Day Trips
3–5 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travelers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$180
per adult
Experta Tours
Experta Tours
5
City ToursCultural ToursHistorical & Heritage ToursPrivate ToursFood Tours
Monday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Full view
About
We offer individualized private tours or small group tours for Istanbul and rest of Turkey. We can design itineraries according to your interest and time and we will do our best to make sure that you leave Turkey with the best memories. During the tour you won't only hear our interesting stories about the past but also have chance to talk about today’s Turkey. Please feel free to contact us. Erkan Karakose
Tours and Tickets by Experta Tours
Food & Drink
4 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$135
per adult
Historical Tours
5–7 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$220
per adult
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
$160
per adult
Luxury Car Tours
4–8 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$580
per group
Contribute
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.
5.0
120 reviews
Excellent
116
Very good
4
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Cheri C
12 contributions
Oct 2024 • Friends
Amazing history in Turkey. Incredible ancient sites. Loved the interactive museum at Ephesus. As well as the landscape at the beautiful travertine pools in Pamukkale. Only downside to Pamukkale was the crowds and disrespectful Asians.
Our guide Okmen was very friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating
Our guide Okmen was very friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating
Written October 9, 2024
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.
Paride58
Calgary, Canada10 contributions
Dec 2014 • Couples
Erkan KaraKose and Selcuk Eracun AMAZING ! ThankYou
Humble, Passionate, Accommodating. A plethora of Knowledge
Highly Recommended .Combining 2000 yrs of History in 3 days. Wow
Wife and I were Taken by these Two. Created quite the Memory for Us
Arranged everything from airport transfer to tastes to delivery's.
A Must!
.
Humble, Passionate, Accommodating. A plethora of Knowledge
Highly Recommended .Combining 2000 yrs of History in 3 days. Wow
Wife and I were Taken by these Two. Created quite the Memory for Us
Arranged everything from airport transfer to tastes to delivery's.
A Must!
.
Written January 6, 2015
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.
Thaks for the great review. Hope to see you here again
Erkan
Written March 26, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
LoveTheWayYouTravel
Halifax, Canada26 contributions
Oct 2014 • Solo
My first visit to Turkey was nothing short of amazing. I travelled with Experta for 12 days throughout Istanbul, Gallipoli, Troy and Cappadocia. Employed as a travel agent, when I travel I see both the travel and industry side. Experta went above and beyond to ensure that I had an amazing time in a country that they are obviously very proud to share with tourists. In planning my trip, they worked very hard to ensure that the itinerary was tailored to my specific requests. Every detail of my trip was well organized, guides were professional, timely and showed great hospitality. All of my accommodations were exactly what I expected, or better, including the amazing Sofa Hotel in Cappadocia which was a highlight of my trip in itself.
Both as a traveler and a travel agent, I highly recommend working with Experta. The are very reputable, pay great attention to detail and truly want you to love their country as much as they do.
Both as a traveler and a travel agent, I highly recommend working with Experta. The are very reputable, pay great attention to detail and truly want you to love their country as much as they do.
Written December 2, 2014
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.
Clint H
Austin, TX18 contributions
Jul 2013 • Couples
I really had second thoughts about visiting Istanbul, Turkey. I kept thinking about all the unrest and protests and it being an Islamic country. I could not be more wrong.
I woke up to the most beautiful view of a coastline I have ever seen. The cruise ship came into Port in Istanbul Turkey at 7 AM in the morning. I woke up at 6:00 to see the most majestic and beautiful cites of a very well preserved ancient city. I was immediately excited to jump off the ship and begin our visit. I was more glad I had scheduled a private guide for this visit.
We were met at the exit of the port authority by Erkan "pronounced AirCon" Karakose our private guide. A short walk to the light rail train station we were on our way. Erkan was an amazing guide, he is a well dressed well spoken gentlemen who spoke English very well. When I say very well... actually as good as any rednecked American or Brit.
Our first visit was to Topkapi Palace. To both our amazement, Erkan too, we were the first souls to enter the palace, which was amazing. Erkan was an encyclopedia of historic knowledge and as a history buff... I enjoyed that very much.
We visited the Haghia Sofia, the Blue Mosque, and the Basilica Cistern as well. I particularily enjoyed our lunch at a local out of the way cafe. One thing I really liked about Erkan was that we did some things that were very uncharacteristic of tourists... he kept us out of the Grand Bazzar from a shopping point of view. If we wanted to buy something, he took us to a gov't store where everything was certified "Made in Turkey" by Turkish Artisans. We bought a bowl that cost us about 1/4 what they were asking for at the Bazzar. We also stopped by a scarf vendor who sold us Turkish Scarves... not Chinese or Indian. Stay away from buying at the Bazzar... He coined the Bazzar a killing field for cruise tourists... after walking through there... I see exactly why.
He also took us roof top at some merchant building... felt like James Bond walking on the roof... but the view was amazing. A complete panoramic view of Istanbul. That was Amazing!!!
We had an amazing trip and we have Erkan to thank for the priceless memories we will cherish forever. I can't wait to come back to see our good friend. When you inquire, you might think it is a bit expensive... but trust me... it really isn't when you consider he is covering all the fees, skipping the lines and leaving you with memories others on the cruise wish they had.
Make sure you are fit to walk... alot.
Thank you Erkan!!!
I woke up to the most beautiful view of a coastline I have ever seen. The cruise ship came into Port in Istanbul Turkey at 7 AM in the morning. I woke up at 6:00 to see the most majestic and beautiful cites of a very well preserved ancient city. I was immediately excited to jump off the ship and begin our visit. I was more glad I had scheduled a private guide for this visit.
We were met at the exit of the port authority by Erkan "pronounced AirCon" Karakose our private guide. A short walk to the light rail train station we were on our way. Erkan was an amazing guide, he is a well dressed well spoken gentlemen who spoke English very well. When I say very well... actually as good as any rednecked American or Brit.
Our first visit was to Topkapi Palace. To both our amazement, Erkan too, we were the first souls to enter the palace, which was amazing. Erkan was an encyclopedia of historic knowledge and as a history buff... I enjoyed that very much.
We visited the Haghia Sofia, the Blue Mosque, and the Basilica Cistern as well. I particularily enjoyed our lunch at a local out of the way cafe. One thing I really liked about Erkan was that we did some things that were very uncharacteristic of tourists... he kept us out of the Grand Bazzar from a shopping point of view. If we wanted to buy something, he took us to a gov't store where everything was certified "Made in Turkey" by Turkish Artisans. We bought a bowl that cost us about 1/4 what they were asking for at the Bazzar. We also stopped by a scarf vendor who sold us Turkish Scarves... not Chinese or Indian. Stay away from buying at the Bazzar... He coined the Bazzar a killing field for cruise tourists... after walking through there... I see exactly why.
He also took us roof top at some merchant building... felt like James Bond walking on the roof... but the view was amazing. A complete panoramic view of Istanbul. That was Amazing!!!
We had an amazing trip and we have Erkan to thank for the priceless memories we will cherish forever. I can't wait to come back to see our good friend. When you inquire, you might think it is a bit expensive... but trust me... it really isn't when you consider he is covering all the fees, skipping the lines and leaving you with memories others on the cruise wish they had.
Make sure you are fit to walk... alot.
Thank you Erkan!!!
Written August 3, 2013
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.
Michael P
Beccles16 contributions
Oct 2015 • Couples
Our exclusive guided tour of Turkey was an exceptional experience as we travelled with Erkan our guide and Halice our driver both of whom were caring, professional and constantly attentive of our needs ensuring we were deeply immersed in the country, culture, sights and cuisine.
Erkan realised that we were interested in the history of Turkey and took us to places off the beaten track that he thought we would find interesting which weren`t on the itinerary. He also took us to meet a family and we had a typical Turkish lunch.
Erkan realised that we were interested in the history of Turkey and took us to places off the beaten track that he thought we would find interesting which weren`t on the itinerary. He also took us to meet a family and we had a typical Turkish lunch.
Written November 4, 2015
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.
DougandYvonneU
Bothell, WA42 contributions
Sep 2015 • Couples
Erkan is charming, dependable, extremely knowledgeable and speaks English like it was his native language. He was insightful, quickly picking up on our interests, mobility issues with our disabled son, our energy levels and made our visit to Istanbul absolutely perfect.
Written October 8, 2015
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.
daniele c
Rome, Italy1 contribution
Jul 2014 • Solo
I spent 10 days in Istanbul and everything was perfectly organised. Erkan's deep knowledge of the city's spots, history, views and restaurants really makes you enjoy Istanbul and the country in the best way you possibly can. We also visited çanakkale and spent an amazing day at a beach near Troy, in front of a beautiful island. Before the trip the communication with Erkan was always quick and accurate, he always responded to any question or comment and worries! :) From food to transfers and the accomodations..5 stars ain't enough. Everything was arranged in any single detail and we had a lot of fun! The food was always great and they are open minded, easygoing and fun people. Thank you again so much! Can't wait to get back someday soon! All the best
Written May 25, 2015
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.
Baldtotravel
Emerald, Australia370 contributions
My family and I were fortunate to have Erkan as our guide during our holiday to Turkey. Erkan's knowledge, whether it being of the amazing Turkish history or its tumultuous religious past was truly awesome. As a family we enjoy authentic meals wherever we travel, and Erkan always surprised us with excellent choices. We would highly recommend Erkan for any tour of Istanbul or Turkey, and if we had the opportunity to return, we would gladly travel with him again.
Written May 25, 2015
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.
Jessica C
2 contributions
Sep 2014 • Friends
I would recommend Experta Tours to anyone going to Turkey! Our guide Erkan was the most amazing person to see this beautiful country with. He is knowledge, insightful and an overall great person to be around! He shared some of the most amazing local spots with our group, some amongst the highlight of my Europe trip! I had a fantastic time and will be looking up Experta tours when I come back to Turkey! Thanks so much Jess.
Written December 15, 2014
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.
Dear Jessica,
Thanks so much for taking the time to review Experta on Tirp Advisor. And thaks for your awsome comments about me :) Hope to see you here again.
Erkan
Written March 26, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
KT-BRT
Okanagan Valley, Canada1,459 contributions
Aug 2013 • Couples
My husband I travelled to Istanbul in August and before we arrived I sent out a few emails to tour providers to set up a couple of tours. Erkan was very quick to respond, and so professional that immediately I felt comfortable booking two tours with him.
The first tour was the 'My Tour Istanbul' which included all of the major sites in the old city, Topkapi Palace, the Hipodrome, Sultanahmet Mosque, Hagia Sofia and the Grand Bazaar. We met our guide Remziye, right at our hotel, and she was absolutely a fountain of knowledge about Istanbul and Turkey. Remziye showed us how to use the transit system as well, which was a huge bonus for the rest of our stay in Istanbul. People initially might be a little put off by the cost of tours in Istanbul, but it's absolutely worth the investment. Having a guide meant that we skipped the long queues for tickets at every site, we had commentary and information that other larger groups were certainly not getting because of the one on one interaction.
My second tour was just myself with Remziye, and it was the 'Bosporous and Spice Market' tour, which started out with tasting everything imaginable in the Spice Bazaar. A note, don't eat a huge breakfast in the morning! Because I was with a guide, I had a really personal experience in the shop - tasting and trying so many amazing different things. Then on to the ferry that took us all the way to the end of the Strait, with a view out the Black Sea. Lunch was in a small town right on the waterfront and then back in the afternoon to the old city.
When I booked the two tours before we arrived I was a little worried that I wouldn't be comfortable with the guide by myself for the second tour - but my fears were unfounded. Remziye was so personable that it felt comfortable for the entire day, and I learned so much about life in Istanbul.
An overall excellent experience, and we would highly recommend booking with Erkan!
The first tour was the 'My Tour Istanbul' which included all of the major sites in the old city, Topkapi Palace, the Hipodrome, Sultanahmet Mosque, Hagia Sofia and the Grand Bazaar. We met our guide Remziye, right at our hotel, and she was absolutely a fountain of knowledge about Istanbul and Turkey. Remziye showed us how to use the transit system as well, which was a huge bonus for the rest of our stay in Istanbul. People initially might be a little put off by the cost of tours in Istanbul, but it's absolutely worth the investment. Having a guide meant that we skipped the long queues for tickets at every site, we had commentary and information that other larger groups were certainly not getting because of the one on one interaction.
My second tour was just myself with Remziye, and it was the 'Bosporous and Spice Market' tour, which started out with tasting everything imaginable in the Spice Bazaar. A note, don't eat a huge breakfast in the morning! Because I was with a guide, I had a really personal experience in the shop - tasting and trying so many amazing different things. Then on to the ferry that took us all the way to the end of the Strait, with a view out the Black Sea. Lunch was in a small town right on the waterfront and then back in the afternoon to the old city.
When I booked the two tours before we arrived I was a little worried that I wouldn't be comfortable with the guide by myself for the second tour - but my fears were unfounded. Remziye was so personable that it felt comfortable for the entire day, and I learned so much about life in Istanbul.
An overall excellent experience, and we would highly recommend booking with Erkan!
Written September 20, 2013
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.
Hello Jill, on a cruise in a couple of months and spending a day in Istanbul, tours are very expensive and thought would venture on our own, reading reviews on Erkan sounds too good to miss
Written January 10, 2015
Erkan is definitely the best option.With only the day in Istanbul
your Time is very valuable.Cramming 2000yrs of history can be
Daunting .Suggest corresponding with Erkan to set up your most
desired site-seeing bucket-list or have him make a few suggestions
Erkan is truly a great Guide and very Knowledgeable.
Recommended Highly... Enjoy!!!!
Written January 12, 2015
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