Program

- Day 1 - Istanbul to Ankara
Early in the morning we will meet you at your hotel, and provide a transfer to Haydar Pasa train station on the Asian side, then we will board the train and go on a 6 hour comfortable, scenic train ride to Ankara.
Upon arrival you will be met by our transfermen and transfered to your hotel, after check in you will have a free day to relax and explore Ankara at your own pace. Overnight stay in Ankara.

- Day 2 - Ankara to Cappadocia - (B/L)
Today we will have an early start and visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Mauseleum of Ataturk, after lunch we will depart from Ankara to Cappadocia and will visit Hattusa on the way
Anatolian Civilization Museum : is in two Ottoman buildings located near Ankara Castle, in the historical Atpazarı district of Ankara. One of the buildings is Mahmut Paşa Bedesteni and the other is Kurşunlu Han (inn, caravanserai). The exhibits of gold, silver, glass, marble and bronze works date back as far as the second half of the first millennium BC. The coin collections, with examples ranging from the first minted money to modern times, represent the museum's rare cultural treasures.
Mauseleum of Ataturk : Anıtkabir is the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the leader of the Turkish War of Independence and the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey.
Hattusa was the capital of the Hittite Empire in the late Bronze Age. The region is set in the great loop of the Kızıl River (Marashantiya in Hittite sources and Halys in Classical Antiquity) in central Anatolia. Hattusa was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1986. Before 2000 BC, a settlement of the apparently indigenous Hatti people was established on sites that had been occupied even earlier.[1] The earliest traces of settlement on the site are from the sixth millennium BC. In the 19th and 18th centuries BC, merchants from Assur in Assyria established a trading post here, setting up in their own separate quarter of the city.
After visiting Hattusas, we will depart for Cappadocia, Evening arrival in Cappadocia, check in the hotel, Overnight stay.

- Day 3 - Cappadocia - (L)
After breakfast we will continue on the guided tour of Cappadocia's North Part.
Sites you’ll see today
*The World Heritage Site of Goreme Open-Air Museum--This is a cluster of rock cut Byzantine churches, chapels and monasteries which include some wonderful 11th and 12th century frescoes on the cave walls. This place was used by the Christians as a place of refuge from those opposed to Christianity and also was a major monastery. Rooms, churches, houses, and gathering halls have all been cut into the rock or formed from natural caves. Within the caves you can explore and see the preserved mosaics and frescoes.
*Fairy Chimneys--These geological phenomenon have been shaped over millions of years. They were formed during volcanic eruptions in the region. Reaching at times 40 meters in height, they are conical in shape and have a "hat" top to them.
*Devrent Valley--This valley is know as "the pink valley" because of the color of it’s soil. This is a lovely place to wander around and look at the magical rock formations indicative to Cappadocia, including the Fairy Chimneys.
*Uchisar Castle--Also called a fortress, this is actually a formation of two gigantic rocks surrounded by smaller rocks that together form a natural fortress with towers. These formations were inhabited during both the Byzantine and Ottoman times. You can climb and explore the different caves and rooms throughout the fortress, experiencing first-hand what it must have been like to hide in these fortified rocks, waiting for the ancient enemy to pass by or give up.
*We will also get the chance to visit local craftspeople and learn how they make dolls and create traditional pottery. End of the tour we will return to our hotel & Overnight stay in Cappadocia -

- Day 4 - Cappadocia - (B/L)
Today will be spent walking through an underground city where ancient people once fled for their lives escaping the Arab invaders, wandering through Ihlara Gorge and spending time in an Anatolian village.
As we will need to drive for awhile in order to reach our first destination, we will be starting out quite early this morning.
Sites you’ll see today
*Underground City of Derinkuyu--You will gradually stroll your way down into the depths of the earth in this ancient underground city that has 18-20 floors as deep as 40 meters below the ground. Don’t worry, you will only go down to the 8th floor. Cappadocia has around 36 underground cities. Archeologists date these back to the time of the Hittites which lived 4000 years ago. Others believe they were inhabited around the 7th century BC .....Regardless of how old or young they are, undoubtedly they will leave you with a sense of awe of how the dwellers of these cities lived. As you wind down you will begin to feel as if you are in a huge block of Swiss cheese. Everywhere you look there will be nooks and crannies carved into the rocks: holes, windows , paths, alleys, little rooms. . . it is really a maze of mass proportions. ally during the Arab invasions. During Christian times the hiding worshippers even built little chapels that you can still see.
*Ihlara Gorge will seem like an oasis in the middle of the Anatolian plain. Delve into the gorge and see the beautiful greenery as you follow the river. Around you will see ancient monasteries complete with pigeon holes cut into the cliffs by the monks. They used these pigeons as messengers to communicate with their monk friends!
*Traditional Anatolian villages--The head-scarved women out at work in the fields from sun up until sun-down, and the mustached, vest-wearing men hard at work playing cards in the coffee shops. You will get time to stroll in such a village and see the average Turkish villager at work...or play. After the tour we will return to our hotel,
Overnight stay in Cappadocia.

- Day 5 - Cappadocia to Istanbul - (B)
This day will be spent exploring the amazing sites of Cappadocia. (For those who have bought optional hot air ballooning tour of Cappadocia ) Very, very early in the morning we will wake up to take a hot air balloon ride over the area. After this we will come back to the hotel for breakfast and a rest before setting out in late morning to see the rest of the sites.
After breakfast you will have a free time to explore Cappadocia at your own pace, then in the afternoon we will provide a transfer to Kayseri Airport and put you on a 1 hour 15 minute flight back to Istanbul. Arriving in Istanbul will be the end of this tour.

Total Cost : 685 Euro per person in double and 975 Euro for single supplement,

(ask for early booking discounts)

Includes
*2 night accommodation in a luxury cave hotel
* All of the land and airport transfers with comfortable vehicles
* 1 breakfast & 2 lunches, ( in traditional and nice restaurants)
* Professional English speaking tour guides
* Train tickets from Istanbul to Ankara
* Domestic flight tickets from Istanbul to Cappadocia
* Domestic flight tickets from Cappadocia to Istanbul
* Admissions to Anatolian Civilization Museum, Hattusa ancient sites,
* Admissions to Goreme Open Air Museum, Uc Hisar Castle and Underground Cities
* All of the TAX and service charges

Excludes
* Drinks with meals
* Hot Air Balloon ride on Cappadocia

Note : If you don't wish to return Istanbul and continue on the different sites like , Nemrut, Pamukkale, Ephesus or Antalya, we can always customize this trip and organize your transfers to your next destinations.

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