Turkey Tours and Trips

Excellent holiday with Explore. Well organised, as described with comfortable accommodation. I’ve seen previous reviews that said there were bedbugs at the village stay. There weren’t any. My daughter, an entomologist, checked and there were a few harmless shield bugs in the room, which we suspect someone misidentified. The village stay was spotlessly clean, the family hospitable and the food excellent. The holiday was made extra special by our guide, Nebil. He was incredibly knowledgeable about both ancient and modern Turkish history, a huge animal lover who thrives in the natural world. He kept a very mixed group very happy and had built great relationships along the trail meaning we had great places to stop and have a Turkish tea, a cooling ice cream or an evening meal. I can highly recommend this trip.

I have travelled extensively over the years, but this tour stands out as one of the most enjoyable and memorable experiences I have had. Turkey is a fascinating country with an incredible history, culture, landscape, and people. While the itinerary was excellent, what truly made this tour exceptional was our guide, Bushra. Bushra's knowledge was outstanding. She was able to explain complex historical events, cultural traditions, and local customs in a way that was engaging, informative, and easy to understand. However, her greatest strength was not her knowledge alone. It was the genuine care, kindness, and generosity she brought to every day of the tour. Bushra consistently went above and beyond to ensure everyone felt comfortable, informed, and included. She paid attention to the small details, anticipated needs before they became problems, and always made time for questions. Her warmth and sincerity created an environment where people felt welcome and cared for. What impressed me most was that her professionalism never felt scripted. She genuinely cared about the people on the tour and about sharing her country with us. Her passion for Turkey was evident in everything she did, and it made the experience far richer than simply visiting a list of destinations. Our driver, Emrah, also deserves recognition for his professionalism, patience, and safe driving throughout the journey. Together, Bushra and Emrah formed an outstanding team. I leave Turkey with wonderful memories, a deeper appreciation of the country, and gratitude for the people who helped create such a positive experience. Bushra is one of the kindest and most genuine people I have met, and she was a significant part of what made this tour so special. I would not hesitate to recommend this tour to others and would gladly travel with this company again.

Overall, great itinerary but we did not think the trash to treasure in Ayvalik attributed positively to trip. The trip would be amazing if we can add the ancient ruins at Aphrodisias and Antalya region with excursion to Rhodes. We had the best tour director we’ve ever had on this tour, Furkan of all of our 20+ trips with Trafalgar and insight. (Furkan +90 544 462 19 92). You should have him train new tour directors to be like him 😁

An interesting and varied, although busy, itinerary. The hotels used are generally well-located, moderate in quality, but adequate. for the tour. Our guide Mehmet was very helpful, organised and speaks good English. He helped translate between English and Turkish whenever needed, and excelled at finding interesting and inexpensive local restaurants for lunch stops. We enjoyed the tour. The Explore trip notes for this tour provide a good description of it.

We were well accommodated and informed about the many sites we viewed by ou r leader Kemal who also found additional options for food and cultural experience that added immensely. Recommendations on food and drink also appreciated. Traveled with friend as couple and found our rooms to suit our needs well. Pickup and dropoff to Antalya airport went well. I will look for other Explore trips as our group had recommended some.

Absolutely fabulous holiday trekking in Turkey. I’d been to Turkey many times before but never seen it like this. Wonderful guide with expert knowledge, delicious food and drinks and so much wildlife! Butterflies, tortoises, birds, fish, flowers and such amazing scenery, breathtaking Mountain views. Excellent exercise, came home healthier and with increased skills. And memories!