Antalya to Istanbul Tour with 4-Day Gulet Cruise – 9 Days

The boat leaves early for Limanağzı Bay, where breakfast is served at anchor and the calm water is ideal for a paddleboard session. The next stop is Kaş. Its harbour, rock tombs and marble-paved lanes reflect Lycian, Roman and Ottoman times, and the former fishing village is now known for small boutiques, beaches and handmade jewellery. Divers of every level can join an optional scuba dive at one of the dozens of sites around Kaş (€90, book in advance). Lunch is served in Hidayet Bay, and the gulet then moves on to Aquarium Bay for the night; the water is so clear that an evening swim and an early dip the next morning are hard to resist. Meals: breakfast, lunch, 5 o'clock tea, fruit platters, dinner. Overnight: on the gulet.

You wake below the steep walls of Butterfly Valley. Swim before breakfast, or go ashore and follow the trail to the waterfall at the back of the valley, home to well over a hundred species of butterflies and moths. Around midday the gulet sails on to the Blue Lagoon at Ölüdeniz, a sheltered pool of turquoise water and pale sand that appears on countless postcards. For a bird's-eye view, an optional tandem paragliding flight takes off from Babadağ at about 2,000 m and lands on the beach after 30 to 45 minutes (€189, book in advance). In the evening you anchor at Gemiler Island, also called St Nicholas Island. Paths wind past Byzantine chapels and ruined stone houses to the top, a classic place to watch the sun go down over the coast. Meals: breakfast, lunch, 5 o'clock tea, fruit platters, dinner. Overnight: on the gulet.

The last day on board is slow and easy. Breakfast is served in Tarzan Bay, followed by a final swim stop in Samanlık Bay. The gulet reaches Fethiye harbour at about 13:00 to 14:00; after lunch you say goodbye to the captain and crew and are taken to your hotel in Fethiye. The rest of the day is yours to explore the waterfront and the old town. Meals: breakfast, lunch. Overnight: Fethiye.

After breakfast the land part of the tour begins with Saklıkent Gorge, a long, narrow canyon cut deep into the mountains behind Fethiye. Icy water runs between walls that rise hundreds of metres, and you can wade into the gorge as far as you like, cool off in the river or try river tubing (optional). In the afternoon the bus heads inland to Pamukkale, where you spend the night. Meals: breakfast, lunch. Overnight: Pamukkale.

The morning is spent at Pamukkale, whose Turkish name means 'cotton castle'. Warm, mineral-rich spring water has coated the hillside in white travertine over thousands of years, leaving a staircase of shallow pools. You can walk barefoot across the terraces, bathe in the thermal water or simply take in the view at your own pace. From Pamukkale the bus travels east across the Anatolian plateau to Cappadocia, passing small towns and farming villages on the way. After check-in the evening is free. Meals: breakfast, lunch. Overnight: Cappadocia.

If you have booked the optional sunrise balloon flight, you are collected before dawn to drift over the fairy chimneys and valleys as the sun comes up; otherwise breakfast is at a relaxed pace. The guided tour explores the Göreme area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Göreme Open-Air Museum with its rock-cut churches, Pigeon Valley with dovecotes carved into the soft tuff, the rock castle of Uçhisar and the old cave village of Çavuşin. In the afternoon you visit local workshops to see how traditional crafts are still made. An optional Turkish Night with folk music and dance is available in the evening. Meals: breakfast, lunch. Overnight: Cappadocia.

This morning you go below ground at Derinkuyu, a city dug out of the rock on many levels and reaching about 60 m deep, with a chapel, water shafts, storerooms and stables. The bus then crosses the plain to Tuz Gölü, the Salt Lake, a vast shallow lake whose crust turns bright white or pinkish depending on the season. Flamingos and other birds stop here on migration, and the flat white surface makes for striking photos. From the lake the bus continues to Istanbul, arriving late in the evening. Meals: breakfast, lunch. Overnight: Istanbul.

After breakfast you check out of the hotel and the tour ends. If you would like to add nights or day tours in Istanbul, contact us and we will suggest options. Meals: breakfast.