On our Pamukkale day trip from Alanya you see Pamukkale’s white terraces up close, walking barefoot on the warm travertine, and explore the ruins of ancient Hierapolis right beside them. If you’d like a swim, Cleopatra’s thermal pool is there too, at extra cost.
We pick up guests from hotels in Okurcalar, İncekum, Avsallar, Konaklı, Alanya centre, Oba, Tosmur, Kestel and Mahmutlar.
Book your seat online with no prepayment — you pay on the bus on the day of the tour.
Pamukkale day trip from Alanya at a glance
- Hotel pickup: 02:00–03:30
- Drive to Pamukkale: about 5 hours, not counting stops
- Free time in Pamukkale: about 3 hours
- Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner included
- Back at your hotel: 22:00–23:00
- Payment: cash on the bus ($, €, ₺)
Tour programme
- 02:00–03:30 | Hotel pickup
We pick up guests at the hotel gate, by the security post, just past the barrier. We’ll put the exact pickup time for your hotel on your e-ticket once your booking is confirmed.
- Drive to Pamukkale
The drive takes about 5 hours, not counting stops, so you can sleep for part of the way. The guide tells you about Korkuteli, Acıpayam and Denizli.
- Breakfast at a restaurant, about 20 minutes
Breakfast is included in the price; drinks are extra.
- Shop stops
A textile centre, a traditional sweet shop and an onyx factory shop. There’s no obligation to buy.
- Lunch at a restaurant
The buffet lunch is included in the price; drinks are extra.
- Arrival in Pamukkale
The guide tells you about the travertines and the ancient city of Hierapolis and explains the rules for walking on the terraces. Your Pamukkale entrance ticket is included in the price.
- Free time in Pamukkale, about 3 hours
You can walk over the travertine terraces and explore the ancient city of Hierapolis and the archaeological museum. A swim in Cleopatra’s Pool is optional and costs extra: €15 / $15 / ₺650, paid on the spot.
- Meeting at the bus
At the agreed time the group meets at the bus and sets off back to Alanya.
- Dinner at a restaurant
Dinner on the way back is included in the price; drinks are extra.
- 22:00–23:00 | Back to your hotel
The exact time depends on where your hotel is, on traffic and on how long the stops along the route take.
The guide may change the order of stops, but the programme as a whole stays the same.
How does the Pamukkale day trip from Alanya work?
A night departure for Pamukkale
We pick up guests at the hotel gate, by the security post, just past the barrier, between about 02:00 and 03:30. We’ll put the exact pickup time for your hotel on your e-ticket once your booking is confirmed.
The drive to Pamukkale takes about 5 hours, not counting stops. It’s a long drive, and you can use part of it to sleep and recharge before the walk.
On the way, the guide tells you about the places along the route: Korkuteli, known for its mushroom farms, Acıpayam with its almond orchards, and Denizli, one of Turkey’s main textile centres.
Breakfast and stops on the way
On the way we stop for about 20 minutes for breakfast at a restaurant. Breakfast is included in the price of the tour.
The route also takes in a textile centre, a traditional sweet shop and an onyx factory shop. You don’t have to buy anything: you can simply look at the local goods, stretch your legs and take a break from the road.
Before Pamukkale there’s lunch at a restaurant, which is also included in the price of the tour.
The white terraces of Pamukkale
After lunch you arrive in Pamukkale. Before you set off, the guide tells you the history of the place and explains the rules for visiting the travertines.
Pamukkale means “cotton castle” in Turkish. The white terraces really do look like cotton or snow. They were formed by mineral springs, which left calcium deposits on the slope over many centuries.
Here you can walk barefoot on the white slopes, feel the warm water underfoot and take photos against the cascades.
Ancient Hierapolis
The ancient city of Hierapolis lies right next to the travertines. In your free time you can see the ruins of its ancient streets, the city walls, a large necropolis, the Church of St Philip and a well-preserved Roman theatre.
Pamukkale and Hierapolis are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your entrance ticket is included in the price of the tour and covers the travertines, the ancient city and the archaeological museum.
Free time and Cleopatra’s Pool
You have about three hours of free time on the site. Spend it walking on the travertines, exploring Hierapolis, visiting the museum or simply relaxing with the view.
If you like, you can visit Cleopatra’s Pool. It’s a thermal spring filled with mineral water, and fragments of ancient marble columns still lie on the bottom.
The pool is paid for separately on the spot, and whether you go in is entirely up to you.
Back to your hotel
When your free time is over, you head back to Alanya. On the way you stop for dinner at a restaurant, which is included in the price.
Guests are usually back at their hotels between 22:00 and 23:00. It depends on which part of Alanya your hotel is in, on traffic and on how long the stops on the way take.
In one day you see the white travertines of Pamukkale and UNESCO-listed ancient Hierapolis and, if you like, swim in Cleopatra’s Pool.
Book your seat online with no prepayment. You pay for the tour on the bus on the day.
Video of our Pamukkale tour
See what the day looks like
Press Play twice to start the video.
Which Pamukkale tour to choose
Which Pamukkale tour to choose
From Alanya there are two ways to visit Pamukkale. Both take you to the white travertines, but they differ in programme and price.
Pamukkale from Alanya — $70
The classic option for seeing the essentials: the white travertines, ancient Hierapolis and the Pamukkale site. The Pamukkale entrance ticket, breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in the price. This is the tour described on this page.
This tour is for guests who want to see more in one day. First you visit Lake Salda, with its light-coloured shore and turquoise water, and then you continue to Pamukkale. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and the Pamukkale entrance ticket are included in the price.
If you want to focus your trip entirely on Pamukkale, choose the classic tour. If you’d like to add one more sight to the day, the Lake Salda option is the better fit.
What is included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Air-conditioned bus
- English-speaking guide
- Pamukkale entrance ticket: travertines, ancient city and museum
- Breakfast at a restaurant
- Lunch at a restaurant
- Dinner at a restaurant
- Insurance
What is not included
- Cleopatra’s Pool — €15 / $15 / ₺650, in the currency of your choice; optional
- Drinks with meals
- Personal expenses: photos, souvenirs and other purchases
What to bring
- Swimwear for Cleopatra’s Pool
- Towel
- Comfortable shoes for walking around Hierapolis; on the travertines you go barefoot
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a sun hat
- Drinking water and a light snack, if you like
- Camera or phone
- Cash for Cleopatra’s Pool and personal expenses
Discounts
- $1 off for each person in your booking who follows our Instagram (@goldwaytravel)
Distance to Pamukkale
- Okurcalar to Pamukkale: 348 km, about 4 hours 45 minutes
- İncekum to Pamukkale: 352 km, about 4 hours 50 minutes
- Avsallar to Pamukkale: 356 km, about 4 hours 55 minutes
- Konaklı to Pamukkale: 370 km, about 5 hours 10 minutes
- Alanya centre to Pamukkale: 380 km, about 5 hours 20 minutes
- Oba to Pamukkale: 385 km, about 5 hours 25 minutes
- Tosmur to Pamukkale: 385 km, about 5 hours 25 minutes
- Kestel to Pamukkale: 388 km, about 5 hours 35 minutes
- Mahmutlar to Pamukkale: 390 km, about 5 hours 40 minutes
Distances and travel times are based on Google Maps and are intended as a guide. The actual journey time depends on traffic and on how long it takes to pick up guests from other hotels.
FAQ about the Pamukkale day trip from Alanya
How much does the Pamukkale day trip from Alanya cost?
Adults and children 8+ $70, children 4–7 $40, children 0–3 free. The price includes Pamukkale entry, a guide, breakfast, lunch, dinner and transfer.
How do I book the Pamukkale day trip from Alanya?
Choose the date and the number of adults and children in the “Online Booking” form; the total is worked out automatically. In the form that opens, enter your full name, hotel, WhatsApp number and email, then send it. No prepayment: you pay on the bus on the day of the tour. Once your booking is confirmed, we send you an e-ticket with the exact pickup time via WhatsApp or Telegram. For step-by-step instructions with pictures, see
“How to book and pay on the bus”.
Do I need to buy a Pamukkale ticket separately?
No, the entrance ticket is included in the price of our tour. Entry to Pamukkale isn’t free, and you can’t get onto the site without a ticket. It costs €30, and you won’t have to buy it on the spot.
What does the entrance ticket cover?
The ticket gets you onto the white travertines, into the grounds of ancient Hierapolis and into the archaeological museum. You pay separately for Cleopatra’s Pool, drinks and personal expenses.
Why are some Pamukkale tours cheaper?
Some trips are sold for less because the Pamukkale entrance ticket isn’t included, so guests have to buy it themselves on the spot. On our tour the ticket is already included.
What time does the tour start?
It’s a night-time start. We pick up guests at the hotel gate, by the security post, just past the barrier, between about 02:00 and 03:30. We’ll put the exact pickup time for your hotel on your e-ticket once your booking is confirmed.
When will we be back at the hotel?
You’re usually back at your hotel late in the evening, between about 22:00 and 23:00. The exact time depends on which area your hotel is in and on traffic.
How much time will we have in Pamukkale?
You have about 3 hours of free time on the Pamukkale site. You can spend it walking on the travertines and around Hierapolis, taking photos or swimming in Cleopatra’s Pool.
Can you walk on the travertines?
Yes, a special area is open for walking. Visitors walk on the travertines barefoot to protect the white calcium terraces. The guide explains the rules beforehand, and the water underfoot is usually warm.
Can you swim in the Pamukkale travertines?
You can’t swim in the travertines as you would in a pool. In the open area the water is shallow, usually about knee-deep. It’s a lovely place to wade through the warm water, sit by the white cascades and take photos.
Where can I have a proper swim?
For a proper swim, the Pamukkale site has Cleopatra’s thermal pool. Going in is optional. If you don’t want to swim, you can simply look at the pool and stroll around it.
How much does Cleopatra’s Pool cost?
You pay at the ticket office on the spot. The price is €15 / $15 / ₺650, in whichever of the three currencies suits you.
What should I bring for Cleopatra’s Pool?
If you plan to swim, bring swimwear and a towel. If you’d rather not swim, you can still spend your time on the site at your own pace.
Is breakfast included in the price?
Yes, breakfast is included. On the way we stop for breakfast at a restaurant.
Is lunch included in the price?
Yes, lunch at a restaurant is included in the tour price, and so are breakfast and dinner. Drinks are extra.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Yes, families with children can join this tour. Bear in mind the night-time start, the long drive and the late return, though: for young children it can be a tiring day. In Pamukkale itself, children usually enjoy walking on the warm travertines and exploring the open grounds of the ancient city.
Will my child have their own seat on the bus?
Every child with a paid child ticket has their own seat on the bus. Children aged 0–3 travel free and sit on an adult’s lap. If you’d like your little one to have a seat of their own, choose a paid child seat for them when you book.
