Hi all
We are a group of 4 active 60 yr olds who are hoping to go to Turkey around April 2026 but are having trouble finding a tour that includes all we want to do plus some down time in some spots. Does anyone have any experience/suggestions regarding perhaps getting a driver for our trip instead? Looking at maybe coming over from Rhodes and going up the coast to Istanbul. (this is where the driver would be great - then do a tour to Cappadocia from Istanbul). We have travelled independently before around Europe but none of our group has been to Turkey and thought a group tour would be a better option for first timers. I have no idea where to start if looking at private drivers. Other option will be to get to Istanbul and do the regular group tour down coast and over to Cappadocia and back to Istanbul.

Any help or suggestions regarding driver or places to visit would be most welcome.

Have you looked at Intrepid? They have 4 levels of tours, friends in their 60s recommend Comfort or Premium level.

Should we assume that none of you drive? FWIW, I found driving there quite easy and visiting Turkey on your own is quite manageable. Otherwise, you can use public transportation to get to and from many of the places likely to be on your itinerary. Check rome2rio.com for your options.

In case it proves useful, here's my old trip report:
Some Observations on a Fantastic Journey through Western Turkey

We had a driver who was recommended by aa Turkish man who used to post on this forum. Great experience, driving south along the Aegean coast...Foca, etc.

Here's the info about the owner of the service who arranged our driver, but note the date of my post--2005...

<<<After two and a half days in Istanbul, three of us set out on a car trip with a driver supplied by Mr. Kutay Gurel from Auto Turkey/Sunday Car Rental. I recommend Mr. Kutay highly; his number is 235 41 31 in Istanbul.>>>

Our driver was Hamdi and we had so much fun with him. (Three of us, plus Hamdi in the car)

We had a tour arranged for us by a travel agent at: https://cappadociatours.com. Someone else on this forum recommended them at the time and we were very happy with the services provided. They arranged all of our transportation, hotels and a guide for each location we visited and were easy to work with. We opted to join a group tour for one leg of the trip to save money but you certainly wouldn't have to do this as they will custom design a trip that will work well for your group.

Any good Turkish travel office can arrange a tour with driver, local guides and hotel accommodation.

On the other hand, it's incredibly easy to use public transport in Turkey.

Rhodos - Marmaris ferry, once daily, 1 hr trip: https://seadreams.gr/timetable/timetable-marmaris/
Marmaris -Aydin/Ephesos//Didim/Priene etc. bus, every 30 to 60 min, 2 1/2 hrs journey: https://www.obilet.com/de/journeys/644-359/2025-10-17
Aydin - Denizli (Pamukkale) train, about every 2 hrs, 2 1/2 hrs trip: https://ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr/sefer-listesi
Denizli - Eskisehir train, once daily 8 hrs:https://ebilet.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr/sefer-listesi plus tons of buses
Denizli - Antalya: train up to Burdur (3 hrs) plus bus (2 hrs)
Eskisehir - Ankara:train about every hr, 1 1/2 hrs journey
Ankara - Goreme/Cappadokia: bus about every hr, 3 1/2 hrs journey
Goreme - Kayseri, bus about every hr, 1hr journey
Goreme - Konya, bus about every hr, 3 1/2 hrs journey
Konya - Istanbul, trains about every 3 hrs, 4 1/2 hrs journey
Kayseri - Yozgat, bus about every hr, 2 hrs journey
Yozgat - Istanbul: train, 6 hrs hourney
etc. etc,,,,,,,

What a wonderful plan — April is one of the most beautiful times to experience Turkey, especially if you enjoy both heritage and open landscapes.

if your goal is comfort and flexibility (especially between coastal towns, Konya, and Cappadocia), a private driver with a licensed local guide can make the experience more fluid than any fixed tour. The journey from Konya into Cappadocia can feel like entering another world — volcanic valleys, rock-hewn churches, and timeless silence.

If time allows, spend one night in Konya to feel its rhythm beyond the museum — early morning around Rumi’s tomb is truly special. Then continue toward Cappadocia for two or three nights to let the atmosphere unfold.

Group tours cover the main sights, but independent travel here gives you freedom to breathe — and that’s where Turkey reveals its real charm.