Questions About Your Private Istanbul & Turkey Trip

Yes. Your sightseeing guide works exclusively with your own party, and the airport transfers we arrange are private. We do not combine unrelated guests into a public sightseeing group.

Some parts of a journey use shared services: scheduled domestic flights, public ferry crossings, hot air balloon flights, and selected Cappadocia activities. We explain the format of each service in your proposal.

Yes. We listen first and ask about your dates, the length of your stay, interests, preferred pace, and the people traveling. For a longer journey, we also discuss your accommodation style and budget. The route, order of visits, and experiences can be adjusted before booking.

If you have dietary restrictions, mobility concerns, children traveling, or changes to a listed program, please contact us before booking online.

Yes. Many of our guests book their own accommodation. We can arrange private guiding, two- or three-day Istanbul programs, airport transfers, and selected experiences around your hotel and travel plans. A complete Turkey journey with hotels and domestic flights is another option, rather than a requirement.

Yes. Private Istanbul Walking Tours is a fully licensed, owner-operated boutique travel company based in Istanbul, co-owned by a woman and founded by two licensed professional guides. We are a small, independent local business, and our owners remain involved in planning and guiding.

Read about our owners and local team.

Our tours are normally guided in English. A licensed female guide can be requested, subject to availability; please mention this when you inquire.

For Spanish-speaking guiding on a custom trip, contact us well in advance. We will check availability, but cannot guarantee an arrangement or offer it at short notice. Our guide-only hire service is provided in English.

The price reflects your dates, party size, route, guide, admissions, and any hotels, flights, transfers, food experiences, or other services you choose. We focus on premium private travel with time and arrangements planned around you.

Some pages show starting prices for a stated number of travelers. Check the price basis: a total for two guests is different from a per-person price. Your proposal or booking details confirm the inclusions, exclusions, and amount before you book.

The starting price is USD 300 total for a private party of up to six people. It covers licensed, English-speaking guidance only, usually starting between 8 and 9 a.m. and finishing around 2 p.m. For more than six guests, please contact us for a quote.

Museum admission, food, drinks, public transport, private vehicles, and yacht cruises are separate expenses. See Hire a Private Tour Guide in Istanbul for the service details.

Yes. Your initial suggested itinerary for a custom-made Turkey journey is free of charge. We are also happy to arrange a video call if you would like to discuss your plans face to face. Please share your dates, destinations, preferred hotels, approximate budget, and party details so we can make useful suggestions.

We accept credit cards, bank wire, and cash by prior agreement. The payment amount, currency, method, and timing are confirmed before booking. If you prefer cash, please confirm the currency with us in advance; notes should be clean and undamaged.

For complete multi-day Turkey journeys booked directly with us, including hotels and the agreed travel services, payment can be divided into two or three agreed installments. Amounts and due dates are set before booking. Any cash portion must also be agreed in advance.

Selected tours offer online availability and credit card booking through Bokun. For a custom itinerary or any change to a listed tour, please contact us first so we can confirm the arrangements and price.

Review the cancellation conditions in your booking details and our Terms and Conditions before paying. If anything is unclear, ask us before confirming your services.

Most of our Istanbul sightseeing tours and the signature food tour last approximately 5–6 hours, depending on the chosen route and pace. The evening food tour starts at 4 p.m. and lasts approximately four hours. Guide-only hire normally begins between 8 and 9 a.m. and ends around 2 p.m.

We can discuss a shorter or longer program and confirm any price change before booking. A list of possible sights is not a promise to visit all of them in one day.

Yes. We arrange private travel for couples, families, solo travelers, and guests who prefer a slower pace. Please share children’s ages, walking comfort, and any mobility requirements before booking. We can allow breaks, reduce the number of visits, or discuss transportation where helpful.

Istanbul has hills, uneven paving, stairs, and historic sites with access limitations. Standing and waiting can also be tiring. Tell us if you use a wheelchair or need step-free access so we can assess the route with you.

The meeting point depends on your tour and accommodation. For Old City tours, we generally meet at House of Medusa restaurant, beside the Basilica Cistern exit. For the signature food tour, meet at Karakoy T1 tram station beside the ticket vending machines.

For the evening food tour, meet beside the fountain in the interior courtyard of Kilic Ali Pasa Mosque, across from Tophane tram station. If you stay in the Old City or along the tram line, we are happy to discuss meeting at your hotel. We confirm your own meeting instructions before the tour.

A private vehicle is included only when stated in your confirmed program. Many Old City routes work well on foot, with a tram or public ferry where appropriate. If you stay in the Old City or along the tram line, a vehicle is often unnecessary.

We can add private transportation to a tour when it suits the route, your hotel, party size, or mobility needs. We usually use a Mercedes Vito or Mercedes Sprinter, depending on the group and luggage. We quote the agreed arrangement separately.

Private airport transfers start from USD 125 per vehicle, not per person. The final quote depends on the route, date, number of travelers, luggage, and vehicle requirements.

Send your flight details, accommodation, party size, and luggage information. Please mention children, any child-seat request, and mobility needs in advance. See our airport transfers and concierge services.

The agreed museum entrance fees are included in our inclusive sightseeing tours when listed in the program. Guide-only hire excludes museum fees. If we customize the museum choices, we confirm the revised inclusions and any change in price before booking.

Museum fees are set by the authorities and can change without notice. Your confirmed tour or itinerary explains the admissions covered.

No. Where available, we arrange tickets in advance to avoid the ticket-purchase queue, including for Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. Basilica Cistern tickets are purchased at the location.

Advance tickets do not remove security screening, bag checks, or other entry controls. We do not promise unrestricted skip-the-line access.

Yes. The Blue Mosque and other active mosques restrict tourist visits during prayers, and Friday services can affect the order of visits. We plan around the access arrangements for your date.

There is often a wait of around 10–15 minutes at the Blue Mosque for security, visitor control, and dress-code checks. It can be longer when busy; the timing is not guaranteed.

Wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Women should bring a headscarf, and visitors remove their shoes where required. Please avoid shorts and sleeveless tops for these visits. If you need help preparing, ask us before the tour and your guide will explain the requirements.

Our signature food tour includes a licensed private guide, the agreed food tastings, non-alcoholic drinks, and public transportation for the route. It crosses between Europe and Asia by public ferry.

Alcoholic drinks and private vehicle service are additional unless a particular program expressly includes them. The food and wine tour includes the wine tasting specified in its proposal. Read the individual food tour descriptions for the inclusions.

Yes. Vegetarian and vegan diets are welcome, and we can discuss other dietary preferences, lighter tastings, and foods you avoid. Please tell us before booking so we can choose suitable stops and confirm the program personally.

For dietary changes, use the contact option rather than booking a standard program online without discussing your requirements.

Please contact us before booking and explain your requirements. We can discuss ingredients and suitable options with the venues, but the places we visit use shared kitchens, utensils, and preparation areas. Cross-contact is possible, and we cannot guarantee an allergen-free experience.

For severe allergies or strict gluten-free requirements, we need to discuss whether the proposed tour is suitable before confirming it.

Shopping visits are arranged only when you request them. We do not receive commissions or kickbacks from your purchases, and there is no obligation to buy.

We can arrange private shopping assistance for rugs, kilims, Iznik tiles, ceramics, jewelry, and textiles. Tell us what you hope to find, your taste, and approximate budget. Purchases and any optional private transportation are separate from the guiding service unless agreed otherwise.

Yes. We arrange private Bosphorus yacht cruises, typically for two hours, subject to availability and weather. The yacht is reserved for your party; any food, drinks, or other inclusions are agreed in advance.

A public ferry crossing on a Two Continents or food tour is a different part of the itinerary and is not a private yacht cruise.

Yes. Hammam reservations, cooking classes, and ebru marbling workshops can be arranged alongside your private tours. For a hammam, we usually recommend Hagia Sophia Hurrem Sultan Hammam; we can help reserve your chosen service, and you can pay the hammam directly.

Some classes, ceremonies, and activities are shared rather than private. We confirm the format, price, and arrangements before booking. See our Istanbul concierge and cultural experiences.

Yes. We arrange custom-made journeys through Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale, and Gallipoli, with hotels, licensed English-speaking guides, agreed museum admissions, domestic flights, and private airport transfers as specified in your proposal. Ephesus programs can include the House of the Virgin Mary, and Gallipoli visits can be planned around ANZAC history and family connections.

Hotel programs include breakfast when stated; lunches, dinners, and optional experiences depend on the agreed itinerary. We arrange domestic flights within Turkey, not international flight tickets. See our multi-day private Turkey journeys.

Our sightseeing tours and airport transfers are private. Hot air balloon flights and selected activities such as ATV rides, horseback riding, or jeep safaris are arranged as shared small-group experiences.

For balloon flights, we prefer baskets of around 20 passengers rather than larger 35-person baskets, subject to availability. Flights depend on weather and operating approval, so a flight or particular basket size cannot be guaranteed. We discuss the arrangements within your itinerary.

For complete multi-day journeys booked directly with us, our team is reachable 24/7 during your time in Turkey by email, text, WhatsApp, and phone. We share the contact details and practical arrangements for your confirmed trip.

Yes. We arrange private Istanbul stays before or after a cruise, with airport, hotel, and Galataport Istanbul connections as agreed. If your ship stays overnight or calls for the day, we can plan a private tour around its schedule.

Tell us your ship name, dates, arrival and departure times, hotel if booked, and any cruise excursions already included. We can suggest different visits rather than repeat your existing program. Read about private cruise tours and stays.

Yes. Our layover programs focus on Istanbul Airport (IST). Send both flight details so we can assess the time available after airport formalities, transfers, and the return needed before your onward flight. You must be eligible to enter Turkey to leave the airport.

For a longer stopover, we can arrange private tours and agreed transfers around your hotel, including a hotel arranged separately through Turkish Airlines. We are an independent travel company and are not affiliated with the airline. See our private Istanbul layover tours.

Yes. We work with advisors arranging premium private Istanbul stays and custom-made Turkey journeys for their clients. We are a small local company with direct owner involvement, supporting the guiding, hotels, domestic flights, transfers, and agreed experiences.

Share your client’s dates, preferences, party size, accommodation expectations, and budget. We can discuss the commercial arrangements individually. Read about our Turkey DMC services for travel advisors.