About us
Locally run Turkey tour operator. TURSAB licensed since 2014.
A small Istanbul-based team of state-licensed guides, drivers and trip planners who design and run every itinerary in-house. No bus crowds, no carpet-shop stops, no resold tours.
TURSAB Licensed
A-Group #14817 • since 2014
Local Turkish Guides
State-licensed, English-speaking
Honest Pricing
No hidden fees or carpet stops
24h Free Itinerary
A real planner replies, not a bot
How we started
Turkey Tour Operator was founded in 2014 in a single cave-office in G\u00f6reme by a small group of local guides who were tired of seeing travellers pushed through crowded bus tours and \u201csurprise shopping stops.\u201d The first season we ran twelve trips. Today we run hundreds of private and small-group itineraries every year, but the structure is the same: every itinerary is designed and signed-off by a Turkish trip planner who lives here year-round.
How we work
You message us through the website, WhatsApp or email. A real planner \u2014 not a chatbot \u2014 reads it and replies within 24 hours with three things: a route map, a transparent price breakdown (hotels, transport, guides, balloon, taxes, optional extras) and two or three hotel options at different price points. You ask for changes, we revise. Most travellers book within 48 hours of the first message, and you can stop the conversation at any point with zero pressure.
What is included in our packages
- State-licensed English-speaking Turkish guide for every site visit.
- Private car or premium minivan transport with a professional driver.
- Hand-picked 3, 4 or 5-star hotels (we visit every property in person before listing it).
- Domestic flights between cities when distances exceed 4 hours by road.
- All site entry tickets, museum passes and the Cappadocia balloon flight where applicable.
- 24/7 emergency support line answered in English by a member of our team in Istanbul.
What is not included (and why we say so up front)
- International flights to and from Turkey \u2014 you book the best deal from your home country.
- Lunches and dinners outside the included welcome and farewell meals \u2014 Turkey is famous for restaurants and we want you to choose.
- Tipping for guides and drivers \u2014 always optional, never built into the bill.
What we will not do
We do not run bait-and-switch pricing. We do not stop the minivan at a carpet shop, leather factory or jewellery showroom on the way to your hotel \u2014 ever. We do not resell other agencies\u2019 tours under our own name and we do not sub-contract guiding to unlicensed freelancers. If we wouldn\u2019t send our own parents on a tour, we don\u2019t sell it.
Meet the team behind your trip
Our core team is twelve people: four full-time trip planners in Istanbul, six state-licensed regional guides (two in Istanbul, two in Cappadocia, one in Ephesus, one floating across the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts), one operations manager and one bookkeeper. Most of us have worked together for five years or longer, which is why your point-of-contact stays the same from the first WhatsApp message to the airport drop-off.
Where we operate
Our packages cover the classic Turkish loop \u2014 Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale \u2014 plus the Mediterranean coast (Antalya, Fethiye-\u00d6l\u00fcdeniz) and bespoke Eastern Turkey routes on request. Our most popular ready-made packages are the 7-day classic loop, the 10-day extended loop, our 5-star luxury Turkey tour and the honeymoon package.
Sustainable, low-impact tourism
We cap our Cappadocia groups at eight travellers, we use local family-run cave hotels rather than chains, and we offset the carbon for every domestic flight we book through Turkey\u2019s ATA-certified offset programme. Our drivers are paid year-round salaries, not per-trip commissions, which is why nobody on our team has any incentive to push you into a shop or a longer route.
Milestones
A decade of growing slowly on purpose.
2014
Founded
One cave-office in Göreme. Three guides, one minivan, twelve trips in the first season.
2017
TURSAB A-Group licence
Upgraded to a full A-Group operating licence (#14817) — the highest licence class for inbound tours in Turkey.
2020
Istanbul HQ
Opened our Sultanahmet head office, two minutes from Hagia Sophia. Hired our first full-time Istanbul guides.
2024
10 years on
Celebrated a decade of locally run tours. Still no carpet stops. Still answering WhatsApp at 11pm.
Frequently asked
About our agency, licence and the way we work.
Is Turkey Tour Operator a real, licensed travel agency?+
Yes. We hold a Turkish Travel Agency Operating Licence A-Group #14817 issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and supervised by TURSAB (Association of Turkish Travel Agencies). The licence number is printed on every booking confirmation we send.
Are you a tour operator or a reseller?+
We are a direct tour operator. We design, sell and run our own packages with our own English-speaking guides, our own drivers and partner hotels we visit personally. We do not resell other agencies' tours through booking marketplaces.
Where are you based?+
Our head office is in Sultanahmet, Istanbul, two minutes' walk from Hagia Sophia. We also have on-the-ground partner offices in Goreme (Cappadocia), Selcuk (Ephesus) and Pamukkale.
Who are your guides?+
Every itinerary is led by a state-licensed Turkish guide. Most of our core team has worked with us for 5+ years and many are licensed in two or more regions (e.g. Istanbul + Cappadocia + Ephesus).
Do you handle solo travellers, families and honeymooners?+
Yes. About 40% of our travellers are couples, 30% are families with children, 20% are solo travellers and the rest are small private groups. We tailor pace, hotels and activities for each group type.
What does ‘free 24-hour itinerary’ mean?+
When you message us through the website or WhatsApp, a real planner (not a chatbot) reads your request and replies within 24 hours with a draft itinerary, transparent price breakdown and hotel options. There is no charge and no obligation to book.
How do you handle weather problems like Cappadocia balloon cancellations?+
We build a balloon buffer day into every Cappadocia itinerary. If your flight is cancelled by the civil aviation authority, you are rebooked on the next available morning or refunded in full.
What is your cancellation policy?+
Free cancellation up to 7 days before arrival on our standard packages. Custom luxury or honeymoon trips with non-refundable hotels follow the supplier's policy, which is always disclosed up front before payment.
Ready to plan your Turkey trip with a real local team?
Message us and a real planner replies within 24 hours with a custom itinerary and an honest price breakdown. No bots, no bait pricing.