Ultimate Turkey Packing Guide
Looking for a complete Turkey packing guide for your trip? In this article, we share top packing tips, must-have items for your trip, what to wear in Turkey, and recommended reading. These tips will give you the essentials on what to bring for your adept expeditions tour through Turkey.
Once you’ve finalized your registration for the Adept Expeditions tour of Turkey, it’s a good idea to have a packing strategy in place.
Read our helpful tips for traveling to Turkey.
We put this list together to help you plan the best trip possible, so we share all of my favorite travel resources! Some links on this page are affiliate links—that means that at no extra cost to you, we earn a small commission if you purchase items through these links, and that helps us keep this blog running. Enjoy!
Turkey Packing List
1. Travel Documents
Visa
Check the official Turkish e-visa site to see if you need a visa to enter the country. You will need to purchase a visa at least 48 hours before you travel.
U.S., U.K. & Australian residents will need to purchase a visa.
Travel Insurance
We recommend purchasing travel insurance for your trip to cover any unexpected illnesses or injuries or in the event you need to cancel your trip. Be sure to check the terms and conditions concerning COVID carefully. We recommend Allianz or World Nomads Travel Insurance.
Prescriptions
If you are traveling with prescription medication on your trip, you will need to have a copy of the written prescription from your doctor with you that you may need to show when you arrive in Turkey.
2. Luggage
Keep your luggage to a carry-on or mid-size is ideal when traveling to Turkey. There are a few reasons we recommend keeping your suitcase to a minimum size:
When you’re traveling from one location to another is easier if you have a smaller suitcase for airport transfers, walking through airports and areas in the city to your hotel.
When we travel by bus or aircraft there will be limited space for storing large pieces of luggage in trunks or luggage racks.
Carry-on size luggage is ideal if you like to travel minimally and are not planning on buying souvenirs or gifts. If you like to shop along the way, a medium-sized suitcase may be a better fit for your travel needs.
3. Weather in Turkey
In general, the weather in Turkey in October is warm and pleasant but with a chance of rain. Average temperatures range from around 64° F (18° C) in inland Cappadocia to 68° F (20° C) in Istanbul and Ankara to 77° F (25° C) in coastal southern Antalya.
4. Shoes
You’ll be doing a lot of walking and you’ll want to have comfortable shoes or sandals for your trip. Be sure you break in your shoes before your trip so you don’t end up with sore feet or blisters.
For women, we would not suggest any type of heel or wedge for your daily outings.
5. Leave Space in Your Suitcase
You will want to leave space in your suitcase for purchases you make along the way. You will have plenty of opportunities to shop in places like the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, local pazars, and shops in the areas you visit. If anticipate much shopping while in Turkey, you might want to bring a foldable duffel bag as a backup in case you need the extra space.
The Turkey Tour Packing Guide
Clothing
Comfortable shoes and sandals
Since you will be doing alot of walking, comfortable shoes are a must.
Clothing
Scarf or Shawl
Women will need to cover their hair when visiting religious sites. Bring a lightweight scarf or shawl you can use and then store in your bag afterward without weighing you down. You can always find Pashmina scarves in the local shopping areas if you need to buy one during your trip.
Long Dress, Skirt or Pants
Women will need to cover their legs when visiting religious sites. A great option is wearing a long dress or skirt on the days you know you will be visiting a local mosque. Pants are also a great option if you don’t want to wear a dress.
Day Pack or Hand Bag
You’ll want to carry your daily essential items with you while you are out exploring the city. You can use a daypack like the Osprey Daylite.
Sunglasses
Sunglasses with polarized lenses are highly recommended while visiting Turkey. Depending on when and where you are going, you could have bright sunny days on the water up to 300 days of the year.
Gear
Power adapter with converter
If you’re traveling from the U.S., your electronic devices will require a different voltage than those in Turkey. Make sure you protect your equipment with a power adapter. Make sure you adapters with a converter that includes socket and USB plugins.
Portable Charger
Be sure to take a small portable USB charger that you can carry with you just in case. There’s nothing worse than being out at an archaeological site and your battery runs low when you want to take a picture.
Health
Sunscreen
Make sure you bring your favorite sunscreen to protect your skin while you’re out.
Over the counter pain relief / meditation
Bring a small supply of your favorite brands such as Tylenol, Imodium, Pepto-Bismol, Dramamine, or Benadryl.
Face masks
Bring your favorite masks for the plane ride as well as use them while you are traveling through Turkey. View the latest restrictions.
Disinfected Wipes
These can be used to wipe down any surface areas you want to make sure are clean.
Hand Sanitizer
You may want to include a small travel-sized bottle of your favorite brand to carry with you. WARNING: The bottle must be 2 oz or less to carry on the plane with you.
What to Wear in Turkey
We are often asked what to wear during your tour of Turkey. It’s a great question with several things to consider – we’ve got you covered with the Adept Expeditions tour of Turkey packing guide.
Casual
The local Turks are generally stylish dressers with strong regard for cleanliness and appearance. If you are wanting to look less touristy while out in the city or at restaurants in the evening, you can dress up a bit more. If you spend some time planning what you will wear on your vacation, you can spend that time enjoying the sites feeling amazing in your chosen outfit for the day.
Here are several ways for planning your outfits so you can be organized for your trip:
Planning outfits each day and evening based on the destination and weather
Using each item at least 2 -3 times and can wear it with multiple items in your wardrobe.
Choosing colors that you can wear interchangeably and will stand out against the local terrain.
For example, in Cappadocia, never wear beige as you’ll blend into the earthy tones of the landscape. Remember, regardless of what you wear, you will be identified as a tourist. You’ll be taking photos and enjoying the sites. If you want to wear traditional tourist attire of shorts, pants, and t-shirts, go for it! Be sure you feel good in the clothes you’re in.
Destinations and Weather
October is considered one of the best times to travel in Turkey when the climate is ideal. Be sure to check the weather for each destination as they will vary depending on the time of year you visit.
Recommended Reading
We recommend picking up the Bradt Eastern Turkey guide, which seems to be the only guidebook out there which details many of the obscure sites in the east. It also contains a lot of interesting historical and cultural anecdotes.