Pamukkale and Hierapolis tour: White terraces and ancient ruins

Walk the white travertine terraces and stand in an ancient city built on limestone

A full-day tour from Kusadasi or Selcuk to Pamukkale and the UNESCO site of Hierapolis, with hotel pickup, guide, lunch and park entry. You drive three hours through countryside, walk the mineral-formed white terraces at 35°C year-round, explore the Necropolis and temples of the ancient city, and have the option to swim in Cleopatra's Pool: a Roman-era thermal bath. Return to your hotel around 6:30 pm.

Step-by-step itinerary

Pamukkale and Hierapolis full-day tour

• Hotel pickup in Kusadasi or Selcuk
• Drive three hours to Pamukkale
• Explore Hierapolis ancient city ruins
• Visit Necropolis and Roman bath
• Walk natural white travertine terraces
• Optional swim in Cleopatra's Pool
• Enjoy local lunch and crafts
• Return to hotel in Kusadasi or Selcuk

The experience

The drive from Kusadasi or Selcuk takes three hours and moves through the Turkish countryside before the white hillside comes into view. Pamukkale means "cotton castle". The name comes from the travertine terraces, layers of calcium carbonate left behind as mineral-rich hot spring water flows down the slope and sheds what it carries. The ground is slippery underfoot, so the walk demands attention, but the terraces themselves are the draw: you move across the white steps in warm water that stays around 35°C year-round.

Hierapolis, the ancient city built on top of this limestone plateau, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the largest burial grounds in Anatolia. The ruins include the Necropolis, a Roman bath, the Gate of Domitian, the Temple of Apollo and the main street of the city. The guide walks you through what remains and explains why the city was called "sacred city": the sheer number of temples built here. The theatre and the Ploutonion (a cave entrance the ancients believed led to the underworld) are among the stops.

After the ruins, you return to the thermal pools for a swim if you choose it: Cleopatra's Pool is an optional add-on, a Roman-era bath fed by the same hot springs. Lunch is a local meal partway through the day, and you'll have time to look at Turkish handcrafts if that interests you. The return drive gets you back to your hotel between 6:30 and 7 pm.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Kusadasi or Selcuk.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
• entrance fees to Pamukkale and Hierapolis.
• lunch at a local restaurant.
• guide in English or Spanish.

Before you book

Lasts 11h, runs every day at 07:30, from US$ 113 per person, with a live guide in English and Spanish and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Child (4 to 6 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Crowded House Tours

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Spanish, so you follow the commentary without translation: a straightforward choice if your group speaks one of those languages. The 11-hour day and three-hour drive suit travelers with a full day to spare and comfort sitting in a vehicle. If you prefer a shorter outing or want to move at your own pace, a self-guided visit would work better.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 6 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly are the white terraces at Pamukkale?

The travertine terraces are layers of calcium carbonate built up over thousands of years as hot spring water flows down the hillside, shedding minerals as it goes. The white steps you walk across are solid limestone, and the water running through them stays warm year-round at about 35°C.

Can I swim in the thermal pools, or just walk through them?

You walk through the white travertine terraces as part of the tour. Swimming in Cleopatra's Pool, a Roman-era thermal bath, is optional and costs extra. It's not included in the base tour price.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

You walk the travertine terraces and explore the Hierapolis ruins on foot, with the guide stopping at the main sites: the Necropolis, temples, the Roman bath and the ancient street. The ground on the terraces is slippery, so wear shoes with grip and bring a towel and extra clothes if you plan to wade.

What's included in the lunch?

A local meal is provided during the tour. Drinks at lunch are optional and not included in the base price.

How long is the drive from Kusadasi or Selcuk?

The drive is three hours each way, so you spend six hours in the vehicle across the full day. The tour runs about 11 hours total from hotel pickup to return.