Six days, three eras, one private van. You move through Ankara, Hattusha, Cappadocia, and Konya with airport pickup and your own English-speaking guide, plus a comfortable Mercedes Sprinter ride. It’s a great fit if you want big “wow” sights without spending every day figuring out transport.

What I like most is the mix of top sights that still feel paced, not frantic. You get lunches included on the days you’re touring, and admission tickets are built in for the major stops. One thing to consider: the distances are real, so expect long travel days between Ankara, Cappadocia, and Konya.

Key things to know before you go

• Private English guide for every stop, so you can ask questions as you walk
• Airport transfers included for smoother starts and a clean end in Konya
• Cappadocia highlights like Devrent Valley, Pasabag fairy chimneys, and the Goreme Open Air Museum
• Underground-city visit with Kaymakli, including time across multiple floors
• Konya and Mevlana visit built around Rumi’s museum and tomb area

The big picture: Ankara to Cappadocia to Konya in 6 days

This tour is basically a guided “time machine” across Central Anatolia. You start in Ankara with modern Turkey’s roots, then step back into the Hittite world at Hattusha, then land in Cappadocia’s fairy-chimney rock landscape, and finish in Konya with Seljuk-era spiritual heritage around Mevlana.

The value here is how the route is organized. Rather than trying to hop between regions on your own, you get ground transfers handled in a private, air-conditioned Mercedes Sprinter. That matters because Central Anatolia distances add up fast, and sitting comfortably is the difference between enjoying the day and just surviving it.

It’s also private, so you’re not squeezed into a one-size-fits-all group rhythm. If you want extra time at a museum wall, or you’d rather linger for a view, your guide can typically steer the pace within the day.

Private transfers in a Mercedes Sprinter (and why that matters)

You’ll travel in a luxurious, air-conditioned Mercedes Sprinter with a dedicated driver. That’s not just comfort for the sake of comfort. When you’re moving between Ankara, Bogazkale area (for Hattusha), and Cappadocia, you want your energy for walking and museum time, not for negotiating directions.

The tour also includes return private airport transfers. On Day 1, you fly to Ankara and meet your guide and driver at the exit gate. On the last day, you’re transferred to the Konya airport to fly back to Istanbul. Fewer handoffs means fewer stress points, especially if your flight times are tight.

One practical tip: with this kind of schedule, you’ll be walking some days and sitting others. Pack a small day bag, bring water if you know you drink a lot, and wear shoes you can stand in for museums and uneven ground.

Day 1 in Ankara Castle area: Ataturk’s Mausoleum and the Old City museums

Day 1 orients you fast. You arrive at the Ankara airport, meet the team, and head first to the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the builder of the Turkish Republic. Even if you’re not an “architecture person,” this stop gives you a reference point for how modern Turkey wants to be understood.

After that, you drive to the old capital area, known for the Ankara Castle and the Angora district. The big museum here is the Museum of Hittite and Anatolian civilizations, described as a European best museum award winner in the tour info, with a particularly strong Hittite collection. This is a smart setup for what comes next, because Hattusha and the Hittites will be a major theme in the days ahead.

What I’d watch for on Day 1: museums can be dense. If you like taking notes, this is a good day to do it while everything is fresh, before Cappadocia starts throwing stunning views at you.

Day 2 at Hattusha: the Hittite empire capital outside Bogazkale

On Day 2 you go to Hattusha, the capital of the Hittite empire in the 2nd millennium BC. The ancient city sits on the outskirts of modern-day Bogazkale, a bit more than 125 miles east of Ankara. You’re not just visiting ruins. You’re stepping into a place that shows how early empires in Anatolia worked.

This stop is guided, including lunch and time exploring temples and castle areas. The description also points to the shrine of Yazilikaya, with key figures like Teshub (the God of Tempests) and Hepatu (the Goddess of the Sun). If you enjoy symbolic storytelling in stone, this is the day for you. And there’s also a relief featuring King Tudhaliyas IV, which helps date the carvings to the second half of the 13th century BC.

After exploring, you transfer to your hotel in Cappadocia and overnight. That overnight change matters. You’re not just “passing through” Cappadocia. You get a real place to recharge for the valley days.

A consideration: ruins are uneven and exposed to sun. Even if the season feels mild, bring a hat and plan for walking.

Day 3 in Cappadocia: Devrent Valley, Pasabag fairy chimneys, Avanos pottery, and Goreme Open Air Museum

Day 3 is the classic Cappadocia hit list, but it’s not random. The flow makes sense: you start with the lunar-looking rock formations, then move into fairy-chimney territory, then shift to crafts, and finally cap it with rock-cut churches.

You begin with the Devrent Valley, known for rock formations beyond belief. Then you visit Pasabag, the area of the famous fairy chimneys, where the guide highlights how wind plays through rock shapes. It’s the kind of visual-and-sound combo that makes Cappadocia feel otherworldly.

Next you head to Avanos, the center of terra cotta work since 3000 BC. You’ll see and learn in a traditional pottery workshop. This is one of those “I didn’t expect to like this” moments, because it’s practical. You’re watching people work materials that have been used for thousands of years.

After lunch, you visit the Goreme Open Air Museum, including rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings from the 10th to 13th centuries. This is where Cappadocia becomes more than scenery. You see Byzantine-era artistry carved directly into the rock.

The possible drawback: this day has a lot of stops. It’s wonderful, but it does mean you’ll want to pace your energy. If you’re the type who needs long breaks, ask your guide where you can slow down for photos and rest.

Day 4 Kaymakli underground city plus a 3.8 km canyon hike near Melendiz

Day 4 adds a different kind of wow. You start at Kaymakli Underground City, a UNESCO-listed site in Cappadocia. The tour description says you’ll visit five floors. That’s important because underground-city tours can vary a lot. More floors generally means more variety in rooms, ventilation spaces, and the overall sense of how people lived underground.

From there, you drive across the scenic Anatolian plain, stopping along the way for views of farms, fields, and small villages. You also have a photo break at Nar Creater Lake, which sounds like a great “quick stop” for stretching your legs and getting a different background than rock valleys.

Then you go to the canyon area and hike about 3.8 km along the Melendiz stream. You’ll have lunch by the river, and you continue toward the end of the canyon for another photo option.

Two practical points. First, underground cities can feel cool, then hot outside, so wear layers. Second, even though the hike is only 3.8 km, it’s still a walk. Good shoes help, especially if paths are uneven or slippery near water.

Day 5 in Konya: Sultanhan stop, Mevlana Museum and Karatayhan Medreses

Day 5 shifts from Cappadocia’s geology to Konya’s cultural gravity. You drive to Konya, the capital of the Seljukian Empire, with a stop en route at Sultanhan, described as the biggest caravanserai of Anatolia. If you like the “infrastructure” of history, caravanserais are fascinating. They show how travel, trade, and safety were built into the landscape.

In Konya, you check into a hotel close to the Museum of Mevlana, associated with Rumi. After lunch, you visit the museum and Mevlana’s tomb, then see the Medreses of Karatayhan. The tour info also emphasizes that Rumi’s poetry and philosophy still draw huge interest, which is exactly why the city is still a center of devotion.

What I’d keep in mind here: Konya can feel more like a walking-and-sitting city than a photo-every-second place. Museums, tomb spaces, and medreses reward slower attention. If you like quiet, reflective travel stops, this day delivers.

Day 6: a final Mevlana visit, then fly back from Konya to Istanbul

Day 6 is short and practical. You’re transferred to the Konya airport for your flight back to Istanbul. The tour again points to Mevlana-related time, meaning you get a final wrap-up rather than rushing out right after check-in the previous day.

This kind of last-day structure works well when your flights back home are fixed. You’re not scrambling for last-minute timing, and you can end the trip with one last dose of Konya’s spiritual focus.

Price and value: what you get for about $784 per person

At around $784.62 per person for roughly 6 days, the value depends on what you’d otherwise spend doing this yourself.

Here’s why the price can make sense:

• You’re getting private transport in a Mercedes Sprinter with air conditioning and dedicated driver time.
• Airport transfers are included, which is often the part that gets expensive and complicated when booked separately.
• You have private English-speaking guiding across multiple major sites.
• Lunches are included on the tour days, and major admission tickets are listed as included.
• Local taxes and VAT are included.

The main cost you still need to budget for is lodging, since accommodations are not included. Also remember dinners, drinks at lunch, and gratuities are not included.

If you’re splitting with a group, the per-person value gets even better because your private guide and car cost don’t rise much with numbers. If you’re traveling solo, it can still be a fair deal if you hate coordinating logistics, or if you strongly prefer private, guided interpretation over “buy a ticket and figure it out.”

Who this tour is best for

This tour is best for you if:

• You want a private guide who can explain what you’re seeing in plain English
• You like mixing museums with iconic Cappadocia sights, not just spending the days photographing
• You appreciate comfort between stops, especially on long transfer days
• You’re okay with a schedule that’s active most days

It may be less ideal if you want a very slow pace, lots of free time, or lots of independent wandering. This is built for seeing the highlights efficiently with guided context.

Also, one small clue from past guest feedback: guide quality matters. People have specifically thanked their guide, Samet, for making things feel well explained during the days they were touring. If your guide is another person, the format should still feel similarly guided, just with different speaking style.

Should you book this private Central Anatolia tour?

I’d book this tour if you want the three big regions, Ankara, Cappadocia, and Konya, stitched together with minimal stress. The combination of major sites, private English guiding, and included lunches and admissions is exactly what makes a multi-day loop like this worth the money.

Before you book, check whether the idea of long drives between regions matches your travel style. If you’re the type who enjoys being chauffeured and then getting focused time at each site, you’ll love the rhythm. If you need lots of downtime or you dislike early starts, you might feel the schedule more strongly.

If you’re ready for a guided “greatest hits” trip with real interpretation, this is one of the cleaner ways to do Central Anatolia.

FAQ

What cities are included in the tour?

The tour includes visits in Ankara, Cappadocia, and Konya.

Does the tour include airport transfers?

Yes. It includes return private airport transfers, with pickup at the Ankara airport after your arrival and transfer to the Konya airport on the last day.

Are meals included?

Lunches are included during the tour days. Drinks at lunch and dinner are not included.

Is the tour private?

Yes. It’s a private tour/activity, and only your group participates.

Is there a guide, and is the guide English-speaking?

You’ll have a private English-speaking guide for the tour.

Are entrance tickets included for the main sights?

Yes. Admission tickets are listed as included for the major stops on the tour days.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours in advance of the experience start time.