Embark on a journey through Turkey, exploring the rich history, vibrant culture, and stunning landscapes of this fascinating country. Begin your adventure in Istanbul, where you will visit iconic sites such as the Blue Mosque, St. Sophia, and the Grand Bazaar. After an insightful stay, travel to Ankara to see the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and the Mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk.

As you continue to Cappadocia, marvel at the unique rock formations and ancient churches within the Open-Air Museum, and experience local traditions, including a pottery demonstration. Your trip also includes visits to the ancient cities of Hattusa and Ephesus, where you can walk along cobbled streets and explore well-preserved ruins.

Relax in Antalya, known for its stunning beaches and historical landmarks, before concluding your journey in Izmir. Enjoy leisure time to shop and reflect on your adventure. This immersive tour offers a blend of historical exploration, cultural experiences, and breathtaking scenery, making it the perfect way to discover the essence of Turkey.

Prepare for an unforgettable experience filled with learning, discovery, and the warm hospitality of the Turkish people.

The short itinerary

Day 1 : DEPART FOR TURKEY FROM NEW YORK
Day 2 : ARRIVE IN ISTANBUL
Day 3 : FULL DAY ISTANBUL TOUR
Day 4 : TRAVEL TO ANKARA
Day 5 : VISIT HATTUSA EN ROUTE TO CAPPADOCIA
Day 6 : FULL DAY IN CAPPADOCIA
Day 7 : FULL DAY CAPPADOCIA TOUR
Day 8 : CAPPADOCIA CARAVANSERAI SIGHTSEEING, KONYA, ANTALYA
Day 9 : FULL DAY IN ANTALYA
Day 10 : NECROPOLIS & HIERAPOLIS, PAMUKKALE
Day 11 : APHRODISIAS, BODRUM
Day 12 : BODRUM CITY TOUR
Day 13 : ANCIENT EPHESUS, IZMIR
Day 14 : IZMIR CITY TOUR
Day 15 : DEPART TURKEY

AVAILABILITY OPTIONS

Monday Departure

• Istanbul: Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus
• Ankara: Divan Ankara Hotel
• Cappadocia: Barcelo Cappadocia
• Antalya: Akra Hotel
• Pamukkale: Doga Thermal Health & Spa
• Bodrum: The Marmara Bodrum
• Izmir: Izmir Marriott Hotel

Thursday Departure

• Istanbul: Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus
• Ankara: Divan Ankara Hotel
• Cappadocia: Barcelo Cappadocia
• Antalya: Akra Hotel
• Pamukkale: Doga Thermal Health & Spa
• Bodrum: The Marmara Bodrum
• Izmir: Izmir Marriott Hotel

Special Features

• Discover Istanbul’s extraordinary sights including the Blue Mosque, St. Sophia and Topkapi Palace.
• Visit the Mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk, founder and first president of the Turkish Republic.
• Tour the ancient city of Hattusa, capital of the Hittite Empire in the late Bronze Age.
• Explore the 13th century Caravanserai of Sultanhan, a large abandoned city, built on the Silk Road.
• View Hierapolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Admire Myndos Gate, the only surviving gate of the two original entrances to ancient Halicarnassus.
• Walk through the ancient city of Ephesus and learn about its history.
• During the city tour of Izmir, visit the Roman Agora and view the city’s landmark the Clock Tower.

Is This Trip Right for You?

This moderately active program covers a good amount of ground each day. Expect from three to four hours walking on some touring days, as well as early starts. The pace is moderate; however, a majority is over uneven surfaces, stairs, steps, and significant slopes. Bus rides to Cappadocia and Antalya are approximately six to seven hours, and rides to Pamukkale and Bodrum are approximately five to six hours. Those who are claustrophobic or have preexisting knee or back conditions may want to avoid visiting the Underground Cities in Cappadocia. Passageways are narrow and may require crouching to navigate. Some hotels in Cappadocia are built in the traditional local style and have no air-conditioning. During heat waves, these hotels can become uncomfortable, even at higher elevations. A variety of airfare options are available for this program, including some low-cost fares which may exclude complimentary checked luggage and advance seat assignments. Please read each offering to ensure you choose the option that best fits your wishes. This is a Classic program.

Know Before You Go

Although most of the planning and preparation is taken care of for you, there are still a few things you should know and some details you should take care of to ensure your comfort, safety, and peace of mind. Please review the following information before your departure to ensure that any surprises along the way will only be pleasant ones.

Getting Ready to Go

Passports and Visas
It is each traveler’s responsibility to have a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the dates of travel and a visa if required. Please check the information for the specific country/region you are visiting for more details. IMPORTANT: Passengers who are not U.S. citizens must check with the respective consulate or a visa agency to determine what personal identification is required. Passengers who enter, leave, and then re-enter the same country on their itinerary should check if they require a double-entry visa. Passport applications are available at most U.S. Post Offices, as well as at regional Passport Agencies. Passengers requiring visas, whether obtained in advance or locally upon arrival, should ensure that their passport has blank pages.

Traveling with Friends or Family?
If you are traveling with friends or family who are booked on another reservation, please make sure that we are aware. On occasion, we may operate more than one vehicle on your tour departure, in which case we will ensure that guests will be assigned together. Once you arrive in your destination, it may not be possible to make assignment changes.

Trip Preparation
A little pre-planning can make your trip go a lot smoother. Several weeks before your trip, make a list of what you will need to take with you. Make sure your personal documents (passports, visas, driver’s license) are in order. Make sure also that you have enough prescription medications to last through the trip and carry them with you in case your luggage is delayed. Bring a change of clothes in your carry-on bag in the event that your luggage is delayed or lost. Lost luggage is common. We strongly urge you to consider carry-ons instead of checked bags when possible, and when checking a bag is necessary, choose a bag color and identification that stands out. We suggest that you make photocopies of passports, visas, personal ID, and any other important travel documents and pack them separately from the originals. You may also make a digital copy of your passport to keep a clear picture with the important details in your cell phone or digital camera photos. If you lose the originals while traveling, you’ll have copies for easier reporting and replacement. Pack a list of medications including dosage and generic names. You may consider bringing a small supply of over-the-counter medications for headaches and/or anti-diarrhea pills (especially when traveling outside of the USA and Western Europe). We recommend that you pack a portable alarm clock. Due to security reasons, many museums have restrictions on the size of bags that can be taken inside and backpacks, carry-on bags, or large purses may not be permitted. It is recommended to bring a small shoulder bag or purse to use in these situations instead. Avoid placing valuables such as cameras in your checked luggage. Airplane pressure can cause similar pressure in your body, most notably in ears, as well as liquid tubes and bottles. Your physician can suggest medication for decongestion. We suggest that you place liquid containers into Ziploc bags to catch any leaks.

Travel Safety Advice
The safety of our guests is Lumle’s #1 concern. Before making the decision to reserve your vacation, we want you to be aware of potential situations that may impact your holiday. While most of the time our programs run precisely according to plans, on rare occasions, force majeure events including weather, transportation mechanical issues, or uninhabitable accommodations, civil unrest, and even criminal or terrorist activities will present themselves unexpectedly and with little or no notice. Lumle will make the decision to cancel a tour only after receiving verifiable government-issued information. We are otherwise obliged to comply with contractual airline and vendor agreements and carry out the tour until or unless we are advised otherwise. In the event of such an occurrence anytime after your date of departure, Lumle and the local destination ground staff, in coordination with government advisories, airlines, hotels, cruise ships, and other vendors, will make decisions with regard to your safety first. We strongly recommend that tour participants review the destination country’s specific information at https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html.

Travel Protection
Even the best-planned trips can be impacted by the unexpected. And that is why we recommend that you help protect yourself and your investment by purchasing Travel Protection for your Lumle trip. Travel Protection can help with medical coverage for illness or injury, trip cancellation and/or interruption, baggage loss, medical evacuation, and more.

Mobile Phones
Mobile networks differ from country to country. We recommend you check with your provider to see if your wireless plan will work in the destination(s) you are visiting. To avoid possible roaming charges, you may want to consider purchasing an international plan. With most major phone companies, for a modest fee, you will be able to use your domestic plan’s talk, text, and data allowances just like you do at home. If you can access the internet while you travel, you can also take advantage of services such as WhatsApp or Skype.

Making Telephone Calls from One Country to Another
When dialing a number from one country to another, you should proceed as follows: dial your country’s Exit Code (often indicated with a “+” sign), then the destination Country Code, then the Phone Number. For most countries, the exit code is 00. Exceptions include the USA and Canada (011), Hong Kong and Cambodia (001), Australia (0011), and Russia (8 Pause 10*). For Brazil, please consult with the local telephone company. If you are dialing from a mobile phone, you can enter a “+” instead of the international Exit Code (011, 001, 0011, or 00) by pressing and holding the 0 key. For most countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, and the South Pacific, if you are calling from a local phone to a number within the same country, you should drop both the exit and country codes and then add a leading 0 (zero). Exceptions include Spain, Italy, Hungary, and Malta (no additional zero needed to dial locally).

Example:
To dial the following number in Germany (as listed on your voucher): +(49) 0555-555
From the USA or your US cell phone: 011-49-555-555
From another country in Europe: 00-49-555-555
From a German phone within Germany: 0555-555

WiFi Access
WiFi is available in most airports, hotels, and cruise lines, as well as on some flights, trains, and buses. There may be a fee for access and service quality and speed may vary greatly, especially while on moving vehicles. Availability on cruises is also dependent upon its location while sailing through multiple countries. Please note that WiFi can be extremely slow, unreliable, and sometimes nonexistent in developing countries.

Staying Healthy While Traveling
Please consult with your healthcare provider for up-to-date requirements. You may also check the Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov) and/or the World Health Organization (http://www.who.int/en/) for their recommendations. Any required inoculations must be documented by clients’ healthcare provider on a valid vaccination certificate, which must be carried as proof where necessary. Individuals with heart disease, chronic illness, physical handicap, advanced pregnancy, or mental illness should not participate in these rigorous travel programs.

While traveling, illnesses can sometimes be unavoidable. If a traveler arrives feeling ill or becomes sick during the tour, they will be separated from the group and directed to either a local or virtual medical facility for diagnosis. This precaution is necessary to ensure the well-being of all travelers. The traveler may only rejoin the group after receiving written clearance from an accredited medical facility confirming they are fit to continue. All costs associated with medical treatment and related expenses such as additional hotel nights or transportation not included in the original itinerary will be the responsibility of the passenger. Those with persistent cough or sneezing, including allergies, which does not imply illness and is not contagious are advised to carry medical documentation. Travel protection plans will only consider coverage with service receipts provided by legally qualified health care facilities and in accordance with policy terms.

There are several easy steps you can take to stay healthy while traveling which may help prevent contracting an illness while away from home:

• Watch what you eat. Try new foods in modest quantities, and depending upon your destination, you may want to avoid street foods, salad bars, raw vegetables, and fruits, unless they have thick peels like bananas or grapefruit.
• Stay hydrated. Drink bottled water and avoid consuming ice cubes made with tap water.
• If you have allergies to foods, medications, or insect bites, or have any other unique medical issues, consider a medical alert bracelet and/or a physician’s note detailing required treatment should you become ill.
• Wash your hands regularly and carry hand sanitizer.
• Where appropriate, pack sunscreen and insect repellent (for both active and warm destinations).
• You may also want to bring a small first-aid kit with bandaids, antibiotic cream, pain killers, bug bite cream, digestive aids like antidiarrheal or anti-bloat medications, antacids, and cold medicine. This is in addition to any prescription medications which should be adequate for the entire trip.

Notice on Aircraft Cabin Insecticide Treatment – Please note that some countries may require aircraft cabin insecticide treatment for in-bound foreign flights. A list of such countries is available at: http://www.dot.gov/office-policy/aviation-policy/aircraft-disinsection-requirements.

Consideration for Tour Participants (Escorted Tours)
For the benefit of all tour participants, we ask tour members to be considerate of their fellow travelers in the following ways:

• Refrain from wearing colognes, perfumes, and/or personal products containing excessive fragrance in respect for other guests who may be allergic.
• Avoid smoking cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or cigars in the vicinity of other tour members, including in outdoor areas where smoking may be permitted but may still affect other tour participants.
• No smoking of any kind (medical or recreational) is allowed on any transportation that is exclusively provided by Lumle. This includes e-cigarettes, e-cigars, or any other smoking device. Furthermore, some countries heavily regulate the public use and possession of cigarettes (including e-cigarettes and vape pens) which could include their complete ban. Please check the regulation for the destinations you plan on traveling to prior to departure.
• Avoid attire with political or religious messages that may offend other travelers.
• Respect your fellow passengers. Guests come from all walks of life and varied lifestyles. Please refrain from topics of conversation which might cause offense, such as religion and politics.
• Refrain from conversation or talking on mobile phones while commentary is in progress.
• Respect the mandatory seat rotation policy on the coach.
• Make use of the available hand sanitizer on the coach to support a healthy environment.
• Seek approval before taking photographs of other tour participants.
• Respect tour departure times to avoid delay and loss of sightseeing opportunities.

Climate & Clothing
Turkey – Spring: 50°F-65°F; Summer: 70°F-90°F; Autumn: 55°F-75°F; Winter: 40°F-55°F. Bring comfortable walking shoes, a sweater, clothes you can layer, and an all-weather coat. Some religious sites do not allow shorts or sleeveless shirts.

About Drones
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) or “drone” technology has quickly become affordable and is increasingly popular with recreational users. While some countries have clear, established drone laws, others do not, or existing regulations are undergoing review and change. Travelers who wish to bring a drone on their trip are responsible for researching and abiding by the laws and regulations of the countries they are visiting, as well as checking with their airline(s) regarding their rules for transporting drones. Please note that tours are unable to extend the length of scheduled visits and stops to accommodate the use of drones.

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