Testimonials

We have used SD on many occasions to plan our holidays with our family and latterly as a couple. We have never been disappointed, indeed many family memories have been created on those holidays. However, our holiday to Turkey may have topped the others! The hotels were fantastic, in perfect locations and worked for the planned activities. The SD representative in Turkey, Iffet Ozgonul was incredibly attentive throughout the holiday, not only ensuring that information regarding guides and drivers, boarding passes etc were Whatsapped to us, but also gave us a wealth of information about the country and is just a really lovely person to meet! We also really enjoyed being with our guides in Istanbul (Nazli and Arif) and Cappadocia (Faruk) who had a wealth of knowledge to share but also gave us time to have on our own. Each were fastidious in ensuring they tailored the days around our interests. Having 4 nights, with a couple of days off activities, at the Six Senses was perfect. It is an amazing resort to which we would love to return. We have travelled with Turkish Airlines many times over our last two SD holidays and we cannot fault them.

MOONEY FAMILY / UK

Dear Iffet,

We are sending a huge thank you for the outstanding week long trip in July you organized for our first visit to Turkiye. From our very first contact with you through Whatsapp, as a result of a last minute recommendation from a friend only 2 weeks before we flew, you had an itinerary, drivers, guides, flights and accommodation booked in no time at all. Your drivers were professional, the vehicles spotless and beautiful, and they were always on time, greeting us with a smile, an air conditioned vehicle and a cool bottle of water. Your guides were incredibly informative and fun! They were so invested in us learning, very patient, and were clearly so proud of their regions. As well, we learned a lot of things from your guides about everyday life in Turkiye. Their restaurant suggestions were perfect and delicious. We’d never have found some of the excellent restaurants they chose, whether it was a Michelin restaurant or a simple roadside open air restaurant with a view, they were all delicious and a wonderful way to experience Turkish cuisine and hospitality. The hotels you chose were delightful. We could not have chosen better. Touring Pamukkale, Ephesus, Cappadocia and Istanbul with your tour company far exceeded our expectations. Your attention to detail made our experience so enjoyable and very easy. The extensive, helpful information you provided in our pre-travel itinerary, which included plenty of wonderful photos to whet our appetites as well as a recommended reading list, meant we were well prepared before we even arrived. Thank you Iffet! We look forward to our next adventure in Turkiye with Peten Travel.

Warm regards,

Patti & Phil Campbell, Australia

Hi Iffet:

Gina and I really enjoyed our trip to Türkiye. Because of your efforts and the expert guide services of Dalim and Yunus, we had a much more rewarding and enriching experience than we ever could have on our own.

The experience started months before the trip when you were so helpful in creating an itinerary that matched our interests and timeline. Then you made the trip much easier by handling all of the arrangements, from hotels to air and ground transport and by providing us with reminders when we had important deadlines coming up. Finally, you matched us with two guides who were a perfect fit.

We were happy with the hotel staff and the rooms in both Istanbul and Cappadocia. The breakfast in both places was outstanding.

The balloon ride. We had never been in a hot air balloon before and it was breathtaking. The balloon pilot was a real expert. He knew just how to steer the balloon and put us over and next to many beautiful sites. The sensation of quietly floating above Goreme, looking at that extraordinary scenery and seeing all the other balloons in the air at the same time was a remarkable experience. Thank you for recommending it to us and for making the arrangements.

As you can tell, we really enjoyed our trip to Türkiye. We hope to go back again and if we do, we will certainly ask for your help in making it another memorable experience for us.

Sincerely and with many thanks,
Gina and Ken Ruotolo

Dear Iffet

I wanted to reach out and thank you for organising a most outstanding trip for myself and the family in Turkey. We are all in love with your beautiful country and would definitely return. Should we do so, we will definitely be in touch. I will also certainly refer and recommend your company to anyone I know who might be travelling there. Thank you again for a safe, professional and altogether wonderful trip.

With warm regards,
Michèle Betty

July 31 – August 07, 2025

Hi Iffet, it was truly our pleasure to meet you as well. We can’t thank you enough for a wonderful first trip to Turkey. You and your team made it a very special time for us, and we are appreciative of all the care that went into our stay. We will definitely be visiting again, and look forward to seeing you then.

Thank you again for everything. Tim, Andrea, Lachlan and Skylar
The Hartshorn Family

Boston, USA

ISTANBUL
12^th – 16^th August 2025

Hi Iffet, thanks so much for arranging 3 wonderful days of touring in Istanbul, we really enjoyed it and Mehmet couldn’t have been a more helpful, knowledgeable and pleasant guide!

SINGAPORE

July 25^th, August 25^th, 2025

Thank you kindly… We have had an amazing time and will definitely remember our trip to Turkey fondly thanks to you.

The SEN Family
Singapore

As I reflect over the past year, clearly one of the highpoints for us was our trip with you to Southern Turkey. Unfounded fears kept us from taking this trip sooner and I am so glad that we finally went!

Naturally, the highpoints were seeing the Zeugma Mosaics in Gaziantep, the sites of Gobeklitepe and Karahantepe and the 14,000 year old sculpture we got to watch being uncovered, and the visit to Mt. Nemrut. But we were also surprised by how much we enjoyed the cooking school in Gaziantep and are so glad you encouraged us to do that! The hotels, vehicles and every detail of the trip were so carefully managed that we were able to fully enjoy every minute. And, of course, as on our other trips with you, we learned so much.

Thank you for taking such good care of us as human beings as well as in our role of visitors. The trip could not have been better!

Leslie Dashew and Jack Salisbury
Scottsdale, Arizona

04^th – 09^th June 2025

Cappadocia & Istanbul

Hi Iffet,

I hope you are well and had enjoyable Eid celebrations!

I wanted to send a quick note. Scott and Peter completed the welcome home questionnaire and sent the below:

“The guides were fantastic. The people you used in Istanbul were a dream. The whole experience was like traveling on a cloud…a customized cloud.”

Wow! Thank you so much for looking after them. This email made our day!

We will be sure to get more details when we do their welcome home call, but we will leave some time for the jet lag!

But I wanted to take the time to say thank you, and please pass on my thanks to the guides too. It takes a team!

Best wishes,

Gina
BOSTON / USA

03^rd – 14^th April, 2025

Dear Iffet. Mary and I would like to thank you for a most splendid vacation. Not having to worry about travel arrangements and seeing you coming and going from the airport was just the beginning. The hotels you suggested were all absolutely amazing. It will make our hotels in the future in the US seem a bit shabby.

We had three guides and they were all knowledgeable, personable, and very flexible. Again it will make any future group tours unacceptable.

Istanbul felt safe, comfortable, and with amazing food and architecture. Cappadocia on the other hand was literally out of this world. I am so glad you suggested it and glad I trusted your advice. Every should trust your advice.

Tom and Mary Hansen

25^th October – 29^th October, 2024

Dear Iffet,

I just wanted to say a huge thanks again for the great trip you arranged for us – we both greatly enjoyed it all / enhanced by your company and expertise/ knowledge you shared.

Everyone you arranged to help us were first class , both professional and friendly .

Our days of golf also went well .

I’m sure we will both return to Istanbul and other areas of Turkey, an amazing country with such diversity in its geography , history and people.

All the very best to you , both business and personal.

05 October – 23 October, 2024

Dear Iffet,

Thank you for organising a terrific holiday for us. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, learnt a great deal of history and contemporary culture.
A thumbs up for Yunus and Nazli, who were a great choice of guides for us. We enjoyed many interesting facts and conversations together, and they are such nice people.

Dear Iffet,

Thank you so very much for masterminding such a cherished adventure!

Our friends echo my sentiments in saying we have just completed what may be our best exploration vacation ever!

Gulden was a dream of a guide! She took care of us impeccably! She organized our visits flawlessly without exception. What would we have done without Gulden!?! When one of our fellow travelers arrived having shattered her shoulder a week earlier and two exceeded the weight limits for riding, Gulden was able to revise our itinerary to add Olympia, which became a top favorite element of our favorite-filled trip.

MEIRA is Heavenly! Crew and support staff were exceptional! As you know, we operate a small guest ranch/resort and we have received top rankings (recently one of the world’s top 100 resorts of all kinds and one 17 American hotels/resorts to be in the top 100). So, we are aware of the behind-the-scenes machinations necessary to keep a fine property in top condition and to accommodate guests’ expectations. Your MEIRA team achieved A+ ratings from each of our scrutinizing friends and from us. Meals met our highest dreams! Fresh Mediterranean fare served with appetizing flare. The chef’s sea bass, lobster, lamb, steak, shrimp, etc. were each perfectly finished and served hot to our welcoming appetites!

The itinerary fit us to a T! We are an active bunch, interested in diverse things but especially savoring the incomparable history and heritage of Greece. At dinner we tried to agree what was our favorite destination and the answers varied with almost every single location getting mentioned as someone’s favorite! The anticipated highlights (Meteora, Corinth) were matched by the unexpected highlights (Vergia, Delphi, Mycenae, Monemvasia, Olympia, Agamemnon’s Tomb, Aga Davros, and watersports!).

So much could be said. Iffet, I want you to know that your personal attention to our trip made it a lifetime memory that not one of us will ever forget! We are ever in your debt! Thank you, Iffet!! You’ve done it again!

Warmly,
Barbara

Below is a note from Lyda, who has traveled the world and seen global treasures everywhere. Lyda’s comments reinforce my summary: the trip was tops!

What a wonderfully planned trip! We were able to see locations that we enjoyed and special unique places. The ship and staff were so experienced and thoughtful that they made every meal delightful. Having the excellent guide with us on the ship allowed her knowledge to modify our plans to see unplanned locations we enjoyed. Being able to visit places like Olympia and hike to palaces were neat opportunities. At all times I felt safe on the ship and going ashore.

Lyda H.

16^th & 17^th & 18^th October 2023

Dear Iffet,

My apologies, Iffet, it has taken such a while to write and thank you for being such a wonderful guide. You brought so much of the history and culture of Istanbul and Turkey to life for us. So much stunning architecture in the Ottoman and Turkish ‘order’ was challenging but you explained and helped us so much. So many incredible decorative features – an awful lot to absorb in three days! And so much complicated history that you unravelled and explained too. Thank you.

Christian Dewar Durie

Sunday, 08^th – Thursday, 19^th January 2023

Dear Iffet… Again thank you so much for your superb service and a truly amazing time in Turkiye.

We will never forget this journey. Bye from Eko and Carina.

INDONESIA – BALI – Mr.  & Mrs. YULANTO

07^th – 16^th January, 2023

Thank you Iffet! for your fabulous care and encouragement to make this extraordinary trip possible! It has been a joy-filled adventure of a lifetime!

The trip has been marvelous! Dalim is brilliant and thoughtful, adapting to every need from the weather to my interests!

Iffet, I thank you for making this very special experience possible and productive!

BARBARA MC CONNELL BARRETT- Arizona-USA

11^th – 17^th November 2022

Thanks Iffet. The Istanbul trip was most enjoyable and unforgettable, all because you were with us all the time, in addition to your thoughtful careful planning and its flawless execution by Dalım. You and Istanbul will always be in my heart.

Thanks Thanks so very very much again.

You can care of yourself and don’t work too hard all the time. Thanks for your patience and Dalım’s too.

Inshallah we will be in Istanbul again sooner than you think.

Annie Lee – IWF Singapore

10th – 15th September 2022

My dearest Iffet. No words are enough to tell you how pampered we felt during our stay in Istanbul. Everything you arranged for us was more than perfect and enjoying your company and care made it even more special. I am sure all of us had the best experience and we were lucky to have you to arrange this trip . I thank you again and I hope we will meet again in a future conference and why not in Turkey again. My beat wishes for you now and for the future. Warm regards Patricia

Carlos & Patricia ESTRADA (IWF ECUADOR)

Roberto & Ibeth Del Rocia ESTRADA

Estafano DASSUM

20th – 27th August 2022

The Salfiti Family

Dearest Iffet thank you for all the impeccable arrangements you have done. Everything went smoothly and we are back home remembering our time together as a family. The crew of Kaya Guneiri IV was great. They made the whole experience very enjoyable, extremely professional with a lot of warmth and sensitivity to the needs of everyone. To be certainly recommended to your clients. Lots of love and hope to see you soon in Amman.

THE ARCHAEOLOGY AND CULTURE OF HITTITE ANATOLIA AND TURKEY’S BLACK SEA REGION

11th – 23rd June 2022

Dear İffet,

Everyone enjoyed the tour greatly and told me how satisfied they were. I would like to thank you for your excellent arrangements and the care you took to make the tour a success. It is remarkable that you could replace the guide who was to take our tour at very short notice with Fonda Topcot. She is very good and knowledgeable, and was greatly liked by everyone. Our modern Mercedes coach was super comfortable.

All in all the tour was a great experience and I wish to thank you for this.

What else can we do in Turkey? We have done two major tours covering great distances and seen many wonderful sites and areas. Any ideas?

Wishing all the best,

Reinoud

Tour Date: 14th -18th October 2021

Dear Iffet

Hope you are doing good

I had a long chat with Antoine Rostagnat this morning

They are very very happy about services, they really loved the guide, raffinated, cultivated, apparently the best guide that they ever had…(wow!) and the driver

They loved the hotel’s rooms, good service and cleaning…

Many thanks for your services, your professionality and your patience

Hope to work with you soon.

Many thanks

Best

Simonetta

Iffet, not sure how we can reciprocate your kindness. However, if you come to Amman in the spring I promise that we will do our best.

We appreciate all your hard efforts and facilitating our stay . Hope to see you in February in amman . You are a dear sister and true friend.

Cappadocia & Gocek & Istanbul
Tour Date: Sunday, 22nd August – Monday, 30th August 2021

This is a great trip altogether and thanks to your meticulous eye for details dear

Thanks a lot dear for a wonderful trip and great organization, greatly appreciated.

Cappadocia & Gocek & Istanbul
Tour Date: Sunday, 22nd August – Monday, 30th August 2021

Dear Iffet we have just arrived in Amman we can thank you enough for an amazing experience we all had a great time and look forward to seeing you soon. Take care. God bless

Thank you so much Iffet for another memorable trip. It was great seeing you again.

Cappadocia & Gocek & Istanbul
Tour Date: Sunday, 22nd August – Monday, 30th August 2021

Istanbul & Cappadocia & Izmir & Pamukkale & Bodrum
Tour Date: Sunday, 27th June – Saturday, 10th July 2021

Thank you for such a wonderful memorable time. We love Turkey and it wouldn’t been the same if it wasn’t for you.

Cappadocia & Istanbul
Tour Date: Thursday, 17th – Monday, 21st June 2021

Dear Iffet,
I hope you are well.
I have just spoken with the Lammersen’s and they had a wonderful holiday.
Many thanks,

Hannah

Hi Iffet!

We had such an incredible time in Turkey! We enjoyed every second, except maybe the traditional house 😉 although it turned out to be a wonderful night of chess, lounging by the fire and lots of laughs!

Dalim was exceptional! We loved our time with him, and have gained a new friend in Turkey. He ensured our every need was met, filled our minds with endless amounts of interesting history and captured all of our hearts. We look forward to the day when we can all reunite! He’s a scholar and a gentleman. You’re incredibly fortunate to have him on your team!

Thank you again for aiding in our Turkish adventure…one we’ll always cherish and never forget! ❤️

Guests: Sanger and Barnette Family

Tour Date: Friday, 16th – Thursday, 29th October 2020

Hi Iffet,

Thank you we had a great time in Bodrum and a fantastic time in Istanbul – thanks to you – really nice that you met us from the plane and on the way back – We will for sure look you up if we come to Turkey again.

Guests: Burgess Family -UK

Tour Date: Istanbul- Bodrum (18th-29th September 2020)

Dear Iffet,

Thank you so much for your wonderful caring operation to our guests through this pandemic . The Walsh Party had a great time in Bodrum.

Thank you again !

Vicky

Guests: The WALSH PARTY-UK

Tour Date: 09th -11th September 2020.

Hi Iffet,

You have an amazing operation. Mr. Gardetto was very happy overall so thank you very much again. He will definitely come back to Turkey!

Danielle

Tour Date : 8th August-03rd September 2020

Tour Name : Private Tour – Discover Turkey by Land and Sea (Mr. J-C GARDETTO & MR. R D SAMSON)

Fellow Travelers,

I am writing to share my latest travel adventure story.

In January 2019, I attended the Travel Show at the Jacob Javits center in NYC. My wife and I wandered up and down aisles filled with travel agents from around the globe. I collected brochures and spoke with many representatives from many countries.

Upon returning home, we began browsing this huge collection of places to visit with no real destination in mind. Little by little, based on our travel window, we settled on Turkey. This choice surprised nearly everyone I told. “Is it safe?” was the first question everyone asked. In short, yes!

At the travel show, we met a lovely woman, Iffet, who represents Peten Tours in Turkey. As soon as we started speaking with her, it felt like we’d won the lottery of travel agents. Iffet and I began planning our Turkish adventure. Iffet took the utmost care and dedicated a tremendous amount of time and consideration to each and every minute detail of this trip. From assistance with our international flights (Turkish Air was a great experience with a great price tag), domestic flights in Turkey, hotels, excursions with well-informed guides and even restaurant recommendations, Iffet was the best!

Every aspect of our trip was meticulously planned from start to finish. Iffet from Peten Tours is someone I’d recommend working with without a second of hesitation.

I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for organising our Istanbul tour.

Koray was INCREDIBLE! His knowledge and enthusiasm are contagious! We loved every minute of out fascinating, informative day.

Koray truly brought the amazing history of Istanbul (and Turkey) to life. And his professionalism was outstanding.

We had a very special day, thank you!

Iffet (Peten Tours) wants visitors to experience and learn about her Turkey…we did just that! This was my second trip with Peten Tours to her country which is vast and diverse. Each trip is a complete package of learning…the people, floral, history, and the geology, which Iffet has personally visited and builds the itinerary around. The Guides are very accomplished and well chosen.

I first used Peten Tours in 2002 when I had the great opportunity to travel with Iffet, the owner of the company. I have had the good fortune to travel with Iffet and/or her staff perhaps 4 times since–including twice this year. They are the most knowledgeable, thorough and caring travel professionals that I have ever met. Further, the materials they provide, the guides and experts they organize and the access they have assure that the trip to Turkey provides in depth understanding of the country, its history, archaeology, plants and other features.

Peten Travels is the standard by which I measure all other travel professionals.

Iffet continues to do research and come up with interesting itineraries and the latest information to assure safe and fascinating travel.

Iffet has operated this travel company for something like 20 years (more, I think, but ask her). A friend of mine who has made his arrangements with her before has long relied on her expertise and attentiveness, and we booked our travels in Turkey to Ephesus, Cappadocia, and other regions for a quick week and a half before returning to depart from Istanbul.

Every guide Iffet placed us with knew thoroughly the places we visited, and they were just terrific, interesting people as well, giving us a personal sense of the culture we came to encounter. The hotels were great and the transportation seamless, all of it at very reasonable cost.

Meeting Iffet, it’s immediately evident that she, as well as her staff, take the care and support of their clients as a personal mission. We’re all different, each one of us travelers, and this agency makes sure to discover just who we are, what we care about and what we want from our journey. We both left fulfilled and delighted, and we’re grateful.

It has taken me a couple of weeks to recover but I wanted you to know how much I enjoyed the tour. I thought the guide was excellent, patient, informative with a good personality in dealing with us, even when one was in a grumpy mood. The driver. He was good and someone I would hire myself if I needed a driver. They both worked well as a team. I do hope that you will convey my thoughts to them.

Peten Travels is the complete package for any trip to Turkey! Programs are carefully planned by Iffet then discussed with the guide who is responsible for delivery to the clients. Guides are professional, knowledgeable and manage all the details.Having just completed my second trip with Peten, I know nothing is left to chance and I highly recommend this travel company.

We are having a wonderful time . Yunak Evleri is amazing and we are still in awe. On our first day we were a bit concerned about Turhan but he has been really good these past two days. He is very knowledgeable and has been flexible. We appreciate that.

Thank you so much for arranging this adventure for us.

We are having a wonderful time and have loved our guides and the itinerary. We are just finishing our cruise, which was definitely the highlight of our trip. Although it started out pretty rough (biggest storm and flooding they had in 100 years), it finished with a beautiful night sail tonight and an exceptional dinner. The crew are the most wonderful and accommodating people! We could not have wished for anything better. We would definitely recommend them to our friends.

First of all, a really big ‘Thank You’ for making our trip to Turkey and our Tour so memorable ! Again, thank you for all your kindness and hard work on our behalf . You gave up so much of your time and Linda and I are so grateful and I know that Richard and his Family will reflect on the tour and relish it.