Package 5N/6 Days: Istanbul and Cappadocia

Day 1

Depending on your international flight arrival, we will arrange a domestic flight to Cappadocia (approximately 1 hour).
Upon arrival at Cappadocia Airport, you will be picked up and transferred to your cave hotel for a 2-night stay (Caverna Hotel Premium Caves or Elegance Cave Suite).

Day 2

05:00–08:00 – Balloon Tour
We’ll schedule the balloon ride for your first morning, as flights don’t operate every day depending on weather conditions. This gives you another chance the next day in case of cancellation.

Sunrise Balloon Ride – 1-hour flight

This is the most unforgettable way to begin your day in Cappadocia.
Your adventure begins about 1.5 hours before sunrise. Our luxury minivans will pick you up from your hotel and take you to our office for a light breakfast and registration.

Meanwhile, our pilots will check the weather to select the best take-off point. Instead of departing from the same site each day, we choose the launch location based on wind direction and speed to ensure the best possible experience. Once the site is chosen, you’ll head there by minivan and watch as your balloon is prepared.

The flight lasts about 1 hour, during which we’ll try to show you the most stunning parts of Cappadocia, depending on the weather. If conditions are favorable, you’ll also enjoy a magical sunrise from the sky.

The flight ends at a different location than where you started. Upon landing, our team will be waiting with the balloon trailer and minivans.
We’ll celebrate with a traditional champagne toast and present you with a flight certificate to remember this adventure for a lifetime. Afterwards, you’ll be transferred back to your hotel.

09:30 – Green Tour

• Göreme Panorama: One of the best viewpoints in the region. Here, your guide will introduce the region and its unique landscape.
• Derinkuyu Underground City: The largest and deepest underground city in Cappadocia, featuring stables, storage rooms, a church, winery, kitchen, and more. Your guide will explain the historical uses of each section.
• Selime Cathedral: The largest rock-cut monastery in Cappadocia, located in a dramatic setting that may remind you of Star Wars scenes.
• Lunch: Enjoy local dishes at a restaurant.
• Ihlara Canyon: A scenic hike (approx. 4 km) along the Melendiz River. This lush canyon is home to over 100 churches and around 10,000 caves carved by early Christian monks.
• Pigeon Valley: Located in Uçhisar, this valley is filled with ancient pigeon houses carved into the rock and offers panoramic views.

Return to the hotel around 18:00.

Day 3

09:30 – Red Tour

• Uçhisar Castle: The highest rock formation in the region. Learn about Cappadocia’s unique landscape and enjoy time to explore on your own.
• Göreme Open-Air Museum: Visit ancient rock-cut churches with vibrant frescoes from the 10th and 11th centuries. Your guide will share insights into Christianity and monastic life in Cappadocia.
• Çavuşin Village: A former Greek village with houses abandoned after the 1924 population exchange.
• Lunch in Avanos: A town located on the banks of the Kızılırmak (Red River), known for pottery traditions dating back to the Hittites. You’ll visit a pottery workshop, where a master will demonstrate traditional free-hand pottery techniques.
• Paşabağı (Monks Valley): Home to iconic mushroom-shaped rock formations and the Chapel of Saint Simeon.
• Devrent Valley (Imagination Valley): This valley is filled with naturally sculpted rocks resembling animals such as camels, owls, snakes, and more—use your imagination to discover unique shapes!

The tour ends around 16:00.
You’ll then be transferred to the airport for your flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival, we’ll transfer you to your hotel for a 3-night stay (Nena Hotel or Rast Hotel).

Day 4

08:00–16:00 – Istanbul Old City Tour

We’ll visit these iconic landmarks:

• Hagia Sophia: A masterpiece of Byzantine architecture with a vast dome and rich history. It has served as a cathedral, a mosque, and now a museum.
• Byzantine Hippodrome: A former social and sporting center during the Roman and Byzantine empires.
• Blue Mosque: Also known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, famous for its stunning İznik tilework and majestic architecture.
• Grand Bazaar: The world’s oldest and largest covered market with over 4,000 shops spread across 66 streets. A treasure trove of carpets, jewelry, leather goods, and souvenirs.
• Topkapi Palace: Once the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire and home to the sultans for 400 years.

Day 5

08:00–13:00 – Half-Day Bosphorus Tour

• City Walls: The ancient defensive walls of Constantinople, stretching over 22 km.
• Golden Horn: A natural harbor that separates the European side of Istanbul. This estuary played a key role in the city’s development.
• Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar): The largest spice market in the world, filled with the aromas of cinnamon, saffron, mint, thyme, and more.
• Bosphorus Cruise: Enjoy breathtaking views of Istanbul from the water. See iconic sites such as Dolmabahçe Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, wooden Ottoman villas, and the Rumeli Fortress.

The rest of the day is free.

Day 6

Free time depending on your international flight schedule.
Transfer to the airport for your departure.

İncluding;

• Domestic flight tickets
• Hotel reservations with breakfast
• All airport transfers
• All day tours with lunch, entrance tickets and professional English tour guide
• Balloon tour in Cappadocia

Excluding;

• Dinner
• Special shopping

• Cancellations made more than 48 hours from your scheduled arrival time will not be charged.
• Cancellations made between 24-48 hours from your scheduled arrival time will be charged 50% of the amount due.
• No shows, and cancellations made within 24 hours of your scheduled arrive time will be charged 100% of the amount due.