FAQs/Tour Tips for Turkey

Airfare booked through Living Passages is done via group booking. Ticketing for groups is not done until several weeks prior to departure, so you can expect to receive your flight information and ticket numbers approximately 3 weeks before your travel date. All tickets are issued electronically, so you’ll receive your itinerary and ticket number via email, along with instructions on how to change/add seat assignments or purchase more legroom. Group bookings typically require travelers to check in at the airport, so make sure you arrive at least 2 hours prior to flight takeoff in order to check in and go through security.

Travelers going to Turkey will need to have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond their scheduled return date. If you don’t have a passport yet, or if yours is expiring soon, you should apply for a new one as soon as possible. US Citizens can go to https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html for information on how to apply for/renew passports. Please be aware that passport processing times are long, and it may take up to 13 weeks to get your passport. Wait times to get an appointment for a first-time application before the process of issuance can begin can be long depending on your location, so please do not wait to make one. Please schedule an appointment right away if you need to apply for a new passport before your trip.

To find a passport acceptance facility near you, search here: Where to Apply for a Passport Nationwide (state.gov)

If you are bringing a minor with you, who will only be accompanied by one parent or by a guardian other than a parent (such as grandparents, an aunt or uncle, etc.) you will need to bring a signed and notarized letter from the absent parent(s) verifying your custody and permission to bring the child to another country. Please check current governmental guidance and regulations before travel and be prepared to produce any legal documents necessary for your travel.

Unless otherwise stated in your tour brochure, you will need to purchase a visa upon your arrival to Turkey. When you arrive at the airport, keep an eye out for the visa booth—follow the signs through the hallways towards passport control. Before you arrive at passport control, you will see a sign that says “Vize,” and you can purchase your visa from the airport staff at the desk there. The cost is approximately $30 USD, and it is a straightforward, quick process!

If you would like to purchase your Turkish visa before you leave home, you may do so online by going to the government website and applying for an e-Visa, here: e-Visa - Republic of Türkiye Electronic Visa Application System (evisa.gov.tr)

If you choose to apply online, please be very careful when entering your information and make sure all information is accurate - if you make a mistake when submitting the application, it cannot be edited. In order to make corrections, you will need to pay for another visa and receive a new one. Leaving this process until you arrive at the airport in Turkey is recommended to avoid any errors.

If you are traveling with minors, please keep in mind that the Turkish government requires that anyone traveling with underage children provide a notarized note from any parent who is not also traveling with them.

The currency used in Turkey is the Lira. We recommend not attempting to purchase the local currency before your trip, as you will be able to use US dollars for most of your purchases! We suggest bringing approximately $250 USD per person in small bills for spending on things like drinks, water on the bus, small souvenirs, tips over and above the standard, prepaid tips for waitstaff, housekeeping, and your bus driver. You can use dollars in many places in Turkey, and it keeps things easy for quick purchases of small items. Note that if you give a shopkeeper payment in dollars, they will give you change in lira.

If you would like to get shekels for your trip, we recommend withdrawing lira via ATM upon your arrival. There are plenty of ATMs at the airport. Tipping housekeeping staff and others in the local currency is an extra blessing you can give them, as they will not lose the value of the tip money when exchanging it!

You will be able to use a credit card in Turkey in many places - Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted. If you plan to use your credit card to pay for laundry service at a hotel, or any other extra services, it’s wise to check with your card issuer or bank about foreign transaction fees before you travel so there are no surprises.

Bring a comfortable pair of walking shoes that you will be able to walk around in on uneven ground, dirt and rock, or smooth paving stones. The stones in ancient sites such as Ephesus especially have been worn smooth by millions of feet and it can get slippery, so make sure you have good traction! Any shoes you bring should already be broken in so you don’t get blisters. It’s also nice to have a pair to change into at the end of a long day, so do bring a pair of comfortable shoes as well. No need to bring anything too fancy - you can leave your dress shoes and high heels at home!

If you need to do laundry on the trip, there are two options:

1. Use the laundry service at your hotel. The best time to do this is when you are staying at the same hotel for two nights in a row or more. It doesn’t typically cost too much to make use of the laundry service, so check with the hotel front desk when you check-in.
2. Do your laundry by hand. If you have delicate items or have packed clothing that dries quickly, it’s easy to do it in the sink at the hotel and save some money! To make it even easier, bring a good cold-water soap (like this travel-size laundry detergent) as well as a couple of large Ziploc bags… just in case your laundry isn’t fully dry by check-out time and you need to pack it into your suitcase.

Every morning, we will get on the bus for a day of touring and will not return to the hotel until the evening. You’ll want to bring anything you may need for the day in a small daypack that you can either carry with you or leave on the bus, depending on your needs. There will often be water for sale for a dollar at the front of the bus, and you’ll want to make sure that you stay hydrated on our long days. The bus will be air-conditioned, but don’t let that stop you from drinking as much water as possible! We will make plenty of comfort stops, as all that water has to go somewhere! Let your Living Passages guide know if you need to use the restroom on a long drive.

While you drive to various Biblical sites, your guide will use the time to point out sights of importance along the way and share facts about Turkey’s history and the sites you are visiting that day.

There are no assigned seats on the tour bus - the only reserved seats are the row at the very front, right behind the driver, as well as the front seat behind the local tour guide. This is so the guide, Living Passage's liaison, and your teacher can reach the microphone and direct the driver as needed, as well as confer with one another when last-minute opportunities come up on the tour - we want you to have the smoothest, most informative trip possible, and this helps our leaders provide it!

Feel free to move around and find new seats on the bus each day so you can meet everyone on your tour. We hope you’ll be just as blessed by the fellowship on the bus as you will be by the sites we visit and the teaching you receive!

Much of the tour in Turkey requires a reasonable level of activity and mobility—there are some slightly more demanding walks at certain sites, and many places where stairs are the only way to access the site we are visiting.

It’s a good idea to begin working on your endurance now, especially if you do not typically do much walking. If you are not used to heat, please keep in mind that the sun can sap your energy and you will need to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

If long periods on your feet tire you easily, we recommend this walking cane - it converts from a cane into a three-legged stool, so when we pause for periods at various sites for teaching you can simply unfold it and have a seat until it’s time to move again.

If you are concerned about your mobility and need more information about this tour, please give us a call at (888) 771-8717 and we can discuss the activity level and accessibility of specific sites as it pertains to your personal needs.

As you travel, it can be hard to absorb all the sights, sounds, and teaching all at once. We have several recommended reading suggestions for you before you travel, to more fully prepare if you wish to dig deeper and find even more significance in the locations we will visit. Keep an eye out for an email containing relevant articles and reading material specific to your tour. Alongside your reading of the scriptures pertaining to these sites, we suggest these books:

• A Guide to Biblical Turkey by Mark Wilson
• A Guide to Biblical Sites in Greece and Turkey by Fant and Clyde

Most of all, begin to pray now for your travel companions, your driver, guides, and hosts, your housekeepers, the shop owners, and all those God brings to your mind. Pray for God’s blessing on your trip, that He will use your investment to His glory, and for a Christ-centered response to each day and every situation. He will provide plenty of opportunities as you travel to be His hands and feet - what a blessing and a privilege!

Each shirt is custom-ordered based on the size you requested in your traveler information form when you completed your registration, according to the size chart provided. Because shirts are customized for each tour and traveler, we unfortunately can’t exchange these gifts at this time. However, if your shirt does not fit you as desired, please still bring it on the tour and have it with you at dinner on the first night: you may find that other travelers are looking to swap for a different size as well and that you can exchange them amongst yourselves!

Airlines change their luggage restrictions frequently, and no airline is the same. It’s always best to check directly with the airline you are booked on to see the latest luggage requirements, and what kind of items you are allowed to bring on the plane.

Living Passages strongly recommends traveling light and packing everything you will need for your trip into a carry-on bag and “personal item,” such as a small backpack. Checked luggage can sometimes be lost by airlines, resulting in travelers not receiving their baggage for days after their arrival. This can cause unnecessary issues, and your tour schedule may not allow much time or opportunity for purchasing replacement items if your luggage is lost.

Because of this, as well as ever-increasing fees for checked luggage, we suggest not checking a bag unless absolutely necessary, or limiting yourself to a single checked bag in these cases. Our buses have limited room for luggage transportation, and there will not be enough space to keep more than a small backpack with you on the bus.

If you need to check a bag, be sure to pack a couple of changes of clothing, necessary toiletries, and all medications, cameras, etc. in your carry-on luggage just in case your checked luggage is delayed. This way, if your checked bag is delayed or lost, you’ll have what you need to enjoy the first days of your tour while the airline forwards it to you, without missing valuable days of your trip to shopping.

Special luggage tags will be sent to you approximately two weeks before departure - please attach these to each piece of luggage. They are very helpful to baggage handlers at hotels!

Always bring all necessary medications with you in their original containers, along with copies of the prescriptions. It’s wise to bring enough for the entire trip, along with a little extra, as there will not always be a place to get refills. If you wear eyeglasses, bring an extra pair and the prescription just in case.

Toilet paper is not always guaranteed in public restrooms – it’s wise to carry some tissues or a travel toilet kit just in case! Hand sanitizer spray is great for a quick cleanse while traveling, too!

Being well-hydrated will help you feel your best on this trip. Consider bringing some electrolytes to put in your water each day, such as NUUN Tablets, or something equally easy to pack in your suitcase to keep you refreshed and energized. Always bring water with you when you leave for a day of touring, and when you get off the bus!

Many of us enjoy waking up early or retiring late for private devotional time. Especially in chillier months, we’ve found that this travel-sized immersion water heater is perfect for making a mug of tea or instant coffee from the comfort of your room.

You might also want to consider bringing a fanny pack (preferably one which you can wear cross-body in front of you and is not easily unclipped, to prevent theft) or a light daypack to carry your water, small bills, camera, Bible, and any other incidentals you may need for a day of touring. Whatever you choose to use, make sure it fits the carry-on flight restrictions of the airline you’re flying with if you’ll be using it as your personal item on the plane. We always recommend that you keep your passport, wallet, and cash in a secure location that is out of sight and not easily removed from your person. While crime is low, a money belt or pouch that is worn beneath your shirt will keep your valuables more secure from pickpockets you may encounter in crowded areas. Do not keep your passport, wallet, or phone in your pockets or in your name badge lanyard, as these are easily accessed or stolen. Pickpockets do tend to target tour groups in Jerusalem, so it’s wise not to make yourself an easy target!

For more packing tips and product recommendations, check out our blog for 8 Tips to Help You Pack Like a Pro.

See this site for details on items that are prohibited for air travel: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

There is so much striking beauty in Turkey: take twice as many memory cards as you think you will need!

Some museums, churches, and monuments do not allow photography - keep an eye out for any signs when you enter so you know what is permitted and can respect the restrictions. Some sites may charge for permission to use your camera. If you take photos with anyone leading a camel or donkey, their owner will expect you to pay him for them.

Be polite with your photography, especially if you wish to take photos of local people. It’s best to establish some type of relationship with them first - even a smile - and then request permission. When in doubt, refrain from taking a shot.

Always leave expensive watches and jewelry at home - if you can’t replace it, don’t take it. Be aware that wherever large crowds are gathered, there will be pickpockets. Make sure that your money, credit cards, passport, and phone are difficult for others to access, such as inside a money belt worn under your shirt. Out of sight and carried in front of you is the way to go! Fanny packs are handy but easily stolen, and you never want to carry your phone or wallet in your back pocket.

Never assume that your in-room safe is exempt from theft, either - be wise with what you choose to store in it.

• Tap water is safe to drink, but if in doubt, bottled water is plentiful.
• Please be aware that smoking is very common in Turkey, and you will encounter it in many places: hotel lobbies, restaurants, and on the street.
• There are currently NO requirements for COVID-19 injections or PCR tests upon arrival or departure from Turkey.

Tipping is customary in Turkey just like it is here at home. For good service, tips are between 10%-15%, although gratuities for exemplary service can range up to 20%.

The minimum expected tips for your tour guides and drivers are already included in your tour, and we have prepaid them. Though they’ve been given the minimum standard gratuity, if you enjoyed your guide or driver, a few extra dollars would be a blessing to them! They will hear our discussions about the Lord, see our Bibles, and observe our conduct: and what a great testimony generosity can be! Seeds of the gospel are planted and watered on trips like these, so let us do it well! Any blessing you offer in the way of cash is a sure sign of kindness to these hard workers, especially in these times.

Porterage for your luggage has been prepaid, but it would be kind to tip a couple of extra dollars when the luggage is delivered to your room.

Tipping of waitstaff for all your meals provided by Living Passages is included, although this does not include sodas, specialty coffees, juices, etc. If you are seated for a meal and order a beverage, it’s customary to leave a small tip on the table and settle your bill before retiring to your room.

To make sure you can use your phone while traveling, contact your cell phone service provider before you leave to ask about plans that cover you in Turkey. If they have an international plan, you can add it to your phone then. If you need to add unlimited data, please do, but if using the WiFi at the hotel in the evenings will be enough for your use, do not feel that it’s necessary.

If the cost of an international plan is not reasonable, let us know - we can take a moment at the airport for you to purchase a SIM card that works in-country and can give you internet access and the ability to call. Note that using a different SIM card will mean you have a temporary phone number and cannot receive calls or texts on your usual phone number while you’re using it. However, you will have access to WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and any other apps you have downloaded - these are excellent for keeping in touch with both friends and family back home as well as the group when you’re connected to WiFi!

The tour bus will often have WiFi. However, please don’t use Facebook or upload/download movies over it - it’s to be shared by all for basic things like texting and emails. 

Many of the restaurants we visit will also have WiFi access so you can stay caught up with friends and family back home.

There will be internet access at the Turkish hotels we stay at as well. The hotel WiFi will be the best for making any updates or downloads. Some hotels offer it for free, others charge, and some will offer it for free only in the lobby areas. If you need to stay connected and able to email, call, and contact others while traveling, we recommend purchasing an international plan with unlimited data for your cell phone, or purchasing a SIM card for temporary use once you arrive at the airport. (For iPhone users, you will need to have your phone “unlocked” by your provider before you leave in order to use a different SIM card.) Most cell carriers have fairly reasonable international plans for travelers.

To charge electronics in Turkey, you will need a voltage converter and a plug adaptor. Turkey operates on a 220-240V supply voltage, so if you plan to bring any electrical appliances, including hair dryers or battery banks for recharging your phone on the go, you will need to convert the voltage so it does not ruin your appliances. (Before traveling, check your hair dryer and converter to ensure they are compatible—hair dryers use a lot of power.) If you are taking a camera that requires charging, check your owner’s manual for any specialized conversion you may need to make.

Additionally, if you live in the United States, power outlets in Turkey require a different type of plug than you are used to: you will find they primarily use “type C” plugs, as used in Europe. We suggest a voltage converter and an adapter with multiple outlets and USB ports, like this one, to keep things simple!

Sometimes the wall sockets are recessed, which can make it difficult to plug your voltage transformer directly into the wall. To make sure you can always charge your device, bring a simple plug adapter as pictured in the diagram below.

On a tour with Living Passages, you’re sure to find plenty of fascinating items to take home! Many sites we visit will have gift shops for small souvenirs, and we’ll include a dedicated time for shopping as we are able. Here are a few things you need to know when making purchases:

1. When we are on the move as a group, if you see something you’d like to stop and purchase, always check with the tour leader to see if there is time first. If you duck into a shop without speaking with the tour leader, especially amid the crowds, the group won’t know you’re gone until they’re back at the bus, and you may be separated from everyone.
2. Remember your luggage size, and that you may be charged for extra baggage by both ground operators and airlines. However, vendors are happy to ship large items like rugs or wooden artwork to your home!
3. Value Added Taxes (VAT) are about 18% in Turkey. Keep that in mind when considering purchases and remember to ask the shopkeeper if VAT is included in the posted price. Some shops participate in the VAT tax refund program, so for more expensive items, ask the shopkeeper for the refund form while you check out. They will fill it out, and when you leave Turkey, you can present the refund form, any receipts, your passport, and the purchased goods at the VAT Refund Counter at the Customs Office at the airport before you check in for your flight. Please know this can take extra time, and due to the nature of travel, several circumstances (such as the counter being closed, lack of time before takeoff, or long lines) could prevent you from receiving a VAT refund for your purchases, so this is not guaranteed.