Berat Ornek
Having worked in the museum sector for quite some time, I have honed my skills in creating valuable experiences for visitors who want to explore a new collection of artifacts, a cultural site or a yet-to-be-seen urban landscape. At Trail Travel, I am interested in creating stories that make travelers enjoy their visit to Turkey, by integrating different elements of cultural heritage in Turkey, gastronomic explorations, and custom-made routes that respond to the needs of customers.
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"At Trail Travel, we specialize in adventure traveling, tailor-made tours on the cultural landscape of Turkey, and creating meaningful experiences for travelers. We are the right company to choose for anyone who'd like to see Turkey with a team that ensures quality, excellence and expertise. "
How did you get involved in travel?
"During my MA studies in Archaeology and History of Art, I had the opportunity of touring around Turkey with knowledgable art historians. During that time I was lucky enough to see excavation sites, out of the ordinary places that made me realize I'd like people all around the world to see and appreciate the beauty of Turkey. "
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"I will never forget the first time I saw a Hittite monument called Eflatunpınar, near Beyşehir in Turkey, on an off-track road that one wouldn't expect to find something historically amazing. Eflatunpınar dates back to the 13th century BC, and is a rectangular shaped pond fed with the waters from a nearby spring. I remember that the sound of water that was still running from the same source since centuries, the quiet and serenity of the site filled me with a sense of peace and awe at the same time. Turkey is a country filled with these kind of special gems in unassuming places. You just need fresh eyes to appreciate the things you see and let yourself be surprised. "
Berat's favorite itineraries and travel advice
Top itineraries and travel advice
Hit the highlights of Turkey's diverse landscapes on this well-rounded, weeklong itinerary. Start in the center of it all in Istanbul to see the famous Blue Mosque and cruise...
Follow in the footsteps of ancient civilizations and uncover sacred places of worship on this two-week pilgrimage through Turkey's eastern Anatolia region. Explore some of the...
The ancient world comes to life on this week-long journey down Turkey's Aegean coast. Start in the exhilarating city of Istanbul and overwhelm your senses with colors, sounds,...
Recent trip reviews for Berat
Turkey Trip
Turkey
|
May 15 - May 26, 2023
Turkey Trip:
ISTANBUL: has some beautiful sites of such historical relevance. We appreciated the tours by Hatice, who was very friendly and knowledgeable. The hotel selected by Berat was substandard, DINGY, and in desperate need of refreshing and updating. The Staff were great.
The food tour was lacking; the market was pretty but touristy and monotonous - are there no "real" markets for locals that would be far more intriguing?
CAPPADOCIA: was amazing. We were pleased with our hotel... read more
Hello Margaret,
Thanks for your review and we are glad to hear you had an overall positive experience in Turkey.
For all bookings, we send out the list of hotels on the trip plan and we get the approval from our customers before booking. In addition, our team members regularly visit and have stayed at the hotels we sell in our trip plans. This trip plan is a standard budget trip plan that includes standard budget hotels, confirmed by the traveler.
We wish you had mentioned that we did not... read more
Trip to Turkey
Turkey
|
May 6 - May 16, 2023
We had a great trip to Turkey in May. Berat did an excellent job with our itinerary and was very flexible when we had to change our dates. She was a pleasure to work with. Berat very organized and each step of our trip was planned perfectly. She was able to combine all the sights we wanted to see including Istanbul, Capodoccia, Ephesus, and the Mediterranean coast into a 10 day trip for 4 family members. Fortunately, the weather cooperated and allowed us to do everything in our... read more
Dear Robert,
We are so glad to read your review, thank you for your kind words. We look forward to welcoming you in Turkey in the near future.
Best regards from the whole Trail Travel team,
Berat
Sometimes, when you are most lucky, a trip be...
Turkey
|
May 2 - May 11, 2023
Sometimes, when you are most lucky, a trip becomes an indelible, lifetime memory. We chose Türkiye as our destination because of the amazing history and beautiful, varied geography of the region. Berat was our KimKim travel planner, and she organized an experience for us that we could have never arranged on our own. The itinerary she designed allotted the time we had to the cities/places we wanted to see in the perfect segments. The accommodations she chose for us were unparalleled for... read more
Dear Janna,
Thank you for this wonderful review! We are very happy to hear you had a positive experience in our beautiful country. Thank you very much for choosing us and for taking the time to write this review - much appreciated. We look forward to welcoming you again in the near future.
All best regards on behalf of Trail Travel team,
Berat
Great trip to Turkey--Istanbul and Cappadocia.
Turkey
|
Apr 26 - May 2, 2023
Our guide Hati was excellent. She was knowledgable and very attentive. She readily adjusted our itinerary in response to our needs and was very accommodating for one of our reluctant travelers :) KimKim made it easy to plan and Berat, our trip designer was extremely responsive and helpful. Two suggestions for travelers--be mindful to plan gratuity for guide and it seems in Turkey, the best way to get TL cash is to exchange US cash--but also can us US $ for gratuity. Wished we had known. Otherwise--all went very smoothly!
Dear Katherine,
We are grateful for your review, and so glad to hear you had an overall positive experience in our beautiful country. Thank you very much for choosing us and for taking the time to write this review. We look forward to welcoming you again in the near future.
All best regards on behalf of Trail Travel team,
Berat
Turkey
Turkey
|
Apr 21 - Apr 30, 2023
All of our guides were very knowledgeable and personable and really helped us get a much deeper understanding of the history and culture of Turkey. We had a lot of places we wanted to see in a short time (Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Cappadocia), but Berat and the team made it all run so smoothly (which was not easy because we took a lot of domestic flights) and helped take off a lot of the stress. All the places we saw were amazing, but we were blown away by Cappadocia! It was truly... read more
Dear Stephanie,
Many thanks for your kind words and we are happy to hear you had an overall positive experience with us in Turkey! We are also grateful for the many feedbacks you provided, which will help us improve our quality service. We hope to host you in Turkey soon, to explore different destinations. Thank you for choosing us and Kimkim!
Best regards,
Berat
This jam packed trip was incredible!
Turkey
|
Mar 31 - Apr 7, 2023
This jam packed trip was incredible, and I can't speak highly enough of Berat and our full time guide Erdam.
The trip: Wow! Berat managed to squeeze 4 different locations filled with activities in 7 days for a family of 9. Our ages ranged from 10-70. We could not have been happier with the trip itself.
The service: Above and beyond!
Erdam had 9 people to rangle, and he was the kindest, most patient guide filled with knowledge and fun stories for both the kids and adults. He was... read more
Dear Kristin,
Many thanks for your positive review - we are so glad to hear you had a great time in Turkey. It was a joy to meet you and your family in person. We look forward to hosting you here again in the near future.
All best regards on behalf of Trail Travel team,
Berat
Amazing trip to Turkey
Turkey
|
Apr 1 - Apr 11, 2023
Our guides Ibrahim in Istanbul, Hatice in Kapadokya and Onder in Ephesus and Pammukale were all excellent. The trip was wonderful over all covering many sites of historical places and we got to taste delicious local Turkish cuisines. Our guides also gave us ample time and very patient with us for our shopping pleasure. It was unfortunate that we didn’t get to ride balloons in Kapadokya due to weather and for that we definitely have to come back again in near future! read more
Dear Nini,
Thanks so much for your review - we deeply appreciate it! We are happy to hear you had a great trip in Turkey. We look forward to hosting you again soon, and make up for the hot air balloon ride this time!
All best regards on behalf of Trail Travel team,
Berat
Turkey Trip March 2022 (Family of 4 / teenage boys)
Turkey
|
Mar 17 - Mar 25, 2023
We (family of 4, including 2 teenage boys) recently completed an 8-day trip to Turkey with Trail Travels and it was AMAZING! We visited 3 cities during this trip - Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Antalya.
The country is beautiful, rich with culture, history, and great food. I have been to Turkey before for work, but it was first time with family so was bit apprehensive how the experience would be.. but Trail Travel did a fantastic job taking care of us and customizing our daily itineraries to... read more
Dear Irfan,
We are grateful for your review, and so glad to hear you had an overall positive experience in our beautiful country. Thank you very much for choosing us and for taking the time to write this review. We look forward to welcoming you again in the near future.
All best regards on behalf of Trail Travel team,
Berat
We enjoyed our trip to Istanbul and Capadocci...
Turkey
|
Dec 13 - Dec 18, 2022
We enjoyed our trip to Istanbul and Capadoccia.
We don't have any have complains, but would like to make some suggestions.
In the US and other countries there are very strict rules about smoking in restaurants or in public paces, however in Turkey it still is very common for people to smoke in restaurants or public spaces.
I understand that this is not under your control but I think you need to advice people visiting about this situation there and make sure to request a non smoking... read more
Dear Fernando,
Thank you for your positive review, we appreciate it.
We are happy to hear that you had a great experience in Turkey! Thanks for your suggestions and we look forward to hosting you again in the near future.
All best regards from Trail Travel,
Berat
Amazing tour of Turkey & wonderful service
Turkey
|
Dec 18 - Dec 28, 2022
Thank you Kim Kim for great organization and service of our private tour. It was worth it. All 3 guides; Ibrahim (Istanbul), Nihat (Cappadocia) & Tunc (Izmir region) were really personable and gave really informative tours, patient and attentive service for my elderly mum and her friend who came with a walking stick. We really enjoyed our time in Turkey; even more so in Cappadocia and Izmir region (Ephesus, Sirince & Pamukkale). We want to give special mention to Tunc who proactively helped... read more
Dear Esther,
We are grateful for your review, and so glad to hear you had a positive experience in our beautiful country. Thank you very much for choosing us and for taking the time to write this review - much appreciated. We look forward to welcoming you again in the near future.
All best regards on behalf of Trail Travel team,
Berat
Fall 2022 - Turkey Trip
Turkey
|
Nov 25 - Dec 3, 2022
Our trip was fantastic. From the moment we arrived until we departed, we were covered. We had wonderful guides, hotels, and transportation. I would highly recommend our guides in both Istanbul and Cappadocia. They were full of information helping us to step back in history and experience the deepness of each location. All of our excursions were well planned and exceptional. We enjoyed the cooking class, the Turkish Bath, and the balloon ride. Our hotel on Istanbul was comfortable and... read more
Dear Melody,
We are so glad to read your review, thank you for your kind words. We look forward to welcoming you in Turkey in the near future.
Best regards from the whole Trail Travel team,
Berat
The trip was very well organized and if not f...
Turkey
|
Nov 13 - Nov 21, 2022
The trip was very well organized and if not for the weather , it would have gone perfectly as planned! We had a delightful honeymoon thanks to Berat and her brother.
Thanks Guillaume for your positive review.
We hope to see you again in Turkey, so that you can ride the hot air balloon in Cappadocia this time with better luck in terms of good weather.
Best regards,
Berat
Amazing Trip to Istanbul with Berat from Trail Travel through KimKim
Turkey
|
Oct 23 - Oct 26, 2022
I used Berat with Trail Travel through KimKim for my trip to Istanbul. I have to say, from start to finish, they were incredibly responsive! They arranged, with my feedback, for some thoughtful excursions and my guide, Ibrahim, was so knowledgeable. If you can request him I strongly suggest you do so. I learned so much about the Turkish culture from him as well as hitting some amazing restaurants and he is an incredibly lovely man. Ladies, be sure to take a scarf to wear in the mosques,... read more
Dear Gigi,
We are so happy you had a positive experience during your trip to Istanbul! It was a real pleasure to have designed the trip with you and glad to hear you'll be willing to come back again.
Thanks so much for the feedback and your spot-on suggestions for future travelers, we hope to see you here again soon.
All best regards from Trail Travel team,
Berat
5 Day Tour of Cappadocia, Ephesus & Pamukkale
Turkey
|
Oct 5 - Oct 9, 2022
Dispite a rocky start after missing our flight from Istanbul we had a terrific tour. Berat and Murat were able to make some minor adjustments to our tour which meant we did not miss anything dispite losing 12 hours due to missing our flight. Our guide Hati in Cappadocia was awesome, we hear stories and history along the way and there was never a dull moment. From outdoor museums to pottery to underground cities and of course our ballon ride, it was a wonderful visit.
We arrived in Izmir on... read more
Dear Casey,
We are grateful for your review, and so glad to hear you had a positive experience in our beautiful country. Thank you very much for choosing us and for taking the time to write this review - much appreciated. It was a joy to host you and we look forward to welcoming you again in the near future.
All best regards on behalf of Trail Travel team,
Berat
Good day Berat and the Kimkim team,We are st...
Turkey
|
Sep 19 - Sep 30, 2022
Good day Berat and the Kimkim team,
We are still trying to get to grips with normal life after our magical tour through your beautiful country. We enjoyed every minute of a very well organised and amazingly comprehensive visit to all the historical and cultural places in such a short time.
Mr Ibrahim was a very patient and informative guide in Istanbul and unlocked the wonders of the beautiful mosques, palaces and especially the cistern for us .
The tour through Cappadocia, Konya,... read more
Dear Hermien,
Thank you very much for your positive review, we appreciate it.
We are so happy to hear that you had a great experience in Turkey! It was a joy to have you all here all the way from South Africa and we look forward to hosting you again in the near future.
All best regards from Trail Travel,
Berat
Kimkim and Trail Travel Planned a Great Trip!
Turkey
|
Sep 17 - Sep 23, 2022
We were late getting started on planning our trip to Turkey, but Berat stepped right up and got us all squared away in just a few days. We had some ideas about what we wanted to see and she put them together in an itinerary that made sense, with a good balance of travel and sight seeing each day. We had been warned away from Troy, but our guide, Erdem Keseli, did a great job of interpreting the site and the museum, as he did for the other sights we visited (Gallipoli, Assos, Pergamon,... read more
Dear Karen,
We are so happy to hear that you had a great time in Turkey with our team at Trail Travel! Thank you so much for the overall feedback and comments on the hotels, we do appreciate our travelers' thoughts to make improvements for the future. We look forward to hosting you here again!
Best regards,
Berat
Amazing Trip
Turkey
|
Aug 12 - Aug 20, 2022
First, I want to thank Berat for her patience and for working during the weekend to arrange the trip. The trip itself was terrific. Everything was organized and designed for us. The drivers and the guides were accommodating and trained. The hotel in Istanbul was in the center of the city and close to all tourist places. Fantastic view of Hagia Sophia.
In the black sea area, we had the best time ever. I want to thank Kerem and the driver Kadeer for being very helpful during the trip. read more
Dear Maha,
Many thanks for your positive review! Albeit it was a last-minute planning, I am so happy to hear it all worked out and you spent a great time here in Turkey! We look forward to hosting you again, and thank you for choosing Trail Travel for your trip.
Best regards,
Berat
Excited to return and visit the rest of Turkey soon!
Turkey
|
Jul 12 - Jul 26, 2022
Our trip to Turkey was excellent and had a great balance between history, culture, and relaxation. Trail Travel did a great job of making sure our transfers were seamless and ensuring we had the best experience at our hotels and sites. Berat was extremely helpful in going through multiple itinerary iterations after receiving feedback on the type of trip we wanted. What is great about this platform is that you really are able to personalize your trip rather than needing to fit into a rigid,... read more
Dear Ruchi,
Thank you so much for this review. We are so happy you had a positive experience during your trip to Turkey! It was a real pleasure to have designed the trip with you and glad to hear you'll be willing to come back again!
Thanks so much for the feedback and your spot-on suggestions too, we always try to make it better for our travelers and improve our excellent service as Trail Travel.
Best regards,
Berat
An amazing experience! Highly recommended!
Turkey
|
Jun 25 - Jul 4, 2022
All my local tour guides and drivers are very nice. The hotels are clean, cozy, and beautiful. read more
Dear Aaron,
We are so happy to hear you had a great trip experience with us! It was a pleasure to have hosted you in Turkey, and we look forward to hosting you again soon.
All best regards,
Berat