FAQ | Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions? We’ve got answers.

Please contact us if you can’t find the information you’re looking for.

Here are some frequently asked questions about our trips and some answers that you may find helpful:

1)Why should we book  the tour with you?

a) You've come to the right place! Every one of our tours is private: just you, your travel companions and the guide.

b) Save Yourself by booking with a legal and official fully licensed TURSAB means Turkiye Seyahat Acentalari Birligi (Association of Turkish Travel Agents).

c)Save Money as travel agencies get better rates than the customer.

d)Save Time by having us promptly organize all the hotels, tours, flights etc.

e)Customise your dream vacation with our CUSTOMIZE YOUR TOUR itineraries from a local expert planner

2)Are you a legitimate tour operator and TURSAB member?

Yes. Our website is operated under our registered tour operator name ‘New Roads Travel Agency’ with TURSAB License No: A-12915, which offers our clients the security of highest possible approval and recommendation from TURSAB – Turkey’s governing tourism body (A-type licenses are the highest possible grade of tourism license in Turkey). All legally licensed responsible tour companies in Turkey must be officially licensed under this authority.

Please beware of unlicensed operators and websites without registered company contact information at the TURSAB site.

3)How can we check your TURSAB License?

Please just enter our name ‘New Roads Travel Agency’ in the search field called ‘Agency Name ‘ and enter our License No ‘ …..’ in the search field callled ‘Registration No’  to see our company registered on their site at: https://www.tursab.org.tr/agency-search

4)How do we contact you?

For any query please go to our contact us page for our telephone, email and address. Also our opening hours are shown there.

A 24/7 emergency contact number is also given to all our guests who book any service with us. If you have a question or concern that needs to be addressed outside of the regular office hours, please call us at that number for immediate assistance.

5)What does a ‘Private Tour’ mean?

In private tours, you will have your own private professional tour guide just for you and your chosen companions only for a more personalized experience of Turkey. (So you will NOT join any other group). This type of tour offers much flexibility and a more relaxed pace with greater opportunity for enjoying spontaneous moments and events and seeing more off the beaten track places, and the chance to learn more specifics about the history, religion, culture, art, architecture and cuisine.

6)What does a ‘Regular Tour’ mean?

In group tours, you will be sharing the guide and vehicle with approx. 5-20 other people depending on the day and location (usually up 19 people in Ephesus, Pamukkale and Cappadocia and up to 30 people in Istanbul). The sightseeing and route are fixed so there is no flexibility or personalization with this type of tour. Shopping shops may also be included. Regular tours may be a good way to travel and meet people if you are travelling alone or for those on a budget.

7)Do we need a visa for Turkey?

Depending on your nationality, you may be able to buy a tourist entry visa stamp online in a simple process prior to arrival. Please check this with your nearest Turkish Consulate for the latest information or you may check the Turkish Government’s visa site at https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/.

8)Do cruise-ship passengers need a visa for Turkey?

Cruise ship passengers arriving and departing by cruise ship usually do not need a visa, as a simple landing card valid for the day is given to everyone landing for the day by ship (or staying overnight on ship). Please check with your cruise company for the latest details.

9)Is the international airfare to Turkey included?

No this is not included. We can only arrange the flights that originate in Turkey being a Turkish tour operator based in Istanbul-Turkey. So you can book the international flights to Turkey yourself with any airline.

We can arrange all necessary domestic flights within Turkey if you wish. Please check the “What’s Included” and “What’s Not Included” on your emailed itinerary.

10)Are the domestic flight tickets included?

Once we know your exact travel dates, we can quote you the exact price of all the domestic flight tickets necessary for your trip separately at the time of booking. We can arrange these also but they are priced separately.  This is because domestic flight prices are subject to availability at the time of booking.

For some short 2-3 day mini-trips, the domestic flights may already be included. Please check the “What’s Included” and “What’s Not Included” section of your emailed itinerary to check this.

11)Can we choose our own start and finish dates for a trip?

Yes you can. All of our tours can be started any day of the year you like, in most cases, subject to availability. Or just let us know your exact start and end travel dates and we can shorten/lengthen any trip to suit your dates.

12)Can we have non-smoking rooms?

Yes. Until recently only the 5 star hotels had non-smoking rooms in Turkey, however recent no-smoking laws mean that it is now illegal to smoke in most hotels, so rooms are already non-smoking.

13)What kind of vehicles do you use?

The vehicles used are fully air-conditioned non-smoking new-model vehicles (Mercedes,Wolksvagen,Isuzu) – so that you can enjoying touring in comfort.

14)Can I use Traveller’s Checks in Turkey?

No, these are not accepted at almost any bank in Turkey. Instead you can use the many ATM machines if you need to replendish cash. Main credit cards like Visa, MasterCard and American Express are also widely accepted in Turkey.

15)What time of year is best to visit Turkey?

Peak season is from beginnig-April to beginning-November. Mid April-June and September- October tend to be the busiest and with the nicest weather. Spring and Fall tend to have milder weather and less visitors making.

16)Shopping in Turkey:

Turkey is known as a cheap and fertile country. Handycrafts of Turkey are popular and very qualified. Most of you, probably heard of the beauty of Turkish tiles, carpets, ceramics, leather and textile. There are carpet production centers, leather, ceramics and gold around Ephesus where you see how these items are made. You may even order to have a golden ring or a necklace made, or a leather jacket designed or a carpet woven specially for you. Places we recommend you are guaranteed production centers for quality and prices, to pay your money back if you can find the same item, with the same quality for less price. If you do not wish to do shopping, please let us or our guide know about it.

Many enjoy shopping and others not so much. Depending on your preference, please note the following information for tours:

Regular  tours: In Turkey, these may include some shopping stop/s during the tour.

Private tours:Choose this if you prefer “no shopping” or for any other individual preferences.

17)Peak Times/Holidays/Events:

Please note that during national holidays and special events/festivals, availability at hotels may be very limited. It is advisable to book in advance for availability or consider alternative dates before/after.

Closing Days for Sites in Turkey:

Most of the Museums in Turkey closed on Monday.

In Istanbul, the below listed sites are closed on the days shown below and are usually replaced with a visit to another nearby site instead on those days:

* Sundays: Grand Bazaar
* Mondays: St. Sophia, Beylerbeyi & Dolmabahce Palaces, most museums.
* Tuesdays: Topkapi Palace
* Wednesdays: Rumeli Fortress, Chora Church
* Thursdays: Beylerbeyi & Dolmabahce Palaces

18)Choose Your Travel Style:

Many of our packages come with a choice of group or private tours, as explained below:

Private Tours:
Here the tours are run exclusively for you and your chosen companion/s with no other strangers. This is ideal for anyone who has special interests or prefers flexibility, spontaneity and traveling at their own pace, or would like further customization of their trip.

Regular Tours:
Here you will only join a small group during the tour or transfer times planned during the itinerary, but still enjoy your freedom and privacy at all other times. The group size may be up to 16 people in Cappadocia, Ephesus & Pamukkale and up to 20 people in Istanbul. Small Group tours include travelers of diverse nationalities, cultures, faiths, backgrounds, ages, and interests, who may change daily. Group tours may include some shopping stops.
Please note that by nature, group tours may experience some waiting time pre/post tour at the tour destination meeting point, depending on collection of other guests, site opening times and your arrival/departure flight times.

19)How to Choose?
A regular tour offers good money value, freedom to choose the hotel category you like and still enjoy a certain degree of independence. A private tour offers you a higher level of privacy, comfort and flexibility as well as the possibility to travel at your own pace and interest, or further customize your trip.

20)After I have booked a tour, can I invite others to join me?

This depends upon whether or not the guide can accommodate your request for additional people - especially if private transportation is involved.

To avoid disappointment, you must seek approval from the guide to add more people, before the tour date.

If additional fees must be paid (at the guide's discretion) and the total amount is less than $100, the traveler(s) can pay the guide in cash; otherwise, the tour will need to be re-booked at the new price.

If you need assistance, please contact Customer Support:

21) Is it safe to travel in Turkey?

Turkey is still one of the world's most liberal and safest countries in the world in which to travel and its crime rate is low in comparison to many Western European countries. Interpol ranked Turkey as the safest holiday destination in Europe for travelers. Naturally, we recommend that travelers to Turkey exercise the same precautions they would elsewhere, and be aware of security concerns that affect all international travelers.

Turkey’s tourism industry has been rebounding following a slump caused by widespread political turmoil. Latest figures show that almost 43 million foreign visitors flocked to the country’s shores in the first 11 months of 2019, with Britons accounting for about 2.3 million visits each year, Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah reports. 

But following the recent military developments in the Middle East, is Turkey a safe holiday destination?

Overall

In late 2019, Turkey launched a major offensive against Kurdish-held positions in northern Syria, prompting the FCO to reinstate a number of severe warnings against all travel to certain parts of the country. However, most regions retained a green label, indicating safety.

Western Turkey and the Riviera

The Turkish Riviera, in the west of the country, is a stretch of coastline boasting some of the finest beaches in Europe and is the most commonly visited region of Turkey by tourists.

The Daily Telegraph reports that “the majority of attacks have been in cities, away from the coastal areas popular with tourists”.

The FCO says coastal resorts, where the majority of British tourists go, remain safe and “do not appear to be significantly affected” by terrorism. The resort city of Marmaris was briefly given a travel warning by the FCO at the time of 2016’s failed coup d'etat but has since been lifted, the Telegraph adds.

Ask a Question:

For any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us by email.