Day 1: Istanbul
Welcome to Turkey! Your adventure begins in Istanbul, the city that bridges continents and has been home to Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans. Meet your tour leader and fellow travelers at a 6 PM welcome meeting. Afterwards, perhaps venture out together to sample some delectable Turkish cuisine at a charming street-side café.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: None
Included Activities: Complimentary Arrival Transfer
Optional Activities:
- Bosphorus Boat Cruise (Public Boat) – TRY 150
- Topkapi Palace Combined Ticket (Topkapi Palace + Hagia Irene + Harem) – TRY 1500
- Galata Tower – EUR 30
- Hagia Sophia – EUR 25
Special Information:
- The arrival transfer is valid only if arriving on Day 1 or if pre-trip accommodation is booked through Intrepid. Please provide flight details at the time of booking, or at least 14 days prior to travel.
- It is crucial to attend the welcome meeting to provide insurance details and next of kin information. If you will be late, inform your travel agent or hotel reception. Look for a note in the lobby for more meeting information.
- Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays. Plan your visit accordingly.
Day 2: Beypazari
Start your day with a leisurely guided walk, discovering Istanbul’s renowned sites, including the 17th-century Blue Mosque with its six minarets and 20,000 handmade Iznik tiles. Visit the ancient Hippodrome, featuring monuments like the Obelisk of Theodosius, Snake Pillar, and German Fountain of Wilhelm II. Later, travel to the picturesque town of Beypazari. Enjoy free time exploring this quaint town’s historic streets.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast
Included Activities: Istanbul – Blue Mosque Visit, Istanbul – City Tour
Special Information: Travel time today is approximately 5.5 hours.
Day 3: Goreme
Visit the Living Museum of Beypazari in the morning for an interactive experience of traditional Turkish folk culture. Afterwards, drive to Goreme in Cappadocia, known for its unique landscape of cones, needles, and columns. Spend the rest of the day exploring this fascinating town at your own pace.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast
Included Activities: Beypazari – Living Museum Visit
Optional Activities: Whirling Dervish Performance – EUR 30
Special Information: Travel time today is approximately 4 hours.
Day 4: Goreme
Optional: Begin your day with a hot air balloon flight over Cappadocia’s stunning landscape. Later, visit the Goreme Open Air Museum, a Christian sanctuary of carved houses, churches, and monasteries with exquisite biblical frescoes. The rest of the day is free for further exploration or a sunset hike.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast
Included Activities: Goreme Open Air Museum
Optional Activities:
- Hot Air Balloon Regular Flight – EUR 260
- Hot Air Balloon Deluxe Flight – EUR 330
- The Dark Church Entry – EUR 6
Special Information: Hot air ballooning can only be booked locally. Discuss with your tour leader early in your trip to secure a spot. Prices are indicative and may vary.
Day 5: Goreme
After breakfast, explore the surrounding valleys and rock formations, including fairy chimneys and manmade cave chapels. Enjoy a home-cooked lunch prepared by a local host, Nuray. Continue to the red river of Cappadocia and learn about traditional pottery. End the day with a visit to Devrent Valley and Pasabag Valley.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities: Pottery Demonstration, Pasabag and Devrent Valley Walk, Home-Cooked Lunch
Day 6: Konya
In the morning, visit the Underground City of Kaymakli. Then, travel to Konya, the birthplace of the mystic Sufi practice of whirling. Enjoy an orientation walk and a guided tour of the Mevlana Museum, learning about Rumi and the Whirling Dervishes.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast
Included Activities: Mevlana Museum, Kaymakli Underground City
Special Information: Travel time today is approximately 4 hours.
Day 7: Antalya
Drive through the Taurus Mountains to Antalya, a coastal gem. Enjoy an orientation walk through the Old City, visiting the clock tower, Hadrian’s Gate, and the old Roman Harbour. Spend the afternoon relaxing or swimming in the Mediterranean.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast
Included Activities: Leader-led Orientation Walk, Kaleici Visit
Special Information: Travel time today is approximately 5.5 hours.
Day 8: Kas
Tour the Antalya Museum in the morning, then drive to Kas, a beautiful seaside village. Explore on foot, cool off with a dip, or browse the handicraft markets. For dinner, try the freshly caught seafood.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast
Included Activities: Antalya Museum, Leader-led Orientation Walk
Special Information: Travel time today is approximately 4 hours.
Day 9: Kas
Embark on a relaxing cruise around Kekova’s islands, including a homemade Turkish lunch onboard. Explore Ucagiz township and swim in protected inlets. Return to Kas in the evening.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities: Sailing Trip with Seafood Lunch
Day 10: Pamukkale
Drive to Pamukkale, known for its thermal springs. Take a dip and explore the ancient city of Hierapolis, including temples, baths, and a theater. Enjoy a free evening in Pamukkale.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast
Included Activities: Hierapolis and Travertines National Park
Special Information: Travel time today is approximately 5.5 hours.
Day 11: Selcuk
Travel to Selcuk, your base for visiting Ephesus. Stop by the village of Sirince for a wine tasting, then enjoy a leader-led orientation walk in Selcuk.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast
Included Activities: Leader-led Orientation Walk, Sirince Village Visit and Wine Tasting
Special Information: Travel time today is approximately 4 hours.
Day 12: Selcuk
Visit Ephesus, a well-preserved classical city with a rich history. Enjoy a gozleme-making demonstration and lunch at a family-run restaurant. Spend the afternoon and evening exploring on your own.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities: Ephesus Archaeological Site Visit, Gozleme Making Demonstration and Lunch
Optional Activities:
- Terrace Houses Entry – EUR 15
- Ephesus Archaeological Museum – EUR 10
Day 13: Canakkale
Travel to Canakkale and enjoy an orientation walk. Spend the rest of the day exploring the town or visiting the Trojan horse from the film “Troy.”
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast
Included Activities: Leader-led Orientation Walk
Special Information: Travel time today is approximately 5.5 hours.
Day 14: Gallipoli / Istanbul
Cross the Dardanelles to the Gallipoli Peninsula, visiting Anzac Cove, Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair, and the Ataturk Memorial. Return to Istanbul in the late afternoon or early evening. Celebrate your journey with a group dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
Meals: Breakfast
Included Activities: Gallipoli Battlefields Visit
Special Information: Travel time today is approximately 5 hours.
Day 15: Istanbul
Your Intrepid trip concludes this morning. If you’d like to extend your stay in Istanbul, we can help arrange additional accommodation (subject to availability).
Meals: Breakfast
Overview
Travel is the movement of people between relatively distant geographical locations, and can involve travel by foot, bicycle, automobile, train, boat, bus, airplane, or other means, with or without luggage, and can be one way or round trip. Travel can also include relatively short stays between successive movements.
The origin of the word “travel” is most likely lost to history. The term “travel” may originate from the Old French word travail, which means ‘work’. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the first known use of the word travel was in the 14th century.
It also states that the word comes from Middle English travailen, travelen (which means to torment, labor, strive, journey) and earlier from Old French travailler (which means to work strenuously, toil). In English we still occasionally use the words “travail”, which means struggle. According to Simon Winchester in his book The Best Travelers’ Tales (2004), the words “travel” and “travail” both share an even more ancient root: a Roman instrument of torture called the tripalium (in Latin it means “three stakes”, as in to impale).
