Ephesus & Horse Safari Day Tour from Kusadasi – Temple of Artemis

Ephesus and Horse Riding Day Tour for Kusadasi Cruise Passengers

This Ephesus and horse safari day tour from Kusadasi brings together the marble streets of one of the great cities of the ancient world and an easy ride through the countryside of the Turkish Aegean coast. Built for cruise passengers, the daily excursion starts with a meeting at the Kusadasi cruise port and travels in a small group of no more than ten people, with air-conditioned transport and a traditional Turkish lunch along the way.

Shore Excursion for Cruise Passengers in Kuşadası

Arriving in Kuşadası on a cruise ship? The Ephesus & Horse Safari Day Tour is one of the shore excursions we regularly arrange for cruise guests calling at the port of Kuşadası. For cruise guests we can arrange pickup at the cruise terminal where the shared tour schedule allows; if your time in port is short, we recommend the private version of this tour, which is timed to your ship. Tell us how many hours your ship stays in port and we will confirm that the full programme fits comfortably. Send us your ship name and the date of your call in Kuşadası and we will confirm availability.

Day Trip to Kuşadası from the Greek Islands (Samos and Patmos)

Holidaying on Samos or Patmos? The Ephesus & Horse Safari Day Tour is an easy day trip from the Greek islands: take the morning ferry to Kuşadası, join the tour, and sail back in the evening (from Samos the ferry takes 45 minutes; from Patmos the ferry takes about 3 hours). We meet you at the Kuşadası ferry port and time the programme to the ferry schedule. For longer itineraries we check the ferry timetable first and confirm that the full programme fits your day. Please bring your passport and check the Turkish entry requirements for your nationality before travelling.

• Ancient City of Ephesus and its colonnaded marble streets
• Baths of Scholastica and the celebrated Library of Celsus
• Horse safari in Kusadasi on calm, trained horses, suitable for beginners
• Traditional Turkish lunch with a visit to a handicraft cooperative
• Temple of Artemis, a former wonder of the ancient world

Ephesus was a leading member of the Ionian League, the federation of Greek cities on the western coast of Asia Minor, and as a busy harbour it was a starting point for trade routes into the interior. Its public buildings still line the main streets, such as the Baths of Scholastica and, at the foot of the street, the Library of Celsus, raised in the early second century AD by Gaius Julius Aquila as a memorial to his father, the proconsul Celsus Polemaeanus.

The horse safari adds a different side to this daily tour: the horses are specially trained for outdoor rides, and the guides show first-timers how to handle them, so no previous experience is needed. After lunch and a look at traditional carpets and kilims, with no obligation to buy, the Ephesus day trip ends at the site of the Temple of Artemis, whose single re-erected column recalls a sanctuary once counted among the wonders of the world. Minimum age is eight, and entrance fees are paid on site.