Turkey's Magical Hideaways (2012)

Istanbul • Cappadocia • Antalya • Turquoise Coast • Ephesus
  • 16 days
  • from only:
  • $2695
  • $169 per day
    Small Ship Adventure Only
  • 17 days
  • from only:
  • $3695
  • $218 per dayIncludes international airfare and government taxes
IN THIS SECTION:
Detailed Itinerary
Video: Travelers' experiences of Turkey's Magical Hideaways
Is this Adventure Right for You?
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Unique Accommodations
Extend Your Adventure
Optional Tours
Trip Leaders
Ayberk Akdeniz
Etem Ozgur Ozturk
Grand Circle Foundation
Your Travel Handbook
Air information
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Customize your trip

Learn how to customize your adventure, or view standard air routing and travel times. The choice is yours with our True Choice program.

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Customize your trip

With our True Choice Program, you can choose to stay longer before or after your trip on your own, or combine two adventures to maximize your value. Here are more ways to create the OAT adventure that’s right for you:

  • Choose our standard air routing, or work with us to select the airline and routing you prefer
  • Make your own international flight arrangements directly with the airline, applying frequent flyer miles if available
  • Stay overnight in a connecting city before or after your trip
  • Request to arrive a few days early to get a fresh start on your adventure
  • Choose to “break away” before or after your trip, spending additional days or weeks on your own
  • Extend your adventure with our optional pre- and post-trip extensions
  • Combine your choice of OAT adventures to maximize your value
  • Upgrade to business or premium economy class

The air options listed above will involve an additional fee of $100 per person for confirmed requests (as well as incremental airfare costs based on your specific choice). This service fee will be waived for Inner Circle/Sir Edmund Hillary Club members.

Or, when you make your reservation, you can choose our standard air routing, for which approximate travel times are shown below.

GATEWAY

TRAVEL TIME*

Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco

16hrs

Boston, Miami, Newark

14hrs

Chicago, Washington, DC (Dulles)

13hrs

Houston, Seattle

15hrs

New York (JFK)

11hrs

Minneapolis, Orlando, Portland, OR

17hrs

Phoenix

18hrs

San Diego

21hrs

* Estimated total time, including connection and layover. Actual travel time may vary.

The information above reflects approximate flight times from the gateway cities listed to Istanbul, Turkey. Routing is based on availability and subject to change. You will receive your final air itinerary approximately 14 days prior to departure.

REFER and EARN

Earn increasing rewards as a Vacation Ambassador

REFER and EARN as a Vacation Ambassador with
the BEST referral program in the industry

Inspiring new travelers to join the OAT family is a rewarding experience—both for you and your new travelers.

Share your love of travel with others and, for each referral who embarks on an OAT trip, you will earn $100 in CASH or credit. With your 4th referral departing on a 2012 departure, your reward increases to $200 in CASH or credit per person. And once you refer 8 travelers departing in either 2012 or 2013, you'll earn a FREE trip valued up to $4,500 per household—which will bring the total value of your earned rewards up to $5,600.

And you are also passing along savings to your new traveler: We'll instantly deduct $100 off the cost of their reservation when they mention your name and Customer Number while reserving.

To learn more about the benefits of our Vacation Ambassador Referral Program, please call us toll-free at 1-800-955-1925 or click here.

ALSO SEE:
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Meet our expert, resident Trip Leaders

Program Director

Etem Ozgur Ozturk

"Etem is an exceptional Trip Leader. He is very knowledgeable about the many museums, mosques, and historical sites we visited, explaining relevant facts in great detail. He is also very patient and concerned about the safety of everyone—even providing assistance on hikes, if needed. Plus, he has a pleasant personality and is fun to be with."

–Mary & William Maher, 4-time travelers, North Muskegon, Michigan

100% of OAT travelers rate their experience with Etem on this adventure as "excellent"
Born in: Turkey
Currently resides in: Istanbul, Turkey
With OAT since: 2005
Languages: Turkish, English, Spanish
Education: Degrees in Economics, Spanish Literature, and Cultural Heritage Conservation from universities in Istanbul
Hobbies/Special interests: Reading, sailing, practicing tai chi and chi kung

Interesting Fact about Etem: His passion for reading often carries him into the past—he’s a history enthusiast—but he is just as much of a fan of zooming into the future via science fiction! Etem says that the two genres are very different—but each is ideal for stimulating conversations among travelers in his groups.

Memorable Small Group Experience:  Etem loves to chat, so it should come as little surprise that many of his favorite experiences involve spontaneous conversations. “I really enjoy it when, while traveling off the beaten track, I get to introduce travelers to people who have never met foreigners before,” he says. “I’m able to translate some very interesting questions and comments—made by both parties!”

Etem’s Insider Tips:

Food & Dining: “The vegetarian-only menu at Istanbul’s Zencefil restaurant (Kurabiye Sok. 3, near Taksim Square) is a welcome sight for travelers who’d rather not nosh on shish kebabs. The entrees here—including zucchini sautéed with sweet basil; Aegean stew, made with beans, fennel, artichokes, and onions; and borek, phyllo dough parcels filled with diced eggplant and cheese—are all healthy, hearty, and delicious, and served with fresh, homemade bread and herb butter. Another house specialty is the refreshingly tangy ginger lemonade (Zencefil is the Turkish word for ginger).”


Special Places & Pastimes: “Here in Turkey, the official national sport is yağlı güreş—more commonly known as oil wrestling. What makes it different from traditional Greco-Roman wrestling is the fact that competitors, who are known as pehlivan (heroes) douse their entire bodies with olive oil before they begin grappling. Before time limits were established in 1975, matches could last for days. If you happen to be visiting Turkey in June, you might want to check out the annual Kirkpinar tournament held near Edirne in Thrace, which began in 1632 and is considered the world’s oldest sanctioned sporting competition.”