Multi-day Tours
3+ days
Free cancellation
Free Cancellation up to 7 days in advance
Recommended by 100% of travelers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$3,892
per adult
Efendi Travel
Efendi Travel
4.7
Full view
About
Efendi Travel, based in Istanbul, Turkey, operates private tours and makes hotel, guided tour, car rental, private guide, flight and other travel arrangements for those traveling on moderate to deluxe budgets. Efendi Travel has decades of experience in Turkish tourism and has relationships with correspondent agencies throughout Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean.
Tours and Tickets by Efendi Travel
Full-day Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$278
per adult
Private Sightseeing Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$278
per adult
Travelers talk about
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.7
875 reviews
Excellent
745
Very good
62
Average
19
Poor
17
Terrible
32
Ellie A
1 contribution
Jul 2022
Hello fellow Travelers, I visited Efendi Travel office in 30-Sultanahmet office on July 2022 personally, since my travel plans was not an exactly a cooking cutter travel Plan.
I wanted to loop around turkey and visit different cities in turkey and not necessarily these cities were all lining up in one path.
I meet with Mr. Yusuf K. and explained my zig zag itenary and told him that I am traveling alone and need to make sure that I was safe and in good hands throughout my trip. Mr. Yussuf speaks English and understands well. He listen to me carefully and said this plan is doable but I will take time to put together because there were many pieces that we had to put together in order for this plan to work out. He was upfront with everything from the beginning. I needed plain tickets, Bus tickets, transportations from airports and bus stations to hotels, tour arrangements for each city, pickups and drops of private transportations, Hotel accommodations and so on.
We worked together that day for about 4 hours or so and he arranged everything. In the end he gave me folder with a print copy of each and every day explaining the times, locations, names and so on. At the beginning I was kind of nervous but Mr. Yussuf massaged me on whatsapp daily conforming my arrivals and the next day plan and if I needed anything or any changes.
To me this was hands down one the best travel agent that I have ever dealt with and I have traveled many time. During my two and half week trip not once, I had a glitch in my itenary. Every connections, every pickup, every tour and hotel was great and everyone treated me with at most respect and kindness.
I recommend Mr. Yusuf K. at Efendi travel for all your arrangements.
I wanted to loop around turkey and visit different cities in turkey and not necessarily these cities were all lining up in one path.
I meet with Mr. Yusuf K. and explained my zig zag itenary and told him that I am traveling alone and need to make sure that I was safe and in good hands throughout my trip. Mr. Yussuf speaks English and understands well. He listen to me carefully and said this plan is doable but I will take time to put together because there were many pieces that we had to put together in order for this plan to work out. He was upfront with everything from the beginning. I needed plain tickets, Bus tickets, transportations from airports and bus stations to hotels, tour arrangements for each city, pickups and drops of private transportations, Hotel accommodations and so on.
We worked together that day for about 4 hours or so and he arranged everything. In the end he gave me folder with a print copy of each and every day explaining the times, locations, names and so on. At the beginning I was kind of nervous but Mr. Yussuf massaged me on whatsapp daily conforming my arrivals and the next day plan and if I needed anything or any changes.
To me this was hands down one the best travel agent that I have ever dealt with and I have traveled many time. During my two and half week trip not once, I had a glitch in my itenary. Every connections, every pickup, every tour and hotel was great and everyone treated me with at most respect and kindness.
I recommend Mr. Yusuf K. at Efendi travel for all your arrangements.
Written August 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tom P
Orrington, ME2 contributions
Sep 2022
We did an extensive 18 day "East West Tour" of Turkey. Yusuf Karaca did a remarkable job of seeing to every detail, we always knew that we were in good hands where ever we were. The tour guides were fantastic, the lodging and transportation were exceptionally good. We asked if we could make some modifications to our itinerary and they were graciously accommodated.
An added treat was staying at the Naz Wooden House in Istanbul. This is a small, delightful hotel owned by Efendi Travels sister company. It was superbly located on the Golden Horn steps from some of greatest sites in the world. From our room we could fall asleep or awaken to looking out over the Bosporus and marvel at the wondrousness of it all.
We would highly recommend Efendi Travel to all who are interested in seeing and experiencing Turkey.
An added treat was staying at the Naz Wooden House in Istanbul. This is a small, delightful hotel owned by Efendi Travels sister company. It was superbly located on the Golden Horn steps from some of greatest sites in the world. From our room we could fall asleep or awaken to looking out over the Bosporus and marvel at the wondrousness of it all.
We would highly recommend Efendi Travel to all who are interested in seeing and experiencing Turkey.
Written October 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DrMichaela
6 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
Yusuf was very clear in communication, advised about best itinerary, always answered fast and gave us clear and fair pricing. Mehmet was a knowledgeable and approachable guide and we’ve learned a lot. The drive was safe and he had some great restaurants recommendations for us.
Written June 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dave Sinha
New Jersey101 contributions
Apr 2022
In April-May 2022, I travelled to Turkey on a 18 days trip. Besides Istanbul, I also visited Cappadocia, Selcuk, Fethiye and Antalya. As I was planning for my trip, I reached out to several tour operators. Of all the proposals that I received, the one offered by Efendi Travel appealed to me the most. The itinerary was exactly what I was looking for, the pricing was fair, but most importantly, I was extremely impressed by the honest and transparent communication from Efendi’s Travel Consultant assigned to me – Mr. Gökay Eskizambak. Though I have travelled extensively all over the world, I had never travelled to Turkey before, and since we were coming out of the COVID imposed restrictions and in view of the ongoing war situation in Europe, I had several questions before committing myself to the trip. Gökay patiently addressed all my questions in the most detailed manner possible. I was also touched by Gökay’s responsiveness – all my emails were always responded within a very short period. Considering the time difference between the US and Turkey, it often meant Gökay responding to my messages in the middle of his night.
I joined tours for most of the days of my travel at each of the locations I visited. Gökay connected me with local tour operators – they were knowledgeable, courteous and were always on time. I experienced no difficulties during any of the tours and only have great memories to share.
Throughout my travel, Gökay always remained available, by text messages as well as by phone – in the few instances when I had questions for him or looking for any clarification with respect to my tours, I was always able to reach him. On his part, Gökay made a point to stay in close contact with the local tour operators and always reached out to me the day prior to reconfirm next morning’s arrangements. In addition, Gökay also helped me with any general questions I had as well as a mandatory PCR test that I needed to take in order to return to the US. In my heart, I always knew I can count on Gökay.
During my stay in Istanbul, I was able to meet Gökay, so I was able to personally thank him for the level of personal attention he extended to me as he arranged my trip. The level of support, cooperation and guidance that I received from Gökay was a big reason for me deciding to travel to Turkey solo for the first time in a post pandemic world and for selecting Efendi Travel as my tour provider.
I joined tours for most of the days of my travel at each of the locations I visited. Gökay connected me with local tour operators – they were knowledgeable, courteous and were always on time. I experienced no difficulties during any of the tours and only have great memories to share.
Throughout my travel, Gökay always remained available, by text messages as well as by phone – in the few instances when I had questions for him or looking for any clarification with respect to my tours, I was always able to reach him. On his part, Gökay made a point to stay in close contact with the local tour operators and always reached out to me the day prior to reconfirm next morning’s arrangements. In addition, Gökay also helped me with any general questions I had as well as a mandatory PCR test that I needed to take in order to return to the US. In my heart, I always knew I can count on Gökay.
During my stay in Istanbul, I was able to meet Gökay, so I was able to personally thank him for the level of personal attention he extended to me as he arranged my trip. The level of support, cooperation and guidance that I received from Gökay was a big reason for me deciding to travel to Turkey solo for the first time in a post pandemic world and for selecting Efendi Travel as my tour provider.
Written August 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
K S
7 contributions
Jan 2022 • Couples
We were in Turkey to deal with an urgent matter at my embassy (New Zealand) and ended up being snowed in in Istanbul! We had made plans to fly into Istanbul and buy train tickets to Ankara as that was easiest (we live in Tunisia). The airports and roads were all closed the day after we arrived and all trains for several days were fully booked as they were the only transportation available. We were in an absolutely terrible situation and out of ideas. Yūsuf (spelling?) was initially only asked to book the train but upon learning of our situation he spent hours with us checking ways to help us out. He waited on hold for an hour to be able to change our flight home, he looked at every train leaving and returning until he found tickets, he went above and beyond, and then further again to help us out. I can not recommend this business highly enough. After all of his time and effort he still only charged us the usual commission on our booking. An absolutely amazing, kind hearted individual who helped my husband and I out in a very stressful situation. Do not hesitate to contact this agency and ask for what you need while you are in Turkey. Perfect English, amazing service with a warm smile. Brilliant.
Written January 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SaH
6 contributions
Mar 2022 • Family
Gokay was exceptionally helpful in organising our family trip to Istanbul and Cappadocia. He was always swift in replying to emails and provided a suggested itinerary which was then tailored for our needs. All transfers and guides were excellent and it was nice to also meet Gokay in person at his office to thank him in person.
Written April 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your kind words. It was nice to meet with your beautiful family
Written April 22, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
MarathonMan769
Marana, AZ42 contributions
Sep 2022 • Friends
I arranged with my travel agency to have a free day in Istanbul in order book a day trip to Gobekli Tepe. Mr. Gokay Eskizambak was my fixer. We were picked up at 0430 by a driver and driven to the airport. We made our way to our flight to Sanliurfa where we met our guide and driver Murad SÜNBÜL. On the Gobekli Tepe Murad told us about the significance of Gobekli Tepe as well as some of his discussions with Dr. Klaus Schmidt, the lead archaeologists on he sight. Murad’s first hand experiences with the sight were astounding. He was simply delightful… so patient and so knowledgeable. Marud took us to the Archaeological and Mosaics Musuem where, among other items of interest, we met the famous Urfa Man as well as a to-scale exhibit of the big temple at Gobekli Tepe that we could touch and examine closely. Then lunch, and then to the Ibrahim sights in Sanliurfa. Marud was a good host and gracious host and we left each other as friends.
If you’re interested in see the world’s oldest temple constructed by our early ancestors, then this trip is for you.
If you’re interested in see the world’s oldest temple constructed by our early ancestors, then this trip is for you.
Written September 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Manuela, formerly ManuRecovery
London, UK234 contributions
Oct 2021
Gokay tailored for us a perfect 8 days tour in just a few days. He answered our first email in just a few hours whit a draft schedule which was already good, and was ready to adjust the program as we made up our mind about how to make the most of our time. He was perfectly ok with our choice to book our flights on our own and even to book one single day tour with another company.
Gokay checked on us by whatsapp messages during the whole tour and was quick to reply even at late hours, like when our luggage was one of the 20 lucky ones to be delivered to the wrong terminal (yeah it happens! even though other fellow passengers said it was totally unheard of), we were only told 20 minutes after the conveyor belt stopped, and our pick-up had to change terminals and wait almost 1 extra hour. Same when our balloon tour was cancelled due to the wind, and he could find another one for the next days - despite the very high demand following the previous day cancellations - and it turned out to be one of the best available ones (our pilot was an instructor and our balloon was among the very first to take off).
Efendi provided excellent hotels and day tours from several other agencies. Some of them were excellent, others just fine, and Gokay was more than happy to receive a detailed feedback on our experience to follow up with the local service providers.
Gokay checked on us by whatsapp messages during the whole tour and was quick to reply even at late hours, like when our luggage was one of the 20 lucky ones to be delivered to the wrong terminal (yeah it happens! even though other fellow passengers said it was totally unheard of), we were only told 20 minutes after the conveyor belt stopped, and our pick-up had to change terminals and wait almost 1 extra hour. Same when our balloon tour was cancelled due to the wind, and he could find another one for the next days - despite the very high demand following the previous day cancellations - and it turned out to be one of the best available ones (our pilot was an instructor and our balloon was among the very first to take off).
Efendi provided excellent hotels and day tours from several other agencies. Some of them were excellent, others just fine, and Gokay was more than happy to receive a detailed feedback on our experience to follow up with the local service providers.
Written February 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thats very kind of you. We are happy and continue to provide best service possible
Written April 22, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Logan K
8 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
My wife and I did a private tour of Istanbul and regional Turkey between 18th July and 29th July. Our experience with Efendi Travel was fantastic. Prior to the Pandemic we had had paid deposit for a tour in 2020 with Efendi. However when the pandemic made travel impossible in 2020, Efendi returned our entire deposit. Therefore when we decided to travel in 2022, we chose Efendi again.
Mr Yusuf Karaca was very efficient in his communication. We spent 3 days in Istanbul prior to travelling to Gallipolli, Canakkale, Troy, Pergamum, Priene, Miletus, Didyma, Bodrum, Afrodisias, Pammukale, Konya and Cappadocia. Our guide was Mr Mehmet Cumen and our driver was Ali. They were fantastic. Ali was a safe driver. Mehmet was very knowledgeable and had a very calm disposition. They were always punctual and made sure we were taken good care.
Having good guide and driver made our experience very memorable. We would highly recommend Efendi Travel.
Mr Yusuf Karaca was very efficient in his communication. We spent 3 days in Istanbul prior to travelling to Gallipolli, Canakkale, Troy, Pergamum, Priene, Miletus, Didyma, Bodrum, Afrodisias, Pammukale, Konya and Cappadocia. Our guide was Mr Mehmet Cumen and our driver was Ali. They were fantastic. Ali was a safe driver. Mehmet was very knowledgeable and had a very calm disposition. They were always punctual and made sure we were taken good care.
Having good guide and driver made our experience very memorable. We would highly recommend Efendi Travel.
Written July 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fanny
5 contributions
Mar 2022
Gokay organized my 14 days private tour through Turkey; he handpicks hotels to balance comfort with local charm, he made the journey smooth as possible, choice of flight vs long bus trip. The local tour guides were knowledgeable.
The scenery was spectacular! I felt well looked after and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Fanny R
The scenery was spectacular! I felt well looked after and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Fanny R
Written March 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It was a pleasure to serve you during your trip and happt to leave Turkey with good memories
Written April 22, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi I want to get a quote, how much would it cost to take a tour to visit Tomb of Erturgral gazi for a round trip there and back to hotel consist of four people. What's the cost in total please
Written November 3, 2019
Hello - I want to book a tour with your company but the site that was sent via email is not secure. Your team had told me it would be secure and I do not feel comfortable providing my credit card information to an unsecure site. Can you arrange for me to pay upon arrival or send a secure link for me to book my trip with your company?
Written September 9, 2019
Why don't you phone Efendi Travel and speak to someone? They speak excellent English. Have fun!! Alex Joseph.
Written September 10, 2019
Kenneth L
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Wat kost een taxi van en naar Haya Sofia
Written September 30, 2018
Kenneth L
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Wat kost een prive chaffeur vóór Istanbul een zondagochtebd voor twee personen om plaatsen te bezoeken
Written September 30, 2018
Добрый день! я хотела бы заказать трансфер из аэропорта Ататюрк 4 мая (прилет вечером в 21:10) до отеля в районе Султанахмет. Сколько будет стоить услуга для 2 человек?
Written April 28, 2017
Transfer cost is 20 Euros for 1 way to confirm your reservation please send us your details
Best regards
Yusuf Karaca
Written April 28, 2017
Добрый день! я хотела бы заказать трансфер из аэропорта Ататюрк 4 мая (прилет вечером в 21:10) до отеля в районе Султанахмет. Сколько будет стоить услуга для 2 человек?
Written April 28, 2017
Efendi T
Istanbul, Türkiye
Здравствуйте.
Мы будем рады помочь вам. Стоимость 20 евро для 2 человек вместе. Пожалуйста, сообщите данные своего рейса, если вы хотите подтвердить его.
С уважением
Efendi Travel..ths
Written April 28, 2017
Hey cinegard,
I have a question about the shuttle service from Efendi between the two airports in Istanbul. We are going to Kuala Lumpur via Istanbul and on the way back we only have 5 hours to switch between the two airports. We first thought about taking the shuttle bus but it takes around 3 hours which is not really an option. Can you remember how long it took with Efendi shuttle ?
I really would be thankful for an answer.
With kind regards
Melli
Written July 4, 2016
We did not shuttle between the two airports because Effendi Travels arranged all our transportation, flights, etc. We found them quite punctual except in one instance when we had to wait for half an hour for the guide to meet us at Keyseri airport. Except for that one slip, the guide/driver, Memet, was excellent -good at driving, informative but not to the point of boring us, pleasant man. If their other guides/greeters are as good, go with Effendi. Where tourists are concerned, taxi drivers in Turkey are no different from taxi drivers in most countries. With increasing security concerns, I don't suppose it is any easier to shuttle between airports. Play it safe.
Written July 12, 2016
Hello,can you help me about the economic travel by bus on Turkey include Capadocia ,Efesos and Istambul. We are from Brazil and I arived in Istambul on september 12 2016 Please could you a mensager with more informations and the price for to pax.I"m sorry I don"t speak english very much. Congratulations Janice Magalhães.
Written July 2, 2016
A Tripadvisor member
Olá Janice. Não sou agente de viagens, apenas um viajante. Você pode contatar a Efendi travel por email com o senhor Mehmet, escolher os detalhes onde quer visitar e valores. Conosco foram bastante profissionais e muito pontuais. Entre em contato com eles pelo email buscando a página web na internet e fazer as reservas online pagando em euro diretamente ao motorista no dia do passeio, não recomendo usar lira turca devido ao câmbio .Espero ter auxiliado e se tiver dúvidas à respeito de transporte e atrações em Istambul, cambio. Irão te buscar no hotel no horário combinado. Se tiver duvidas pode me contactar que ficarei feliz em ajudar. Não tenho como informar o email deles pois o tripadvisor não permite.
Written July 2, 2016
Was this a private tour or the one they advertise 1/2 day morning, 1/2 day in the afternoon? How many people did you have in your group? Thank you!
Written February 17, 2016
The maximum people for each group 14 person
Written February 17, 2016
We need an airport pick up and I am curious how to arrange with Efendi?
Written September 30, 2015
Efendi T
Istanbul, Türkiye
Hello,
Thanks for your interest in our company. Please advise the following details and we will send you a confirmation :
Name / Surname :
Transfer Date :
Flight Details :
No of people :
Kind Regards
Efendi Travel
Airport Transfer Dept.
Written September 30, 2015
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.