Turkish Delight Family Tour

The ideal Turkey Family holiday! A visit to Turkey will bring to life all those hours spent in the history classroom! On this tour we visit cities where the Romans walked and stroll through the streets of ancient Constantinople. We also have lots of time for activities with a canoeing or rafting trip down the beautiful Koprulu River, turtle spotting on the beach and the chance to cover yourself in mud at the therapeutic Dalyan mud baths! Then, to round it off there is a wonderful two day gulet cruise on our own private motor yacht with opportunities for sailing, canoeing, swimming or just relaxing for the whole family.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Maximum Group Size: 16
Arrival Transfer: Airport transfer to hotel Day 1
Fully Escorted: By Imaginative Traveller tour leader, services of local guides and gulet crew
Transport: Private air-conditioned coach, private gulet, sleeper train, inflatable canoes, plane
Flights: Antalya to Istanbul
Activities: Swimming and water sports, gulet cruise,canoeing / rafting
Accommodation: 6 nights tourist class hotels, 2 nights restored Ottoman mansion, 1 night couchette train, 2 nights gulet cabins (triple share)
Meals: As per itinerary. B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner
Entrance fees: Included for all sites visited as part of the itinerary
Local Payment: Must be paid in cash on Day 1 of your to

AMENDED ITINERARY: An amended itinerary will operate for days 7-9 in March, April and October as the gulet is not operating. These departures are marked with an *.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

• Haggle in the bazaars of Istanbul
• Explore the calcified falls of Pamukkale
• See loggerhead turtles on the beach
• Sink into the mud baths of Dalyan
• Relax for 2 days on a wonderful gulet cruise
• Magnificent ruins at ancient Ephesus
• Canoe or raft down the Koprulu River

BRIEF ITINERARY

Day 2, ISTANBUL: A guided tour of the exciting city of Istanbul with its markets and mosques. In the evening we take an overnight train to Pamukkale. (B)

Day 3, PAMUKKALE - SELCUK: Transfer to hotel for breakfast and to freshen up. Later we have a tour of ancient Hierapolis and the amazing calcified falls of Pamukkale (the 'cotton castles'). There is time to swim in a thermal pool dating back to Roman times. After lunch we drive to Selcuk where we spend two nights in a hotel with a pool. (BD)

Day 4, EPHESUS: A guided tour of the magnificent ruins of ancient Ephesus. The remainder of the day is free to relax by the hotel pool or explore the area. (B)

Day 5, DALYAN: We travel through the magnificent scenery of Meandros valley to Dalyan, known for its hot springs and the nearby conservation area for loggerhead turtles. We spend two nights at a hotel with a pool. (B)

Day 6, DALYAN: A day at leisure. You can visit the picturesque ruins of Caunos or take a boat to the mud baths or the beach where at certain times of year, the loggerhead turtles lay their eggs. (B)

Day 7, GULET: A short drive brings us to Fethiye and we board our gulet after lunch. There is windsurfing and snorkelling equipment on board and two days of bliss follow! (BD)

Day 8, GULET CRUISE: Our cruise takes us to some of the most beautiful bays around Fethiye and Gocek. (BL)

Day 9, GULET - ANTALYA: We disembark after breakfast and drive on a scenic mountain road to Antalya. We spend the next two nights in a restored Ottoman mansion, which has a pool. (B)

Day 10, CANOEING / RAFTING: Today we drive to Koprulu Canyon where we have the excitement of rafting or canoeing down the river (you can choose which you prefer). (BL)

Day 11, ISTANBUL: Fly to Istanbul and transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is free to explore Istanbul or do some last minute shopping in the bazaars. (BD)

Day 12, ISTANBUL: Tour ends after breakfast. (B)

DEPARTURE DATES

TRAVEL STYLE

For parents with their children who have a positive outlook on life and are seeking an alternative to the more conventional family holiday.

Maximum Group Size - 16-20: If you've got children (minimum age 6) and you're looking for something more for your holidays, imagine the excitement of discovering unusual lands, learning about different cultures and sharing the experience with new friends on an escorted Imaginative Family tour.
Accommodation: Wherever possible we use tourist class hotels (2-3 star) on a twin share (or, if available, family room) basis with private facilities and often swimming pools. Some accommodation may be more representational of the destination (e.g. a luxurious mud hut or a Bedouin camp).
Transportation: We travel mainly in air-conditioned coaches and minibuses but also may use trains, sailboats, horse drawn carriages, camels and donkeys!
Meals: Breakfast is often included plus some lunches and dinners (see itineraries for full details).
Activities: Our itineraries combine just the right balance of rest and play to keep children occupied and entertained but not exhausted. Activities may include elephant and camel riding, swimming, snorkelling and walking around sites and bazaars.[Read more about Imaginative Traveller travel styles]