Istanbul Tours and Trips

A very good itinerary, covering many areas of interest and highlights along the way. The food venues chosen for stops along the way, were all very clean, with plenty of variety. Hotels were on the whole, good, and Breakfast and Dinners were all of high standard.

I have travelled extensively over the years, but this tour stands out as one of the most enjoyable and memorable experiences I have had. Turkey is a fascinating country with an incredible history, culture, landscape, and people. While the itinerary was excellent, what truly made this tour exceptional was our guide, Bushra. Bushra's knowledge was outstanding. She was able to explain complex historical events, cultural traditions, and local customs in a way that was engaging, informative, and easy to understand. However, her greatest strength was not her knowledge alone. It was the genuine care, kindness, and generosity she brought to every day of the tour. Bushra consistently went above and beyond to ensure everyone felt comfortable, informed, and included. She paid attention to the small details, anticipated needs before they became problems, and always made time for questions. Her warmth and sincerity created an environment where people felt welcome and cared for. What impressed me most was that her professionalism never felt scripted. She genuinely cared about the people on the tour and about sharing her country with us. Her passion for Turkey was evident in everything she did, and it made the experience far richer than simply visiting a list of destinations. Our driver, Emrah, also deserves recognition for his professionalism, patience, and safe driving throughout the journey. Together, Bushra and Emrah formed an outstanding team. I leave Turkey with wonderful memories, a deeper appreciation of the country, and gratitude for the people who helped create such a positive experience. Bushra is one of the kindest and most genuine people I have met, and she was a significant part of what made this tour so special. I would not hesitate to recommend this tour to others and would gladly travel with this company again.

An interesting and varied, although busy, itinerary. The hotels used are generally well-located, moderate in quality, but adequate. for the tour. Our guide Mehmet was very helpful, organised and speaks good English. He helped translate between English and Turkish whenever needed, and excelled at finding interesting and inexpensive local restaurants for lunch stops. We enjoyed the tour. The Explore trip notes for this tour provide a good description of it.

Great! Really enjoyed it! I like how we went around Turkey and discovered so many things about Turkey specifically mama Mary’s house, it’s role in World War I. It’s history, the amazing landscape of Cappadocia and ancient civilization.. I also love Fu. He is the best Travel director.!

This was my second trip with Explore and my first as a single traveller. I would highly recommend. I loved everything about the trip apart from the transport which was uncomfortable for the lengthier drives. The ancient cities we visited were very impressive and brought to life by our friendly and very well informed guide, Mert. The boat trips and time spent in the bazaars and at Gallipoli were highlights. I think all of our friendly group of 6 would have welcomed an additional day with the tour guide in Istanbul.

The itinerary is comprehensive with great variety. I especially enjoyed our visits to ancient ruins and beautiful mosques. I also did both optional experiences - hot air balloon watching and Turkish cooking session - which were fantastic. The hotels exceeded my expectations - beautiful and modern, with incredible breakfast and dinner buffets. Last but not least, we had an amazing driver (Şakir) and tour director (Barcin) who took excellent care of us. Barcin is extremely knowledgeable and a wonderful storyteller. He also has a terrific personality and kept our spirits up during the intense 2-week trip. Very happy with the tour and highly recommend it!