A Lifestyle Journey Through Türkiye
10 May –
22 May 2026
- 13 Days
- 4* Boutique stays with local character
- 20 Meals
- Group size: 20
4 Spaces Left
Explore Türkiye through its textures; handwoven carpets, vineyard lunches, village kitchens, and quiet moments in ancient mosques.
Itinerary
Your journey begins as you depart Johannesburg and head towards the quiet beauty of Cappadocia. A travel day filled with anticipation, it’s the start of a new rhythm: slower, gentler, and full of possibility.
Arrive in Cappadocia and, en route to the hotel, enjoy a relaxed orientation tour that introduces you to the soft curves and stone villages of this extraordinary region.
After a late lunch, we check in to our hotel. The rest of the afternoon is yours to relax, explore, or simply take in the stillness.
Highlight:
After breakfast, we visit Keşlik Monastery and descend into the tunnels of Özkonak Underground City. The day continues with an artisan carpet workshop, a hands-on pottery experience, and a generous wine tasting that invites you to slow down and savour.
Those who wish may also visit the Göreme Open-Air Museum — a quiet collection of rock-hewn churches, chapels and frescoes carved into volcanic stone.
Dinner tonight is a regional classic: testi kebab, slow-cooked in clay and cracked open at your table.
Highlights:
We depart early for Antalya, travelling through central Türkiye’s varied landscapes. Along the way, we stop at the Selçuk Agzikarahan Caravanserai; once a resting place for Silk Road traders, now a quiet window into the architectural rhythm of the 13th century.
We arrive in Antalya by late afternoon. Check in, freshen up, and enjoy dinner at the hotel.
Highlights:
This morning is yours to enjoy as you please; swim, wander Antalya’s Old Town, or sit at a street café watching daily life go by.
Later, we visit the ancient Roman theatre of Aspendos, one of the best-preserved in the world. Then it’s off to a family-run country restaurant. Roll up your sleeves as you help prepare gözleme, a delicious Turkish flatbread.
Return to the hotel in the afternoon.
Highlights:
We journey inland to Pamukkale, famed for its gleaming white travertine terraces and ancient healing waters. Upon arrival, we explore the ruins and travertine pools of this Roman spa town – rich with stories of emperors, saints, and everyday lives etched in stone.
Our home for the night is a family-run retreat just a short walk from the travertines. Unwind by the pool, stroll through the garden, and later, savour traditional Turkish dishes prepared in a wood-fired oven.
Highlights:
Today’s route weaves together two remarkable cities of the ancient world: Laodicea and Sardis. Once home to thriving communities, these sites still speak through colonnaded streets, mosaics, and open-air theatres worn smooth by time.
By late afternoon, we arrive in Kuşadasi. From our hotel, enjoy views of the Aegean Sea, the marina and a lively stretch of promenade; the perfect setting for soaking up Kuşadasi’s coastal charm.
Highlights:
This morning we visit Ephesus, one of the most beautifully preserved ancient cities in the Mediterranean. Walk the marble streets once travelled by philosophers and merchants, and pause in the shadow of the Library of Celsus.
Afterwards, we visit a local leather studio before sitting down to lunch at Bizim Ev Hanimeli, a family-run restaurant where recipes are passed from one generation to the next.
In the afternoon, we explore Şirince—a hilltop village known for its whitewashed houses, fruit wines and meandering cobbled lanes.
Highlights:
Today is yours. Whether you choose to join an optional excursion, take a dip in the sea, browse the nearby shops, or simply enjoy the view with a book in hand, Kuşadasi invites you to relax on your terms.
Highlights:
Today we journey north, travelling inland through green hills and fertile valleys. Our lunch stop is in Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire and home of the famous İskender kebab, a rich, spiced meat layered with warm bread and yoghurt.
By evening, we arrive in Istanbul and check in to our hotel in the historic heart of the city.
Highlights:
We begin with a visit to the Underground Cistern, where columns rise from still, echoing water beneath the city. From there, we head to a local kitchen for a hands-on cooking class, followed by a shared lunch of the dishes you’ve prepared.
In the afternoon, we visit the Hagia Sophia — one of the world’s great architectural and spiritual landmarks. After the Spice Market, we walk through the Grand Bazaar, a labyrinth of carpets, spices and stories.
Highlights:
After a relaxed breakfast, we check out and enjoy our final day in Türkiye. Our morning begins in the historic heart of Istanbul. We visit Hippodrome Square, the Blue Mosque and, finally, Topkapi Palace; once home to sultans, secrets and shimmering treasures.
We wind down the day with a private cruise along the Bosphorus. It’s a quiet way to take in the city’s skyline one last time, with domes, towers and wooden villas drifting past as the continents shift around you. This evening, we share a farewell dinner at an Anatolian restaurant in the famous Kumkapı Quarter before transferring to the airport for your late-night departure.
Highlights:
Your flight departs in the early hours of the morning. Arrive in South Africa with you heart and bags filled with memories.
Your journey begins as you depart Johannesburg and head towards the quiet beauty of Cappadocia. A travel day filled with anticipation, it’s the start of a new rhythm: slower, gentler, and full of possibility.
Arrive in Cappadocia and, en route to the hotel, enjoy a relaxed orientation tour that introduces you to the soft curves and stone villages of this extraordinary region.
After a late lunch, we check in to our hotel. The rest of the afternoon is yours to relax, explore, or simply take in the stillness.
Highlight:
After breakfast, we visit Keşlik Monastery and descend into the tunnels of Özkonak Underground City. The day continues with an artisan carpet workshop, a hands-on pottery experience, and a generous wine tasting that invites you to slow down and savour.
Those who wish may also visit the Göreme Open-Air Museum — a quiet collection of rock-hewn churches, chapels and frescoes carved into volcanic stone.
Dinner tonight is a regional classic: testi kebab, slow-cooked in clay and cracked open at your table.
Highlights:
We depart early for Antalya, travelling through central Türkiye’s varied landscapes. Along the way, we stop at the Selçuk Agzikarahan Caravanserai; once a resting place for Silk Road traders, now a quiet window into the architectural rhythm of the 13th century.
We arrive in Antalya by late afternoon. Check in, freshen up, and enjoy dinner at the hotel.
Highlights:
This morning is yours to enjoy as you please; swim, wander Antalya’s Old Town, or sit at a street café watching daily life go by.
Later, we visit the ancient Roman theatre of Aspendos, one of the best-preserved in the world. Then it’s off to a family-run country restaurant. Roll up your sleeves as you help prepare gözleme, a delicious Turkish flatbread.
Return to the hotel in the afternoon.
Highlights:
We journey inland to Pamukkale, famed for its gleaming white travertine terraces and ancient healing waters. Upon arrival, we explore the ruins and travertine pools of this Roman spa town – rich with stories of emperors, saints, and everyday lives etched in stone.
Our home for the night is a family-run retreat just a short walk from the travertines. Unwind by the pool, stroll through the garden, and later, savour traditional Turkish dishes prepared in a wood-fired oven.
Highlights:
Today’s route weaves together two remarkable cities of the ancient world: Laodicea and Sardis. Once home to thriving communities, these sites still speak through colonnaded streets, mosaics, and open-air theatres worn smooth by time.
By late afternoon, we arrive in Kuşadasi. From our hotel, enjoy views of the Aegean Sea, the marina and a lively stretch of promenade; the perfect setting for soaking up Kuşadasi’s coastal charm.
Highlights:
This morning we visit Ephesus, one of the most beautifully preserved ancient cities in the Mediterranean. Walk the marble streets once travelled by philosophers and merchants, and pause in the shadow of the Library of Celsus.
Afterwards, we visit a local leather studio before sitting down to lunch at Bizim Ev Hanimeli, a family-run restaurant where recipes are passed from one generation to the next.
In the afternoon, we explore Şirince—a hilltop village known for its whitewashed houses, fruit wines and meandering cobbled lanes.
Highlights:
Today is yours. Whether you choose to join an optional excursion, take a dip in the sea, browse the nearby shops, or simply enjoy the view with a book in hand, Kuşadasi invites you to relax on your terms.
Highlights:
Today we journey north, travelling inland through green hills and fertile valleys. Our lunch stop is in Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire and home of the famous İskender kebab, a rich, spiced meat layered with warm bread and yoghurt.
By evening, we arrive in Istanbul and check in to our hotel in the historic heart of the city.
Highlights:
We begin with a visit to the Underground Cistern, where columns rise from still, echoing water beneath the city. From there, we head to a local kitchen for a hands-on cooking class, followed by a shared lunch of the dishes you’ve prepared.
In the afternoon, we visit the Hagia Sophia — one of the world’s great architectural and spiritual landmarks. After the Spice Market, we walk through the Grand Bazaar, a labyrinth of carpets, spices and stories.
Highlights:
After a relaxed breakfast, we check out and enjoy our final day in Türkiye. Our morning begins in the historic heart of Istanbul. We visit Hippodrome Square, the Blue Mosque and, finally, Topkapi Palace; once home to sultans, secrets and shimmering treasures.
We wind down the day with a private cruise along the Bosphorus. It’s a quiet way to take in the city’s skyline one last time, with domes, towers and wooden villas drifting past as the continents shift around you. This evening, we share a farewell dinner at an Anatolian restaurant in the famous Kumkapı Quarter before transferring to the airport for your late-night departure.
Highlights:
Your flight departs in the early hours of the morning. Arrive in South Africa with you heart and bags filled with memories.
This isn’t a whirlwind of photo stops and checklists. It’s a journey designed for slowing down and experiencing Türkiye through its textures, tastes and traditions. You’ll meet artisans, share meals, and try your hand at ancient crafts or cooking. As we travel from vineyard to village square, we’ll step into remarkable historical and spiritual spaces. This tour is for you; the curious traveller drawn to beauty, meaning and story.
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The tour leader collects a set amount from each member of a tour. This kitty is then used to tip the local tour guide and city guides, bus drivers, any other assistants, and restaurant staff. We believe in tipping for good service as a token of appreciation, especially as many workers in tourism rely on tips to supplement their income.
Although we cannot apply on your behalf, we are more than willing to give guidance and assistance with completing forms. We do this for many clients on a near-daily basis. It does, however, remain the responsibility of the client to ensure that they get the correct visa on time.
Remember that we limit the number of guests on our tours. This means more time at stops and sites. We definitely do not do groups of 30 pax, where guests are rushed from one site to the other. There is enough time to explore on your own.
We always suggest USD/Euro 50 to USD/Euro 100 per person per day. As we mostly include two meals per day on our tours, this will be enough for lunch/dinner, some snacks, and memento shopping. Should you want to buy larger items, we suggest taking along your credit card. Remember to advise the bank that you will be travelling.
Once you have completed the form, you will receive an email with the itinerary which includes pricing, inclusions and flight options.
You can contact us at info@seagulltours.co.za or +27 42 296 0475