This seven-day programme follows the people and places that shaped Alevi and Bektashi belief in central Anatolia. It starts in Cappadocia, from where the first full day is spent in Hacıbektaş at the Hacı Bektaş Veli Complex: the dervish lodge, the museum and the mausoleum of the thirteenth-century mystic, together with the tomb of Balım Sultan, who gave the Bektashi order its lasting structure. Guests learn how the lodge worked, why its message of equality and tolerance travelled so widely, and how the tradition is still kept alive by local communities.
The route then crosses the Anatolian plateau to Sivas, the land of the folk poets. In Banaz village the group visits the grave of Pir Sultan Abdal, the sixteenth-century poet remembered for his verses on justice, and in Sivrialan the modest house of Âşık Veysel, the blind bard of the saz. The next stage leads to the Hubyar Sultan lodge and on to Tokat, a city of old inns, mansions and winding lanes. From Tokat a full day is given to Ballıca Cave with its dripstone halls, the shrine of Keçeci Baba and the hilltop castle of Zile with wide views over the plain.
The final part of the journey is Istanbul. After the transfer from Tokat, a boat cruise on the Bosphorus shows the palaces and waterside mansions of the two shores, and an evening walk in Sultanahmet takes in Hagia Sophia, built under Justinian in the sixth century, the Blue Mosque of 1609-1616 and the Hippodrome. The last morning is free until the airport transfer.
The tour is run privately with a licensed English-speaking guide and a private air-conditioned vehicle. Six nights of hotel accommodation (two in Cappadocia, one in Sivas, two in Tokat and one in Istanbul), six breakfasts, four lunches and six dinners, the domestic flight from Tokat or Sivas to Istanbul where it applies, the Bosphorus cruise, airport transfers and the entrance fees named in the programme are included. Modest dress is advised at the shrines, and Ballıca Cave has many stairs.
| Tour type | Private · multi-day tour |
|---|---|
| Duration | 7 Days 6 Nights |
| Price | From €2,185 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.
On arrival at Kayseri airport you are met by your driver and taken to your hotel in Cappadocia. The afternoon is free to rest after the journey and to enjoy the first views of the volcanic valleys, rock-cut houses and fairy chimneys that surround the villages of the region. In the evening dinner is served, and your guide gives a short introduction to the days ahead and the sites of Alevi and Bektashi heritage you will visit. Overnight in Cappadocia.
After breakfast the drive leads to the small town of Hacıbektaş. With your guide you walk through the courtyards of the Hacı Bektaş Veli Complex, the historic dervish lodge where the teachings of the founder were shared for centuries. You visit his mausoleum and the museum rooms, then stop at the tomb of Balım Sultan, regarded as the second founder of the order. Your guide explains the role of the lodge and the ideas of love and equality linked to Hacı Bektaş Veli. Lunch is taken during the day, and you return to Cappadocia for dinner and overnight.
Leaving the valleys of Cappadocia behind, the road heads east across the plateau to the province of Sivas. In Banaz village you visit the grave of Pir Sultan Abdal, the poet whose songs about faith and justice are still sung with the saz across Anatolia. The journey continues to Sivrialan, where the house of Âşık Veysel, the blind folk minstrel, is kept as a memorial home. Lunch is included on the way, and the day ends in Sivas with dinner and overnight at the hotel.
After breakfast you travel to the Hubyar Sultan lodge, an important Alevi centre set among old trees, where pilgrims gather and the community keeps its traditions. Your guide introduces the lodge, its cultural centre and the story of Hubyar Sultan. Later the route continues to Tokat, a city with a long history under many states. A walk through its old streets reveals historic caravanserais and centuries-old buildings. Lunch is included, and dinner and overnight are in Tokat.
The day begins at Ballıca Cave, whose chambers are filled with stalactites, stalagmites and dripstone forms; the visit involves a fair number of steps. Next is the tomb of Keçeci Baba, a quiet place of prayer and respect for local people. Afterwards you go up to Zile Castle, which rises above the town and the surrounding farmland and offers a wide panorama of the plain. Lunch is taken along the way before returning to Tokat for dinner and a second night.
After breakfast you leave Tokat for Istanbul. In the city a boat trip on the Bosphorus passes palaces, mosques and waterside mansions between the European and Asian shores. Towards evening you head to the historic peninsula: Hagia Sophia with its vast sixth-century dome, the Blue Mosque with its tiled interior and the Hippodrome, once the stage of Byzantine public life. The day ends with dinner and an overnight stay in Istanbul.
After breakfast at the hotel the rest of the morning is yours. Depending on your flight time you may take a last walk through the neighbourhood, do some souvenir shopping or simply rest before the journey home. At the agreed time your driver collects you and takes you to Istanbul Airport for your departure flight, which marks the end of the tour and of this journey through the spiritual heritage of Anatolia.
Handpicked 3-, 4- and 5-star hotels along your route. Choose your category — the price adapts.
Exact hotels are confirmed on booking based on availability and your chosen category; equivalent alternatives may be offered.
Cappadocia → Hacibektas → Banaz / Sivrialan / Sivas → Hubyar / Tokat → Ballica Cave / Zile / Tokat → Istanbul
Modern, comfortable and fully-equipped vehicles — the same fleet we use on your tour.
👥 54 Seats
👥 37 Seats (2+1 VIP)
👥 55 Seats
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👥 50 Seats
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👥 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 — Cappadocia, Hacibektas, Banaz / Sivrialan / Sivas, Hubyar / Tokat, Ballica Cave / Zile / Tokat, Istanbul.
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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!