This private ten-day tour combines Istanbul with two very different escapes: the misty valleys and tea gardens of the eastern Black Sea, reached by a short flight to Trabzon, and Bursa, the first Ottoman capital, with the cable car up Mount Uludağ. You stay six nights in Istanbul and three in the Black Sea region, with breakfast and lunch on every tour day and an English-speaking guide throughout.
In Istanbul you see the Hippodrome and the Blue Mosque and view Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern from outside (entrances can be added), then later enjoy a full Bosphorus day with the city walls, the Spice Bazaar, the Golden Horn, a boat trip past Dolmabahçe, Çırağan and Beylerbeyi palaces, the Rumeli Fortress and the view from Çamlıca Hill. A ferry trip to Büyükada, the largest of the Princes' Islands, adds a seafood lunch and a phaeton ride among pinewoods and wooden mansions.
On the Black Sea you visit Sumela Monastery on its cliff in Altındere National Park, Zigana and Hamsiköy with its famous rice pudding, Trabzon's Hagia Sophia, Atatürk's villa and Boztepe, lunch by Lake Sera and a night at Uzungöl. The next day follows the Fırtına valley to Ayder, a high plateau of waterfalls and rainforest, with dinner to Laz music, and then the tea and kiwi village of Çağlayan in Fındıklı.
The final full day crosses the Sea of Marmara to Bursa for the Grand Mosque, the Green Mosque and Green Tomb, the old silk market, an İskender kebab lunch and the cable car up Uludağ. Domestic flights between Istanbul and Trabzon are not included.
| Tour type | Private · multi-day tour |
|---|---|
| Duration | 10 Days 9 Nights |
| Price | From €3,600 per person |
| Departures | Every day |
| Guide | Licensed guide in your language |
| Stops | 10 |
| Entrance fees | Included |
| Booking | Instant request online, confirmation within 24 hours · TÜRSAB-licensed operator (A-5751) |
Your full program, day by day — click a day to see every stop.
Welcome to Istanbul – after landing, check in at your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Istanbul.
Visit the Hippodrome with the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpent Column and the Column of Constantine, and the Blue Mosque with its Iznik tiles. See Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern from outside; entrances can be added at the door price. Lunch at a local restaurant, then return to your hotel. Bring a headscarf for the mosques. Overnight in Istanbul.
Take an early flight to Trabzon, where your guide meets you. Visit Sumela Monastery, built into the cliffs of Altındere National Park, and have lunch among the pines near Mount Zigana. Continue towards Karaca Cave (currently closed for maintenance; while it remains closed, more time is spent at Zigana instead), then cross the Zigana Pass to Hamsiköy to taste its home-baked rice pudding with tea and walk a short nature trail. Overnight in Trabzon.
Visit Trabzon's Hagia Sophia, now a mosque, Atatürk's villa and Boztepe Hill for a panoramic view of the city. Lunch at Lake Sera, then drive to Uzungöl, stopping at local textile workshops and a tea factory on the way. Overnight in Uzungöl.
Head for Ayder with a tea break at the Rize Botanical Garden, a look at traditional loom weaving and the rafting area on the Fırtına River, discovering the Laz culture of the region. Arrive in Ayder through forests and waterfalls in the afternoon and enjoy free time on the plateau, followed by dinner with local violin and bagpipe music. Overnight in Ayder.
Drive to Çağlayan in Fındıklı, a village of tea gardens, kiwi orchards and wooden Laz houses, and walk a nature trail along the river. Lunch in Çayeli features its famous dry-bean dish. Continue along the coast to Trabzon for free time in the old bazaar, then transfer to the airport for the flight back to Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.
Visit the 5th-century city walls, the Spice Bazaar and the Golden Horn, then cruise the Bosphorus past Dolmabahçe Palace, Yıldız, Çırağan Palace, Ortaköy and the Rumeli Fortress. Cross the Bosphorus Bridge to Asia for Beylerbeyi Palace and the panorama from Çamlıca Hill. (Beylerbeyi is replaced by the Chora on Mondays and Thursdays; the Golden Horn replaces the Spice Bazaar on Sundays.) Overnight in Istanbul.
Take the ferry to Büyükada, largest of the Princes' Islands, once a place of exile for Byzantine nobles and later a summer resort of pinewoods and wooden mansions. Enjoy lunch at a fish restaurant and a phaeton ride among the pines before returning to Istanbul in the evening. Overnight in Istanbul.
Cross by ferry and drive to Bursa, the first Ottoman capital. Taste the famous İskender kebab, stroll through the old markets and visit the Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami), the Green Mosque, the Green Tomb and the old silk market, and ride the cable car up Mount Uludağ. Return to Istanbul in the evening. Overnight in Istanbul.
Transfer to Istanbul Airport for your flight home.
Istanbul – Arrival → Istanbul – Old City Tour → Trabzon – Sumela & Hamsiköy → Trabzon – Uzungöl → Rize – Ayder Plateau → Fındıklı – Trabzon – Istanbul → Istanbul – Bosphorus & Two Continents → Istanbul – Princes' Islands → Bursa & Uludağ → Istanbul – Departure
Modern, comfortable and fully-equipped vehicles — the same fleet we use on your tour.
👥 54 Seats
👥 37 Seats (2+1 VIP)
👥 55 Seats
👥 54 Seats
👥 50 Seats
👥 50 Seats
👥 50 Seats
👥 46 Seats
👥 37+2 Seats
👥 37 Seats
👥 35 Seats
👥 16+1 Seats
👥 16+1 Seats
👥 12+1 Seats
👥 6+1 Seats
Extra day tours you can add along your route — Istanbul – Arrival, Istanbul – Old City Tour, Trabzon – Sumela & Hamsiköy, Trabzon – Uzungöl, Rize – Ayder Plateau, Fındıklı – Trabzon – Istanbul, Istanbul – Bosphorus & Two Continents, Istanbul – Princes' Islands, Bursa & Uludağ, Istanbul – Departure.
Daily
Daily
Daily
Daily
Daily
Daily
Daily
Daily
Daily
Daily
Daily
Daily
Fill in your details and we confirm your private departure within 24 hours.
Real, verified reviews from travellers who explored Turkey with us.
My husband and I chose Inca Tour for our honeymoon and we are so glad we did. The boutique hotel selection was beautiful and the Bosphorus dinner cruise was so romantic. Thank you for making our trip special!
It was important for us to have a guide who spoke Russian, and Ender was wonderful. He explained every detail at Dolmabahce Palace. The Princes Islands day trip was a beautiful break from the busy city.
Our guide Ender was incredibly knowledgeable about Turkish history. The hot-air balloon ride at sunrise in Cappadocia was the highlight of our trip. Everything was perfectly organized — from airport pick-up to the last d...
Ender was our Italian-speaking guide and we felt like family. He took us to local spots tourists never see. The hotel choice in Sultanahmet was perfect for walking everywhere.
10+ years later we still talk about our Cappadocia balloon ride and the Bosphorus sunset cruise. Some memories are timeless. Thank you Inca Tour!