TURKEY TOUR PACKAGES FROM NEW ZEALAND

Turkey is, of course, a land of pilgrimage for many New Zealanders wishing to pay their respects to their ancestors and countrymen that fought on Turkish soil over a century ago. Turkish people are renowned for their hospitality and warmth towards the thousands of New Zealand visitors that flock to the country every year.

Turkey is a very long way from New Zealand, and it would be a shame to travel so far without exploring some of the amazing experiences that the country has to offer. Turkey is a land of vast history, the birthplace of many civilisations and the home of some of history's greatest empires. Turkey delights visitors with its dizzying natural scenery, intriguing ruins from throughout human history, exquisite food and unique handicrafts.

Farout Turkey offers a wide range of Anzac tours for New Zealanders, day tours, cruises, and airport-to-airport package tours to help you make the most of your time in Turkey and discover the vast array of wonderful experiences that Turkey holds.

• Farout package tours operate from airport-to-airport. From the moment you arrive in Turkey until the moment you leave, your every need will be catered for by Farout, however our tours do not include flights to and from Turkey.

• All of Farout's tours are conducted in English.

• To see our full range of single day and package tours, please scroll to the bottom of the page, or click here.

What to see in Turkey

Istanbul is the starting point for most visitors to Turkey, and has been a major cultural hub for nearly 2000 years, and a crucial site of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. The most famous sights in Istanbul include the Sultanahmet Camii (Blue Mosque), the Hagia Sophia Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the Basilica Cistern and the Byzantine Wall.

Istanbul offers world-class shopping in its Grand Bazaar, along Istiklal Avenue and the famous Taksim Square, as well as many modern malls.

Farout offers a wide selection of tours beginning and ending in Istanbul

Gallipoli is, of course, the main attraction for New Zealanders visiting Turkey. With Farout, you can visit this famous battleground, war memorial and cemetery with a professional tour guide. You will visit Anzac Cove, Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial, Lone Pine Australian Memorial, the key battleground of Quinn's Post, as well as The Nek, which is the site of the tragic battle as depicted in the movie Gallipoli with Mel Gibson, and the memorial of the Turkish 57^th Regiment. Farout tours to Gallipoli also enable you to visit the Kabatepe Museum, aka the Gallipoli War Museum.

Farout offers day tours to Gallipoli, and it is also included in many of our airport-to-airport package tours, including Anzac Day tours.

Cappadocia is a stunning region of canyons, amazing rock formations, vast underground cities, with houses, churches, monasteries and even a castle carved into the mountainsides. It is also the world's premier location for hot air ballooning. This surrealistic landscape is the must-see destination of Turkey. Almost all of Farout's tours visit spectacular Cappadocia.

Ephesus is one of the world's best archaeological sites, at one time being the second-largest city in the Roman Empire and home to the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Here you can also visit the 24,000 seat Great Theatre and the luxurious Terrace Houses with their beautifully preserved wall frescoes and floor mosaics. Many of Farout's tours include Ephesus in the itinerary, and there are also tours beginning from there.

Pamukkale is famous for its unusual white cliffs (travertines) and hot springs, which have been used as a spa for over 2000 years. It also features the ancient Roman ruins of Hierapolis. Farout has tours to Pamukkale beginning in Istanbul, Ephesus and Fethiye.

Fethiye is a simply stunning town on the Mediterranean coast. Famous for its natural beauty, hiking, sailing, seafood, mud baths and its proximity to the Oludeniz Blue Lagoon. Also near Fethiye is the Saklikent Gorge, which is the longest and deepest gorge in Turkey (20km long). You can visit Fethiye with Farout, or you may also start your tour there.

Food in Turkey

Turkish cuisine is world famous with a rich blend of European and Asian influences. Indeed Istanbul is one of the best culinary destinations in the world. The most popular dishes are kebap and pide (Turkish pizza), which consists of flat, crusty bread with beef, lamb, chicken, eggs, cheese or vegetables. Don't forget to try the Turkish delight as well!

Almost all food in Turkey is halal, and there are plenty of options available for vegetarians.

When to visit Turkey

Turkey is a large country with many different climatic regions. The north and east of Turkey have cold winters, while the coastal areas of the Aegean Sea boasts a temperate climate with pleasant weather all year round. The Mediterranean region can get very hot in summer.

The most popular time to visit Turkey is in the summer, from April to October, making Anzac Day and ideal time to visit. Tulip season in Istanbul is from late March to early May. The Mediterranean coastline is especially nice in spring (March-May) and Autumn (September-November) with temperatures between 20ºC and 30ºC.

Getting to Turkey from New Zealand

From Auckland, Qatar Airways and Emirates both operate services to Istanbul with one stop. Flights from other cities in New Zealand will require an extra stop in Auckland or an Australian city.

Due to the relatively few flights from New Zealand, you may wish to travel to Australia or South East Asia first, where you will find many more flight options to Istanbul.

Emirates operate daily flights to Istanbul from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, with a stop in Dubai.

Etihad fly daily from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, stopping in Abu Dhabi.

Qatar Airways offer flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide, with a stop in Doha.

Turkish Airlines is Turkey's national carrier and has been awarded the title of Best Airline in Europe 6 years in a row. Turkish Airlines do not offer any services to New Zealand, however they fly non-stop to Istanbul from most major Asian cities. You may wish to break up your journey by flying from New Zealand to South East Asia with a carrier such as Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, or Air Asia. You may then connect to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines.

Turkish visa for New Zealand citizens

New Zealand passport holders may enter Turkey for up to 90 days without a visa. However, as visa conditions can change without notice, it is always best to consult your nearest embassy or consulate before you travel.

Turkish Embassies and Consulates in New Zealand

Turkish Embassy in Wellington

15-17 Murphy Street, level 8
Wellington

T: +64 4 472 1290
Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00

Honorary Consulate in Auckland

9 Marama St.
Torbay
Auckland

T: +64 9 473 1167

Honorary Consulate in Christchurch

c/o Gould Holdings Ltd.Level 2
84 Gloucester St.
Christchurch

T: +64 3 377 6699