
The
TURKEY
trip
2022 dates
Sept 3 - 11, 2022
Labor Day Trip - likely to sell out
Gal spots SOLD OUT + 1 Guy spot left
Sept 24 - Oct 2, 2022
Gal spots SOLD OUT + 1 Guy spot left
9 days/8 nights
from $3,199
P.S. All payments can be broken up into a $500 deposit + 3 additional installments.

2023 DATES
$150 off with
"Eb2023tur"
May 20 - 28, 2023
Selling quickly - likely to sell out
Gal spots SOLD OUT + A few Guy spots left
June 3 - 11, 2023
July 1 - 9, 2023
Selling quickly - likely to sell out
A few Gal & Guy spots left
Sept 16 - 24, 2023
Sept 30 - Oct 8, 2023
9 days/8 nights
from $3,299 USD
P.S. All payments can be broken up into a
$500 deposit + 3 additional installments.
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WHAT TO EXPECT
If nine days of adventure through a transcontinental mega-city, an ancient village chiseled from stone, and one absurdly blue sea peppered by rolling islands sounds like a good time, we’ve got you covered.
On our Turkey trip, we’ll explore the sprawling city of Istanbul and zigzag from wide European boulevards to narrow Asian alleyways. Fall in love with the culinary delights of cultural fusion and then head south to the extraordinary region of Cappadocia, where 60-million-year-old Dr. Suessian rock formations shoot to the sky, and hot air balloons drift slowly overhead.
Wind through spectacular underground cities carved into volcanic stone and meander among captivating hillside wineries. To close it all out, we’ll relax with drinks in hand aboard a private boat in Bodrum and take in the sights of some of the Mediterranean’s most welcoming waters. This is Turkey done right.
For the love of
BAKLAVA
BALMY SEAS
FAIRY CHIMNEYS
TURKISH DELIGHT
THE GRAND BAZAAR
EAST MEETS WEST
ANCIENT CIVILIZATION
WOODEN YACHTS
SURREAL LANDSCAPES
turkey
Included
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All accommodations in a shared room with one other person (not hostels)
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2 in-country flights (to Cappadocia and to Izmir)
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8 breakfasts
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4 lunches
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4 dinners (including welcome dinner and farewell)
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Private sunset yacht cruise along Bosporus Strait with drinks
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Istanbul street food walk on Asian side
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Wine tasting in Sirince village
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Selcuk Carpet making experience and lunch
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Private Gulf of Gökova Gulet boat day in Bodrum
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Guided tour through Old City Istanbul to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia
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Guided tour through Goreme Open Air Museum, Kaymakli Underground City, and Ephesus ruins
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All in-country transfers
not included
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Flights (to Istanbul & from Bodrum)
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Mandatory trip insurance
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Meals not mentioned (budget around $300)
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Incidental expenses
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Optional activities
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Cappadocia hot air balloon tour

day by day
*Itinerary is indicative for 2022 and is subject to change
Day 1 - Istanbul
Arrive
You’ll land in Istanbul and dive right into one of the world’s largest and most historic cities. Sprawling across two continents and split down the middle by the Bosporus strait, this cultural mixing pot is home to ancient marvels and modern megastructures.
We’ll have dinner all together at a fantastic spot with a view of the water where you can give the national drink, Raki, a go. This twice-distilled grape and anise concoction should get you ready for a night of fun, so head out and explore with your group of new friends; the evening is free for you to do as you please.

Arrive
Day 2 - Istanbul
Istanbul was Constantinople
Grab breakfast at the hotel—it’s an important meal in Turkish culture, and oh, is it delicious. Today, we’re heading back in time to check out the Old City, where you’ll explore the expansive Hagia Sophia. This church-turned mosque which stood for 1,000 years as the world’s largest cathedral, is home to gold-plated ceilings, Byzantine mosaics, and 104 columns, all added at different stages of its existence.
You’ll soak up more culture and history at the equally impressive Blue Mosque and wind up in Hippodrome Square, ancient Constantinople’s original sporting and social center.
After that, we’ll hit the sea and head out for a sunset cruise along the Bosporus before a group dinner back in town.

ADMIRE
Day 3 - Istanbul
continental divide
Enjoy more of that incredible Turkish breakfast at the hotel, and then you’re free to explore the sights and sounds of this vibrant city until lunchtime. We’ll reconvene, jump on a ferry, and head off for a food tour through the traditional, winding streets of Istanbul’s Asian half. If you’re thinking olives, cheese, baklava, and Turkish Delight, then you’re on the right track.
We’ll finish off this delicious dance by mid-afternoon, and then the rest of the day is free. We highly recommend hitting the Grand Bazaar and checking out its beautiful vaulted ceilings and 4,000 shops of colorful spices, delicious teas, and gold jewelry. This is one of the world’s oldest and largest shopping centers.

Devour
Day 4 - Cappadocia
rockin' good times
We’re flying south to the geologically fascinating region of Cappadocia. This wild landscape with its towering stone pillars known as “fairy chimneys” has been sculpted by nature over the past 60 million years.
You’ll ride through the Devrent Valley, where rock spires jut from the dry hillsides, grab a traditional Turkish lunch, and head to the Goreme Open Air Museum to see the churches and monasteries that were tirelessly chiseled into stone hundreds of years ago. We’ll recharge the batteries back in town with a group dinner, and then you can head out for more exploration as you please.

DELIGHT
Day 5 - Cappadocia
chiseled
chamberS
Get up early to witness the spectacular Cappadocia sunrise as colorful hot air balloons lift off over the fairy chimneys. If you’re interested in joining the flying fun, we’ve got several excellent guides to point you to.
However, if a bit more sleep is in the cards, you can take the morning for yourself or meet up with friends for a hike through Pigeon Valley a few hours later. The easy trek will take you through fascinating rockscapes to the tiny town of Uchisar and its ancient castle built into mammoth tuff stone structures.
In the afternoon, we’re getting together and heading toward nearby Kaymakli, an incredible 8th-century subterranean city consisting of a labyrinth of narrow passageways and chambers winding some eight levels down into the stone. The evening is free for you to grab a bite with friends or unwind and rest up.

explore
Day 6 - Izmir, Selcuk, Sirince
Handicrafts
to Artifacts
We’ll take breakfast to-go as we head to catch a flight to the coastal city of Izmir. From there, it’s a short drive to Selcuk to check out a carpet workshop full of intricately designed pieces crafted from hand-spun wool and vegetable dyes. We’ll share lunch with the shop workers in the garden, and then we’re off to see the Ephesus ruins.
This sprawling archeological site is a mix of ancient Greek, Byzantine, and Roman civilizations that originated in the 10th century BC. When we’re done, we’re heading off for a few glasses of local wine in the charming hillside town of Sirince (also known as Serenity Village.)

discover
Day 7 - Sirince, Bodrum
beach vibes
Get some breakfast in you at the hotel; we’ve got a drive to the coast ahead of us. Today, we’re moving on to Bodrum, one of Turkey’s friendliest seaside enclaves. We’ll grab a bite together, and then the day is yours to do as you please.
After a week of non-stop action, we figured you could use some R&R, so take the day to chill out with a drink in hand along the picturesque bay, check out some great beachside bars, or chow down on some more of that Turkish Delight.
If you’ve still got some gas in the tank, check out the imposing Castle of St. Peter along the water, or stop by the ruins of the Mausoleum of Mausolus, it’s one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Cruise
Day 8 - Bodrum
seas the day
Let’s round out this trip in style and hit the high seas. Today, we’re heading out onto the sublime Gulf of Gokova aboard a Gulet, a traditional, Bodrum-built, multi-masted, wooden yacht (say that five times fast). You’ll have the opportunity to swim, snorkel, and soak up the sun in Mediterranean paradise.
Grab a drink or two and lounge with your friends in the lap of luxury. It’s not a horrible way to round out an epic adventure. That evening we’ll all meet up for one last taste of Turkey.

appreciate
Day 9 - Bdorum
Güle Güle
Turkey
We hope your trip’s been a real Turkish delight (and we can’t believe we waited this long to use that joke); unfortunately, it’s the end of the line. After one final breakfast at the hotel, the time has come to say goodbye to the amazing friends you made and head off to your next adventure.
If you’ve got a later flight, check out some of the historic sites in Bodrum—there should be more than a few to keep you busy. We’ll see you next time.
"On the meeting point of two worlds, the ornament of Turkish homeland, the treasure of Turkish history, the city cherished by the Turkish nation, Istanbul, has its place in the hearts of all citizens."
-Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

FAST FACTS
Just for fun
In a cultural mixing pot like Turkey, it’s not too shocking that 30 ethnic languages are spoken.
The Grand Bazaar welcomes somewhere between a quarter and half a million people every day.
Istanbul has been inhabited for thousands of years. It’s gone by a number of names including Byzantium and Constantinople.
Trip notes
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Temperatures should range from the high 60s to high 70s, but we recommend at least one light jacket or sweater in case it gets chilly at night.
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While the trip ends in Bodrum, we recommend booking international roundtrip flights to Istanbul and a domestic flight from Bodrum to Istanbul... or take a boat over to the Greek Islands!
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Our inaugural trip is discounted to account for the possibility of a few small hiccups.
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e-Visas are required for American tourists and can be obtained via www.evisa.gov.tr.
GOod to know
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Turkish is the national language of Turkey.
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The Turkish lira is the official currency. There are approximately 15 lira to the dollar.
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Istanbul may be the largest city in Turkey by far, but the capital is actually Ankara.
about turkey
Turkey is one of the most culturally and historically significant nations on earth. The country is made up of Eastern Thrace, the European side, and Anatolia, the Asian side. The two were brought together under the Romans some 2,300 years as part of the Byzantine Empire. The Ottomans took over in the 1400s with the fall of Constantinople and ruled all the way through World War I until the formation of the Republic of Turkey.

Flights
Fly into Istanbul (IST)
You'll need to be in Istanbul by 2pm on Day 1, however with the recent amount of flight delays we recommend planning to arrive a day early just to be safe.
Fly out of Bodrum (BJV)
We recommend taking a domestic flight back to Istanbul (IST) for your international return home.
Want to check out flights for your trip?
Feel free to also set up flight alerts to Istanbul so you can grab the best deal!
