The time has come for me to announce the next Wandering Earl Tour…
“I Love Istanbul” Tour
Dates: May 1st – 6th, 2013
This unique tour of Istanbul is being organized by myself and my good friend/fellow travel blogger Anil from FoxNomad.com after the idea to organize such a tour came to us one day while discussing how much we both, well, love Istanbul. And the more we talked about, the more we realized that, as a result of our own travel experiences and the contacts/ connections we’ve made in this city, we could put together an amazing itinerary, one that offers an experience unlike any other. So, we got to work and put together this tour, and now we’re ready to take bookings!
Here’s a description of what this tour is all about….
“The tour will cover major sights such as the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia, but will also focus on lesser known locations and neighborhoods throughout this city. The “I Love Istanbul Tour” offers an experience that simply could not be had on your own. You’ll have visits to impressive Ottoman-era palaces, unique and educational walking tours, a hamam experience (Turkish bath!) and even behind-the-scenes access to Turkey’s most famous baklava factory (complete with a baklava ‘tasting’ session) all as part of the adventure as well.
That’s not to mention the incredible Turkish cuisine that you’ll enjoy along the way, with nightlong traditional mehane dinners, lunches at some of the best local joints, incredible Ottoman cuisine and the most delicious street food the city has to offer. As for entertainment, how about some Turkish folk music at a popular late night venue, a night out along famous Istiklal Street and a relaxing evening or two chatting with locals, sipping tea and puffing away at a shisha cafe. It’s all included, plus plenty more, part of this unforgettable six-day experience to one of the greatest cities in the world!”
What’s Included:
Accommodation – 5 nights (private room) at a wonderful historic hotel in a prime area
Meals – breakfast and dinner every day, as well as some lunches
Transportation – airport pickup, unlimited tram/bus/ferry pass, all taxi rides
All mentioned activities and all associated entrance fees
Plenty of excellent surprises along the way!
What’s Not Included:
Flights or other transportation to/from Istanbul
Meals not mentioned
Travel/health insurance (will be required)
Passport/visa fees
Tour Dates: May 1st – 6th, 2013 Tour Cost: $1995 USD per person
If you’re interested, just send me an email and I’ll forward you a more comprehensive description of the tour. Once you have a read of that, if you then want to confirm your spot, just follow the deposit instructions and you’ll be all set to go.
Keep in mind that space is very limited. We’ve already had a few people sign up from those who asked to be placed on our early list and we’ll only be taking a maximum of 8 participants. This way, we can keep the tour truly personal and ensure that this is the most rewarding adventure imaginable!
If you have any questions at all about the tour or about Istanbul, just let me know…
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Hey Earl,
I’m leaving Amman tomorrow (May2) for 5 days in Istanbul. I already arranged a bed (airbnb) but would welcome a tour of the sort you describe. Do you have room for a tag-a-long for a few days?
I teach 3rd grade at an American school here and am so eager for this trip.
Thanks,
merrill
whereistherent
January 31, 2013 at 10:51 am - Reply
Istanbul is an incredible city, but $2k plus travel?! Wowsers…
Wandering Earl
February 5, 2013 at 10:40 am - Reply
@whereistherent: This tour offers an experience unlike any other and we make very little off of this tour. The money is used to enhance the trip and guarantee that it’s as amazing an experience as possible. We thought long and hard about the price and given all that we want to include, this is as cheap as we could make it.
RunAwayHippie
January 29, 2013 at 11:17 am - Reply
ahhh that sounds like an amazing tour Earl! i wish I finished school before that time, then I would definitely go! I hope it turns out well for you and all the participants 🙂 you should do another one in the fall/winter of eastern europe 🙂
I’m so glad you managed to organise another tour this year. The Indian one looked amazing and this will be too. I have never been to Istanbul but with my focus shifting to Europe (I may be moving to Hungary for a year or so, maybe even a permanent hop off base) I am sure it’s wonderful Baklava will be enjoyed by me soon!
Anyway, good luck on the tour and rounding people up… Going to share this on FB and Twitter right now :).
Wandering Earl
January 30, 2013 at 4:32 am - Reply
Thank you for helping me promote the tour Forest…I really appreciate that!
I’m so going to participate in one of your tours in the future! I hope you’re considering doing another tour next winter. You can probably count me in then 🙂
Wandering Earl
January 30, 2013 at 4:31 am - Reply
Hey Bram – There will definitely be more tours coming up next winter! I will be announcing them soon enough 🙂
Natalie McMillan
January 26, 2013 at 8:33 pm - Reply
Hey Earl!
I love your blog and have recently got back to Australia from a 2 week holiday in India! It was amazing!
Wandering Earl
January 30, 2013 at 4:20 am - Reply
Hey Natalie – Thanks for the comment and yes I have heard of Jonathan Spollen. As for advice, I’m not too sure…India is huge and the reasons for his disappearance could be one of many. Hopefully the sighting turns out to be real and they can finally make some good progress.
This trip sounds wonderful and I’d encourage anyone and everyone to sign up. My wife and I visited Istanbul about 3 years ago and it opened our eyes to international travel in a way that previous destinations had not. Beautiful city with an amazing history and delicious food to boot.
Hey Earl,
I’m leaving Amman tomorrow (May2) for 5 days in Istanbul. I already arranged a bed (airbnb) but would welcome a tour of the sort you describe. Do you have room for a tag-a-long for a few days?
I teach 3rd grade at an American school here and am so eager for this trip.
Thanks,
merrill
Istanbul is an incredible city, but $2k plus travel?! Wowsers…
@whereistherent: This tour offers an experience unlike any other and we make very little off of this tour. The money is used to enhance the trip and guarantee that it’s as amazing an experience as possible. We thought long and hard about the price and given all that we want to include, this is as cheap as we could make it.
ahhh that sounds like an amazing tour Earl! i wish I finished school before that time, then I would definitely go! I hope it turns out well for you and all the participants 🙂 you should do another one in the fall/winter of eastern europe 🙂
I’m so glad you managed to organise another tour this year. The Indian one looked amazing and this will be too. I have never been to Istanbul but with my focus shifting to Europe (I may be moving to Hungary for a year or so, maybe even a permanent hop off base) I am sure it’s wonderful Baklava will be enjoyed by me soon!
Anyway, good luck on the tour and rounding people up… Going to share this on FB and Twitter right now :).
Thank you for helping me promote the tour Forest…I really appreciate that!
I’m so going to participate in one of your tours in the future! I hope you’re considering doing another tour next winter. You can probably count me in then 🙂
Hey Bram – There will definitely be more tours coming up next winter! I will be announcing them soon enough 🙂
Hey Earl!
I love your blog and have recently got back to Australia from a 2 week holiday in India! It was amazing!
Have you heard of Jonathan Spollen? He’s been missing since the start of last year and may have been sighted in southern India. Would you happen to have any advice for the people searching for him? This is the link: https://www.indiamike.com/india/uttarakhand-f135/have-you-seen-jonathan-spollen-missing-in-rishikesh-since-february-3rd-2012-a-t159252/123/#post1537611
Hey Natalie – Thanks for the comment and yes I have heard of Jonathan Spollen. As for advice, I’m not too sure…India is huge and the reasons for his disappearance could be one of many. Hopefully the sighting turns out to be real and they can finally make some good progress.
This trip sounds wonderful and I’d encourage anyone and everyone to sign up. My wife and I visited Istanbul about 3 years ago and it opened our eyes to international travel in a way that previous destinations had not. Beautiful city with an amazing history and delicious food to boot.
This get together/tour looks pretty awesome, too bad I’m no position to travel just yet. Maybe next year?
Hey Michael – I shall look forward to having you join a tour whenever you can!
Looks like a great tour! Istanbul is one of my favorite cities.
You make me wish I was a rich man to join you in your adventures!
This is such a great idea for readers of this blog and others. Travel w/you and benefit from on-the-spot tips from a pro.
My word… If only it wasn’t smack bang in the middle of my semester this year! Otherwise I would have loved to go on this amazing trip.
Such a wonderful place. I’ve been following religiously since I went to Istanbul last may;)
It looks like a great trip. I’m jealous of everyone who will see Istanbul for the first time!
Do you have any recommendations for Insurance?