It can be daunting to pick a tour operator. With so many around — one looking no different from the next and virtually offering the same things — how do you know which ones are good and trustworthy?
That’s easy. Contact all of them.
Well, maybe not all, but a lot of them. That’s what I did when choosing an agency to book our tours and activities with in Cappadocia. I started with my bible for travel planning — TripAdvisor — and went from there.
On TripAdvisor’s Outdoor Activities in Göreme* page, 50 tour operators are listed. Of those 50, 12 are Certificate of Excellence awardees. Those 12 automatically made my list and no further digging was required. As for the rest, I looked at their overall rating and number of reviews. If they had enough, I checked for any negative 1- or 2-star reviews because negative feedback can often tell you more about a place than the positive. I then looked to see if (and how) they responded to those negative reviews because sometimes, it’s not their fault. (You’d be surprised by how many vindictive prima donna travelers are out there) If I liked what I saw, then I added them to my list. I then contacted all those agencies to ask my million questions before making a decision.
After contacting over 20 agencies, I went with Bridge of the World because of a combination of factors — tours offered, prices, positive reviews (5/5), and professionalism. Currently ranked 20th out of 50 agencies in Göreme, they’re not a Certificate of Excellence awardee but they outshone the others. On top of the aforementioned positives, the owner Yasin was pleasant to correspond with as well. He promptly and patiently answered all my questions, numerous as they were. He won my trust, and in the end, that was the real clincher for me.
Bridge of the World offers many tours and activities in Cappadocia. These are the four that we booked with them.
*We were staying in Göreme so I only looked at tour operators based in our area. If you’re staying elsewhere in Cappadocia, then you might want to consider an agency closer to you.
Cappadocia Highlights (Red Tour)
In my opinion, this Cappadocia Highlights tour (commonly known as the Red Tour) is one of the best things you can do in Cappadocia outside of the hot air balloon ride. It’s a great introduction to the area and takes you to some of the most striking spots in the region. If you were to do just one tour (other than the hot air balloon), then I suggest you do this one.
Cost: 35 Euros per person (As of Nov 2015)
Inclusions: Transportation, hotel pickup/dropoff, entrance fees, lunch, guide
Duration: Around 7-8 hrs (from 9:30AM-5PM)
Highlights: Göreme Open Air Museum, Three Beauties, Devrent Valley, Chez Galip, Paşabağ Valley
Check out my post on the Red Tour with Bridge of the World for more pictures and information.
Discover Cappadocia (Green Tour)
Arguably the second most popular tour after the Red, this Discover Cappadocia tour (commonly known as the Green Tour) takes you to a slew of interesting sites located in southern Cappadocia. About an hour’s drive from Göreme, you’ll get to explore an underground city and hike through a picturesque valley.
Cost: 45 Euros per person (As of Nov 2015)
Inclusions: Transportation, hotel pickup/dropoff, entrance fees, lunch, guide
Duration: Around 7-8 hrs (from 9:30AM-5PM)
Highlights: Derinkuyu underground city, Selime Monastery, Ihlara Valley, Pigeon Valley
Check out my post on the Green Tour with Bridge of the World for more pictures and information.
Horseback Riding
Cappadocia in Turkish means “land of the beautiful horses”, so what better way to explore this alien landscape than on horseback? Riding skill isn’t a prerequisite. I virtually have no experience and I had an awesome time riding through the valleys. The sunset ride was stunning.
Cost: 30 Euros per person (As of Nov 2015)
Inclusions: Hotel pickup/dropoff, guide
Duration: Around 2 hrs (from 10AM-12NN or 4-6PM)
Highlights: Rose/Red Valley, Sword Valley, Love Valley, White/Honey Valley
Check out my post on exploring the landscape of Cappadocia on horseback for more pictures and information.
Turkish Night
If you’d like to get a taste of Turkish culture over dinner and free-flowing wine, then Turkish Night may be for you. Accompanied by live music, you’ll be treated to folk dances from different parts of Turkey, including a whirling dervish ceremony and a belly dance. It’s a fun night out.
Cost: 40 Euros per person (As of Nov 2015)
Inclusions: Hotel pickup/dropoff, dinner, unlimited wine
Duration: Around 2 hrs (from 8-10PM)
Highlights: Whirling dervish ceremony, belly dancer
Check out my post on Turkish Night in Cappadocia for more pictures and information.
It’s important to note that though Bridge of the World is based in Göreme, they offer tours and activities outside of Cappadocia as well. Apart from the four listed above, we also arranged for airport transfers with them. They picked us up from our hotel in Göreme and took us to Nevsehir Airport for 10 Euros each.
Based on the number of reviews they’ve received thus far, Bridge of the World seems to be a relatively new travel agency which is why they aren’t a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence awardee yet. But if they keep this up, then there’s no doubt in my mind that they will be.
Bridge of the World Travel Agency, Göreme, Cappadocia, Turkey
Orta Mah. Uzun Dere Cad. No 5, Göreme 50180, Turkey
Tel: +90 384 271 2004
Twitter: botw_travel
Pinterest: botwtravel
Instagram: bridgeoftheworld
Foursquare: botw-travel-bridge-of-the-world-travel
Email: [email protected]
Tour Cost: 35 Euros per person (as of Nov 2015)
HOW TO GET THERE:
Bridge of the World travel agency is a short walk from the otogar (bus station) on Uzun Dere Caddesi. If you have Sygic Travel and pocket wifi, then you can use GPS to track it down. If you book this Discover Cappadocia Tour with them, then they’ll arrange to have you picked up from your hotel around 9:30AM.
For more Cappadocia travel tips, check out our First-Timer’s Travel Guide to Cappadocia, Turkey
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