Hotel Asur

Ibni Kemal,

Caddesi No: 34 Sirkeci

Istanbul, 34410

Turkey

Tel: +90 212 513 35 86/87

Please contact Kumuka Worldwide or your agent if you would like pre or post tour accommodation booked at this hotel. Transfers are also available - please ensure we have your correct flight details.

Istanbul.  A joining meeting will be held in the hotel reception area at 6pm.  This meeting will give you the opportunity to meet your Tour Leader and fellow travellers.  Your Tour Leader will inform you of the tour program for the next few days before you will all enjoy a local Turkish meal.

Your hotel room is on a twin share basis, (single supplement available at time of booking).  Rooms should be available from 2pm.  If you arrive at the hotel before this time you may leave your luggage with hotel reception. 

Dinner included.

Istanbul to Gallipoli.   After an early breakfast we will drive along the shores of the Marmara Sea to the Gallipoli peninsula.  There will be an included lunch en route and then a guided tour of the WW1 battlefields.   In the hilly land which forms the Gallipoli or Gelibolu area, there are memorials to all the Turkish, Australian, New Zealand, French and British troops who died here in what was one of the most tragic WW1 offensives. It is possible to visit the trenches and to feel what it must have been like to be part of the battle for the Bosphorus.  On our tour we also will visit Anzac Cove, Ariburnu cemetery, the Australian and New Zealand memorials of Lone Pine and Chunuk and the Kabatepe Information Centre and Museum. 

After having time to reflect on the history of the area we will board a ferryboat to cross the Dardenelle Strait.  Our accommodation this evening will be in the town of Canakkale.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Kusadasi to Kas.  Today we will continue along the Aegean coast towards Kas.  En route we will visit the Lycian capital city of Xanthus .  Xanthus was considered to be the greatest city in this region and your Tour Leader will explain the significance of the ruins.  After your history lesson it will be time for some rest and relaxation as we visit Patara Beach. By anybody's standard this is a spectacular beach and the perfect place for an afternoon swim. Patara is also believed to have been the birthplace of St Nicholas, the original Father Christmas. 

We will continue our journey to the charming village of Kas.  With hilly, cobblestone streets, flower filled hedgerows and wonderful views of off shore Greek islands, this is a wonderful place to be based for the next two nights. 

The evening is yours to explore the restaurants, cafes and bars or perhaps shop for gifts in the markets or boutiques.  Your Tour Leader will be able to help you with choosing a restaurant or perhaps the perfect spot to sit and watch the sun go down.

Breakfast included.

Kas to Antalya.  Leaving happy memories of Kas behind us, we will follow the coastline to Myra.  There will be time to visit the ancient city and St. Nicholas’s church. In the afternoon we will continue our drive, passing mighty Mount Olympus and the Bey Mountains before arriving in Antalya, the largest city in the region with a population of over 600,000.

Breakfast included. 

The tour ends upon arrival in Antalya (mid-afternoon).

NO accommodation included on Day 9

Please be aware that arrival times and the itinerary may change due to unforeseen delays or events such as festivals and public holidays. However, we shall endeavour to ensure all sites are visited and that your tour runs smoothly.

Your passport is a valuable document and you should exercise extreme care in keeping it safe. We recommend that you keep your passport on you at all times, preferably in a money belt that is worn under your clothing. We advise that you take copies of relevant pages in your passport and any visas that you may purchase in case of loss or damage. Your tour leader will require your passport details at the pre-departure meeting. Again, we recommend that you have a photocopy of all passport details, kept separate. Your passport must be valid for six months after the END of your tour, and must have one blank page for each country to be visited.
 

Vaccinations:

No vaccinations are compulsory in Turkey however we do advise that you are up-to-date with your tetanus and polio vaccines. You may need additional inoculations so please contact your G.P or a travel medical centre for further information.

We also recommend:

- A dental check-up prior to travelling.

- That you know your blood group in case of emergency.

That if you have any pre-existing medical conditions which might affect you on tour, you make these known to your tour leader and your agent/Kumuka at the time of your booking.

You can also visit www.kumuka.com for further details.

Medical Supplies:

Your tour coach has a well-equipped medical kit that by law must remain sealed and can only be used in an emergency. We advise that all passengers bring along their own personal first aid kit. Below is a list of some recommended items:

Band Aids/Bandages, Laxatives, Upset stomach remedy, Anti-diarrhoea remedy, Panadol/Aspirin, Rehydration remedy, Antiseptic cream/powder, Sterile dressing, Any relevant course of medication such as contraceptive pills.

A complete Travellers Medical Pack can be purchased for approximately US$25 at most Vaccination Centres, Chemists and outdoor travel shops.

Turkey, like the rest of the world, is no stranger to theft. You must exercise extreme care with wallets, cameras and other valuables especially in towns or busy tourist areas. We advise that you make copies of your passport, credit cards, airline tickets and your insurance policy and that you keep a careful note of both used and unused traveller’s cheque numbers.

At times when you are unable to store your valuables in safety deposit boxes in hotels we recommend that you carry some sort of money belt or hidden pouch for safekeeping of valuable items.

We recommend an average of US$15-20 per day. This of course depends on your own spending habits, the number of optional excursions you wish to take and the amount of additional snacks, souvenirs and drinks you wish to buy along the way. Be aware that some places are more expensive than others and your expenses will vary enormously.

· US dollars cash is more widely accepted than pounds sterling.  Euros are also increasingly accepted in Turkey.

· Carry most of your money in Traveller’s cheques - small denominations are preferable.

· It is often a good idea to have a small amount of the currency of the country you are visiting prior to arrival. This will cover you for any initial expenses at or from the airport.

· Credit cards are accepted in the larger cities. You can also get money from ATMs. Do not however depend on using your credit card as your major source of funds.

· Visa, MasterCard and American Express are the most widely accepted credit cards. Visa being the most useful.

How much should I take?

·          A small daypack is practical for keeping general items (e.g. camera, books, wallets etc.) We also recommend that you keep your passport, credit cards Travellers Cheques etc. on you at all times, preferably in a money belt worn under your clothes.

. If you are booked on a tour to Gallipoli during Anzac Day (25 Apr) you will require a sleeping bag IF you wish to camp out at Anzac Cove. You may find it useful to have a ground sheet or tarpaulin to protect you from early morning dew. It can be very cool and rain is a possibility, be prepared. Hotel accommodation is, however, provided.

TRAVEL TIP: You might be tempted to buy a few souvenirs here and there, so leave a little room for those extra purchases!!

Turkey is 2 hours ahead of GMT. Remember that time is not quite so valuable to the Turks and often tasks that should take five minutes can take an hour. Be patient and consider it as all part of the Turkish experience.

All types of camera film are readily available in Turkey; however, it is often cheaper to purchase it in your country of origin or through duty free.

As a guideline, most people use approximately one to two rolls of 36 per week. Fast film (200-400 ASA) may be useful at times and black & white film is nice to use for portraits of local people. A zoom lens is also useful.

Please remember, we are guests in the countries through which we travel and we may sometimes inadvertently cause offence by taking photographs without first asking permission.

It is absolutely forbidden by law to take photos at any borders, as they are all active military installations. Most Middle Eastern countries have very strict rules about taking photos of army, police or any official personnel; restrictions apply at borders and in any government buildings. Please exercise care in this regard as the penalty may be to have your film and/or camera confiscated.

We have put a lot of thought and effort into locating the most appropriate type of accommodation for each tour. It will always be clean, comfortable and of a very high standard. All accommodation is in superior tourist class hotels (3 star and above).

In Turkey tipping is a way of life and very much expected. For many tipping is a means of supplementing their wage and is a normal part of payment for goods and services. Be sure to keep small denomination notes or coins on you to avoid embarrassment. Sales and service taxes are imposed in some restaurants and bars.

Bargaining is also expected and in all souq’s and bazaars prices are inflated to accommodate such a practice. Rule of thumb is to cut the offer in half and work upwards. This can sometimes be hard work but so not let yourself be intimidated by stallholders, you can always say no and walk away.

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers.

Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka

Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

Under no circumstances are any illegal drugs allowed on any part of the trip. Anyone discovered in possession of any such drugs, will be asked to leave the tour immediately without question or refund.