I considering the Turkey Land and Sea tour in late June. I have travelled to Europe many times, but never backpacking or adventure tour style... or to a Muslim country. I've been looking at GAP and Trek, but I'm afraid their "original" tours may be a bit to rough for me.
If anyone has done this tour before, can you give me any names or samples of the accomodations you stayed at? What would be comparable in North America?
I also got a strong impression from GAP that a Backpack was preferred for travellers. Is this also the case with Imaginative? I would like to bring a smaller wheeled suitcase.
I thinking of staying for 4 extra nights in Istanbul after the tour is done. Is this enough time? And being a woman by herself, do you see any problems with me hanging out in Istanbul by myself?
Any comments would be greatly appeciated.
Thanks,
Hello birdiechic,
Thanks for posting and welcome to the forums.
While Turkey is 95% Muslim, the country itself is run in a very secular way in comparison to a lot of other countries such as Egypt. Having said that I would recommend you still apply the same guidelines and common sense (such as dressing conservatively) in Turkey as you would for other countries.
Turkey is a fantastic country to visit which is welcoming to visitors and I don't think you would have any problems at all having 4 extra nights in Istanbul at the end of tour. Especially bearing in mind that you will by then have already been in Turkey for 2 weeks and will have "found your feet" a little more. There is certainly plenty to do in Istanbul for several days!
While I can't give you details of the hotels you stay at during the tour I can tell you that the start and end point is the Newport Hotel, Mithat Pasa Cad., Abuhayat Sok. No. 9, Beyazit, Istanbul. Having not visited North America I can't really compare but hopefully another forum reader may be able to help. The hotels would be roughly the equivalent of a western 2/3 star standard.
With regards to luggage, we normally do recommend a backpack but there is nothing to stop you taking a smaller wheeled suitcase if this is what you prefer. I have been on tours where people have both and the only thing really to bear in mind is that it is small enough to fit into luggage space on the sleeper train.
I hope this helps with your questions but if you need anything else please get in touch any time.
Regards
Kelly
Thanks Kelly, that's good info. By any chance are you able to tell me hotels the tour has stayed at in the past?
Regarding the sleeper train... do you know what company it is or what the dementions would be for luggage? The airlines normally do list this.
Vancouver,BC
Hi Birdiechic,
There is a wonderful website you might want to look at which shows pictures of all the different trains in Turkey:
http://www.seat61.com/Turkey2.htm
When I was on a Turkey tour some years ago we were in the "Couchette" style sleeper and the bags have to be in the cabin with you so there is not a huge amount of space but it is fine as long as people have "normal" sized backpacks and cases and nothing really enormous.
We also have a bit of information in our trip dossier about the trains:
http://www.imaginative-traveller.com/trips/ttls/dossier#supplement
I'm afraid I can't give you any past hotel names as I am sorry but we simply don't have these here in the UK office. We have the advantage of having a locally situated destination manager who makes all the arrangements "on the ground" including tour leader scheduling and booking hotels and services. The start and end point hotel is a good guide as to the general standard of hotels on the tour, though.
Best regards
Kelly
Turkey - Land and Sea - ACCOMODATIONS
Dear Traveller,
Please don’t worry about the hotels! Here is my experience. Hope you enjoy reading and BOOK with ImTav.
The hotel in Istanbul (Allstar Sunlight) was not really close to major attractions but was certainly within walking distance; Ankara – we enjoyed Spor Hotel as there was a great restaurant just up at the end of the street with reasonable food and prices – Mutlu Kebap; Cappadocia – we were so lucky to stay in Avanos at Sofa Hotel – each room is totally different and run by an artisan; Konya – we did not have a homestay for our trip so can’t comment; Kas was great – good hotel Kekova just off the main street and there are great restaurants (Smiley’s is pricey but good food); oh the gulet cruise is superb – the vistas, the Lycian tombs, Roman ruins, great food and the rooms and facilities; Selcuk – we stayed at Hotel Kalehan that was within walking distance to the old town where storks nest on the Roman aqueducts – there was a great restaurant “”Old House” – try it out; Ephesus – the very BEST Roman town we found in Turkey, Egypt and Jordan! Assos is a small fishing village and we stayed at Kervansaray right on the waterfront and enjoyed a night visit to Sirice for a walkabout and dinner (nice steep hillside); Canakkale we were lucky to stay at a new hotel right on the waterfront by the ferries (close the window to keep out the noise of the waterfront walkway) – the hotel was indeed lovely; and then you are back in Istanbul.
If you can spend a few more days in Istanbul as the city has lots to offer. We in fact spent a whole week and if you budget is tight there is a backpackers hotel down where we stayed in Sultanamet but if you have the dosh go for “Empress Zoe” and take time to see all that Istanbul as to offer.
Enjoy your travels.
Turkey is a fantastic country to visit which is welcoming to visitors and I don't think you would have any problems at all having 4 extra nights in Istanbul at the end of tour. Especially bearing in mind that you will by then have already been in Turkey for 2 weeks and will have "found your feet" a little more. There is certainly plenty to do in Istanbul for several days!