TAXI vs. Private Tour (Kusadasi)

Hi! This will be the first time visiting Kusadasi, Turkey and I saw a lot of suggestions about private tours, but has anyone negotiated with a Taxi driver at the port? What was your experience (pros / cons) and how much did it cost.

Thank you in advance for sharing your experience.

Relatively speaking, private tours are not as expensive in Turkey as in some other countries.

If you plan to visit Ephesus, the site is large and unless you have a strong background in its history (or have done a lot of research in advance), having a guide is really a benefit.

Thanks again cruisemom42... I did get a quote from Ekol, but was wondering if taxi was a good option. Thanks again for your input.

You are comparing apples to kumquats. You can certainly hire a taxi at the port (for a very inflated price) who will take you wherever you want to go for the day. But assuming you want to visit Ephesus (every first time or even 2nd time visitor should go to Ephesus) the taxi will drop you at the entrance and then wait for you at the lower exit (over 1 1/2 hours later) for a nice fee. But the taxi driver is not a guide so you will either have to go through Ephesus on your own (we do not recommend this for a first time visitor) or pay to join some kind of tour at the entrance.

So, instead of going through this hassle it just makes sense to book a private tour (online) before your visit. Like the taxi, the tour driver will take you around the area and wait at Ephesus. But unlike the taxi driver, your tour will have a professional guide who will take you through the ruins and to wherever else is included on your tour.

Those who have read my posts over the years know that I am very anti-tour and prefer to DIY everywhere in the world. We have been to Ephesus on a cruise line (princess), on our own (using the local van/buses to get to within a mile of the ruins), with a private guide (arranged through Ekol) and on our own with a rental car! But for a first time visitor we think that nothing can beat a private excursion (arranged in advance online) with a reputable local company (i.e. Ekol, Ephesus Deluxe, etc).

Regarding Ekol (mentioned in a previous post) DW and I booked a private guide for the two of us for our 4th visit to the ruins. Our guide met us at the port, and we had a nice clean large van, English speaking driver, and very professional (2 degrees) guide. And this was just for the 2 of us. The total cost for our tour, driver, van, etc. was actually less then the tours offered by the cruise line. And since this was a very private tour, we called the shots, decided to spend more time at the ruins, where to go afterwards. etc.

Hank

Thank you, Hank.

We will take your advice.

Will share our experience when we get back.

Thanks again.

Private tours are the very best way to go to Ephesus, and be sure to include Terrace Houses. They are a slight extra charge but so worth it!

FWIW we walked of the ship and had a tour with EKOL and our guide was right at the exit with a sign with our name. Walked but a few minutes to our waiting bus. The drive from Kusadasi to Ephesus isn't exactly short so not sure the value to do taxi would be there.

But no denying that once you walk out there were ample cars for hire as well as when you exited Ephesus, but that was years ago.

If I was to do it again, I'd still do a private tour there. You have the reputation of the tour company and a guide they are motivated that you have a good experience. Hiring a guide at the entrance has little motivation to insure you have the same "good" experience.

Just to clarify, it is about 25 Kilometers (15 miles) from the port to the ruins. It takes me about 20-25 min when driving a rental car and some of the Turks drive it faster :).

As to taxis, perhaps we should have posted some more info. There is a taxi parking area adjacent to the cruise terminal building and there are usually quite a few taxis looking for fares. The drivers are entrepreneurs and will always take advantage of cruisers (unless you know how to deal with these guys). The fares that are charged from the port are much higher then the fares paid by Turks, tourists staying in local hotels, or those with a little knowledge :). We have heard taxis telling cruise ship passengers that the fare to Ephesus is $60 and head another say $75! If paying that kind of money (which we think is ridiculous) insist that your driver wait for you (even if you are in the ruins for 2 hours) and do not pay him more then half the fare until the return. One reason we will sometimes rent a car is because we can usually get a rental car for about $30! And the last time we had a car we put nearly 140 miles on the thing (we visited Tire, Didyma, Miletus and Priene). And by the way, the roads in this part of Turkey are very good to excellent!

Hank

Go to Ephesus on a tour that includes the Terrace Houses. The Terrace Houses are fantastic and a must see.

You are comparing apples to kumquats. You can certainly hire a taxi at the port (for a very inflated price) who will take you wherever you want to go for the day. But assuming you want to visit Ephesus (every first time or even 2nd time visitor should go to Ephesus) the taxi will drop you at the entrance and then wait for you at the lower exit (over 1 1/2 hours later) for a nice fee. But the taxi driver is not a guide so you will either have to go through Ephesus on your own (we do not recommend this for a first time visitor) or pay to join some kind of tour at the entrance.

 

So, instead of going through this hassle it just makes sense to book a private tour (online) before your visit. Like the taxi, the tour driver will take you around the area and wait at Ephesus. But unlike the taxi driver, your tour will have a professional guide who will take you through the ruins and to wherever else is included on your tour.

 

Those who have read my posts over the years know that I am very anti-tour and prefer to DIY everywhere in the world. We have been to Ephesus on a cruise line (princess), on our own (using the local van/buses to get to within a mile of the ruins), with a private guide (arranged through Ekol) and on our own with a rental car! But for a first time visitor we think that nothing can beat a private excursion (arranged in advance online) with a reputable local company (i.e. Ekol, Ephesus Deluxe, etc).

 

Regarding Ekol (mentioned in a previous post) DW and I booked a private guide for the two of us for our 4th visit to the ruins. Our guide met us at the port, and we had a nice clean large van, English speaking driver, and very professional (2 degrees) guide. And this was just for the 2 of us. The total cost for our tour, driver, van, etc. was actually less then the tours offered by the cruise line. And since this was a very private tour, we called the shots, decided to spend more time at the ruins, where to go afterwards. etc.

 

Hank

Have you used Ephesus Deluxe? Do they do a good tour, I saw there webpage and it says they go to the Terrace houses as well as the other must sees. I'm wondering if they do? Someone on our roll call said these discount tour companies don't actually go there. Can you help?