On our Pamukkale day trip from Kemer 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 Beldibi, Göynük, Kemer, Kiriş, Çamyuva and Tekirova.
Book your seat online with no prepayment — you pay on the bus on the day of the tour.
Pamukkale day trip from Kemer at a glance
- Hotel pickup: 04:00–05:00
- Drive to Pamukkale: about 3.5 hours, not counting stops
- Free time in Pamukkale: about 3 hours
- Back at your hotel: 19:30–20:30
- Payment: cash on the bus ($, €, ₺)
Tour programme
- 04:00–05:00 | 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 3.5 hours, not counting stops, so you can sleep for part of the way. The guide tells you about Korkuteli, Acıpayam and Denizli.
- Breakfast stop, about 20 minutes
Breakfast is not included: you can eat at a café, bring a snack or order a packed breakfast from your hotel in advance.
- 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 Kemer.
- Stop on the way back
A short break for the toilet and a tea or coffee.
- 19:30–20:30 | 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 Kemer work?
An early start for Pamukkale
We pick up guests at the hotel gate, by the security post, just past the barrier, between about 04:00 and 05:00. 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 3.5 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 there’s a breakfast stop of about 20 minutes. Breakfast is paid separately: you can eat at a café, bring your own food or order a packed breakfast from your hotel in advance.
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, 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 Kemer. On the way there’s a short stop for a rest and a tea or coffee.
Guests are usually back at their hotels between 19:30 and 20:30. It depends on which part of Kemer 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 Kemer there are two ways to visit Pamukkale. Both take you to the white travertines, but they differ in programme and in what’s included in the price.
Pamukkale from Kemer — $65
The classic option for seeing the essentials: the white travertines, ancient Hierapolis and the Pamukkale site. The Pamukkale entrance ticket and lunch are included in the price. This is the tour described on this page.
This option is for guests who want to see Pamukkale from the air as well as from the ground. The programme includes a hot-air balloon flight and lunch. The Pamukkale entrance ticket is paid separately on the spot and costs €30.
If you want a tour with entry already included, choose the classic Pamukkale tour. If you’d like to see Pamukkale from above, choose the balloon programme.
What is included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Air-conditioned bus
- English-speaking guide
- Pamukkale entrance ticket: travertines, ancient city and museum
- Lunch at a restaurant
- Insurance
What is not included
- Cleopatra’s Pool — €15 / $15 / ₺650, in the currency of your choice; optional
- Breakfast at a café on the way — optional
- Drinks with lunch
- 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
- Book at least 7 days in advance — 4% off
- Book at least 30 days in advance — 5% off
- $1 off for each person in your booking who follows our Instagram (@goldwaytravel)
- Discounts can’t be combined: choose either the early booking discount or the follower discount, whichever saves you more
Distance to Pamukkale
- Beldibi to Pamukkale: 260 km, about 3 hours 20 minutes
- Göynük to Pamukkale: 269 km, about 3 hours 30 minutes
- Kemer to Pamukkale: 276 km, about 3 hours 35 minutes
- Kiriş to Pamukkale: 282 km, about 3 hours 38 minutes
- Çamyuva to Pamukkale: 282 km, about 3 hours 38 minutes
- Tekirova to Pamukkale: 291 km, about 3 hours 45 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 Kemer
How much does the Pamukkale day trip from Kemer cost?
Adults and children 8+ $65, children 4–7 $35, children 0–3 free. The price includes the Pamukkale entrance ticket, a guide, lunch and transfer.
How do I book the Pamukkale day trip from Kemer?
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 breakfast, 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 an early start. We pick up guests at the hotel gate, by the security post, just past the barrier, between about 04:00 and 05:00. 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 in the evening, between about 19:30 and 20:30. 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?
No, breakfast isn’t included. On the way we stop at a café where you can have breakfast. You can also bring a light snack or ask your hotel in advance for a packed breakfast.
Is lunch included in the price?
Yes, lunch at a restaurant is included in the tour price. Drinks are extra.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Yes, families with children can join this tour. Bear in mind the early start and the long drive, 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.
