Bursa Day Tour From Istanbul Included Cable Car

Tour Overview

Cross the Sea of Marmara by ferry, ride a cable car up Uludag Mountain, and walk through the first capital of the Ottoman Empire before dinner. The Bursa day tour from Istanbul covers the Green Mosque, the Silk Market, and a 600-year-old landmark plane tree in a 13-hour round trip that feels like visiting a different country without leaving Turkey.

Tour Itinerary

Cross to Bursa, Ride the Cable Car, Return at Night

Central hotel pickup, Marmara crossing, Uludag cable car, Bursa old-city stops, and hotel drop-off at night.

08:30 - Pick up from your central Istanbul hotel.
The day starts with pickup from central hotel areas in Istanbul. After meeting the guide and the rest of the group, you leave the city toward the Bursa road. It is an early but straightforward start for a long day outside Istanbul.
Pickup time may vary slightly based on your hotel location.
Morning - Cross the Marmara route toward Bursa.
The road continues via Topcular and Eskihisar with a ferry crossing in standard operations. On some dates, the Osman Gazi Bridge may be used instead, depending on traffic and logistics. Either way, the crossing helps break up the long road section before Bursa.
Midday - Reach the mountain section and take lunch.
After short roadside stops and the climb toward Uludag, lunch is served before the main mountain free time. This part of the day feels more relaxed and scenic than the road section. It also sets up the cable car experience well.
Vegetarian options are available on request.

Bursa Day Tour RouteExpand briefing

Gemlik -> Turkish Delight Shop -> 600-Year-Old Plane Tree -> Uludag Mountain -> Cable Car -> Green Mosque -> Green Tomb -> Silk Market

Briefing

Gemlik stop and Turkish Delight shop: Gemlik sits on the inner coast of the Marmara Sea and marks the first genuine change of scenery from the Istanbul urban corridor. The Turkish delight shop stop here reflects Bursa's centuries-old reputation for high-quality confectionery, a regional tradition that dates back to the Ottoman court. These short breaks give the journey a local character and break the drive into manageable sections before the mountain leg begins.
600-Year-Old Plane Tree and Uludag Mountain: The giant plane tree in Bursa is a living landmark that has stood through the entire Ottoman period and well into the Republic, making it one of the most quietly impressive stops of the day. From the city, the road climbs into the Uludag forest zone where the air noticeably changes and the urban noise drops away entirely. This is the point in the tour where most guests understand why Bursa attracts visitors who want something beyond a standard historical-city excursion.
Cable Car on Uludag Mountain: Uludag cable car is the tour's standout moment for anyone who has not seen the Bursa plain from above, because the combination of forested slope, cable cabin, and open mountain plateau is unlike anything available on a standard Istanbul day trip. The cable car rises over 1600 meters and the views back toward the Sea of Marmara on clear days are expansive. It is the stop that most consistently earns five-star reviews from travelers who expected a history day and got a mountain day too.
Green Mosque, Green Tomb, and Silk Market: Green Mosque, completed in 1421 under Ottoman Sultan Mehmed I, takes its name from the turquoise-green Iznik tile work covering its interior walls and minaret, and represents one of the finest early Ottoman architectural achievements anywhere in Turkey. The adjacent Green Tomb holds the sarcophagus of Mehmed I and shares the same distinctive tilework, giving the complex a visual coherence that is immediately memorable. The old Covered Bazaar and silk market nearby connect Bursa directly to its Silk Road past as a trading city where raw silk arrived from China and was woven into cloth for the entire Ottoman world.

22:00 - Return to Istanbul and hotel drop-off.
After the Bursa route ends, the group drives back to Istanbul by the same corridor. Arrival is usually around 22:00, though traffic can make it slightly later. Tour services end with hotel drop-off in the central zones.
Return time may vary with traffic.

Tour Services

What's Included

Clear scope of services for the Bursa Day Tour From Istanbul Included Cable Car

Includes

Services covered in your tour package

Hotel pick up and drop off from central Istanbul hotels
English-speaking licensed tour leader
Cable car on Uludag Mountain
Car ferry crossing and entrance fees to the mentioned sights
All necessary land transportation by air-conditioned tour vehicle
Lunch at a local restaurant
Local taxes and service charges
Professional English-speaking licensed tour guide

Excludes

Services not covered by the package price

Personal expenses
Drinks at lunch
Extra transfer fee for hotels outside the central pickup zone
Optional activities such as ATV safari or chairlift

Before Booking

Remarks

Please read the following important information carefully before booking.

This tour is a nature and shopping route, so there are several commercial stops during the day.
Hotel pickup and drop-off are included only from centrally located Istanbul hotels. Extra fees may apply for out-of-zone hotels.
The Marmara crossing is usually made by car ferry, but the Osman Gazi Bridge may be used on some dates according to traffic and operations.
Vegetarian meal options are available. Please let us know your dietary preferences in advance.
Optional activities on the mountain, such as ATV or chairlift, are not included in the tour price.
Pick-up times may vary depending on your hotel location and seasonal conditions.
Available Languages
English
Prices may vary depending on the selected language.
Tour Types
Group
Prices may vary depending on the selected tour type.

Tour Overview

What Makes the Bursa Cable Car Day Tour Worth the Long Day?

Uludag cable car gives the strongest nature break available on a single day trip from Istanbul, with forested mountain panoramas replacing the city skyline entirely.
The first Ottoman capital carries different historical weight than Byzantine-era Istanbul, offering imperial architecture from the 14th century in a much quieter setting.
Bursa's silk market connects directly to Silk Road heritage in a way that is still commercially active today, not merely preserved for tourism.
The Marmara ferry crossing adds a maritime dimension that gives the outbound journey character instead of making it feel like a long motorway transfer.
Lunch, cable car, ferry, and guide are already included, so the route requires zero independent logistics from your side after the hotel pickup.

If you want to compare other day escapes from Istanbul, the Istanbul and Bosphorus city tour gives a full urban alternative, while the Bosphorus cruise in Istanbul keeps the day on the water.

Guest Feedback

Customer Reviews

Real experiences from guests who booked this itinerary.

Average Rating

4.9

19 verified reviews

Tobias C.

Verified booking

Bursa was such a nice surprise! The cable car ride up Uludag mountain was the highlight - the views over the city and valley are spectacular. Then we visited the Grand Mosque which is absolutley gorgeous inside with its beautiful calligraphy. The silk bazaar was fun for shopping and guide Tuna helped us negotiate prices lol. But the real star of the day was the iskender kebab lunch. Oh my god. The best kebab ive ever had in my life. Apparently Bursa is where iskender kebab was invented and you can definetly taste the difference. The meat just melts in your mouth with the tomato sauce and yogurt. Great day trip from Istanbul. The ferry ride across the Sea of Marmara was beautifull too.

Suki R.

Verified booking

Loved everything about this day trip. The ferry to Yalova was relaxing, Bursa city center with the Green Mosque and the old silk market was so interesting, and then the cable car up to Uludag was just amazing. 25 minutes going up with panoramic views the whole way. We had BBQ lunch on the mountain and free time to walk around. The 600 year old plane tree was cool too. My kids were running around in the mountain air having the best time. Guide Elif was really sweet and looked after our group well. Defo reccomend if you want a break from Istanbul.

Winnie O.

Verified booking

The cable car ride up Uludag was honestly the highlight of my whole Istanbul trip!! The views going up are insane, you can see the whole city below and then suddenly your surrounded by pine forests and mountain air. The Green Mosque in Bursa center was also beautifull, the turquoise tiles inside are stunning. Lunch on the mountain was really good, traditional Turkish grill. The ferry crossing from Istanbul was a nice start to the day too. Guide Fatih kept everyone on schedule and was very friendly. Great escape from the city.

Khambaty

Verified booking

I recently joined a day trip tour to Bursa city, and overall, it was a great experience. The group was small, around 12 people, which made it more enjoyable and manageable. We had a lot of fun exploring the city and its beautiful surroundings. There were optional activities like the quad bike safari and chair lift, which required additional payment, but the highlight for me was the 20-25 minute cable car ride from Uludag mountain back to the city—an amazing experience that was included in the tour price. The lunch at a restaurant in Uludag was delicious, and it was nice to have a tasty meal included. However, the tour guide, Mohammed, could have been a bit more friendly and engaging. He seemed a bit serious throughout the trip. Additionally, I feel that the overall price of the tour could be slightly reduced to make it even more appealing. Overall, it was a well-organized and enjoyable trip with some minor areas for improvement.

Dmitri S.

Verified booking

The cable car ride and Uludag mountain were really nice, beautful views and fresh mountain air. The Green Mosque was impressive too. My issue is the day is really long, left Istanbul at 7am and didnt get back until almost 9pm. Thats a 14 hour day and by the end I was pretty exhausted. The ferry ride is nice but adds time. Lunch was good though and the guide Ibrahim was informative. If you dont mind a long day it's worth it, just be prepared.

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