Our Turkey retreat is a perfect balance of old and new, immersion and rest, and city and nature. Daily movement and mindfulness practices will support our bodies and minds. As a result, we will travel deeper, explore more, and leave feeling nourished and inspired. We will start our Turkey retreat in the inimitable city of Istanbul, the only capital in the world split between two continents and then fly to Cappadocia, a unique natural wonder with centuries of history.

Sign-Up Deadline is February 22, 2024!

In attending this retreat you will benefit the local economy of Turkey in many meaningful ways. We are intentionally including opportunities to support local communities and artisans.  A portion of the proceeds of this retreat will be donated to support local charities.  

Nicole has a BA in Art History with a concentration in Islamic Art History as well as an International MBA. She studied abroad in Turkey while she was studying Islamic Art History and Turkish and fell in love with the country.  Nicole is passionate about creating opportunities for Americans to experience the beauty and wonder of the Islamic world while offering intentional support throughout the journey.  

On her retreats, meaningful cultural immersion and mindful travel are emphasized. 

Nicole is also a board-certified health and wellness coach and a trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness instructor.   

Read more here: Why Mindful Travel Matters (by Nicole)

Nicole’s retreats are designed to infuse a sense of purpose, intention, and community. They are based on the belief that travel expands our minds and hearts, sharpens our perspective, de-conditions our prejudices, and catalyzes our growth.

According to a poll done by Booking.com, 79% of travelers reported that travel helps their mental and emotional wellbeing more than other types of self-care. The National Wellness Institute defines wellness as “an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence.”

Nicole believes that wellness encompasses our sense of purpose and connection as well as our values and vision. It represents an integration of mind, body, spirit, and soul. As such, travel has the potential to contribute to our wellness in ways that few other things can.

Read more here: Re-thinking Wellness Travel (by Nicole)

Each morning, we will spend about 30-minutes together before heading out for our daily adventures. This time will consist of some gentle mindful movement (example here) as well as breathwork and mindfulness practices. No experience is required! This time is meant for us to come together intentionally as a group and to support our bodies, minds, and nervous systems as we travel.

Once we arrive in Cappadocia, I will begin to offer restorative evening practices. These are meant to help us integrate our travel experiences and soothe our bodies and minds as the pace of our retreat becomes more spacious.

All daily practices are optional!

$200 per booking will be donated to a local charity that empowers Turkish women

To secure your spot, place a $500 deposit; final payments will be due by February 22, 2024. 

If you book a double and we end up with an odd number of double bookings, you may be asked to upgrade to a single and pay the price difference. If you are booking with a partner or friend, please leave a note in your booking details.

Trip insurance is required to protect against any unforeseen circumstances.  Plan to budget about $200-300 for insurance. Squaremouth is a great resource for comparing different plans.  I highly recommend selecting a plan that has a “cancel for any reason’ upgrade and purchasing travel insurance within 14 days of booking this trip to maximize your coverage options.

Cancellation Policy: 

Final balance payment is required 60 days prior to travel.

Cancellation prior to 60 days; we will hold the deposit amount as a credit.

Cancellation 59 days or inside prior to travel will incur 100% cancellation fees

No shows will be treated as a cancellation and will incur 100% cancellation fees.

Please inquire about alternate payment plans as we are happy to make them available.   

*The itinerary and daily schedules may change slightly. 

Monday, April 22

Merhaba! Welcome to Turkey. This trip kicks off in Istanbul, the continent-straddling metropolis that the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans have previously all called home.

Welcome Circle + Dinner at 6pm

Meals included: Dinner

Accommodation: Manesol Galata Hotel or similar

Tuesday, April 23

Today, your adventure begins with breakfast, followed by a guided city tour. 

Included Activities:

• Old city walking tour

• Hagia Sophia

• Blue Mosque

• Istanbul- Visit to Nahil Dukkan by KEDV Foundation

• Baklava tasting

Visit the scene of many a chariot race in the ancient hippodrome, check out the Blue Mosque. Your Istanbul tour continues with a dose of awe at Justinian the Great’s Hagia Sophia. This masterpiece of Byzantine architecture stands tall and proud in downtown Istanbul, holding within its walls more than 1,500 years of Turkish history. This mind-bogglingly beautiful site is also somewhat of a chameleon — it has lived its long life as a church, a mosque, a museum, and recently as a mosque again. Visit KEDV, a social enterprise founded in 2003 to support the economic empowerment of low-income women. KEDV’s goal was to establish a platform from which women throughout Turkey could sell their handicrafts, which would then help empower them economically. 

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation: Manesol Galata Hotel or similar

Wednesday, April 24

Included Activities:

• Topkapi Palace

• Sulaymaniye Mosque

• Rustem Pasa Mosque

• Spice Market

• Night Tasting Street Food Tour

Today, Topkapi Palace awaits. This opulent complex overlooking the Bosphorus is a true Istanbul treasure, with many colorful stories about the rich sultans who lived there between 1453 and 1839. Then, head to the Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Market, to meet a local spice merchant and learn about Turkey’s best spice blends. You’ll also get to satisfy your sweet tooth with a visit to a traditional Turkish Delight merchant. No visit to Istanbul is complete without stopping by the atmospheric Spice Bazaar. While the Grand Bazaar may be the largest and most famous of Istanbul's covered bazaars, this spice market wins the prize for being the most colorful, fragrant, and often the most fun – as visitors can taste the goods on offer. Get ready to discover the street flavors of Istanbul tonight! Your guide will introduce you to local delicacies.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Manesol Galata Hotel or similar

Thursday, April 25

Included Activities:

• Explore the Eclectic Fener & Balat Neighborhoods

• Art Workshop - Ebru Marbling

Visit the Fener & Balat area to walk around the residential neighborhoods and find out how locals live in this cosmopolitan city. You will be passing through the local markets, bakeries, tea houses and walking through the splashes of color and the vibrancy of its street life, the crisscross of washing lines on the crumbling buildings, the synagogues, the churches, and the labyrinth of cobblestone streets teeming with kids playing football and women in headscarves beating rugs. You will learn about the history of the neighborhood and how this was home of three religions. Then meet with a marbling artist to learn to make this beautiful art form yourself – a perfect souvenir to take home.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation: Manesol Galata Hotel or similar

Friday, April 26

Included Activities

• Explore the Kadikoy & Kuzguncuk Neighborhoods

After your breakfast, explore Kadikoy and Kuzguncuk. Take a ferry from Karakoy on this walking tour to discover murals, markets, artists and back streets of Asian Istanbul, discover the new trendy locality of Yeldegirmen, a haven for hip new artists and street art . Take a local dolmus to Uskudar and walk to the lovely village of Kuzguncuk known for many things, including a long history of religious tolerance, a hub for intellectuals, black sea villagers, a soft Bosphorus breeze and its traditional wooden houses looking over city gardens. Stop for an optional lunch (traditional ravioli manti!) and follow with tea before returning to Uskadar and the ferry back to Karakoy.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation: Manesol Galata Hotel or similar

Saturday, April 27

Included Activities

• Flight to Kayseri (Cappadocia)

• Cappadocia orientation walk

• Home-cooked dinner

Transfer to airport this morning for a mid-morning flight to Kayseri, located in the Cappadocia region. From here you’ll take a one-hour drive to Goreme, the most recognisable part of Cappadocia. Goreme lies in a valley of cones, needles and columns, fashioned by nature from the soft volcanic tuff rock. It's honeycombed with caves scooped out to make churches and dwellings that are known as fairy chimneys and castles. In times of peace, the people in this region lived on the land, but in times of war or persecution they took to living underground. When you arrive in Goreme, you can stretch your legs and take an orientation walk with your local leader.

This evening’s dinner is a special one – you’ll be meeting and dining with a well-known local woman named Nuray Abla, who cooks Turkish cuisine in her cave home. Nuray Abla is another of our woman Ambassadors, changing the face of tourism in Turkey and encouraging more women to become part of the Tourism Supply Chain. Making her famous Anatolian dishes has enabled Nuray Abla to educate her daughter to university level and provide better opportunities for her family.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Aya Kapadokya or similar

Sunday, April 28

If you don’t mind an early start, a hot air balloon ride over the majestic Cappadocian landscape is a highly recommended experience. Please advise your local leader in advance if you want to book it, as it needs to be arranged with one of the certified operators. The cost will vary depending on the type of flight chosen, but your local leader will be able to advise you of the options.

Once your feet are firmly back on the ground, you’ll head off to explore the region including, Pigeon valley and Pasabag (monks valley) and wander through the Soganli or Love Valley on an easy hiking trip, taking in the arid surrounds and towering vistas. Enjoy your lunch at a female-run restaurant where you can eat local food. Then, head to Göreme Open Air Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage site and captivating wonderland of ancient rock-cut churches and monasteries. Marvel at the intricate frescoes that adorn these unique structures, carved into the fairy chimneys, and delve into the rich history of early Christian civilization amidst the surreal landscape.

Included Activities:

• Valley walk

• Goreme open air museum

Optional Activities:

• Hot air balloon

• Pasabag - Zelve archaeological site

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Aya Kapadokya or similar

Monday, April 29

Included Activities:

• Village visit

• Carpet Co-op

• Urgup Three Beauties

Optional Activities:

• Hammam - Turkish bath

This morning, spend some time with the locals. After your breakfast, start the day with a local village coffee. You also will get the chance to see a carpet demonstration from the local women, as Cappadocia is also known to have quality rugs and kilims. In the evening, enjoy some local wine while watching the sunset. For your final night, enjoy a dinner with your group to wrap up a wonderful and memorable week!

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation: Aya Kapadokya or similar

Tuesday, April 30

Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back to Istanbul. Your trip will come to an end upon arrival at Istanbul Airport.

Included Activities

• Departure Transfer

• Flight to Istanbul

Meals included: Breakfast