Pamukkale and Ephesus

[Little Miss Magic]

Dear all

Visiting Icmeler in June and really want to go to Pamukkale. I know trips are available but thought it might be better if we hire a car for 2 or 3 days. Presumaly this will be cheaper (costs shared between 3 of us), quicker, no stopping at rug factories etc and we can stop when/where we want enroute.

We are also considering going to Ephesus at the same time. Realise this will be quite a trip, so happy to get a hotel for a night or 2 at Pamukkale (we want to Paraglide there so may need 2 nights?).

Any general advise/info would be very welcome. If is is not a "do-able" trip would rather drop Ephesus - we are really keen on Pamukkale.

Thank you in anticipation!

LMM

[skilly]

I wouldn't drop Ephesus, it was the best part of the tour for me.
It is very hot there and there is no shade at all so wear a hat, or take a brolly like some Chinese people did, we were melting cos we had neither!!
We did this tour about 7 years ago and my brother & his wife are coming to Icmeler this year with us for the first time so might do it again.

[skilly]

Forget to say, we did visit Pamukale, shrine of the Virgin Mary, Cleopatra's pool, and an ancient graveyard during the same trip and it was certainly do - able x

[dksbbs]

We went to both in 2009, I investigated doing the trip myself and hiring a car but it worked out far cheaper doing an organised trip, it also meant I could look at the views instead of driving and also have a drink, the most important thing that made the trip for us was our guide, he was full of knowledge and stories which we would not have received DIY.

Final warning, if you drive in Turkey and carry a passenger your alcohol level must be zero, that means you may be over just having that two or three beers the evening before you drive so be careful.

Dave

[helen2904]

We did Ephesus a couple of years ago, and I must say to me it was just magic. I would do this trip again, but as Dave said I think it would be better for your to do it with an organised tour. Just call in at the ICR office and they will be able to book everything for you.

Helen

[Katiehutchinson_1991]

its quite far up its on the way to izmir
some of the roads are good to drive on though around the approach to izmir
good thing about the organised trips is that they are well done apart from the trips to the carpet factories
xxxx

[Little Miss Magic]

Thank you for all your responses. I will look into doing an organised trip, but the reason we want to hire a car is so we can go where we want, when we want - stop on the way etc, and not have to do any jewellery factories etc. There will be 3 of us, so hopefully the car hire and petrol won't be too expensive to split.

Thank you for all your advice.

LMM x

[Katiehutchinson_1991]

looking at a map of turkey i didnt realise how far apart ephesus and pamukkale are
pumakkale is only 209km from marmaris (according to the cycle tour of turkey route this week)

xxx

[Kalof]

We did Pamukkale and Ephesus last year through an organised tour. It was brilliant. I've been to Ephesus before many years ago but it was still breathtaking. Definitely recommend both places. I understand what you mean about stopping off at carpet factories etc. Our tour (which wasn't an ICR one, sorry John) took us to a leather outlet, carpet outlet, honey outlet and a general shopping outlet. The only one I really enjoyed was the onyx outlet where we watched ornaments etc being made. I don't do shopping, I missed out on the shopping gene (thankfully!)

Chris

[oscarnorwich]

We went to Ephesus 2 years ago and really enjoyed our day apart from the ^shopping stops",does anybody know if the ICR trips include any such stops.Thanks.

[Katiehutchinson_1991]

ephesus is really near izmir and kusadasi
always wanted to go to them both
hopefully will one day when im staying in izmir
xxxx