The Wonders of Turkey: Classical Turkey 13 Day Tour

Customer Reviews

• EG

  erminio

  · May 17th, 2025
  We spent 13 glorious days in Turkey. Utku, our guide was awesome. He communicated well. He shared his knowledge about the country's history, the different cultures and nature. He also told us many interesting side stories about Turkish traditions. Oskan, our driver was excellent at his job with a pleasant attitude and a big smile. Utku and Oskan were excellent: cordial, patient and always ready to help us
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  Dorak Tours commented on this review

  Hello Erminio, It sounds like you had an amazing time in Turkey! We're so glad to hear that Utku and Oskan made your experience special with their knowledge, kindness, and professionalism. Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback! Thank you... Show more
  Trip date: April 2025
• TW

  Terence

  · May 7th, 2025
  The Wonders of Turkey holiday was great, but there were a few disappointments… The tour itself ticked all the boxes and went to all the amazing places we wanted to see. The transport was great - Ali was an excellent driver. The hotels were really good, though sometimes a bit isolated. The meals in the hotel were disappointing - a buffet every night. The hot food was barely warm and mushy. Fortunately there were lots of salad to fill up on. The tour guide was disappointing. On our first morning I explained to Uktu that my husband needed to buy a warm coat at the Grand Bazaar and asked if he could direct us to where we could purchase one (it was much colder than we expected). When we went to the Grand Bazaar Uktu told us all about gold, and then marched us straight through the bazaar. We didn’t stop anywhere! Uktu said it would warm up in a few days, and that the quality in the GB was poor. That night, in Bolu, it was snowing, and continued to be freezing for the next few days. The cooler weather affected my husband’s health when it didn’t need to if my simple request had been acted on. Whilst Uktu has a brilliant knowledge of his country, there were other instances where we felt disappointed in our dealings with him.
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  Dorak Tours commented on this review

  Dear Terence, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience with us. We're truly glad to hear that you enjoyed many aspects of the Wonders of Turkey tour — especially the itinerary, transportation, and the care provided by our... Show more
  Trip date: April 2025
• 

  Robin

  · April 28th, 2025
  The itinerary covered a good section of Turkey. I could have done without the visit to Ataturk's mausoleum, especially as the country is descending into autocracy. The antiquities museum in Ankara was outstanding though. The lunch stops where we had a choice of items was better than only a choice of a buffet. I liked the day off in Antalya. It was an interesting city, especially the Old Town area. The Cappadocia area was amazing, though we didn't get to do the balloon ride due to snow and wind. The ancient ruins sites were amazing. Utku, our guide, was very knowledgeable about each place, though sometimes I struggled with his word usage/order. I wonder if this is because he also speaks German. I appreciated the stop at Gallipoli, especially as we had two Australians in our group. I would recommend a dinner cruise the night you return. We took the funicular down to the shore from Taksim Square (use your credit card, about $1). Good entertainment, a nice look at the metropolis from the water, OK food. About $23 for the cruise.
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  Dorak Tours commented on this review

  Dear Robin, Thank you very much for your detailed feedback. We would like to note that Anıtkabir, regardless of Turkey’s current political climate, is the mausoleum of the founding leader of the Republic. It is an important historical and cultural... Show more
  Trip date: April 2025
• 

  Cora

  · March 7th, 2025
  This tour was well organized and run smoothly by our seasoned tour guide Halil/Harry. The itinerary included all of the must see locations and sites that interested me, but each day brought a new surprise of wonder and beauty. Because there were only three of us on this adventurer were able to be somewhat flexible. The days started at a reasonable time and ended with time to relax.
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  Dorak Tours commented on this review

  Hello Cora, Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We're thrilled to hear that you had a smooth and enjoyable experience on the tour. We're glad the itinerary met your expectations and that you had the flexibility to explore at your own pace.... Show more
  
  Trip date: February 2025
• 

  Donna

  · March 1st, 2025
  My friend (71F) and I (56F) have just returned home after the most amazing two weeks in Türkiye! We chose Dorak tours for my first ever guided tour based on the itinerary, the price and the excellent testimonials. At first we were nervous as nobody we knew in Austraia had heard of Dorak before and there was not a lot we could find online, except for the reviews on Tour Radar. But the communication from the head office was quick and very reassuring. Thanks again Sevval and Özge for answering all my questions and allaying my qualms! We chose to arrive in Istanbul two days early to acclimitise after nearly 30 hours of travel, and were greeted at the aiport by the very friendly and helpful Enes for our included airport transfers to our hotel. And what a hotel! It was in a great location in the Old City and of a much higher class than we expected. In fact, all our hotels were top quality and in great locations, frequently with a gorgeous view as an added bonus.The included buffet breakfasts and most dinners were extensive and delicious. Our guide Halil ('Harry') was exceptional and our driver, 'Apo', made us feel very safe. There was only one other person (75F) on our tour and Harry treated us like queens. We felt like we were a little family and so well looked after. Harry was very caring, very gentlemanly, offering his hand when sure footing was required. He was funny too and very knowledgeable about the places we visited and Turkish life, in general. He was also very flexible and accommodating to our wishes and specific preferences. The itinerary was fabulous, and while we covered a lot of ground, it was well paced with well thought out rest stops along the route. We were very glad to stay at least two nights in the important places. We felt sorry for other tour groups we saw rushing around and that missed out on all that we saw at our leisurely pace. It is also worth noting that for the price we paid (we got an earlybird discount), there is no way we could have seen and done all we did on our own for anything close to that cost. It was a real bargain. So many meals were included, all museum entry fees too, not to mention the transport costs and the wonderful hotels, and our own private guide. In short, we could not fault Dorak Tours and are so thankful we were lucky enough to score Harry as our guide. Türkiye stole our hearts :)
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  Dorak Tours commented on this review

  Dear Donna, Thank you so much for your wonderful review and for choosing Dorak Tours! It was our pleasure to host you and provide you with an unforgettable experience in Turkey. We hope to welcome you again on another amazing journey! -Ozge Dorak Tours
  Trip date: February 2025
• 

  Janice

  · February 24th, 2025
  Amazing tours so much more than I expected.. great support, great itinerary great company to deal with and everything we were promised was delivered and more.We came in from Australia and from the minute we arrived till we left someone was with us.
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  Trip date: February 2025
• MG

  Mary

  · November 28th, 2024
  We were shocked to find that we were the only 2 people on our tour! Evidently when Dorak books your trip, it is guaranteed. We are so gratefly to our amazing and knowledgable guide, Bora, and our bus driver, Kemal. You cover a LOT of ground on this tour- 2200 miles/3800 km. That said, it is done in a reasonable way with only 1 or 2 long days in the comfortable and clean bus (thanks Kemal). We stopped at excellent roadside places at least every 2 hours. We were surprised to have an upgrade on our first hotel in Istanbul in the Old City. It was a very nice hotel and had an amazing buffet breakfast. It was located very close to the tram. We arrived a day early so that came in handy. Bora met us promptly on the first morning and we toured Istanbul together. He stayed with us explaining about Topkapi Palace with great detail about the structure of the place and how the Sultans lived, including that their kitchen inspired the merging of many cultures into what is now their cuisine. Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque were interesting, as well as the Cisterns. When we had a free lunch, Bora was quick to recommend a great place throughout the trip. Highlights certainly include the balloon ride over Cappadocia's Fairy Chimneys. Because we went in November, it was deemed "winter" there, which meant the heat was sometimes on in our room, making it rather warm. When we were in Anatalya our hotel had an elevator down to the Mediterranean
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  Dorak Tours commented on this review

  Dear Mary, We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your experience on our tour! We are proud that you appreciated the excellent service provided by Bora and Kemal. We aim to make every moment of the tour memorable by balancing relaxation and... Show more
  Trip date: November 2024
• 

  Olaf

  · November 3rd, 2024
  The tour provided a very good all around view of the country, which is mostly shaped by its history and geology. The touristic aspect didn't fall short either, as a free day to our own leisure (think walking trips, day on the beach) was included as well. Unfortunately, the balloon flight in Cappadocia was cancelled due to weather conditions, but at least I got compensated by another opportunity in Pamukkale, which was fantastic. The guide was very knowledgeable, he certainly knew his stuff about Turkey's history. However, he didn't tell us about the airport-style security measures in some venues prior to our visit. Twice I got caught out by them having to leave a prohibited item behind, and then had to go back to the entrance at the end to retrieve it. Some advance communication about the security would have been useful to save us the extra bother and waste of time this incurred. Beyond that, the guide seemed to have some attitude issues, appearing at times a little impatient and anxious, at one point telling another visitor (not from our group) off in front of everyone only because she had tried to squeeze past him too closely. Outside of tour proceedings, i.e. during free time and at meal times, he would not socialise with us but keep to himself or sit with the driver, who, btw, did a great job getting us safely around the country. The hotels were all of a good standard, although I was expecting more of the food. Dinners mostly consisted of buffets, which apparently weren't put out on heatable trays, so if you arrived a little later in the evening, chances were your food was already cold when you collected it. Overall great sites and great experiences; but the service aspect could have been better.
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  Dorak Tours commented on this review

  Thank you for your insights! I appreciate your feedback about the guide and the dining experience; those are important points for future improvements. If you want to come back to Turkey, we are at your service :) -Ozge Dorak Tours
  Trip date: October 2024
• FA

  Fiona

  · October 2nd, 2024
  Dear Dorak Tours My husband and I (Australian tourists) went on your ‘The Wonders of Turkey: Classical 13 day tour’ from 11 Sept to 23 Sept 2024 with only 9 guests and it was great. We picked this tour as it ticked all the boxes for us eg Hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia, pay our respects to the ANZACs at Gallipoli, Antalya and much more. Firstly, Turkey is a wonderful country and has a lot to offer the tourist from bustling Istanbul, walking through the Ihlara valley and visiting ancient ruins. THIS IS OUR FEEDBACK HOTELS: (+) The hotels we stayed at were amazing. Beds were comfortable and breakfast was great. (-) The dinners they served was the same every night! It would be appreciated if there was more of a variety. The hotel at Cappadocia was lovely but the room had no ventilation and felt stuffy, it needs a fan or air conditioner as it was hot and uncomfortable in the room. The window could not be opened to allow ventilation due to the room facing the road and there would be no security with the window open. Antalya was a free day however, the hotel was away from all of the main attractions making it difficult to get around when you want to explore the attractions in Antalya. ITINERARIES: There were 3 different itineraries going around in the group. Tour Radar: Some had the printed one from Tour Radar (they did not receive an updated one from Dorak by email) Dorak: Some had a version that was emailed 9 Sept. Guide: had a different one that appeared different to ours. This caused confusion within the group. Such as hotels, we were staying and what was on the agenda each day. I would like to point out the original tour was booked to go to Izmir but we ended up staying at Kasadsi. To my disappointment, we were supposed to be staying at a hotel at Pamukkale that had natural hot spring pools that we could enjoy a relaxation. We arrived at another hotel way out of town (North Point) with just an ordinary looking pool. IHLARA VALLEY: This was supposed to be a 1 hour walk as per the itinerary, instead it took 3 hours to walk, approximately 8 kilometres! We ended up stopping for lunch at Vadi Dinlenme Tesisleri at approximately 3:25pm. I would suggest Dorak needs to improve with this stop of the itinerary for future tours. FAREWELL DINNER: There was nothing booked. We where all at the hotel it was late and we were all tired. We could not eat at the hotel because there was no booking. We had to catch a tram, 2 stops and walk a bit to get to dinner. We were tired and didn’t feel like going but we did and it was lovely food. BUS DRIVER: Hasan was an awesome driver that drove us safely around Turkey. He also dropped us off from door to door whether it be the hotel or the place we were visiting. Great service! TOUR GUIDE: Erdogan (Endo) he was a nice man. We have not meet a tour guide like him. He was a little relaxed with time management, which made us feel anxious about missing some attractions on our itinerary. However, we did not miss any attractions and in fact, Endo achieved extra above normal operations. Eg Our bus was the first to arrive at Troy. We are very grateful he arranged for a replacement USB containing photos from our Hot air Balloon ride, which we had lost. Endo also arranged for our Jeep Safari tour to pick us up from our last stop of the day making the whole process seamless and easy for us. However sometimes there was confusion when he changed the meeting points at the end of an activity. This did not affect us as we always found our way back to the bus on time. Endo was always polite and easy to get along with however there was one customer on the bus who was rude and he was raising his voice at Endo on the bus, which made it very uncomfortable. Overall we had a great time and enjoyed the trip. Thanks Dorak tours and regards Fiona Armstrong-Watts and Shane Watts
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  Dorak Tours commented on this review

  Hi Fiona, First of all, thank you very much for all your wonderful feedback. We are delighted that you enjoyed Turkey and had a good experience :) Thank you for your feedback regarding the dinners; we will work on improvements in this area. Room... Show more
  
  Trip date: September 2024
• MW

  meichin

  · September 26th, 2024
  The tour is very good only that we are on the road too long everyday.
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  Trip date: August 2024