Climate
Turkey has a subtropical climate; hence, variations do occur depending on the place and the
season.
Istanbul and surroundings: Summer hot and some humidity. Average temperature 27C (80F).
Winter rainy and chilly. Average temperature 8C (46F), though sometimes very mild and warm.
Occasional rain between September and April, hardly any snow.
Western and Southern Turkey: It enjoys warm Mediterranean climate where winters are warm
with a lot of rain and summers are hot and humid. Average temperature in winter is 15C (60F) and
35C (95F) in summer. A lot of rain between September and April, though not every day!
Central and Eastern Turkey: Winters are cold and considerable snow precipitates whereas
summers are hot and dry. Temperature in winter 0C (32F) or even minus and in summer 35C (95F).
Average altitude 1000 m. (3500ft) and above.
Turkey’s climate shows similarities throughout the country between April-May and September-
November in each region.
In general, weather is warmer along the sea coasts, in the west and south; and cooler in central
Turkey and at higher elevations.
Clothing
In spring and fall, bring a warm jacket or a sweater and windbreaker. In summer, wear cool light
colored cotton clothing, sunglasses, a hat and apply sun block lotion, but have a light sweater for
cool evenings at higher altitudes. In winter, you will need warm woolen, waterproof and thermal
clothing and rain gear.Bring comfortable and informal clothing and sturdy, non-skid walking shoes
for sightseeing.
Dress at dinner is informal or casual, though you may wear a dress or jacket if you wish.Communications
Normal air-mail postal service between Turkey and North America, Asia or Oceania can take up to
ten days; courier services (APS, DHL, FedEx, UPS, SkyNet) take only a few days. Telephoning to a
foreign country from Turkey can surprisingly be expensive, up to $3-5 if you call from a hotel. Be
sure to inquire about rates and surcharges at your hotel before you call. The cheapest way to call
home is to use telecards, prepaid telephone cards on sale at telephone centers, post offices, and by
vendors nearby. You may also use your credit cards on public phones. If you must call from your
hotel, special calling services often result in lower phone bills. When calling from Turkey, try these
services: Australia Hello Homeland (0-0) 800 61 1177
Hong Kong Hello Homeland (0-0) 800 852 1177
Singapore Hello Homeland (0-0) 800 65 1177
USA AT&T USADirect (0-0) 800 1 2277
USA MCI Call USA (0-0) 800 1 1177
USA Sprint Express (0-0) 800 1 4477
(subject to change without prior notice!) To call or fax to Turkey from your home, dial the codes to connect to the international network, then
90 for Turkey, and then the area code without the 0 at the beginning (212 for Istanbul, 312 for
Ankara, 232 for Izmir, etc.) and the seven-digit local number. Country
With the exception of Russia, Turkey is the largest country in Europe. It has lush valleys filled with
fruit orchards, snow-capped mountains, rolling grasslands, and 8000 km ( 5000 miles) of pinefringed
coastline. Graceful mosque domes and minarets define its cities’ skylines. The countryside
harbors hundreds of splendid remains from the Hittite, Urartian, Phrygian, Classical Greek,
Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk Turkish and Ottoman civilizations. Crime
It is generally a very safe country to easily travel around. Crime is mainly looked upon by most
Turks as the most shameful behaviour to commit. Like any other cosmopolitan city around the
world, there is a limited level of pickpocketing in major metropolitan cities (ie Istanbul, Ankara and
İzmir) where you have to be careful about! A money belt is most probably the easiest and safest
way to carry your money and personal items while on tour it also enables you to leave your hands
free in order to take pictures.
Excess amount of money, passport and other valuable items should be kept at the safety deposit
boxes provided by hotels or locked up in your suitcases. Cuisine
A traditional Turkish breakfast includes boiled eggs, varieties of cheese, olives, sliced tomatoes and
cucumbers, fresh bread with butter and jam or honey, fruit juice and coffee or tea. Lunch or dinner
may begin with meze (Turkish appetizers), including a variety of salads, vegetable purees and
pickles, stuffed vine leaves, crisp fritters filled with cheese or mashed potatos, and succulent olives.
Meat is delicious grilled lamb, though beef and chicken are also frequently served. Fish from the
surrounding seas is succulent when grilled, fried or poached. Wonderful fresh vegetables accompany
everything; eggplant alone is served in 40 different ways! Turkish desserts include luscious
puddings, rich baklava with a lot of sugar and nuts and very rich pastries. The best hot drink is
hearty Turkish tea grown on the Black Sea coast. Famous Turkish coffee comes next. Fruit juices are
refreshing. Turkish wines are palatable, and the beer is good. The favorite strong drink is rakı, grape
brandy flavored with aniseed, customarily mixed half and half with water.
Imported alcoholic beverages are often available as well. Pure bottled spring water is available
everywhere.
Turkish cuisine is not demanding on the palate, but is very fattening. So weight-watchers beware! Currency & Credit Cards
Turkey’s currency is Turkish Lira (TL). Banknotes are available in denominations of TL 200, 100,
50, 20,10, 5 and coins are of 1 TL and Kurush (cents) 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1.
To get the best exchange rate, wait until you arrive in Turkey to buy Turkish Liras.
Most hotels will exchange major foreign currencies (Euro, US$, JY, UK), but currency exchange
bureaus (Döviz Bürosu) definitely give a better rate of exchange as they have competitive rates
and give faster service, but may accept only cash, not travelers’ cheques. Definitely bring more
cash! Cashing travelers’ cheques is applicable to 6-10% commission!
Note that cash and travelers’ cheques of some currencies cannot be exchanged in Turkey, or only at
very low rates. These include the currencies of like Brunei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia,
New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.Bring a major currency instead.
Most shops accept cash and travelers’ cheques; many also accept major credit cards. It’s a good
idea to carry US$50 cash in small denomination biils at all times. Most people will take them if you
don’t have liras. The better hotels and shops, car rental companies, airlines, and some restaurants
accept Visa, Mastercard, Diners Club and, to a lesser extent due to high percentage of commission,
American Express. Cash machines (ATM) connected to international banking network
(Cirrus/Mastercard, Plus Systems/VISA) can be found in all major cities and resorts. Look for them
at airports, on major shopping streets, and in bazaars and shopping malls. You may use your bank
ATM card or major credit card to receive Turkish Lira or at some ATM’s, Euro or US$ in cash. ATM
exchange rates are good, and instructions for use are provided in English, French, German and
Turkish. Customs
It is illegal to buy, sell or export antiquities. Customs officer may check your luggage at departure.
Punishment is severe, including fines and imprisonment Drug trafficking or carrying any illegal drugs
is severly punished where you may end up in prison. The current restriction on the import of
personal goods is 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars, seven bottles of liquor, five bottles of perfume and
one kilogram (2.2 lb) of coffee or tea. (Known to be correct at time of printing!) |
Safety (see also under Crime)
Turkish cities enjoy crime rates much lower than European or American cities of comparable size,
though the wise traveler will take normal precautions against pickpockets and other petty street
crime.Shopping
The essence of shopping in Turkey is not shopping in western style shopping malls or department
stores although very good examples of these do exist. The real excitement in shopping is getting
lost in historic bazaars which date back to five hundred years; of bargaining with shop-keepers
whose great-grand fathers have kept the same trade and sold the same wares; to be surrounded by
the hustle and bustle of the hawkers, merchants and the salesmen at every corner; and ultimately
to obtain some authentic Turkish souvenirs. Favorite souvenirs include hand-woven Turkish carpets
to last a lifetime; good quality of leatherware and accessories, fine embroidery and jewellery, folk
costumes and fashion in cotton, leather, silk and wool; craft items made of brass, copper, wood
inlaid with ebony and mother-of-pearl, evil eyes, precious metals and stones. Colored tiles and
pottery are a Turkish specialty, as is carved meerschaum, often made into cool-smoking pipes.
Do not buy old Greek or Roman coins, statuary or pottery as it is illegal to buy and/or export
antiquities; penalties are severe. Goods up to 100 years old are usually not considered antiquities. If
you buy a carpet, keep the receipt to show to the customs officer upon departure.
Regarding payments; besides cash, hotels, shops, car rental companies, airlines and most
restaurants accept major credit cards such as VISA, MasterCard, American Express, JCB and Diners
Club. Swimming
It is always advisable to bring swimwear as you may have a chance to swim at the hotel pool,
thermal baths or by the seaside depending on your itinerary and the season. |
Terms and Conditions On
1. Bookings; Booking should be made as early as possible to guarantee the passenger’s choice in
the Guaranteed Departure Programme. In order to offer the passengers more flexibility, our Free
Sale System makes it possible for you to make an unlimited number of bookings with instant
confirmation. This system applies up to 15 days prior to the departure date. After that time i.e.
within the last 15 days before the departure date, any bookings should be confirmed with our office
first.
2. Cancellation; In the event of cancellation, cancellation charges are as follows;
Between 21-15 Days 25% of the package cost
Between 14-07 Days 50% of the package cost
Between 06-00 Days 100% of the package cost3. Responsibility and Liability
Where our Company has not been negligent nor in breach of any duty, we assume no responsibility
for injury, damage, accident, loss, delay or irregularities that may be caused to person or property
where such occur as a result of circumstances beyond our control. The transportation companies or
firms shall exempt from all liability in respect of any detention, delay, loss, damage, sickness or
injury, by whomsoever caused and of whatever kind occurring of or to the passenger at any time
when the passenger is not on board a carrier of conveyance used or operated by the transportation
companies or firms. All tickets, coupons and orders are furnished and issued subject in all respects
to those terms and conditions under which the means of transportation or other services provided
thereby are offered or supplied by owners, operators, public carriers managing agents or agents.
Our company will not be responsible or liable (for damages, refund or otherwise) for:
A. Mechanical breakdowns (except where it is due to negligence on the part of our Company or its
agents), government actions, weather, Act of God strikes compulsory quarantine or other
circumstances beyond our control.
B. The failure of the client or their agent to obtain required documentation (eg. health certificates,
visa, passports, etc).
C. The failure of the client to follow reasonable instructions including but not limited to check-in and
check-out places and times.
D. Accidents of any kind occurring during the Customer’s independent activities
E. Theft, robbery or lost property
F. Food poisoning, Isolation as a result of infections, diseases or any condition likely to endanger
the health or safety on the tour members or impair their reasonable comfort. 4. Unused Tour Services
No refund will be made in respect to accommodation, meals, sightseeing tour or any other services
which are included in the tour fare but not utilized by the tour participant, either in part or full, or
where passenger amends, cancels or otherwise varies arrangements after commencement of the
tour. 5. Goods Purchased During Tours
Our company shall not be liable to the Customer for any goods purchased by the Customer during
the tour which is of defective quality, not suitable for the Customer’s purpose, not in conformity with
samples provided to the Customer or rejected by the Customer for any other reason whatsoever
notwithstanding the goods are purchased in shops the visitation of which comprise part of the tour
itinerary or which are specifically recommended by our Company, our guides, employees, nor shall
our Company be liable to refund to the Customer the purchase monies of the aforesaid goods 6. Meals
All local meals are as stated on each itinerary by the code letters(B) breakfast, (L) lunch and (D) for
dinner. Tips and Taxes included are basic service charges (10-15%) and taxes (V.A.Tax between 08-
18%) as imposed by hotels and local governments. Should there be any changes in the tax ratio the
difference will be reflected on rates. 7. Smoking
Smoking is strictly prohibited on the coach; however, regular comfort stops are arranged at certain
intervals. 8. Child discount for tour packages
Age of 03-07 years old child sharing room with two adults (extra bed) 25 % discount.
Age of 03-07 years old child sharing room with two adults (no bed) 40 % discount.
Age of 03-07 years old child sharing room with one adult no discount.
Age of 00-02 years old child sharing room with two adults (no bed) 100 % discount.
Age of 07 years and above no child discount is provided.
All prices are in American (US) Dollars 9. All our customers who are travelling on Orion Tour buses are insured under American
Home Insurance Inc. with the following schedule of coverage
A- Accidental Death € 15.500
B- Permanent Disability € 15.500
C- Medical Expenses (Accident and sickness) € 1.550
D- Lost Luggage and Damage € 775 Time zones
Turkey is on Eastern European time (UTC +2). Turkish clocks are turned ahead one hour (UTC +3)
from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in September for daylight saving (summer) time.
During this period Turkish time is
5 hours behind Thailand & Indonesia
5 hours behind Brunei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Manila, Singapore, Indonesia, Taipei
6 hours behind Seoul & Tokyo
7 hours behind Australia
9 hours behind New Zealand
2 hours ahead of London
3.5 hours ahead of India
7 hours ahead of New York
10 hours ahead of Los Angles
From late October to late March, the time difference is the same in countries which observe daylight
saving (summer) time, but one more hour behind those which do not. Tipping
Tipping has gradually become a necessity on any tour for guides, drivers and transferman.
On regular bus tours $5.00 per person per day for guide and $3.00 per person per day for driver
should be anticipated and budgeted by clients. Where the number of passengers is less than 6
people
a minimum of $25.00 per day for guide and $15.00 per day for driver should be taken into
consideration. As for transfers between hotels and airports $10.00 for transferman and $10.00 for
driver are sufficient. Travel Documents & Visas
An international passport, which should be valid for at least 6 months beginning with your departure
date, is required for immigration at airport and hotel procedures.
Passport required except for holders of;
– “Laissez Passer” issued by United Nations, -Military Identity Card issued by a NATO country,
– No visas are required for nationals of Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong,
Iceland, Israel, Japan, Luxemburg, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea,
Sweden, Switzerland, Vatican,
– Visas may be obtained on arrival for nationals of USA, Canada, Australia, Austria, Belgium,
England,
Holland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain,
Length of stay and number of entries vary depending on nationality.
– Visitors who need visas must also hold documents and tickets required for return/onward travel. Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is strongly recommended for any possible loss or damage to your luggage, medical
emergencies and some travel related accidents. Consult your travel agent about this important
issue. |
