From Istanbul: Sapanca And Masukiye Day Trip With Lunch

This is a very long day. Eat breakfast before you go and come prepared to purchase water or bring it with you. You will not eat lunch until after 3pm - consider bringing snacks so you do not become “hangry”. It’s a wonderful day, maybe a few too many stops.

We travel a lot around the world, but this is the first time we've encountered such a scam in one place. Yes, a lot of it was described in words, but in reality, the words don't correspond to reality. It all started with a trip to a strange junk food joint in the middle of the highway for breakfast. Make sure you bring something from the store beforehand, because you'll only be served the slop prepared by the guide's friends. Next, you'll hear a story about Istanbul, but the guide apparently doesn't have much interesting information, so you'll spend most of the trip in silence, listening to music. The first stop after the cafe is the zoo, which is NOT INCLUDED in the price. At the time of writing, the price is about $40 for two people. There's nothing to see there, the animals are tired. It'll be fun for small children. Next up is a zip line. It doesn’t offer any stunning views; it’s just a bit of fun at an amusement park. I’d recommend going to the one in Istanbul itself, in the park by the bridge. It’s absolutely beautiful there and much more interesting. Riding ATVs is also boring. You drive for 20 minutes on a regular road at a speed of 10-20 km/h. That is all. There is no one-hour trip. The rest of the time, you just wait for the rest of the guys in the location, where another scammers try to sell you pictures for 500 lire apiece and other types of scam. Again, I remind you that the guide's friends work at all locations. Well, after this incredible adventure, you will be taken to eat. The menu included 1 small shish kebab on a skewer, a small portion of rice, a couple of cutlets, soda and a small portion of salad. It's not enough for a price that we paid. but you will also periodically have other dishes, drinks, and desserts on the table. AND AS SOON AS YOU TOUCH IT, THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT IT COSTS EXTRA MONEY. BUT NO ONE WARNS ABOUT THIS IN ADVANCE, AS WELL AS ABOUT THE PRICE. The guide's gang are already going crazy by this point. Well, I'll skip the cable car, which is just normal, but you won't find anything on the mountain. there are typical Turkish scammers and various outdoor attractions, the view will only be while you are going up. before the next point, I'll tell you that all the way out of the window we saw a lot of local markets where they sold a lot of cool handmade goods. The guide said he would take us to the super cool grocery market, where locals work and even tourists are not often taken there. This is such a unique place. But, unfortunately, in the end, it's just another divorce from overprice prices, where baklava and other sweets are sold. Well, the finale - we were just left in peace by the lake. most likely, this is the coolest time. We took a walk along the pleasant embankment, looked at the life of the locals, and chatted with passersby. After all this fraud, the usual human attitude was already missing and we only got it from the locals. I strongly do not recommend such trips from guides. if you want to take a similar one, then take the minimum package, and buy everything yourself on the spot. But it's better to go on your own. But I didn't think that Turkish guides would turn out to be so terrible and incompetent.

⭐☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing and a total rip-off I do not recommend this Sapanca and Maşukiye day trip at all. Almost every stop felt like a scam designed to make you spend more money, and the costs were much higher than expected. The food was average at best. Even the ATV ride, which could have been fun, stopped after just 15 minutes at a “photo point” where they tried to charge ridiculously high prices for pictures. Nothing about the experience was special. When I asked the guide about the famous waterfall and the beautiful spots shown in the pictures online, he casually said those were just restaurants and “not that great” — and that where we went was “better.” It absolutely was not. The whole trip felt misleading and disappointing. Save your money and skip this tour.

Simply, very well organized. Very well planned. Food was not as great. Osman our guide was the best guide we’ve had in a while. He made sure that we well informed about the trip and the history

This activity felt like very much of a tourist cash grab. The only included activity was the lunch and coach, the 'lunch' was at about half 5. There were stops at an aquarium, zipline, themepark with carting, turkish delight shop, cable car and the lunch cafe with 20 minutes at a beautiful lake. The lake was lovely, but if I were to do this again, I would arrange travel to the lake only. If you do do the carting, halfway through, expect to be stopped, taken from the vehicle and pushed to buy from a market/ photoshoot etc. Throughout the journey, the driver and guide played music at a really high volume that not even noise cancelling headphones could dull, and the driver was checking football results and clips on the way back. I can't really recommend this trip, there are nice elements to it, but you would be better off arranging to do these of your own accord.

Unfortunately, our guide did not make the trip fun. It seemed as they just wanted money. Every stop was about charging you for pictures.

So the trip has a nice start with a comfortable, air conditioned coach and a nice host (Doğan). The first stop was at the Zoo - for small a zoo that was completed in an hour - probably advise you to skip that if you've done a zoo before. The next stop was the ATV safari which we were really looking forward to, but was actually very, very disappointing. The worst bit was where it stops and every one exits to the photo points where you cant take your own pictures - these photographers do it for you than try to charge you the earth! Then we werent told that you are meant to drive your Vehicle to the start point where the whole experience was so deflating. Then on to the zip line which takes 10 times longer to prep and pay than the actual disappointing experience. Then on to the lunch and Lake Sapanca which was the best bit - the restaurant was superbly positioned overlooking the lake and the food was decent too. Then off to a sales opp again to buy Turkish delight! Finally the Cable cars which were great and a lovely way to finish as the sun started setting. The only problem is, you get an hour to get to the top, have a quick walk and back down. The experience seemed like they entice you with a great price but obviously make up for it on pushing you to do the paid activities - some are definitely worth it (cable cars) - others definitely not. I did like the host and for the trip and the food, the price was great value for money but felt I spent hundreds for a family of four on activities that werent worth it (zoo and ATV).

The trip was commercially oriented, they stopped in many areas for tourists to buy or to pay for unnecessary services instead of using the time to allow people see the beauty of the nature. They picked us from hotel on time, but we have to stop two times, and change the bus one time as they collect all the visitors for other trips in one bus and switch them at certain stops, which I don’t see it a harm, but you must know this since they don’t mention this anywhere. First stop was at the zoo, where all were adults and not interested. tickets after discount were 600TL ticket, we chose to wait at a near by cafe. Next, we went to a Lukum factory shop, it is optional to buy, but again another 1 hr wasted. Then the trip goes to Sapanca lake to have lunch which was average. Next was to the Telefrik to Kartepe which you have to pay again another 600/person. The stop after was to masukiya to use the buggies, which none of the tourists were interested to ask and pay, and then we stopped next to the zip line, and again none of us were interested to pay or use. Many people asked for the waterfall, which as per the tour guide, it is a water pipe that was called as waterfall! And he didn’t take us to the waterfall unlike their program! At the end, he dropped my family at the main street and refused to drop us in front of the hotel, I insisted to drop us next to the hotel, and the tour guide said that “it is a bus and not a taxi”! noting that I have elderly parents and we were carrying some stuff. To be fair, the tour guide explanation was good and he was clear about extra payments. But the entire trip was a disappointment. Overall, as a person who has been into this trip earlier with other groups, I do not recommend this trip unless you want to keep paying.

Great day out and the tour guide was exceptional with his information and had the day planned amazingly.

Tour was good and it got more exceptional with friendliness of our guide Yousef. He had great knowledge and interpersonal skills

None ! The service is simply a guided bus tour with a cheap lunch all the other activities fees are excluded. Too many activities squeezed within 12 hours which makes it more like an exhausting race. We visited beautiful places but we always felt being rushed to drive to the next activity. Would rather rent a car next time and do things at my own pace.

I have left my sunglasses on coach. The tour guide said has at office in Taskin square. It's too far for us to pick. We are in hotel Neorion hotel. In SIrkeci . Can you ask them to drop off here on reception room no. 205 / 206

They are offering the worst food in the world we were sick because of the food that we ate. The area around Sapanca was beautiful and they have a beautiful lake and good views from the hills. ATV experience was so bad and expensive. The aquarium was ok not bad.

Great trip with great value for money, our tour guide Ana’s was great very helpful and professional, highly recommended trip.

Scam on the shops which they were stopping, prices are higher 3x time than the city, invalid information about the shop to make you buy from it

Scenic, Zipline, free lunch was great and friendly host. I will recommend this day trip. Only thing was poor, coordination for morning pick us up.

We travelled with a very good company ( AVA TUR) they organised the trip and the bus picked us from hotel via the tour guide. Started nearly 9:30 am we arrived at zoo Park, stayed there for an hour, then moved to Masokiye, where the beach buggies were available, and some other activities like zip line, paragliding and the big swing This was followed by the glass balcony over the mountain with very nice views and photos, and we went to the waterfalls where we did activities and received our yummy lunch there. In the end, we went to sabança Lake and stayed there up to 8 pm. The tour time is around 12 hours Every activity is out of the package. The only included is lunch, which is very good for me and reasonable

This was billed as a small group (no more than 15 ) on a day long toui inro the mountains and lakes outside Istanbul. We took a taxi to our pickup hotel in the old city and waited for more than an hour for the tour guide to show up. The bus was too big to come to the hotel so we ended up walking several blocks to get to where it was parked.The tour guide was very rude and and never introduced himself but told me we were late and to just get on the bus.We continued to pick up people for another hour and then had to change buses (why?) before we even left the city. We chose an English speaking tour but the primary language was Turkish with minimal information given in English on a noisy bus with no microphone. It was very hard to follow at stops when to get back on the bus and what we were even doing at each location. The day consisted of tourist shopping stops and amusement parks that were massive crowds of people all in a small area trying to do the same thing at the same time for a lot of money that cost extra. And every time you sat down in the shade to enjoy the view you were asked to order drinks or leave. Our tour was on an overcrowded bus on a hot day with no chance of getting off early. Think twice before you book this tour. Read the other reviews and make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. This is not a relaxing day in the country. The best part was a very fast stop for lunch that was the only included activity. I'm sure there are better tour groups that do a great job at making this in informative and interesting outing - this just is not the one you want. The first stop we came back to in Istanbul we jumped off and took a taxi back to our hotel.

Our anticipation for the Sapanca and Masukiye Tour from Istanbul was high, fueled by the promises of adventure and enjoyment. However, our excitement quickly turned into frustration and disappointment right from the start. The tour was booked through Viator, with the assurance of hotel pickup and drop-off included. I meticulously selected my hotel during the booking process, expecting a seamless experience. Unfortunately, reality fell short of expectations. As the scheduled time for the tour approached, there was no sign of the designated transport. Growing concerned, I reached out to the tour operator, only to be met with an unacceptable response. I was informed that my hotel was deemed too far for pickup, despite it being correctly specified during booking. The operator's solution? Either rush to the meeting point by taxi or risk being left behind. Feeling stranded and perplexed by the lack of professionalism, I hastily arranged for a taxi, adding unexpected expenses to an already budgeted trip. The sense of adventure that initially drew me to this tour was overshadowed by the stress and inconvenience of arranging last-minute transportation. Upon finally joining the tour group, any hopes of salvaging the experience were dashed. The rushed beginning set the tone for a disjointed and unsatisfactory excursion. What was supposed to be a memorable adventure turned into a series of missed opportunities and frustrations. In conclusion, while the destinations of Sapanca and Masukiye may hold promise for a delightful outing, I cannot in good conscience recommend booking this tour operator through Viator. The lack of accountability, disregard for promised services, and overall poor customer experience transformed what should have been an enjoyable journey into a regrettable and forgettable ordeal. Proceed with caution, or better yet, explore alternative tour providers to ensure a truly memorable experience.

- The whole trip started late. - The morning hotel pickup was at 9:30 instead of 8:15. - All the rides and entrance fees are expensive. - Lunch was served at 4:30 pm! - The hobbit houses were apparently not part of the tour. It was stated otherwise in the tour description. - By the time we arrived at the lake for the quad bikes, it was dark and not enjoyable.

They picked us up too late at the hotel, more than an hour late, there was not enough time for the places, we had lunch too late after 4:30pm, we almost died with hunger, there was not ant visit to the hobit houses as it present in the tour description. This tour must be at the end of your plan list

It was absolutely perfect. Our tour guide, Appo, was exceptional, offering deep knowledge and infectious enthusiasm. The planning was flawless, providing a balanced and diverse experience. I highly recommend this tour for a memorable and hassle-free day of exploration.

We booked ourselves a day trip to Sapanca and Masukiye with a tour company called LIVE LIFE TRAVEL just to get away from busy Istanbul and it was an excellent idea. Travelling together with different nationalities makes it even more interesting as you tend to see sceneries from their angle too. Very beautiful sceneries overall (except for the many stops to Specialist shops and markets to try and entice tourists to buy eg honeys, coffees,locum and jewelry,etc) but then I suppose this is a good way to ensure that businesses on the outskirts of main cities also sell their wares and so it becomes part of the tour. An overall great tour.

1st- We get ready morning at 8:30 as per the time mentioned and no one called us , until we contact them, and the van came after 30 min of pickup time. 2nd- They let us walk for couple of mins far from our hotel. And going down stairs on street. 3rd- when I get on the van I sit on the chair that suites me because other chairs are very tight and i could not fit on them. But when the van continue its pickup up, the tour guide forced me to change me seat to let couples sit. I told him I can not because all other chairs will not fit me because Iam a big guy!!. I was going to quit the tour but I could not because my family. So i spent the whole trip hours sitting on very narrow knee space chair inside the van, and in a very bad position for my knees and back. At the end of the day I had a pain on my knees. It was a bad trip for me. 3rd- the tour is making too stops, and sapanca lake which is the best place they let it to be at the end. If you want to visit sapanca just go by renting your own car. 4th- the lunch they provide is low quality and small portion, was cold and prepared hours ago. With alot of flys around you in outside among trees.

very nice wonderful place to visit with family wasn't just the sights, though, that made this visit such an unforgettable experience. This market offers a feast for the senses! All around me were sounds of wooden boats bumping together and the noisy chatter of the crowd. I had never been to a place with so many different smells: the aroma of freshly ground spices, exotic fruit and vegetables, seafood and meats, all mixed with the mouth-watering fragrance of freshly cooked Thai delicacies. When I finished my shopping for the day, I felt tired but exited and happy. It was certainly an experience I would never forget. It you are in Thailand, you should definitely visit the floating market. It's a unique experience.

We had a fantastic tour guide who was to vary answer questions , I’ m really enjoyed this amazing tour , I’ll do it again …..

It was Amazing day with we Go Turkiye Travel Agency we had an amazing day good lunch and our guide was very good and friendly thanks full all.

Nice day trip, Dogan and osman was very nice and helpful with nice vibes in the bus، the first station was the loukum shop (its more expensive than the shops in istanbul) after the zipline we took lunch in a very nice restaurant with amazing view, then we did all the activities, you have to pay extra for it but it worth it، be very careful with the photographer who want to take you pictures!!

Sapanca and Masukiye tour was good for us with the kids. It was nice to walk around the lake and village especially visiting the zoo was very nice.

Me and my family, we went to Sapanca and Masukiye tour in Istanbul. The tour was very nice in the nature and visiting the zoo. It was good because we started early in the morning in Istanbul. It was a long day whe we returned to Istanbul it was already night and it was dark. I mostly liked the tour guide, he was excellent and helpfull, I like the lake and Darica Zoo in the tour. I recommend this tour to every family to take the kids to the Zoo in Istanbul.

Amazing day with. We Go Turkiye Travel they was organize all our trip and we was visit many places in Istanbul Sapanca, Bursa, and Yalova. I want to thenks to Mr. Timur he always called us and informed us about tours

The tour guide explanation + the arrangements beside the included activities which are great to be experienced

it was amazing day with. We Go Turkiye Travel. we visit Sapanca and Mahsukiya thank you for all we will do it again

This tour was not as advertised on TripAdvisor, and there were so many hidden costs - and if you weren't willing to pay for these extra activities, the day was an absolute waste of time. They started by taking us to a zoo (NOT a wildlife sanctuary) where we were charged 180 TL per person. Then we went to a Turkish delight "factory" which was really just a Turkish delight shop where they wanted us to spend more money buying sweets. After that, we had lunch which was perhaps the only item which matched the itinerary. We were then taken to a small zip-lining facility. The activity cost 100 TL per person. After that, we were taken for an "ATV safari" which consisted of driving quad bikes or small 4x4 buggies up and down a hill - for up to 400 TL per person. We then went to a glass terrace overlooking some mountains which was the first truly nature-focused part of the day. Entrance was 25 TL per person. Finally, we went to a restaurant at the edge of Lake Sapanca which was not very pleasant - the water was dirty and incredibly loud music was playing. Fortunately there were no hidden costs there. Very little information/background was given on the places that we visited, and we did not feel as though we learnt anything on the tour. In summary, completely ignore the itinerary listed on TripAdvisor, and budget around 600 TL per person extra if you don't want to be bored out of your mind on this tour.

Sapanca was amazing tour we had gread time wite We Go Turkiye Travel. The guide and driver was very friandly thank you for your halp to make our trip amazing

We got what we payed for. We felt like everything was a tourist trap… the zip line was underwhelming. And we bought Turkish delights that’s a lot cheaper in the city.

The trips first stop was to the “zoo” which was not on the itinerary. Only one couple out of the whole bus was interested in going so the “entire @ bus had to go into the zoo and sit in the cafeteria while one couple went in. Two hours later we finally left after the entire bus waited for thes “two” people who were an hour late returning. They should have been left there. I have never heard of making an entire bus wait for two people for an excursion that was not even part of the trip. We went on to a “tourist trap “ spot to which we had to wait 40 minutes while a herd of people tried to sell us stuff. Then off to what was one of the worst lunches I’ve ever had. The only redeeming thing on this trip was the quad ride we took that was an extra cost to us. A note also to mention, every background and possible picture you want to take is “blocked off “ by salesman selling you a picture. If you don’t pa, you can’t take any pictures!! Ridiculous!! All I can say is save your money and time. The lunch was around $3.00 and the bus ride, everything else was an additional cost. They make a killing profit off of this trip with no return on your money.. what a disappointment!!

Over all experience was Good. Guide Ferhat so amzazing and patient enough. Everything wad amazing thanks

İt was an amazing tour it cover a lot of activities and the tour guide were very helpful thank you SO much

It was more than perfect Trip! And there is someone calls Fatih works there he is very friendly, helpful and makes sure that everyone having fun. He even borrowed us some cash, as we left our cash in the hotel. The pickup took a bit longer, but it is totally acceptable for istanbul, quicker couldn't be. A BIG Thank You !!!

this trip was one of the best decisions we made while in Istanbul. We had the best tour guide we could ask for. We got to do so much in one day and everyone was just so happy and full of excitement. Everything was amazing, you have to experience it for yourself. I think this is best suitable for friends, families and couples who are into road trips adventure and activities but also nature.

He’s asked me repeatedly this weekend why I’ve never been long, and if you have a car, you can get away from Istanbul in 1 hour

Several stages, zoo without interest... nice zip line for child place poorly maintained... the most unpleasant experience is the meal and service of a mediocre standard (no knives for a dish with meat) the dish was gross, orange juice extra cut with water, obvious lack of hygiene and all on the edge of a small waterhole cluttered with polluting waste with animation of rats 😀, the activity of the cable car and the quad are decent and nice Guide Too bad for the image of Turkey which has many other assets and beautiful places to visit

God bless the most beautiful places I've ever visited Excellent, service, lunch, and even the coordinators