Support
    • Travel TalkOperatorWritten December 2024

      We accept every type of travel insurance as long as it covers the whole duration of the trip.

Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at Travel Talk with your enquiry, they usually respond within 1 day.

No departure dates available

No dates, no problem! Subscribe to our newsletter to receive:

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Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 66291

  • Currency
    $
    US Dollar
  • Plugs & Adapters

  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Typhoid - Recommended for Turkey. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis A - Recommended for Turkey. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis B - Recommended for Turkey. Ideally 2 months before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before March 17th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after March 17th, 2026, a minimum payment of $150 is required to confirm your booking with Travel Talk. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 65 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • Some departure dates and prices may vary and Travel Talk will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Travel Talk" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec