DISCOVER TURKEY
Group tour escorted by
Keith Grenville
20 August - 3 September 2010
5 places remain ex Cape Town
9 places remain ex Johannesburg
TOUR COSTS - including flights
From Cape Town
Per person sharing R19505 + tax R2219
From Johannesburg
Per person sharing R17900 + tax R2219
Single room supplement R3595
TOUR COST INCLUDES:
- Meals as shown in the itinerary - 12 breakfasts and 11 dinners
- Half board starting with dinner on Saturday 21 August, ending with breakfast Thursday 02 September.
- Professional English-speaking guide throughout.
- Luxury a/c vehicle whilst on tour.
- Entrances in Bursa, King Midas' tomb, Ataturk Mausoleum, Sultanhan Caravansaray en route to Konya, Mevlana Mausoleum in Konya, Asklepeion and Acropolis in Pergamum, Troy and Kabatepe
- Museum at Gallipoli.
- All visits per itinerary
- Accommodation in 4 and 5 star hotels throughout.
- Hotel porterage (1 suitcase per person).
- Air fares
TOUR COST EXCLUDES:
- Gratuities to guide and driver on tour.
- All drinks and beverages.
- Expenses of a personal nature.
- Visas (if required).
HOTELS (or similar):
- Istanbul Golden Hill Hotel (4 star) www.goldenhill.com.tr
- Bursa Hotel Kervansaray (4 star) www.kervansarayhotels.com
- Ankara Hotel Marya (4 star) www.hotelmarya.com
- Cappadocia Lykia Lodge (4 star) www.lykialodge.com
- Pamukkale Colossae Thermal (5 star) www.colossaehotel.com
- Lycus River (4 star) www.lycusriver.com
- Kusadasi Korumar Hotel (5 star) www.korumar.com.tr
- Canakkale Kolin Hotel (5 star) www.kolinhotel.com
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ITINERARY
FRIDAY 20 AUGUST 2010
Depart Cape Town International Airport or Johannesburg on a Turkish Airlines direct flight to Istanbul.
SATURDAY 21 AUGUST ISTANBUL
Meet and greet on arrival at Istanbul Ataturk Airport. Then transfer to hotel with English-speaking guide's assistance. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul. D.
SUNDAY 22 AUGUST ISTANBUL
Full day city sightseeing. Visits to the Topkapi Palace, St. Sophia, the Hippodrome, the Yerebatan Basilica Cistern, the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight. B, D
MONDAY 23 AUGUST Istanbul - BURSA
After breakfast, drive to the ferry port where you will take the ferry across the Bay of Izmit and then continue with the bus to Bursa - the first capital of the Ottoman Empire and one of the greatest treasure houes of Islamic architecture. It is built on the lush green slopes of the Turkish Mount Olympos. Here you will see the Green Mosque and the neighbouring Green Mausoleum, both world-renowned for their superb tile decoration, continue to the late 14th century Grand Mosque and Mausoleum of the first two Ottoman Sultans, then visit the Koza Han, which for centuries was the centre of Bursa's flourishing silk trade. Drive to the historic village of Cumalikizik which is one of the best preserved Ottoman villages in Turkey with scores of picturesque houses built in the traditional style, with projecting bays called "cumba". Dinner and overnight in Bursa. B, D
TUESDAY 24 AUGUST Bursa - ANKARA
Drive to Ankara, the capital of Turkey, visiting the tomb of King Midas on the way. On arrival, pay a visit to the impressive Mausoleum of Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. Check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight. B, D.
WEDNESDAY 25 AUGUST Ankara - CAPPADOCIA
This morning, there is a tour of Ankara to see the ancient Citadel, the Roman baths and the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations with its well-displayed relics going back thousands of years, and enjoy a panoramic drive around the administrative centre of the city.
In the afternoon there is a drive to Cappadocia with its eerie lunar landscape of erosion cones with habitations carved out of the rock. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia. B, D
THURSDAY 26 AUGUST CAPPADOCIA
A full day tour of Cappadocia will include the natural Citadel of Uchisar and the villages of Avcilar and Ortahisar with their troglodyte dwellings, the open-air museum of Goreme with its rock-cut churches decorated with frescoes and Christian settlements dating back hundreds of years, and the underground city of Kaymakli (or Derinkuyu) descending seven layers underground where early Christians sought refuge during times of persecution. Overnight in Cappadocia. B, D.
FRIDAY 27 AUGUST Cappadocia - PAMUKKALE
An early departure is required today for a long day's drive. See the 13th century Sultanhan Caravansaray of the Seljuks on the way to Konya. Visit the Mausoleum of Mevlana, founder of the Whirling Dervishes Order, then continue your journey to Pamukkale. B, D.
SATURDAY 28 AUGUST Pamukkale - KUSADASI
Pamukkale is an amazing natural phenomenon, located on a plateau rising 100 metres above the surrounding plain and faced by a dazzling array of chalk-white stalactites formed from mineral waters that have cascaded over the surface for centuries and form countless small pools on the terraces thus formed.
In the morning there is a tour to the ancient city of Hierapolis with its Temple of Apollo, theatre and necropolis, and Aphrodisias, the ancient city dedicated to the goddess of love, Aphrodite.
In the afternoon, drive to Kusadasi stopping for a demonstration of the art of handicraft carpets en route before checking in to your hotel for dinner and overnight. B, D.
SUNDAY 29 AUGUST KUSADASI
Today there is a tour to the magnificent ruined Roman city of Ephesus. See the Odeon, Bouleterion, Fountains, Temples, Library of Celsius, Great Theatre and Gymnasium, Double Church and Stadium. Also see St. John's Basilica and his tomb, and the House of the Virgin Mary where she is said to have spent her last days. Dinner and overnight in the resort of Kusadasi. B, D.
MONDAY 30 AUGUST Kusadasi - CANAKKALE
Early departure to ancient Pergamum to see the Asklepieion and the Acropolis. The most spectacular structure is the theatre, a remarkable piece of engineering built into the steep hillside. Continue to Troy. Explore the ancient city with nine habitation levels covering a period of 3,000 years. Dinner and overnight in Canakkale. B, D.
TUESDAY 31 AUGUST Canakkale - ISTANBUL
Cross the Dardanelles by ferry and visit Anzac Bay, the small Kabatepe Museum which tells a touching story of the "gentleman's battle" and the memorials of the battle of Gallipoli on the way to Istanbul. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul. B, D.
WEDNESDAY 01 SEPTEMBER ISTANBUL
Today the tour starts with a visit to the Egyptian Spice Market and then embark on a boat and cruise along the Bosphorus where the scenic beauty is the perfect complement to the splendour of ancient fortresses, grand mansions and Ottoman palaces. Disembark at the bay of Tarabya and return by coach, visiting the Rumeli Hisar fortress on the way back. Return to your hotel.
In the evening, an optional dinner and oriental show is available in the well-known Kervansaray N&Mac245;ght Club featuring belly-dancing, folklore from the various regions of Turkey and cabaret. (50 Euro per person) B.
THURSDAY 02 SEPTEMBER Istanbul - DEPARTURE
After breakfast, transfer to Istanbul Ataturk Airport for your departure flight. B.
FRIDAY 03 SEPTEMBER
Arrive Johannesburg and Cape Town International Airports
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