Turkey Encounters tour

Upon arrival our staff will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel in the centre of Istanbul for the start of your trip. The rest of the day is free for you to settle in and start to look around Istanbul. A welcome meeting will be held in the hotel lobby at 7pm where you can meet your guide and fellow travellers. However, this is not essential and may be missed if you have a late flight arrival.

Our trip begins this morning with a tour of the old city of Istanbul. Lying across two continents, this historically important city played an integral role in the development of both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. We visit the 17th century Blue Mosque, the Aya Sofya museum and explore the former residence of the Ottoman Sultans at Topkapi Palace before ending at the famous Hippodrome.
In the afternoon we'll take a 1 hour cruise along the Bosphorous River to take a view of the city from this narrow straight of water which separates Europe from Asia, along the way your guide will give you an overview of the historical sights as you pass by.

We depart Istanbul this morning for the drive to Gallopoli where we will receive a fully guided tour of this World War I battlefield site. Although home to some of the fiercest fighting during the War, today the site is full of poignant memorials set against a subdued wooded landscape. Our tour will include the Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair memorials, ANZAC Cove, Johnston Jolly as well as The Nek and Gallipoli Museum. There will also be chance to see the original trenches and tunnels used during the war before we head to our hotel in Canakkale.

This morning we make the short drive to the ancient city of Troy. Lying undiscoverd until midway through the 19th Century the excavations here brought the legend of the Trojan horse and the poems of Homer back to life. We then continue our drive south to the acropolis of Pergamum. A former kingdom we enjoy a full tour of the site including the Temple of Trajan and the famous library which is believed to have rivalled the library of Alexandria and helped shape Pergamum into a renowned cultural and political centre.

After breakfast we drive to the Roman site of Ephesus. The city at one time housed 250,000 people and is regarded as one of the best preserved ancient cities in the Mediterranean. We visit the Temple of Artemis, and explore the ancient marble streets of this ruined Roman city. This afternoon you'll learn a little about carpet weaving and visit a local vineyard in the former Greek village of Sirince, famous for it's fruit wines. Whilst here you'll have an opportunity to learn about the techniques using in producing wine and samples 3 local wines before returning to your hotel.

After a leather shop visit, we will head to Aphrodisias the ancient city dedicated to Aphrodite, the goddess of Beauty, Love and Fertility, also famous for its school of sculpture, we visit the stadium, which is the best preserved in Anatolia, the Temple of Aphrodite, the Tetrapylon, theatre and the Museum. We then continue onwards to Pamukkale.

This morning we explore Pamukkale, the site is well known for the white calcium terraces known as Travertines. Pamukkale translates as 'cotton castles' and the naturally occuring geology here has created cloud like formations unlike anywhere else. We then head to the ancient city of Hierapolis to enjoy a dip in the hot thermal pools lodged amongst ancient columns left by the Romans who used the pools for their therapeutic powers.
Then we will head to Salda Lake, is known as Turkish Maldives. It is a mountain lake and located in the mountains before we travel down to South.

Today we include a relaxing day cruise around the 12 Islands of the Gulf of Fethiye, during which you can enjoy swims in the clear blue waters and views of many secluded bays, tiny islands and beaches. Lunch is included on board the boat. As part of Turkey's 'Turquoise coast', the Gulf of Fethiye is very popular for Gulet Cruises, and this gives you full day's taste of the scenery and experience on board. If you're lucky you may get to see turtles of dolphins swimming. If you'd prefer to miss the boat trip, you could take an optional day tour to Saklikent Gorge, Turkey's longest and deepest canyon. You could also spend the day relaxing at the famous Oludeniz beach, a short drive away.

We leave Fethiye this morning and start our drive to Antalya. Our first stop of the day is to the deserted Greek village of Kayakoy, where the morning light should help produce some excellent photos. After arriving back at the coast in Antalya in the afternoon we'll have a walking tour of the old town area known as "Kaleici". Whilst on the your we'll visit Hadrian's Gate, the Ancient Harbour and the Suna-Inan Kirac Museum and the Greek Orthodox Church which sits within its gardens..

We leave the coast behind today and head inland towards the important city of Konya. On the way we will stop at Aspendos where we'll see one of the best preserved Roman theatres of Asia Minor, still used today for special events, concerts and an international opera and ballet festival. The theatre was built in the 2nd century seated up to 15,000 people, and is still remarkably intact. After leaving Aspendos we have a long drive, firstly along the coast and then through the hills north towards Konya. We will stop for a break en-route at the Tinatepe Cave, one of the longest in the world, extending up to 22km! There is a trail open to the public around 1.5km long to a pool at the end with lots of interesting rock formations, stalactites and stalagmites to see. It will be cold inside, so wrap up and wear proper shoes as it can be slippery on the wet rocks.

We start this morning wtih a visit to the Mausolem of Mevlana Celeleddin Rum and the Mevlana Museum where we learn more about the whirling dervishes. Then we follow the ancient Silk Route today towards Cappadociat, on our way learning more about its history with a stop at the Sultanhani Caravanserai. We'll also stop at the greek village of Sille before our journey ends amidst the spectacular landscape of Cappadocia with its fairytale views full of improbable rock formations and fascinating underground cities.

We'll expore Cappadocia's highlights today with a walk through the Goreme Valley Open Air Museum taking in views of the incredibly eroded fairy chimney rock formations. We'll also explore the many levels of one of the several underground cities in the region. These were able to hold up to 20,000 people, and contained miles of tunnels connecting chapels, storage rooms, kitchens and wells, stables for livestock, wine and oil presses, school rooms and living quarters. They may have first been carved out of the soft volcanic rock by the Phrygians in the 8th-7th centuries BCE, and were further expanded in Roman times. They were then used in the Byzantine era as safe refuges for the Christian population from persecution by Muslim Arabs and later from Mongolian incursions of Tamerlane. During your time in Cappadocia there is the option to enjoy an optional traditional Turkish folklore evening.

We have another day to explore Cappadocia today where we'll make stops to visit the Pigeon Valley, known for its many pigeon houses which are carved into the soft volcanic tuff. Later, we'll visit the Red Valley, Cavusin and Avanos Town where we'll learn a little about handmade pottery.

After leaving Cappadocia this morning, we'll heard to the capital city of Van, from where we'll take a direct flight to the eastern city of Van. On arrival at Van Airport, your local guide will meet you and travel with you to the Citadel. The Citadel of Van is a huge stone fortress, built during the Kingdom of Urartu between the 9th and 7th centuries BC. Later, you'll be transferred to your hotel where you'll have free time during the evening.

After breakfast today, we'll take a ferry to cross Lake Van, making a stop on Akdamar Island, where you'll have a chance to see the amazing 10th century church, built as a palatine church for the kings of Vaspurakan. Time permitting, you may have a chance to take a swim in Lake Van. After time at Lake Van, we'll travel back to the city centre by road, to visit the Uratu Museum, the largest of its type. The museum is laid out in such a way that it will take you on a historical journey, through different time periods from the Paleolithic to the Ottoman era.
Leaving the museum behind, we'll make time to visit some Van cats, possibly the best known export of this region of Turkey, often referred to as 'the swimming cats'.

Today is our final day in Eastern Turkey and it'll begin with a drive to Dogubayazit, with stops along the way in Muradiye and the Bendimaahi Falls. Whilst in Dogubayazit, we'll visit the beautiful Ishak Pasha Palace, constructed between 1685 and 1784. The Palace features a unique fushion of architecture from Seljik, Ottoman, Georgian, Armenian and even Persian eras.
Later in the day we'll travel around the Western edge of Mount Ararat, known as one of the great natural spectactles of the word, and considered to be one of the resting places of Noahs Ark. The name 'Ararat' comes from the Bible and is a transliteration of 'Uratu' the name foreigners gave to this region during the time of the Bible.
We'll end the day with a flight from Igdir Airport to Istanbul where we'll spend our final night.

The tour ends in Istanbul today, and your time is free for some last minute shopping or sightseeing until we transfer you to the airport for your departure.