10 Day Islamic Heritage of Turkey Private Tour

• Private tour: only you and your own group, with your own guide and vehicle
• All food and drink on the tour is halal
• The route and the daily timings are built around prayer times
• The Ottoman story in order: Ertugrul Gazi at Sogut, Osman and Orhan Gazi at Bursa, then the imperial mosques of Istanbul
• Rumi and Sems-i Tebrizi in Konya, and a Sema ceremony
• Ten days across Istanbul, Bursa, Sogut, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Konya and Cappadocia
• 4 and 5 star hotels, with breakfast and lunch every touring day
• Hot air balloon flight available as an optional extra in Cappadocia

This tour follows the Ottoman story from where it began. You start in Istanbul with the mosques the empire built at its height, Sultanahmet and Suleymaniye, and the tomb of Eyup Sultan, the companion of the Prophet who died at the walls of Constantinople. Then you go back to the beginning: Sogut, where Ertugrul Gazi is buried, and Bursa, the first Ottoman capital, where his son Osman and grandson Orhan lie in the citadel above the city. From there the route turns south to Ephesus and the house where the Virgin Mary is believed to have spent her last years, then to the travertines of Pamukkale, and inland to Konya, where Rumi and Sems-i Tebrizi are buried and the Sema is still performed. The last two days are Cappadocia, among the valleys and underground cities. All meals are halal and the days are planned around prayer times.

Places to visit

• Blue Mosque
• Hagia Sophia
• Suleymaniye Mosque
• Topkapi Palace
• Eyup Sultan Mosque and Tomb
• Dolmabahce Palace
• Bosphorus cruise
• Pierre Loti Hill
• Ertugrul Gazi Tomb in Sogut
• Bursa Grand Mosque
• Green Mosque and Green Tomb
• Osman Gazi and Orhan Gazi Tombs
• Koza Han
• Mount Uludag
• Ephesus Ancient City
• House of the Virgin Mary
• Isa Bey Mosque
• Pamukkale Travertines
• Hierapolis Ancient City
• Mevlana Museum and Tomb
• Sems-i Tebrizi Tomb
• Goreme Open Air Museum
• Kaymakli Underground City
• Pasabag Fairy Chimneys
• Devrent Imagination Valley
• Pigeon Valley
• Uchisar Castle
• Love Valley

What to expect

• This is a private tour. Only you and your own group take part.
• All food and drink included on the tour is halal.
• The route and the daily timings are built around prayer times, and your guide will stop where you need to pray.
• Accommodation is in 4 and 5 star hotels or well-regarded boutique hotels, based on a standard double room.
• Breakfast and lunch are included every touring day.
• The itinerary is flexible. You can change the route and set the start and end times to suit you.
• Domestic flights are economy class with Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines or AJet Airlines, according to availability. Baggage allowance is 8 kg cabin and 15 kg checked baggage (23 kg in total).
• If you would like a Spanish or Portuguese speaking guide, please select this option when booking.

Good to know before you book

• If you are travelling during Ramadan, tell us when you book. We adjust the daily programme around fasting hours and arrange sahur and iftar at the hotels.
• The House of the Virgin Mary is included because Maryam is honoured in Islam as well, the only woman named in the Quran. Your guide will explain its place in both traditions.
• Day 5 is mostly a travel day. After the cable car up Mount Uludag you drive 350 km to Izmir, which takes about four hours.
• The balloon flight is not included, but we can arrange it as an optional extra. It takes place at sunrise, before the day's tour begins. As you spend two nights in Cappadocia, you have two mornings to fly, and if neither morning flies you receive a full refund.
• This tour does not include assistant services at airports. The driver drops you at the terminal entrance, and you proceed to your gate after checking in your luggage.
• The tour ends in Istanbul. You are back at your Istanbul hotel around 23:00 on the tenth day.

Pricing Information

According to the number of people participating in the tour, the total price is discounted. The total discount amount appears on the checkout page.

• 3 to 4  people -  10% discount

• 5 to 6  people -  15% discount

• 7 to 8  people -  20% discount

• 9 to 10 people - 25% discount

If you are a solo traveller, please contact us for our most reasonable offers.

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 7 days before the tour start date and receive a full refund. If you cancel less than 7 days before the start date, the deposit is not refunded, as your domestic flight tickets are issued in your name and cannot be refunded. Any amount you have paid above the deposit is returned to you.