How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Zaf was a fantastic and knowledgable guide.He gave us such a lot of information about his country and it's history (if ONLY I could retain it all !)  He made his job look very easy ,which it obviously isn't ,showing how professional he was. He treated all equally and showed good humour throughout.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

It is quite full on so not for those wanting to relax! There are lots of early starts but they are worth it. We went during Ramadam and thought it may make a difference but apart from the early drummers (!!) it didn't affect us.

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Our explore leader Zaf was excellent - the best tour leader we have had of all the explore trips we have done. He was so knowleagable and friendly and really passionate about history which rubbed off on all of us!

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Of the 3 Explore trips we have done this was by far our favourite, such a good mix of places, lovely scenery, great tour leader and an even better mix of people! If you want to visit Turkey - there is only one tour to do!!! This one!!!

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Zaf was absolutely fantastic, he really brought this tour alive.  His passion and enthusiasm was infectious and his knowledge of the sights and historical dates was incredible.  Zaf's archaelogical qualification and expertise was a huge bonus as there was nothing he didn't know.  He would tell us so many interesting facts and paid close attention to detail (we saw a couple of tour groups wander by, obviously missing the crucial explanations of how these ancients sites came to be),  He ensured the group were happy at all times and involved everybody throughout the trip.  He has a fantastic personality and is an excellent people person and maintains leadership qualities throughout.  He really made this trip special for everybody.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

"Don't overpack, you only really need cool clothing so keep to the basics as you'll move on pretty much every other day.  Ensure you have a hat as the sun is intense and temperatures often exceeded 35celsius.  If you're interested in learning about the ancient history, take a notepad as there's so much to take in! An alarm clock is a good item to take as there are a few early mornings but on the flip side if you're a light sleeper - pack earplugs to avoid the early wake up call to prayer! (Amazing sound and it was a highlight for me, even the drummer sounded great at 2.30am!)
Stay for longer in Istanbul post tour as there was so much in the city to see and do."

Do you have anything else to add?

My first Explore Tour and I was blown away.  The group was fantastic, the Tour Leader was excellent and the itinerary was perfect blending cities with ancient sites and  culture.  A classic, must do tour!

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Zaf our tour leader exceded my definition of tour leading: he was incredibly knowledgeable,had amazing inter-personal skills, he advised us on keeping healthy, he was witty and inspirational on so many levels. He worked so hard to make our trip the memorable success it was.He shared local produce with us and recommended local food. I take my Fez off to Zaf.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Take a huge memory card and be prepared to get up and go. The hotels were better than described. It is an active holiday, you explore many sites, so wear comfortable walking sandals and a big fan.Be prepared for the heat because some sites are visited during the hottest part of the day.

Do you have anything else to add?

"It would be useful if the bus had a phone or camera charger we could use en route to our destinations.
I cannot speak too highly of the amazing fun we had as a group, we gelled so well and brought out the best in each other. Laughter was the soundtrack of our trip. Thanks guys."

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Zafer was a brilliant guide.  He had expert knowledge about all of the archeological sites we visited (he has a degree in Archeology) and his passion for the subject meant that his tours of the sites were superb.  He had a great sense of humour and he did everything he could to make the tour special for us.  He even bought us sweets from his home town for us to try!  He had exceptional people and organisational skills and the tour ran really smoothly as a result. He totally made our tour.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

This tour did involve several early starts and the itinerary was packed every day (there was one free day), so you should be fairly fit to really enjoy it.  The weather in Turkey in August is very hot,  so don't bring too much luggage as it is easy to wash and dry clothing (you also move on to a different hotel most days so it is better to have a light bag). This tour is excellent value for money and well worth doing.

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

"Zafer was perfect for the role as Tour Leader. He was always on duty ensuring that all group members were happy and accounted for! The bus driver, Nuri, was not allowed to move off until all 17 were on board. It was our job to stop the river boat from moving off when Zafer was not on board. Zaf's knowledge of archaeology shone through. He was thrilled to be able to speak with some archaeological dig workers at Aphrodisias.
Zaf always organized group dinners to which everyone was welcome if they chose. The food was generally good quality and good value. We certainly felt like one group which included both Zaf our tour leader and Nuri our driver. Well done both!"

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Turkey can be very hot so light clothing and a sun hat and sunglasses are essential. Clothes will dry quickly overnight so you can pack lightly and rinse clothing as you go along.  Take a travel plug for the sink. You will probably need an alarm clock as there are one or two pretty early starts. The bus is not the most comfortable so either take a beach towel to use as a cushion or put the beach towel inside a cushion cover - genuis! There’s lots of walking on this tour so good sandals or walking shoes needed. I wore walking shoes and socks and never found it too hot. Don’t worry about whether you will get on with other group members – you have all booked the same tour so you already have something in common. In my experience just being in one of these groups is a highlight in itself.  

Do you have anything else to add?

"This tour is non-stop, action packed and fully organised. All you have to do is turn up! Some excellent choice of restaurants for the evening meals. Nuri, the bus driver, was very professional and we all felt very safe in his hands.
Thanks to the Explore team, Zafer and Nuri and of course to my fellow explorers."

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Zafer, our tour leader was just amazing!  His background degree in Archaeology made this trip outstanding.  We were so enthralled in his knowledge and all questions were answered.  The detail he went into with regards to the museums/ruins etc, how old they were, what period they came from,  right down to deciphering the inscriptions was phenomenal.  We did a few things that were not on the itinerary  like,  photo stops for the Sunflower field, buying strawberries and fruit from the stalls at the road side on route and arranging a Turkish bath for those who wanted one. I believe that without Zafer this trip would not have been as inspiring as it was.  He is a great credit to Explore. He is very funny, witty and a true professional.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Be prepared to be worn out!  Each day was hectic but exhilarating. You are living out of a suitcase for the biggest part of the time.  Because our group got on so well we always had group evening meals which, sometimes, led to quite late nights!  but if you wish to do your own thing in the evening then that may give you a little more down time. The weather was extremely hot which took quite a bit of energy out of you when going from ruin to ruin.  I would say you need to be quite fit for this tour as you are on the go quite a lot. Make sure you cover up for the Mosque and if you are as lucky as we were and got to see The little Virgin Mary's house then you need to cover up for that too!

 

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Diren was delightful.  So knowledgable and willing to please, with a great sense of humour.  Her timing of visits to touristy places was spot on as we either arrived before all the crowds or after.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Relax - be prepared for long journeys and pack simply as you are mostly living out of a suitcase, but it is worth it as every day got better with the varied itinery and interaction among the group.

Do you have anything else to add?

I would like to mention our coach driver, Halis.  He drove over 2000 miles in two weeks with patience, a good sense of humour and experience.  

I had no idea how jam packed full of fascinating history, both ancient and modern, Turkey is. This is an amazing tour of all the best parts of western Turkey. But particularly for me my absolute favourite place was Aphrodesias. The stadium is stunning and gets a group ‘wow!’ as we go over the top into it!  I much preferred it to Ephesus, it was so deserted and so you had the place to yourselves and it was peaceful and quiet allowing you to reflect on what it must have been like in ancient times.  Ephesus on the other hand, although fascinating,  has been hugely reconstructed and because it’s on the coast is crammed full of cruise shippers. A lot of other tours/companies miss out Aphrodesias in favour of Ephesus and I’m so glad we didn’t on this tour.  I also loved seeing the Ataturk mausoleum in Ankara, again not hugely touristy as this place also gets missed a lot. Ataturk is the modern day hero of Turkey and hugely turned his country around – I had read all about it before I went - fascinating.  The tour seemed to me to be very well balanced with travel time, history, nice coastal resorts, and the free day spent lounging on a boat trip all day was a very nice touch. Then there are the famous parts such as Troy and Gallipoli, Istanbul, the modern and the ancient history.  Finally - a word for our tour guide Firat who was outstanding. He combined his extensive knowledge of his country with good humour, wit and excellent guiding skills, he seemed to know intuitively how much information to give us at any one time never overloading us with too much. He even stopped off at lesser known sites in addition to the tour that he thought we would like – he was always spot on.  An excellent tour and I highly recommend it. (TU - 17th September 2011)

Mark Trow
I don't go anywhere without a bit of preparation and, this trip in particular, required an extensive reading list but what I'd read in the pages of books by Michael Wood, Betanny Hughes and Barry Strauss on the subject of Troy didn't prepare me for the impact of the site. In many ways, its relatively remote location means that it remains largely as described by Homer and, without much difficulty, you are able to stand on the ramparts, gaze about you and insert the Greek warships offshore, the clash of chariot encounters on the more immediate foreground of the plain and feel the drama of the siege of these walls. Within easy view, flags flutter in the breeze on the nearby Gallipoli Peninsula, commemorating the dead of a more recent but equally bloody conflict and emphasising Turkey's deeply layered historical legacy. (TU - 6th June 2010)

Where do I begin... This tour had been recommended to me on a previous Explore holiday, I was told that it would match up to my expectations with regards to historical interests and culturally it would be very diverse and they weren't wrong. Oz was a fantastic Tour Leader, he showed real passion for his country and fellow countrymen. He was keen to hear what we thought of the places we visited as the trip progressed and ensured that everyone had a good time. Turkey itself was fantastic, we visited so many magical places, the Churches at Goreme, the Library at Ephesus but for me seeing the Stadium at Aphrodisias was breathtaking, I actually felt as though I were there 2000 years ago. The itinerary, like most Explore Trips, is full on but this only helps to make this an unforgettable trip. I took over 500 photos and struggled to choose which ones would go in my album. For a short-haul holiday this is a must, there are no negative sides to this tour, don't miss out on the opportunity to visit such a wonderful country. So what are you waiting for BOOK IT NOW! (TU- 24th July 2010)