TURKEY plus GREEK ISLANDS CRUISE

ITINERARY TURKEY plus GREEK ISLANDS CRUISE (Tour 1) 18 (Tour 3) 27 TH th May - 4th June 2016 (Tour 2) July – 13th August 2016 (Tour 4) 8TH Jun...
Author: Chad Lucas
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ITINERARY

TURKEY plus GREEK ISLANDS CRUISE (Tour 1) 18 (Tour 3) 27

TH

th

May - 4th June 2016

(Tour 2)

July – 13th August 2016

(Tour 4)

8TH June – 25th June 2016

17th August – 3rd September 2016

18 Days - Starts and ends in Istanbul

USD$7500.00 pp Following my successful tour in 2015 I have put together a refined tour that includes 7 days on a luxury steel motor sailor with just 25 well appointed cabins that all have a/c and ensuites. MV Galileo was fully renovated in 2013, is 51 meters long and has an elegant dining area finished in wood and leather. We will visit 8 Greek islands including Santorini and Mykonos. MV Galileo is big enough to sail very comfortably but small enough to tie up overnight at most of the tiny ports associated with the islands we visit. At the completion of the Cruise we have a guided tour of Athens before flying back to Istanbul. The tour also includes 3 nights in Istanbul, 3 nights in Cappadocia with a premium hot air balloon flight over Luna like landscapes. We have 2 nights in Fethiye including a private Gulet charter to St Nicholas Island. From Fethiye we drive to Pamukkale and explore the wonderful white terraces located there, then travel onto Bodrum, the "Turkish Riviera". Two nights are spent in Bodrum before we drive to the Roman ruins in the city of Ephesus. We then fly from Izmir back to Istanbul. The tour includes 6 flights, 2 being international. These flights mean that bus trips are kept to a minimum. All the boutique hotels are 4 star plus, and located within a very short walk of all the locations highlights. All breakfasts and 10 main meals are included.

Contact: Ross Lepper

0800 220 660

[email protected]

Arrivals Day I provide personal meeting and transfers to the Sultanahmet Palace hotel in the heart of ancient Istanbul. A complimentary welcome dinner is served at a Turkish restaurant where their specialty is, flaming Cappadocia casserole . Day 1 - Istanbul Highlights Walking Tour. Our English speaking, Turkish guide will meet us at our hotel at 9.00am. As we exit the hotel through its beautiful gardens we will see directly in front of us the Blue Mosque. Our guide takes us through the Hagia Sophia, the Topkapi palace the Blue Mosque and we will visit the ancient hippodrome and the Underground Cistern Museum. The tour concludes at a carpet weavers cooperative centre, located in the Grand bazaar around 5.00pm. You will then be free to spend some time exploring the bazaar before it closes at 7.00pm. All entrance fees and lunch is included. Day 2 - Gallipoli We are met at the hotel at 6.00am for the bus trip to Gallipoli. We stop on the way for breakfast then again for lunch when we are near to Gallipoli. We then spend 4 to 5 hours visiting many of the sites of great significance to New Zealanders and Australians. These include Anzac Cove, Lone Pine, Clunak Bar and other important Anzac sites. We will have time to appreciate the significance of the sites and to walk through the battle fields, visiting some of the all too numerous graves. We arrive back in Istanbul around 12.00am. Day 3 - Goreme in Cappadocia At 8.00am our transfer takes us to the Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) airport for our flight to Cappadocia. The drive to the airport is unique as we will drive over a huge bridge that spans the Bosphorus which separates the European and Asian continents. We will arrive at the Harman Cave Hotel overlooking the spectacular Pigeon Valley for check in around 3.00pm. The rest of the day is free to explore Goreme and maybe visit Ruth Lockwood at her carpet shop. Ruth moved to Turkey from my home town of Napier about 20 years ago. Remarkably carpets purchased from Ruth can arrive back in New Zealand within a month! Day 4 - Balloon Flight Just before dawn our transport will arrive to take us to our balloon liftoff site. This year I have chosen to fly with Butterfly Balloons due to their 5 star reviews on trip advisor and I have taken their longer flight option. For those interested at about 3.00pm I will lead a short walking tour of Pigeon Valley. In the valley we will visit one of the ancient Cave Churches with well preserved frescos of St George slaying the dragon. The guardian of the church, Fatima lives close by. If she is "at home" in her cave house she will invite us in for Turkish tea and a very enlightening chat with this elderly local.

Contact: Ross Lepper

0800 220 660

[email protected]

Day 5 - Underground City tour At 9.30am we will be picked up for our Underground city tour with a local guide. This tour takes us 7 stories underground, we also visit a stunning cave Monastery and lunch is provided at an enchanting location in a river gorge. We arrive back at the Harman Cave Hotel around 5.00pm. Day 6 - Fethiye At 12.00 noon our transfer takes us the 1 hour trip to Keyseri airport. From there we fly to Dalaman via Istanbul. The flight arrives in Dalaman at 8.20 pm and after a short transfer we will arrive at the Alestra hotel overlooking the Bay of Fethiye. Day 7 - Gulet Cruise Fethiye Mid morning we walk to a nearby pier and board our chartered gulet for a cruise across Fethiye bay to St Nicholas Island. There is an easy walk to the monastery ruins on the top of the island. On return, lunch will be served on board. We will arrive back at the pier around 5.00pm. Day 8 - Pamukkale After an early breakfast we check out of the hotel and are picked up by our minibus for the 3 hour drive to Pamukkale. We stop for lunch at a buffet cafe with great views up to the amazing white silica terraces. We spend about 3 hours at Pamukkale giving plenty of time for a swim in the ancient thermal pools littered with marble pillars. An option for the agile is a walk down the pathway that traverses the terraces. The ruins of the Roman city of Hierapolis surround the ruins and I am able to lead the way up to the very well preserved Amphitheater. We depart Pamukkale and arrive at the Marina Vista hotel around 7.00pm.

Day 9 - Bodrum This day is free to walk and explore Bodrum. There is a magnificent castle in the middle of the town and some excellent shops. In the evening I provided the group with a 3 course meal at an excellent French owned and operated restaurant.

Contact: Ross Lepper

0800 220 660

[email protected]

Day 10 - Ephesus After an early breakfast we check out of the marina Vista hotel and board our minibus for the 3 hour drive to Ephesus. We will be dropped off at the gates above the ruins of the old city. Our Turkish guide will lead us through the old city and give a great insight into the workings of this once great capital. From Ephesus we take a short drive to Selcuk where we stop for lunch near to the Basilica of St John and directly below the Castle of Selcuk. After lunch there will be time for a walk up to the castle to appreciate the wonderful views over the town and surrounding country side. From Selcuk we drive for an hour to the Izmir airport. We depart at 6.10 pm and the flight gets us back to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) airport about an hour later. We check into the nearby ISG airport hotel for the night. Day 11 - Athens Marina Zea - MV Galileo Our flight to Athens departs the Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) airport at 9.55am and we arrive at Athens airport 11.35am. A transfer takes us to Piraeus where we board the MV Galileo and check into our cabins to prepare for a 3.00pm sailing. The M/V Galileo provides a harmonious balance between conventional cruising and private yachting, along with an exciting voyage of discovery, unraveling the wonders of the Aegean Islands. Each day you will discover a new port of call, a hidden cove with crystal blue waters to cool you, a glimpse of ancient history to amaze you and rich cultural diversity to intrigue you.

Contact: Ross Lepper

0800 220 660

[email protected]

Marina Zeas (Athens) - Poros Embarkation between 2-3 pm. Enjoy a welcome drink and meet your crew and fellow passengers. Sail for Poros for a short 3 hours visit, before setting sail to Poliegos. We are overnight at sea. Day 12 - Poliegos - Folegandros We have a morning arrival in Poliegos, a very small island known for its amazing beaches. A morning swim stop followed by a BBQ on deck. In the afternoon we will sail to Folegandros, one of the most amazing and less known islands in the Aegean Sea. Walk to the amazing Upper city and dine at one of the traditional Greek tavernas. Day 13 - Santorini With a morning arrival at Santorini (occasionally at anchor) you will have the day to explore its unique capital Fira. An optional excursion to the Akrotiti excavations and a tour of the villages, including the small beautiful village of Oia known for its breathtaking view over the caldera. We will overnight in Santorini. Day 14 - Antiparos - Paros In the morning you will enjoy a swimming stop in the enchanting bay of Antiparos. Early noon we will arrive in Paros. Visit Parikia and the quaint village of Naoussa. Time to have a fun night and show us your dancing skills during our famous Greek night. Overnight in Paros. Day 15 – Delos - Mykonos There is an optional morning tour to the unique archaeological site of Delos, antiquity’s most sacred island. Later on, we stop at one of Mykonos beautiful bays for swimming off the ship before sailing into the port of Mykonos. The island of the jet setters is yours to explore and the night is young. Overnight in Mykonos. Day 16 - Syros After a morning swim we will arrive in Syros, the capital of the Cycladic islands where you can enjoy one of its beautiful sandy beaches or walk through town and enjoy the unique architecture of the buildings. Overnight in Syros. Day 17 - Kythnos - Marina Zeas (Athens) In the morning we will arrive in Kythnos where you will enjoy a swim in Kolones bay and will then set sail for Marina Zea where we will arrive in the late afternoon via Cape Sounion, the temple of Poseidon. Overnight in Marina Zea.

Contact: Ross Lepper

0800 220 660

[email protected]

Day 18 - Marina Zeas (Athens) - Disembarkation Disembarkation after breakfast. We are met at the pier by our Athens city guide and the tour mini bus. The tour takes us to all the highlights of Athens including the Acropolis and the wonderful Parthenon. The tour concludes with us being dropped at the Athens airport for the 5.15pm flight back to Istanbul. A shuttle takes us back to the Sultanahmet district where the tour concludes.

TOUR INCLUSIONS. -All flights and transfers as mentioned in the itinerary -I will fully escort the tour as per the itinerary -All activities and associated guides as per the itinerary -11 nights in 4 star plus boutique hotels -7 days , 8 night Greek Island cruise - All breakfasts and 10 main meals TOUR EXCLUSIONS -Flights to and from Istanbul ( Istanbul-Athens- return is included) -Travel insurance (comprehensive insurance is mandatory) -Any meals not mentioned as per “tour inclusions” -Any visa that may be required -Tips, Greece and Turkey have a tipping culture. If you are satisfied with your Cruise experience on Galileo a tip of 10 Euros pp per day is suggested -All M/V Galileo shore excursions TERMS OF PAYMENT -A $500 pp discount is offered for full payment before Dec 31st 2015 -A $1500.00 deposit is required on booking with the balance due Feb 18th 2016 CANCELLATION POLICY -More than 90 days prior to departure 100% refund. From 90 days to 30 days prior to departure 50% refund. Less than 30 days nil refund.

Contact: Ross Lepper

0800 220 660

[email protected]

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