Oct. 19-26, 2025
Soar in hot-air balloons hike through valleys and up to ancient castles, and make friends on a once-in-a-lifetime experience you will never forget.
Join Sunshine for an exclusive tour and adventure with like-minded travelers
Perfect for first-time and veteran travelers, this tour offers the ideal balance of thrilling, outdoor experiences alongside an in-depth look into the culture and history of a region that has been the birthplace of multiple great civilizations.
In this adventure, you will visit two contrasting areas of Turkey. Your experienced Turkish guide will lead you through the greatest sites of the metropolis of Istanbul, including the Hagia Sophia, the Bosporus, and the Grand Bazaar.
You’ll then fly to the sparsely populated Cappadocia where you’ll ride in hot air balloons and hike the grand hills of the Pasabag Valley.
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Welcome to Istanbul, the gateway between East and West. Tonight we'll take time to get acquainted, hear from our guide, and, of course, eat and drink together after a long day of traveling.
Walking: light, 2 miles
On our first full day we'll explore one of the most well-known religious structures in the world, the Hagia Sophia. It stood for almost a thousand years as the largest church in Christendom, but was converted into a mosque when the Ottomans conquered the city in the 15th century.
After visiting the lofty dome of the Hagia Sophia, we'll descend to explore the ancient cisterns built in the 6th century. This magnificent underground structure once supplied 80,000 cubic meters of water to the Great Palace of Constantinople and other parts of the city.
Next we'll move to the Grand Bazaar, perhaps the most famous market in the world. You could spend weeks just within its covered streets and still have shops to see. Your local guide will help you navigate this labyrinth, teach you the basics of haggling in Turkey, and show you some of his favorite shops.
Walking: strenuous, 5 miles
We'll start this long day with a visit to Topkapi Palace. Now a museum, this magnificent structure is a story-book palace that for centuries was the residence of sultans and the administrative center of the vast Ottoman Empire.
Next we'll visit Suleymaniye Mosque, an architectural wonder designed in the middle of the sixteenth century by the architect Sinan. It is a mathematical wonder of beautiful proportions, rivaling the greatest buildings of the Renaissance.
No visit to Istanbul is complete without a visit to the Spice Market. You'll find much more than exotic spices and teas here. Taste Turkish delight, dried nuts, caviar, and much more.
After the Spice Market we'll hop on a boat to see the strait that is the gateway to the Black Sea and one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. From the water you'll see how this ancient city straddles both Europe and Asia.
Walking: moderate, 5 miles
Today we'll trade the bustle of the city for the epic but contemplative landscape of Cappadocia. After our early flight we'll tour the Pasabag Valley and enjoy a typical lunch at a local house.
Next we'll set out on foot to hike through the fairy chimneys of the Zelve Valley.
Walking: strenuous, 8 miles
Travel time: approx. 3.5 hrs.
This morning we'll venture into the valley well before sunrise to prepare for an epic and serene hot-air balloon ride. This activity is optional and will depend on favorable local conditions.
After our lofty ascent we'll move underground to explore Kaymakli, an underground city carved out of the soft volcanic rock and where at one time more than 3,000 people lived.
Next we'll take our bus to the nearby town of Avanos. Sitting on the Kızılırmak river, this town is famous for its carpet weaving and pottery. In a workshop we'll see firsthand the entire process of traditional pottery making.
Walking: moderate, 4 miles
This morning we'll have a few hours of free time to catch up on some much needed rest. If you're feeling up for it, take advantage of the time to venture out on your own and explore the village of Sinasos. We'll regroup in the afternoon for a hike in the Gomeda valley before heading to the neighboring town and scaling the citadel of Uchisar Castle. This fortification was carved right out of the rock and dominates the valley for which it served as a defensive position for centuries. Tonight we'll celebrate our final day with a feast on traditional Turkish barbecue and quench our thirst with a variety of Turkish wines.
Walking: moderate, 4 miles
This morning our guide will help with travel logistics and provide recommendations for those continuing their travels in Istanbul or beyond.
For further questions don't hesitate to reach out to us directly.
Roundtrip flights (USA -Istanbul) are not included in the tour price. Flights during the tour (Istanbul-Cappadocia, Cappadocia-Istanbul) are included, however, and will be booked by Alithea Travel.
When 20 travelers have made a tour deposit the trip will be confirmed and you should purchase flight tickets.
We recommend leaving the USA on Thursday, May 30th in order to arrive in Turkey on June 31st, but you may wish to arrive earlier in order to adjust to the time change. Since the tour will end on Wednesday, June 6th, you should book your departure flight for this day unless you wish to extend your stay in Istanbul.
The Republic of Turkey requires foreigners to apply for an e-visa before entering the country. The application is very simple and takes about 5 minutes to complete. The cost for US citizens is $50, and after submitting your details the visa will be sent electronically within 24 hours. It is recommended to apply for the visa 2-4 weeks before your departure. We like to stay on top of these details, so we'll send you a reminder with a link to the Turkish e-visa website a month before the tour start date.
All deposits are fully refundable within 30 days or in the event that the tour is postponed. Travelers will also be given first-choice priority to transfer unused credit to future adventures with @withsunshinesol.
Sunshine will be an active participant throughout the tour, but will allow the local experts to handle the guiding. She will, of course, document and film most activities, hikes, and hotels.
Sharing a room with a travel partner can help lower the accommodation costs. If you wish to share a room with a fellow, same-sex traveler, you can choose this option upon reserving your spot and paying a deposit. We cannot guarantee matching each person with a roommate, but we will do our best. Single occupancy rooms will always incur the single supplement fee.
Sure thing. Sign up and send us a note. We'll make sure you room together.
This is an action-packed itinerary that visits the best of two vastly different regions of the country. Whenever possible your guide will provide time to relax and enjoy a glass or wine or go for a walk with your traveling friends.
All activities are included in the cost of the trip except for the Turkish bath and the hot-air balloon. You can expect the Turkish bath to run about $90 and the hot air balloon approximately $325. All breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners are also included. We recommend bringing spending money for souvenirs, additional meals, and taxi fares (about $25 USD) from the airport on arrival. You will need to withdraw Turkish Lira in order to pay taxis. The e-visa (see above) also has a cost of $50.
It pains us to say that Sancho the doggo has to stay in the USA for this trip. Sunshine decided that it would be logistically impossible to take him on this particular journey––not to mention all of the stress he would face while traveling on a plane.
For further questions don't hesitate to reach out to us directly.
Roundtrip flights (USA -Istanbul) are not included in the tour price. Flights during the tour (Istanbul-Cappadocia, Cappadocia-Istanbul) are included, however, and will be booked by Alithea Travel.
When 20 travelers have made a tour deposit the trip will be confirmed and you should purchase flight tickets.
We recommend leaving the USA on Thursday, May 30th in order to arrive in Turkey on June 31st, but you may wish to arrive earlier in order to adjust to the time change. Since the tour will end on Wednesday, June 6th, you should book your departure flight for this day unless you wish to extend your stay in Istanbul.
The Republic of Turkey requires foreigners to apply for an e-visa before entering the country. The application is very simple and takes about 5 minutes to complete. The cost for US citizens is $50, and after submitting your details the visa will be sent electronically within 24 hours. It is recommended to apply for the visa 2-4 weeks before your departure. We like to stay on top of these details, so we'll send you a reminder with a link to the Turkish e-visa website a month before the tour start date.
All deposits are fully refundable within 30 days or in the event that the tour is postponed. Travelers will also be given first-choice priority to transfer unused credit to future adventures with @withsunshinesol.
Sunshine will be an active participant throughout the tour, but will allow the local experts to handle the guiding. She will, of course, document and film most activities, hikes, and hotels.
Sharing a room with a travel partner can help lower the accommodation costs. If you wish to share a room with a fellow, same-sex traveler, you can choose this option upon reserving your spot and paying a deposit. We cannot guarantee matching each person with a roommate, but we will do our best. Single occupancy rooms will always incur the single supplement fee.
Sure thing. Sign up and send us a note. We'll make sure you room together.
This is an action-packed itinerary that visits the best of two vastly different regions of the country. Whenever possible your guide will provide time to relax and enjoy a glass or wine or go for a walk with your traveling friends.
All activities are included in the cost of the trip except for the Turkish bath and the hot-air balloon. You can expect the Turkish bath to run about $90 and the hot air balloon approximately $325. All breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners are also included. We recommend bringing spending money for souvenirs, additional meals, and taxi fares (about $25 USD) from the airport on arrival. You will need to withdraw Turkish Lira in order to pay taxis. The e-visa (see above) also has a cost of $50.
It pains us to say that Sancho the doggo has to stay in the USA for this trip. Sunshine decided that it would be logistically impossible to take him on this particular journey––not to mention all of the stress he would face while traveling on a plane.
