Eastern Turkey Explorer

There are some long travel days on this trip, but there will be plenty to see, breaking up the journey along the way.

There is limited time in Istanbul or Antalya, so it’s highly recommended to speak with your booking agent if you are interested in staying longer.

1. A single supplement is bookable on this trip, subject to availability. Please consult your booking agent if you are interested.

Most travellers prefer to take a small to medium wheeled suitcase, which is a great size for the packing capacity in our private vehicles. Whatever you take, be mindful that you will need to be able to carry your own luggage, handle it at airports, take it in/out of accommodation and perhaps even walk short distances. We recommend you pack as lightly as possible.

If your trip includes travelling on overnight trains or primarily using public transport, the smaller your luggage, the easier it will be to store under or above bunks. Large suitcases may not be able to be taken on board. A lockable bag or small padlock for your bag will be useful, especially when travelling on public transportation as well.

When you're exploring during the day, you'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, a camera, a jacket and activity-specific items like a swimsuit, a waterproof pouch/bag for your phone, or hiking shoes.

Below we have listed the essentials for this trip:, https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list, WATER BOTTLE
Please bring your own water bottle to refill. Although it can be difficult to avoid bottled water when travelling, please use the water dispensers which are provided on some of our vehicles and at some of our accommodation. When unable to avoid bottled water, it is better to buy the largest available and distribute it into your smaller bottle for the day. Some travellers like to bring a bottle with its own filtration system or water purification tablets. If you are walking or trekking as part of your trip, you will need to carry at least 2 litres of water with you.

It's an action packed trip with a lot of ground to cover. A lot of the destinations are best explored on foot, so at least a moderate level of fitness an being able to walk on uneven ground is required to fully enjoy the trip. You'll also need to be able to handle your luggage on and off public transport and in the stations.

Weingart Hotel, Hacımimi, Necatibey Cd. No:69, Istanbul, TURKEY, Phone: +90 212 945 60 20

Alternate Joining Point

Intrepid can assist with pre-booking an arrival transfer from the airport - enquire with your agent. Please advise your flight arrival details, including which airport in Istanbul, at least 14 days prior to your departure.

There are two international airports servicing Istanbul. Istanbul Airport (IST) is 50kms/30miles northwest of central Istanbul, on the European side. Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) is 50kms/30miles southeast of central Istanbul, on the Asian side. From either airport you can take a metered taxi to the joining point hotel. The taxi fare will cost approximately TRY 1500-2300.

Arriving at Istanbul Airport (IST)
For your confirmed arrival transfer, please collect your luggage and proceed to Gate 8 in the arrival hall. Exit through Gate 8 and on the lefthand side you’ll see our representative holding an Intrepid sign. Our representative will then advise the driver to come upon meeting you. Due to airport regulations, drivers have to wait offsite so you will need to wait for a short period of time before they arrive at the pick-up area. Once the driver arrives, the transfer representative will escort you to meet the driver (two floors down).
In case you have trouble locating our airport representative, please call our local emergency number listed in the Essential Trip Information document.
The journey from the airport to the hotel will take approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour but can increase to 90 minutes or more during rush hour.

Arriving at Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW)
For your confirmed arrival transfer, you will need to exit from the international terminal and cross the road between Column 9 and Column 10 to “Simit Sarayı” bakery. Once there you will our representer holding an Intrepid sign Our representative will then advise the driver to come upon meeting you. Due to airport regulations, drivers have to wait offsite so you will need to wait for a short period of time before they arrive at the pick-up area.
In case you have trouble locating our airport representative, please call our local emergency number listed in the Essential Trip Information document.
The journey from the airport to the hotel will take approximately 60 to 90 minutes but can increase to 2 hours or more during rush hour."

Argos Hotel, Tuzcular Mah. Balıkpazarı Sok. No:6, Kaleiçi, Antalya, 07100, TURKEY, Phone: +90 2422472012, Fax: +90 2422417557

Alternate Finish Point

Intrepid can assist with pre-booking a departure transfer to the airport - enquire with your agent. Please advise your flight details at least 14 days prior to your departure.

If you have pre-booked a departure transfer your leader will advise your pick up time the day before your trip ends.

Taxi fare from your hotel to the airport will cost approx. TRY1500-2300. Please ask your leader or hotel staff for assistance in arranging a taxi.

Breakfasts included: 10

Lunches included: 1

Dinners included: 

Your group leader or local representative will endeavour to cater to specific dietary requirements where possible, and vegetarianism and gluten intolerance will be catered for in most instances. There are, however some meals and activities that are fixed in advance and therefore cannot be modified to suit dietary requirements.

Please notify your booking consultant of any dietary requirements at the time of booking. For those suffering from particular food allergies, your group leader or local representative will endeavour to disclose to their fullest knowledge the main ingredients in dishes being consumed. It is, however, your personal responsibility to ensure that you do not ingest any foods to which you are allergic.

Turkey is a large country split into seven regions. As a rule of thumb the Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean coasts have typical Mediterranean climates with hot summers and mild, wet winters. In the east it is more mountainous with warm summers and very cold, snowy winters. Central Turkey (Cappadocia), has low rainfall, very dry, hot summers and very cold winters. Istanbul and coastal centres can experience very high humidity.

Winter (November to March) can be very cold. Not all of our hotels have heating so consider bringing thermals, a scarf, gloves and a warm jacket for travel in this period. Summer (June to August) can be very hot. Not all of our hotels have air-conditioning, and in those that do it's not always functioning. Please consider the seasons when planning your trip.

RAMADAN
The important month of Ramadan is expected to be in progress 16 February to 18 March 2026 and the Eid ul-Fitr festival will be held directly at its conclusion for 3-4 days. Ramadan is a festival of sacrifice where the devout refrain from eating or drinking during daylight hours. During Ramadan, business hours are shortened, including opening hours at some tourist attractions. Alcohol is not permitted during daylight hours and many restaurants will be closed. While you should expect some delays and inconveniences during this period, the month is a fantastic opportunity to travel in a Muslim country and witness this unique period, particularly the nightly celebrations when the sun sets and the fast is broken. Please note that although the Eid ul-Fitr festival can also be a fascinating time to travel it's a period of national holiday. Most government offices and businesses will be closed and some tourist site opening hours may be affected.

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

Intrepid Turkey Office: +90 850 309 68 76

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.

Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.

There are some long travel days and some rough travelling in areas away from main tourist routes. Windy roads, rough surfaces and cramped conditions make for some challenging travel experiences. On some long travel days we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimise our time at our next destination. If you experience travel sickness we recommend you consider medication to help ease the discomfort.