Note: This trip was taken in October 2024
Turkey is one country where you hear a lot about but you really don't know much about it. For that reason I signed up for a tour of Turkey with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). This is such a popular tour that I signed up more than six months before the tour in October 2024. Not only that, September/October/November are the best times to travel because the weather is not too hot and not too cold.
Turkey is one of the most visited countries in the world, along with France, Spain, United States, etc. There is a little bit of mystique about the country. Part of it is in Europe and part of it is in Asia. Today it is a predominantly Muslim country. Its rich history goes back 12,000 years old!
Instead of traveling on my own I decided to sign up for a 17-day tour. I want to leave the itinerary to the people who know the place and not worry about details of when and where to go. The beauty of a tour is that you show up at the time and place that they ask you to and just hop on the bus or plane. Most of the meals are taken care of, which means you get the best and most authentic local meals.
 |
| Itinerary for Turkey Magical Hideway Tour |
The official name of this tour is called "Turkey's Magical Hideways." Here is the itinerary:
Day 1 Fly to Istanbul, Turkey
Day 2 Arrive in Istanbul, Turkey
Day 3 Explore Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar & Topkapi Palace
Day 4 Explore Istanbul & Hagia Sophia • Spice Bazaar •
Bosporus Strait cruise
Day 5 Fly to Cappadocia • Underground city
Day 6 Visit Göreme open-air museum • Carpet Weaving Cooperative •
Ballooning Over Cappadocia tour
Day 7 A Day in the Life of a Cappadocian village •
Optional Whirling Dervishes tour
Day 8 Overland to Konya • Whirling Dervish monastery visit •
Overland to Antalya
Day 9 Explore Antalya • Home-Hosted Dinner
Day 10 Antalya • Explore Perge and Aspendos
Day 11 Overland to Fethiye • Embark ship
Day 12 Cruise to Bay of Gemiler • Hike to Kayakoy
Day 13 Hike on the Turquoise Coast
Day 14 Cruise to Ekincik Cove • Dalyan River boat ride •
Explore Kaunos
Day 15 Disembark ship • Overland to Kusadasi
Day 16 Kusadasi • Explore Ephesus
Day 17 Fly from Izmir to Istanbul * Return to the U.S.
We arrived in Istanbul a day early so that we can acclimatized to the local time zone and get a feel for the place. We were picked up at the airport and driven to the The Galata M Gallery Hotel on the European side. Our Tour Leader, Furkan Sari. met us at the hotel. There were 11 of us in the group, all retirees from the United States. Furkan is a relatively young guide, 28-years old. However, his knowledge of Turkey and the sites that we visited is truly amazing. Being a native Turk he is very familiar with everything Turkish - history, culture, food, habits, etc. He also conducted himself in a very mature way and understand American culture and politics very well.
No comments:
Post a Comment