Turkey Real Food Adventure

The cuisine of Turkey includes a lot of meat and seafood. For vegetarians and vegans we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you will be able to fully participate and enjoy this trip. We also have many other trips to Turkey which can accommodate a range of dietary requirements.

This trip includes a 12 hour overnight train trip from Izmir to Konya. Please see Day 6 of the itinerary for details.

This trip involves a lot of walking, sometimes on rocky or slippery terrain such as the sites in Goreme. Please bring sturdy walking shoes, but also note that you can sit out the walks if you do not feel up to them.

Don’t underestimate the weather at any time of year in Turkey. In the summer months, heat can be extreme. In winter months, some travellers have been surprised at how low the temperatures go. A hat, sunscreen, and clothing that can be layered will serve you well year-round.

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 6 (Overnight Train) where you will be in shared accommodation, and is subject to
availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.

What you need to bring will vary according to the trip style you have chosen, the countries you are visiting and when you are travelling. Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible and make sure that you are able to carry and lift your own luggage and walk with it for short distances or up or down a flight of stairs. Our travellers usually find the smaller their luggage is, the more they enjoy the trip not having to worry about carrying heavy bags! Aim to keep your main luggage under 15kg.

Many travellers carry their luggage in a compact smaller suitcase or backpack with wheels. We recommend your bag has carry straps or handles so it is easy to lift and carry for the times you are unable to wheel it (ie. on rough surfaces or up steps).

If you are taking overnight trains, or primarily using public transport then 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.

You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, camera, swimming suit, waterproof pouch/bag for phone, hiking shoes and jacket etc. when you’re exploring during the day.

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 along the way. The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1 litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments., BEDDING:
Many hotels and pensions in Turkey do not supply a top sheet and there is only a rough, thick throw on the beds. You may wish to bring your own if you think you will be more comfortable, particularly in the hot summer months.

Manesol Galata Hotel, Azapkapı, Billur Sk. No:1,Beyoğlu, Istanbul, 34421, TURKEY, Phone: +90 2122450000

Manesol Galata Hotel is located in Karaköy, a happening harbourside area where modern cafes and stylish restaurants mix with small family owned businesses bringing a comfortable, local atmosphere to the neighborhood. Ottoman-era buildings with a splash of street art, some of the best coffee in the city and just a short 15 min walk to the historical peninsular make for an excellent base for your exploration of Istanbul. There is good access to public tram and ferry services.

Alternate Joining Point

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 approx. TRY700-900.

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.

Please follow the steps below to meet your transfer driver. In case of flight cancellations, changes, if you experience severe delays at immigration, baggage collection or customs, or if you are not able to find the driver, please contact the phone number listed below in the ‘Problems and emergency contact information’ section.

Arriving at Istanbul Airport (IST)
For your confirmed arrival transfer, please collect your luggage and proceed to Gate 14 in the arrivals hall. Exit through Gate 14 and on the lefthand side you’ll see boards with travel company names. The Intrepid sign is at the bottom. Behind the board there will be several transfer representatives waiting. Please ask for Intrepid. A representative will then allocate and inform a driver.

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 (one floor down).

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, please collect your luggage and proceed to the exit and Column 13. Once there you will find an Intrepid sign and several transfer representatives waiting. Please ask for Intrepid. A representative will then allocate and inform a driver.

Due to airport regulations, drivers have to wait offsite so you will need to wait for a short period of time before they arrive and collect you.

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.

Manesol Galata Hotel, Azapkapı, Billur Sk. No:1,Beyoğlu, Istanbul, 34421, TURKEY, Phone: +90 2122450000

Manesol Galata Hotel is located in Karaköy, a happening harbourside area where modern cafes and stylish restaurants mix with small family owned businesses bringing a comfortable, local atmosphere to the neighborhood. Ottoman-era buildings with a splash of street art, some of the best coffee in the city and just a short 15 min walk to the historical peninsular make for an excellent base for your exploration of Istanbul. There is good access to public tram and ferry services.

Alternate Finish Point

Intrepid can assist with pre-booking a departure transfer to the airport - enquire with your agent. Please advise your flight details, including which airport in Istanbul, at least 14 days prior to the start of your trip. If you have pre-booked a departure transfer your leader will advise your pick up time the day before your trip ends.

Alternatively, please ask your leader or hotel staff for assistance in arranging a taxi, or instructions to reach the airport by public transport.

Breakfasts included: 10

Lunches included: 4

Dinners included: 4

While we will endeavour to cater to dietary requirements where possible, please note that many meals and food activities on Real Food Adventures are set in advance in order to deliver a well-rounded experience of a country’s cuisine. In many countries, dietary restrictions are uncommon and not well understood. If you have dietary requirements and are concerned about whether this may impact on your ability to participate fully in all food-related activities on this trip, please speak with your booking agent so it can be determined whether your dietary requirements can be met.

Meals & Beverages:
Please refer to the inclusions section for the included meals and food activities. Beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are not included with meals unless specified or part of a beverage tasting activity. 

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.

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.

HEATING & AIR-CONDITIONING:
Please note that Turkey can have extreme weather. Winter (approx. November to February) can be very cold. Not all of our hotels have heating so consider bringing thermals, scarf, gloves and a warm jacket for travel in this period. Summer (approx. June to August) can be very hot. Not all our hotels have air-conditioning, and in those that do, it's not always functioning. Please consider the seasons when planning your trip.
Some hotels may also charge for air-conditioning in your room.