Half day Istanbul Ephesus tour

Mr Istemihan Teleri from Ounce Travel was extremely responsive right from the first email and throughout our multiple email correspondence. He was patient and polite in answering all questions. We eventually picked 2 private tours with them - The Ephesus Full Day Tour and Pamukkale/Hierapolis Tour. Miss Phyliss was our guide for both days. She spoke very good English and was extremely knowledgeable about the history and places. As part of the tour, they also take you to outlets that sell carpets, leather jackets and textiles which you can choose to opt out of on the private tour. Miss Phyliss was very patient while we shopped at a couple of these places. Would highly recommend this company for their responsiveness, reliability and hospitality.

We booked our own excursion to Ephesus as part of our cruise holiday because it was far cheaper than the cruise line's excursion. It was so easy to book online in advance and a quick phone call to confirm our booking. There was no deposit to pay although we did need to pay in cash at the end of the tour. We were met at the port by our guide, Hulya. The transport for 6 of us was spacious, clean and comfortable and Hulya gave an interesting talk about Turkey on the way to Ephesus. Ephesus is absolutely fascinating and we felt lucky to have Hulya for our guide as she is clearly very knowledgeable, being a volunteer archaeologist at the site. We visited the Terrace Houses and Hulya introduced us to her tutor who discovered them. We had asked to visit the Ephesus Museum and Hulya talked us through the exhibits before allowing us time to look round on our own. We then enjoyed a lovelyTurkish lunch at the inevitable craft centre, although the explanation of how the carpets are made was actually very interesting. We didn't feel too pressured into buying anything but it was slightly unnerving when the salesman appeared to lock the door! All in all, a very memorable day for both adults and teenagers and highly recommended. Hulya even posted a parcel of guide books and gift bags to us in the UK because it had been forgotten on the day. This was a very nice touch and much appreciated.