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Private 2-Day Ephesus & Pamukkale Tour from Istanbulby Plane

Istanbul ✈ Izmir → Denizli ✈ Istanbul · flights included

From €749 pp

€1,498 for 2 travellers

Flights, hotel & guided days included

Reserve with a 40% deposit by card: €599.20 for 2

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

  • 2 days · 1 night

  • 2 flights includedIstanbul → Izmir → Istanbul

  • Hotels & breakfast1 night · kusadasi

  • Private tripOnly your party

Next available: Thu 5 Nov · WhatsApp reply in ~1 h

Overview

Take a private 2-day tour from Istanbul by plane to Ephesus, Kuşadası, Pamukkale and Hierapolis. Flights, your guide and vehicle, entrance tickets, lunches and a hotel night are included.

Highlights

  • Explore Ephesus with your private guide
  • Visit the House of the Virgin Mary
  • See the Hierapolis theatre and Ploutonion
  • Walk the Pamukkale terraces barefoot
  • Choose your pace at the sites

Itinerary

2 days · Istanbul ✈ Izmir → Denizli ✈ Istanbul

  1. Day 1Your Own Ephesus Day, Then a Night in KuşadasıEphesus · Carpet Weaving Education Center (about 30–45 min) · House of the Virgin Mary
    At 05:00 your private driver meets you in the Istanbul hotel lobby, and a morning flight takes you to İzmir. Your own guide and vehicle wait at arrivals for the roughly one-hour drive to Ephesus, so the day runs at your speed rather than a group's. Tickets for Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary are included, together with lunch in Selçuk. Later you see a carpet weaving center, the House of the Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis before checking in at your Kuşadası hotel, ready for Pamukkale tomorrow.

    1. Morning flight to İzmir (ADB)

      A private transfer from your Istanbul hotel is followed by an economy flight to İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport.

    2. Private drive to Ephesus

      Your guide greets you at arrivals; the drive south to Selçuk takes about an hour.

    3. Ephesus

      Time here: about 2–2.5 hours

      Beyond the famous facades, ask your guide to show you the Roman public latrines and the Baths of Scholastica beside Curetes Street, details a private visit has time for.

      Tip: The marble is worn smooth; choose shoes with grip.

    4. Lunch in Selçuk

      Stop for lunch in Selçuk whenever suits your party.

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

      Learn how Anatolian motifs are read and how a hand-knotted carpet differs from a machine-made one. No obligation to buy.

    6. House of the Virgin Mary

      Walk through the chapel and past the prayer wall; the hillside among the pines is noticeably cooler than Ephesus below.

    7. Temple of Artemis

      Your guide explains how this Wonder was found in 1869 by John Turtle Wood after six years of searching.

    8. To your hotel in Kuşadası

      Your driver takes you to Kuşadası on the coast for the night.

    Flight and private air-conditioned vehicle

    Meals: LunchOvernight: Kuşadası — Ephesus Centrum Hotel or similar

  2. Day 2Hierapolis and Pamukkale at Your Own PacePloutonion (Gate of Pluto) · Hierapolis theatre · Martyrium of St Philip (optional climb)
    Your private driver collects you and your suitcases at the Kuşadası hotel for the three-hour drive east to Pamukkale. With your own guide there is no group timetable on site: linger in the theatre, walk further among the tombs, spend longer in the warm pools on the terraces and pick your own lunch hour. Hierapolis began as a Hellenistic foundation and became a Roman spa town that drew visitors to the same springs you see today. The day closes with a private transfer to Denizli Çardak Airport and an evening flight to Istanbul.

    1. Private drive from Kuşadası to Pamukkale

      Time here: about 3 hours

      Coffee or photo stops on the way are up to you; the road climbs gently from the coast into the Denizli basin.

    2. Ploutonion (Gate of Pluto)

      A fenced cave shrine where carbon dioxide still seeps from the ground. Ancient priests presented it as an entrance to the underworld, and animals led inside died from the gas.

    3. Hierapolis theatre

      Climb a few rows for a view across the valley, then study the carved stage front, where your guide can explain the myths shown in the friezes.

    4. Martyrium of St Philip (optional climb)

      On the hill above the theatre stands a 5th-century octagonal shrine linked to the apostle Philip. It is a steep walk of roughly 15–20 minutes; include it if you have the energy.

    5. Lunch in Pamukkale

      Included, at a time that suits your party; tell us about dietary needs when booking.

    6. Pamukkale travertine terraces

      Put your shoes in a bag and wade down the marked path through shallow warm basins. Not every pool holds water on a given day, as the flow is switched between sections to protect the surface.

      Tip: Sunscreen matters; the white rock reflects strong light.

    7. Private transfer to Denizli Çardak Airport

      Time here: about 1 hour

      Your driver takes you straight to the terminal.

    8. Denizli to Istanbul flight

      You fly economy; the baggage allowance follows the ticket fare. Arrival transfers in Istanbul are not included; you can reserve a private car at /airport-transfers.

    Private air-conditioned vehicle, then a domestic flight

    Optional activities

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

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Download the day-by-day PDF

Flights and hotel

Flights

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

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 Kusadasi: Ephesus Centrum Hotel or similar, double room with breakfast

Pickup and route

Pickup
Istanbul hotel pickup included. Your private driver will meet you at the lobby at 05:00 AM.
Route of Private 2-Day Ephesus & Pamukkale Tour from Istanbul — by Plane1Ephesus2Pamukkale / Hierapolis
Route map is schematic — exact pickup and meeting points are in your confirmation.

What's included

Included

  • Private licensed English-speaking guide
  • Private air-conditioned sightseeing transport in Ephesus and Pamukkale, Istanbul hotel-to-airport transfer, and İzmir Airport-to-Ephesus transfer
  • Entrance tickets: Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary, Hierapolis and Pamukkale
  • Lunch on days 1 and 2: Selçuk and Pamukkale
  • 1 night in Kusadasi: Ephesus Centrum Hotel or similar, double room with breakfast
  • Flight Istanbul → Izmir on day 1 (economy class; checked bag as per the ticket fare)
  • Flight Denizli → Istanbul on day 2 (economy class; checked bag as per the ticket fare)

Not included

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

Optional extras

  • Hotel nights (1 night)
  • Domestic flights

Good to know

Workshop stop: a carpet weaving centre. Part of the programme, no obligation to buy.

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: most sites have uneven ground, stone paths and steps.
  • Bring a hat, sunscreen and water in the warm months; there is little shade at the ancient sites.
  • 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
€599.20 deposit by card (3-D Secure), for 2 travellers.
On arrival
€823.90 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

Where does the private 2-day Ephesus & Pamukkale tour pick us up?

Your private driver waits in your Istanbul hotel lobby at 05:00 and drives you to the airport for the flight to İzmir, where your private guide and vehicle take over.

What changes when we book the private version of this two-day trip?

The guide and vehicle are yours alone, so you set the pace at Ephesus and Hierapolis, choose when to have lunch and can add the climb to the Martyrium of St Philip. Flight times still frame each day.

We already have domestic tickets. Can we still book the private Ephesus-Pamukkale trip?

Yes. If you fly on your own flight tickets, remove the flights option when booking: your guide meets you at İzmir airport on day 1, and on day 2 we drop you at Denizli Çardak Airport. For rides to or from Istanbul airports, see /airport-transfers.

How far do we walk at Ephesus and Hierapolis?

Expect roughly 2–3 km each day on uneven marble and stone, partly downhill at Ephesus. On the travertines you can walk the full barefoot path or just a short stretch; your private guide adapts to your party.

Is the carpet stop part of the private itinerary?

Yes. Day 1 includes a Carpet Weaving Education Center visit of about 30–45 minutes to see hand-knotting and natural dyes, with no obligation to buy.

What should we pack for the Pamukkale day on the private tour?

Bring sunglasses and sunscreen for the bright white rock, a bag for your shoes, a small towel for your feet and swimwear if you plan to 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: Thu 5 Nov · WhatsApp reply in ~1 h

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