Turkey Study Trip Information

Total Program Land Cost (based on double occupancy):

$3,650 + $300 for group tips

*$825 single supplement for private room (limited)

The Program Fee for the Five Oaks Turkey Study Trip includes;

Travel the Text Experience

• Customized itinerary planning specific to cultural Biblical study emphasis

• Pre-trip access to online “Turkey Biblical Foundations” study trip preparation course

• On-site teaching provided by Geoff Carroll throughout the trip, with developed TTT Biblical Study Program curriculum

• TTT Travel Materials including:

  • TTT Travel Study Guide

  • Waterfly Sling Day Bag

  • Foldable/packable seat cushion

  • TTT Luggage Tags

Turkey Travel Expenses

• 10 nights of 4 & 5 star accommodation as per itinerary (or similar)

• All breakfasts and dinners at hotels and 7 lunches at local restaurants (2 not included)

• Turkish Air Domestic group flight from Istanbul to Antalya

• Motorcoach transportation during program

• All site and museum entrance fees and two private boat tours, Bosphorus and Antalya

• All guide fees, local taxes, headset listening devices, and bottled water on bus

• All Tips for Group Experiences

  • Your $300 final cash payment is for tips paid to all guides, facilitators, drivers, hotel staff (housekeeping, valet, dining), excursions, etc.

• International Airfare from MSP-IST and ADB-MSP

• Travel Insurance

• 2 lunches

• Extra personal expenses such as special drinks or individual services, or expenses due to delays or traveling separate from group flight, including airport transfers for late arrivals, cancellations, or emergencies.

• Any other unforeseen personal expense outside the scheduled program.

$650* deposit due in December to confirm your place on this trip. (NO DEPOSIT due at registration; please wait until trip is confirmed and deposit due date is announced).

Submit your online registration to reserve your place. on this trip!

February 15, 2026: Pre-Trip Payment Due in Full

$3,000 per person*

$825 single supplement for private room (if applicable)

*If you need an alternate payment schedule, or have a trip discount/credit from a previously cancelled trip, please contact us with any questions to confirm your final balance due.

Due on Arrival: Group Tip Contribution

$300 per person

Please bring this final payment in cash on arrival, to assist us with the high cash payment needs for tips and required cash payments in Turkey. These funds will go to our drivers, local facilitators, hotel dining, housekeeping, and valet, site and excursion experiences. etc.

Please request large bills from your bank and bring clean $100s, $50s as larger bills are appreciated by our local providers as they often receive a higher rate of exchange. Bills that are torn, marked, or too old cannot be exchanged. Thank you for helping us take care of all who will take care of us!

The Refund Policy for this May 2026 Turkey Biblical Study Trip is as follows:

Full refund less *non-refundable $200 service fee for cancellations received after deposit and registration.

Full refund less $650 deposit for cancellations received 140-90 days prior to May 20, 2026.

Full refund less $3,000 for cancellations received 90-46 days prior to May 20, 2026.

No refund of any pre-trip payments made for cancellations received 45 days or less prior to May 20, 2026.

*If Travel the Text cancels the trip due to low enrollment full refunds of all payments will be issued within 90 days of cancellation notification.

Many of you may also prefer to arrive early or stay later than the program itinerary. There are many options for additional travel in these regions.

For those who arrive or depart on separate flights from the primary group, there are many opportunities for extra time to explore independently, or from Izmire to enjoy the beautiful beaches, or travel on into the Greek Islands departing from Kusadasi, or flying from Izmir or Istanbul into Europe. Flights are easily booked from Izmir to Istanbul at the end of our journey together, and you can enjoy another day or more in Istanbul before flying home more directly. In this case you could book a round trip ticket in/out of Istanbul for your primary flight, and a separate one from Izmir to Istanbul on October 20 (or later if you want more independent travel time around Izmir).

Below are a few thoughts if you’re interested in adding some independent travel before or after this group itinerary.

These are a few restaurant, hotel and activity ideas for Istanbul specifically.

For a few resources for independent travel, you can book many opportunities directly, or using Get Your Guide, or similar, to search for options.

Google maps is another great resource (download the app on your phone), for searching reviews, and utilizing the “Save” feature, adding an icon/category to keep a map ready of places you’re interested in visiting when you arrive.

Airport Transfers: In Istanbul, we recommend staying in the historic center, in the “Sultanahmet” area. Transfers from Istanbul airport are easily arranged. We recommend first asking your hotel lodging about their options, or you can arrange your own through numerous advance booking transfer services such as Transfeero, or even by taxi on arrival. I recommend having your hotel name and address written on a piece of paper so you can hand it to a taxi driver, in this case, for ease of communication (and not having to hand over your phone). Transfers are often around $50 for a private transfer for a couple, plus or minus some for luxury level of car or larger group. The Sultanahmet area is about an hour from the airport, and there are many pedestrian only areas, so read hotel reviews if curbside drop off is a concern. But usually, it’s not far to drag the luggage (and many transfer services will assist) if you have to walk a block or two from car zones to your hotels in the historic areas. There are many historical, boutique hotels in the Sultanahmet area, that aren’t suitable for larger group hotel bookings as we need, but can be wonderful experiences for a night (or few) if you arrive early.

Hotels: Smaller boutique hotels are especially fun to find in Istanbul in areas close to Haggia Sophia or the Blue Mosque for easy walking and fun restaurant experiences. Sirkeci Mansion, Rast Hotel, and Amiral Palace Hotel are a few can recommend, each in a different area to also give you an idea of locations we like.

Restaurants: We believe that FOOD is one of the best reasons to travel, to literally “taste” and participate in the culture. And Turkish food is worth the trip alone. Just plan all your events around food as the priority, and you’re going to have a great trip; this is my philosophy. From street food to local favorites, to fancy rooftop dining splurges, there are countless opportunities in Istanbul, even more than many destinations, for “perfect bites” and table experiences. We never visit Istanbul without a stop at Old Ottoman Cafe and on our last visit we especially enjoyed Esto Restaurant. Something more upscale like Carlos Terrace Restaurant has also been recommended (above our paygrade so I can’t speak for it - but looks amazing). Again, google maps is a great resource for finding highly reviewed restaurants, and trying something new each time. Ask for recommendations for the best of house - and SAVOR. Now I’m hungry.

Turkish Bath at a Hammam: There are many of these available, either to locations specifically designed to host this, or by searching for hotels that include a Hammam experience on site. Deeply cultural, and recommended experience. One of the most famous is Cagaloglu Hamam which dates from the 1700’s, and is easily accommodating to travelers (english), but there are many to choose from. https://cagalogluhamami.com.tr/en/

Mosque Architecture: There are countless mosques, all with intricate designs and architectural features. Some enjoy going to many of these, from the famous Blue Mosque, to whichever they happen upon. All will have different guidelines as far as where to take shoes off, head coverings for women, etc. but overwhelmingly, all are welcome to visit.

Byzantine Churches: the number of Byzantine churches has dwindled significantly since 1453, but on this website (https://www.thebyzantinelegacy.com/churches) you can find some still in existence that testify to the city’s importance within church history.

Miniaturk Museum: houses numerous miniature models of different buildings from not only Istanbul, but also other places in Turkey and the world. Their website https://miniaturk.com.tr/en could also be a good resource to discover additional interests in the city (if they made a miniature of it, they think it’s important).

Culture Soaking: Istanbul is an amazing place to people watch, and just enjoy the unique cultural flavors of this land. One of Jamie & Samuel’s favorite things to do is grab some street food from the many vendors around Sultanahmet, and enjoy sitting on a bench, or in the grass with the locals, relaxing around the big central fountain between Haggia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

Grand Bazaar/Spice Market: We plan to visit these as a group, but there’s no end to what you can see and explore – different every time. A fun place to soak up culture, and find some tastes and treasures.

Counting Cats: Istanbul (and much of Türkiye) has a remarkable approach to caring for, not for “strays,” but for “the city’s animals.” You will see happy, beloved, friendly “stray” cats everywhere, and some dogs as well. There are vending machines for food you can drop some spare change in, that dispenses food below for the next animal that wanders by for a food. Many carry treats or food to share. It’s a remarkable part of Istanbul’s culture. Bring hand wipes and pet the city pets - they’ll love you.

Rick Steves: When it comes to personal travel, Rick Steves is well known for good reason, and his suggestions for personal walking tours and experiences are often very good. Since his books are available electronically, you can listen at your own pace as he and/or a local guide walk you through the streets of major cities like Istanbul and Athens.