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5-Day Cappadocia, Ephesus & Pamukkale Group TourRed & Green Tours

Istanbul ✈ Cappadocia (1 night) ✈ Izmir → kusadasi (2 nights) → pamukkale (1 night) → Izmir ✈ Istanbul · flights included

From €999 pp

€1,998 for 2 travellers

Flights, hotels & guided days included

Reserve with a 40% deposit by card: €799.20 for 2

Cancellation charges from 25% · Free date change up to 21 days before · Full schedule

  • 5 days · 4 nightsRed & Green Tours

  • 3 flights includedIstanbul → Cappadocia → Izmir → Istanbul

  • Hotels & breakfast4 nights · cappadocia & kusadasi & pamukkale

  • Shared groupEnglish-speaking guide

Next available: Wed 4 Nov · WhatsApp reply in ~1 h

Overview

Fly from Istanbul for 5 days of group tours through Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale, with domestic flights and four hotel nights. Visit Paşabağ, Zelve, Ihlara Valley, Ephesus and Hierapolis.

Highlights

  • See Paşabağ, Zelve and Devrent Valley
  • Walk in Ihlara Valley and visit Kaymaklı
  • Explore Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary
  • Walk the Pamukkale terraces and visit Hierapolis

Itinerary

5 days · Istanbul ✈ Cappadocia (1 night) ✈ Izmir → kusadasi (2 nights) → pamukkale (1 night) → Izmir ✈ Istanbul

  1. Day 1Early flight and the Red Tour of CappadociaDevrent Valley · Paşabağ (Monks Valley) · Avanos pottery workshop
    Your five-day trip opens with a 05:00 pickup from the Istanbul hotel lobby and an early flight into central Anatolia. At the airport you join other travelers on the shared Red Tour, which starts right away and runs about 8 hours. You see Devrent Valley and Paşabağ, stop in Avanos for a pottery demonstration and lunch, visit a carpet workshop and finish among the cave houses of Zelve. The walking adds up to roughly 2.5 km, some of it on cobbles and loose tuff. The day ends with check-in at your cave hotel.

    1. Istanbul hotel pickup

      05:00

      Driver meets you in the lobby for the airport run.

    2. Flight to central Anatolia

      Economy flight to Kayseri or Nevşehir, landing around 08:00 to meet the group.

    3. Devrent Valley

      Time here: about 20 min

      Photo stop among rocks shaped like animals, with no climbing needed.

    4. Paşabağ (Monks Valley)

      Time here: about 45 min

      Mushroom-shaped chimneys and monastic cells, entered on the same ticket as Zelve.

    5. Avanos pottery workshop

      Time here: 30–45 min

      Master potters throw clay on a kick wheel and show painted wares. No obligation to buy.

    6. Buffet lunch

      Open buffet in Avanos; drinks extra.

    7. Carpet Weaving Education Center (about 30–45 min)

      A look at hand-knotted carpets from loom to finished piece, over tea. No obligation to buy.

    8. Zelve Open-Air Museum

      Time here: about 1 hr

      Explore a former cave village and monastic valleys, empty since the 1950s.

      Tip: A hat helps; there is little shade.

    Air-conditioned group vehicle, licensed English-speaking guide

    Meals: LunchOvernight: Cappadocia — Celestial Cave Hotel or similar

  2. Day 2Ihlara Valley Green Tour and the flight to İzmirGöreme panorama · Kaymaklı Underground City · Ihlara Valley walk
    The shared Green Tour collects you after breakfast, between 09:30 and 10:20, so check out beforehand. It is a full day of about 9 hours, around 2¾ of them driving, through the southwest of Cappadocia. Explore Kaymaklı Underground City, walk the Ihlara Valley along the Melendiz stream, have lunch at Belisırma and see Selime Monastery, followed by onyx and leather workshops. In the evening you transfer to the airport for the flight to İzmir, then drive to Kuşadası, where you spend the next two nights.

    1. Göreme panorama

      Time here: about 15 min

      Viewpoint over the valleys from Esentepe hill.

    2. Kaymaklı Underground City

      Time here: about 45 min

      A warren of rooms and stairways on several levels, about 20 km south of Nevşehir.

      Tip: Not suitable for claustrophobia.

    3. Ihlara Valley walk

      Time here: about 2 hr

      A canyon walk of about 3.5–4 km with rock churches, birdsong and the sound of the river.

    4. Lunch in Belisırma

      Riverside lunch; drinks extra.

    5. Selime Monastery

      Time here: about 45 min

      Huge rock-cut monastery at Selime, included at no extra fee.

    6. Onyx workshop (about 30–45 min)

      Short onyx craft demonstration. No obligation to buy.

    7. Leather workshop (about 30–45 min)

      Short leather craft presentation. No obligation to buy.

    8. Flight to İzmir

      Evening economy flight from Cappadocia.

    9. Transfer to Kuşadası

      Driver meets you at İzmir arrivals; the drive takes about an hour.

    Shared minibus, airport transfers and domestic flight

    Meals: Breakfast, lunchOvernight: Kuşadası — Ephesus Centrum Hotel or similar

  3. Day 3Ephesus Shared Tour and Second Night in KuşadasıEphesus · Carpet Weaving Education Center (about 30–45 min) · House of the Virgin Mary
    Day three of your five-day trip is devoted to Ephesus. The shared group collects you from your hotel in Kuşadası, and a licensed guide takes you through the ancient city; tickets for Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary are included, as is lunch in Selçuk. The afternoon adds a carpet weaving center, the House of the Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis. You return to Kuşadası for the night, and tomorrow the tour continues inland to Pamukkale, where you stay overnight.

    1. Morning pickup from your hotel

      The group minibus picks you up in Kuşadası.

    2. Ephesus

      Time here: about 2 hours

      At the Hercules Gate, two reliefs of the hero in his lion skin frame the entrance to Curetes Street; below, the Library of Celsus closes the view.

      Tip: Late spring and summer afternoons are hot; drink plenty of water.

    3. Lunch in Selçuk

      Group lunch in Selçuk; drinks are extra.

    4. Carpet Weaving Education Center (about 30–45 min)

      Watch a weaver at work and learn to tell wool from silk pile by touch. No obligation to buy.

    5. House of the Virgin Mary

      A quiet chapel in the pine forest on the mountain above Ephesus, visited by pilgrims since the 1890s.

    6. Temple of Artemis

      The day's last stop: a few minutes at the Artemision's single column.

    7. Return to Kuşadası

      Back at your hotel in time to walk the seafront before dinner.

    Shared air-conditioned minibus

    Meals: Breakfast, lunchOvernight: Kuşadası — Ephesus Centrum Hotel or similar

  4. Day 4Hierapolis Through the Centuries, Night in PamukkaleHierapolis ancient city · Hierapolis theatre · Pamukkale travertine terraces
    Check out of your Kuşadası hotel and ride inland with the shared group for about three hours to Pamukkale. Your guide traces Hierapolis from its Hellenistic beginnings through the earthquakes of AD 17 and 60, the Roman rebuilding in marble and the early Christian town that honored the apostle Philip. After lunch you walk barefoot down the white travertines, and the group then drops you at your hotel for the night. There is no airport rush today: the evening is yours to rest, or to soak in the hotel's thermal pool if it has one.

    1. Kuşadası to Pamukkale with the group

      Time here: about 3 hours

      Bring your luggage; tonight you sleep in Pamukkale rather than on the coast.

    2. Hierapolis ancient city

      Founded in the Hellenistic period, the city grew under the kings of Pergamon and then Rome. Earthquakes struck again and again, and each time the townspeople rebuilt.

    3. Hierapolis theatre

      Seats for well over 10,000 people rise above a stage building rebuilt in the early 3rd century under Emperor Septimius Severus.

    4. Lunch in Pamukkale

      Included; drinks are extra.

    5. Pamukkale travertine terraces

      The terraces grow as carbon dioxide escapes from the spring water and calcite settles out in thin white layers. Footwear stays off on the marked barefoot path.

      Tip: Algae patches are the most slippery spots.

    6. Drop at your Pamukkale hotel

      The group vehicle takes you to your hotel at the end of the tour.

    7. Night in Pamukkale

      Lycus River Thermal Hotel or similar, double room with breakfast.

    Air-conditioned vehicle shared with the group

    Optional activities

    • Cleopatra's (Antique) Pool swim · Not included

    Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Pamukkale — Lycus River Thermal Hotel or similar

  5. Day 5Free Day in Pamukkale and Flight Back to IstanbulFree time in Pamukkale · Karahayıt red springs (on your own)
    After breakfast the day is unscheduled until your airport transfer, so plan it around your flight time. You might walk into Pamukkale village, take a short ride to the red iron-rich springs at Karahayıt, or simply use the hotel's facilities. Going back onto the travertines or into Cleopatra's Pool needs a new ticket, which is not included, and lunch today is on your own. Later in the day the transfer takes you to Denizli Çardak Airport for the domestic flight to Istanbul.

    1. Breakfast and checkout

      Breakfast is included. Reception can usually keep your bags after checkout until the transfer.

    2. Free time in Pamukkale

      Stroll the village at the foot of the white cliffs, sit at a café by the lower pond, or rest before the flight.

    3. Karahayıt red springs (on your own)

      About 5 km north of Pamukkale, iron-rich water at over 50°C stains the rock rust-red. Local minibuses run between the two villages.

    4. Lunch on your own

      Not included today; the village has simple restaurants.

    5. Transfer to Denizli Çardak Airport

      Time here: about 1 hour

      Your pickup time is confirmed based on your flight.

    6. Denizli to Istanbul flight

      A short economy flight, with checked baggage according to the fare. The transfer from the Istanbul airport to your hotel is not part of this tour; add one at /airport-transfers if needed.

    Airport transfer and domestic flight

    Optional activities

    • Second visit to the travertines or Cleopatra's Pool, new ticket · Not included

    Meals: Breakfast

Download the day-by-day PDF

Flights and hotel

Flights

  • Istanbul → Cappadocia · day 1
  • Cappadocia → Izmir · day 2
  • Izmir → Istanbul

Economy class, checked bag as per the ticket fare. Have your own flights? Remove them when you book — the price updates.

Hotel

  • 1 night in Cappadocia: Celestial Cave Hotel or similar, double room with breakfast
  • 2 nights in Kusadasi: Ephesus Centrum Hotel or similar, double room with breakfast
  • 1 night in Pamukkale: Lycus River Thermal Hotel or similar, double room with breakfast

Pickup and route

Pickup
Istanbul hotel pickup included. Your driver will meet you at the lobby at 05:00 AM.
Route of 5-Day Cappadocia, Ephesus & Pamukkale Group Tour — Red & Green Tours1Cappadocia2Ihlara Valley3Ephesus4Pamukkale / Hierapolis
Route map is schematic — exact pickup and meeting points are in your confirmation.

What's included

Included

  • Licensed English-speaking guide
  • Air-conditioned sightseeing transport, Istanbul hotel-to-airport transfer, return Cappadocia airport–hotel transfers, İzmir Airport-to-Kuşadası transfer, and Pamukkale-to-Denizli Airport transfer
  • Entrance tickets: Paşabağ and Zelve (one ticket), Ihlara Valley and Selime, Kaymaklı Underground City, Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary, Hierapolis and Pamukkale
  • Lunch on days 1 and 2 in Cappadocia, day 3 in Selçuk and day 4 in Pamukkale
  • 1 night in Cappadocia: Celestial Cave Hotel or similar, double room with breakfast
  • 2 nights in Kusadasi: Ephesus Centrum Hotel or similar, double room with breakfast
  • 1 night in Pamukkale: Lycus River Thermal Hotel or similar, double room with breakfast
  • Flight Istanbul → Cappadocia on day 1 (economy class; checked bag as per the ticket fare)
  • Flight Cappadocia → Izmir on day 2 (economy class; checked bag as per the ticket fare)
  • Flight Izmir → Istanbul (economy class; checked bag as per the ticket fare)

Not included

  • Tips (optional)
  • Personal purchases
  • Drinks with meals
  • Dinner
  • Lunch on days 5
  • Cleopatra’s Pool admission

Optional extras

  • Hotel nights (4 nights)
  • Domestic flights

Good to know

Workshop stops: a carpet weaving centre, a leather workshop, an onyx workshop and a pottery workshop. Part of the programme, no obligation to buy.

Where you'll stay

Cappadocia

Celestial Cave hotel or similar

Before you go

  • Domestic flights are economy class. Your baggage allowance follows the ticket fare, and we confirm it with your tickets.
  • Travel with the passport you booked with: airlines check the name on the ticket against it.
  • Wear comfortable walking shoes: the valleys and rock-cut sites have uneven ground and steps, and the underground city has low, narrow passages.
  • Bring a hat and sunscreen in summer and a warm layer in spring, autumn and winter: mornings in Cappadocia are cool, and the underground city stays cool all year.
  • Vegetarian, vegan or other dietary needs at lunch: tell us when you book and we let the restaurant know.
  • Mobility needs or travelling with small children? Tell us before you book, and we tell you honestly which parts of the day suit you.
  • We send your final programme, hotel names and pickup times before departure, and you can reach us on WhatsApp during the trip.

Payment and cancellation

Today
€799.20 deposit by card (3-D Secure), for 2 travellers.
On arrival
€1,098.90 in cash, in euros, with the 5% cash saving on the total already taken off.
  • 91 days or more: The 25% administrative fee is charged. 61–90 days: 55% of the total is charged (30% + the 25% administrative fee). 31–60 days: 65% of the total is charged (40% + the 25% administrative fee). 16–30 days: 95% of the total is charged (70% + the 25% administrative fee). 15 days or less or no-show: 100% of the total is charged. Charges are percentages of the total booking value and include the 25% administrative fee retained on every cancellation; non-refundable flight, hotel or entrance tickets already bought are added, up to 100% of the total. Your deposit is applied to the charge: if the charge is higher than your deposit, you pay us the difference; anything we hold above the charge is refunded within 14 days.
  • If a hotel in your package is booked on a non-refundable rate, we tell you before you pay and that night's cost is retained on cancellation.
  • Request cancellation in writing, by email or WhatsApp; the cancellation date is the day we receive your message. Refunds go back the way you paid, within 14 days: card payments to the same card. Shore excursions are paid on the day, so nothing is collected in advance.
  • If unavoidable extraordinary circumstances at the destination make the trip impossible, you receive a full refund, less any mandatory taxes and genuinely non-refundable third-party payments, itemised for you.
  • Date changes are free when requested at least 72 hours before a day tour, 24 hours before a shore excursion, or 21 days before a package or a day trip by plane, subject to availability. For these, a date change 14–20 days before departure costs €50 per booking; under 14 days it depends on availability, and any airline or hotel change fees are charged at cost. Name changes (passing your booking to someone else at least 7 days before departure) are free except for any airline name-change fee, charged at cost.
  • If TurkeyVia cancels, including because the minimum group size is not met, you can choose a full refund or an alternative.

If we can’t book your flights or hotel for your dates, that counts as our cancellation: a full refund to your card within 14 days, or another date if you prefer.

Full cancellation policy

Your contract is with İlke Seyahat Turizm Ticaret Gıda Orman Ürünleri Gemi Acenteliği İthalat İhracat Sanayi Limited Şirketi, Turgut Ozal Bulvari 67/1, Kusadasi, Aydin 09400, Turkey — the company behind TurkeyVia. Terms

Frequently asked questions

What is included on day 5 of the 5-day group tour?

Breakfast at your Pamukkale hotel, the transfer to Denizli Çardak Airport and the flight to Istanbul. Lunch, any new entry to the travertines and the ride from the Istanbul airport to your hotel are not included.

Can I join the shared 5-day Cappadocia, Ephesus & Pamukkale tour without your flights?

Yes. If you travel on your own flight tickets, remove the flights option and we meet you at the Cappadocia airport on day 1 and at İzmir airport on day 2. For Istanbul airport rides, look at our /airport-transfers page.

Where do we stay on the 5-day Cappadocia, Ephesus & Pamukkale tour?

One night at the Celestial Cave Hotel or similar in Cappadocia, two nights at the Ephesus Centrum Hotel or similar in Kuşadası, and one night at the Lycus River Thermal Hotel or similar near Pamukkale, all with breakfast.

Which days of the 5-day tour include workshop stops?

Day 1 (Avanos pottery and carpet), day 2 (onyx and leather) and day 3 (carpet). Each visit lasts about 30–45 minutes and there is no obligation to buy. Days 4 and 5 have none.

Is Kaymaklı Underground City a problem for claustrophobic travelers?

It can be. The passages are low and narrow, and some sections require stooping. If you are uneasy in tight spaces, tell your guide and wait outside.

What should I bring for the Pamukkale day and the night there?

Sunglasses, sunscreen, a bag for your shoes on the barefoot terraces and swimwear, which is useful if your hotel has thermal pools or you buy a Cleopatra's Pool ticket.

  • Your guided days are run by our own local team
  • On WhatsApp within about 1 hour, 09:00–18:00 Turkey time
  • Download the day-by-day PDF
  • Sold by İlke Seyahat Turizm Ticaret Gıda Orman Ürünleri Gemi Acenteliği İthalat İhracat Sanayi Limited Şirketi

Next available: Wed 4 Nov · WhatsApp reply in ~1 h

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