Turkey Small Group Trips

The tour was extremely well organised and a fascinating hike through Lycian history and the Anatolian landscape. The guide Kemal was excellent, giving us insights into Lycian history and the flora and fauna we were walking through. Kemal was painstakingly kind and helpful in caring for the welfare of the group. I am recommending this tour to all my friends!

Amazing trip. The cycle routes were a good challenge, very scenic and nicely broken up by drinks breaks and lunch stops. The food on offer was often simple but delicious. Our tour leader Tarkan was very friendly and knowledgable as was our other guide Ali who shared his love for the region and its history. The trip also included some very welcome swims in the sea after some tough climbs in the heat (it was Sept but still in the 30+ degs) and the boat trip and swim at the end of one morning of cycling was a highlight. The accommodation was varied but each room was clean. We had a really friendly, fun group and enjoyed evening meals in some lovely restaurants. Highly recommended.

This was a great trip, with a good mix of historical sights, boat trips/swimming opportunities, visit to the Gallipoli war graves, and finishing with a couple of nights in the bustling city of Istanbul. All entrance fees (apart from a few optional extras) were included in the trip cost so there were no hidden costs. Our guide was excellent and gave us lots of info each day and was always willing to answer questions. His restaurant suggestions were also really good.

Nice trip but found all the time was spent on the bus or visiting ruins…No time to explore towns or villages…I love ruins but in the end did not want to see another one… About explore….this was my first time travelling with them, was quoted a price for an extra night in the start hotel and was given a price twice I payed directly with hotel, same with transfers, was quoted £130 for a one way airport hotel, that could be booked for £35 on booking.com…Just wondering now if the tour was overpriced….

'Turkey in Depth' was exactly as billed - a fast-paced tour that takes in many of the must-see sights in western Turkey. It is full on, with early starts and long road journeys, but absolutely worth it. The success of the tour was down to our tour leader, Zafer, who looked after us at every stage, was mindful of the health issues some of us had and did his best to accommodate the different interests and dietary preferences within the group. We tested his patience at times, but he has a good sense of humour and ensured everyone had a thoroughly enjoyable time. His English is reasonably fluent, albeit accented, and he took care to repeat important information about the arrangements for the tour. When we were on the road, it would have been helpful (and safer) if there had been a microphone on the minibus to avoid Zafer having to get out of his seat as the vehicle was moving to talk to the group. As an archaeologist, with a PhD on Greek and Roman sarcophagi, Zafer is very knowledgeable about all aspects of Turkey's past and was an excellent guide to the many historical sites we visited. He gave us the historical and cultural background of each place and pointed out fascinating details relating to the architecture and artefacts, which added immensely to our understanding and appreciation of the things we saw. Our driver, Sami, was doing the tour for the first time, but coped really well with the long hours he spent behind the wheel. He has little English, but was always helpful and cheerful. He is a good driver and we felt completely safe in his hands. All the hotels we stayed in were of an acceptable standard - some had bigger rooms or better showers than others, some had some minor deficiencies, but nothing serious. We particularly liked the Kekova Hotel in Kas, which is a simple, homely hotel in a good location. One of the attractions of Turkey is its food and we had an opportunity to sample everything from street food to more up-market cuisine. In some locations, particularly in Anatolia, there were limited options for non-meat eaters, but there was plenty of fish available on the coast. The most memorable dinner we had was in Avanos, near Goreme, where we had testi kebabs - meat (trout in my case) cooked in sealed clay pots, served flaming at the table. Occasionally, the eateries were less than satisfactory - in Karahayit, near Pamukkale, for example, and on the road between Goreme from Ankara - but these were the exceptions. It is impossible to pick out a single highlight of the tour, there were so many - ranging from the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations in Ankara to our balloon flight over the astonishing landscape of Cappadocia, from the terraced houses of Ephesus to the turtles and rock tombs on the Dalyan River, and from the ruins of Aphrodisias and Troy to the travertine slopes of Pamukkale. If you want to see as much as possible of Turkey in two weeks, we can strongly recommend 'Turkey in Depth'.

My first Explore holiday and definitely won’t be my last. The leaders Tarkan and Ali were amazing. Tarkan saw to our every need and was confident in his leadership and knowledge. Ali was also wonderful and had an incredibly rich knowledge of Turkish history and wildlife. Together they made a great combination. The cycling was hot, hilly and hardwork, I wd rate it at above moderate personally but a great way to see the real Turkey. Going in Oct rather than Sept cd possibly be a better option with the heat. All in all a wonderful holiday, thank you