Pamukkale means ‘Cotton Castle’ in Turkish. The town is popular for its natural thermal pools, formed over thousands of years. These white travertine terraces, laced with mineral-rich water, appear like a cascading waterfall down the mountainside. Millions of people flock to see this spectacular sight every year, making tourism the major contributor towards this region’s economy. Pamukkale is located in the western parts of Turkey and is well connected with other Turkish cities by Air, Rail & Road.

Pamukkale also neighbours the ancient Greek-Roman city of Hierapolis, where you will find architectural remains of monuments such as temples, baths, a necropolis and a theatre. Hierapolis-Pamukkale is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the most visited tourist attraction in Turkey. Read on to know how to reach this natural wonder.

The closest airport to Pamukkale is Denizli-Cardak, which is located about 70 km away. There are 3 to 5 domestic flights flying daily from Istanbul to Denizli. Once there, you can take a shuttle service, taxi or minibus to Pamukkale which is a 1-hour drive. There is 1 direct flight to Istanbul every day from Mumbai & Delhi through Turkish Airlines (operated by Air India). Many other airlines also fly to Istanbul from all major cities of India, however there would be at least one stop-over.

The closest railway station to Pamukkale is Denizli. There are daily departures from Eskişehir to Denizli by the Pamukkale Express Train. Eskişehir is well connected to all the major cities of Turkey and can be reached easily by train. The Pamukkale Express has plush reclining seats, is fully air-conditioned and also offers a refreshment trolley.

There are also plenty of local trains that run from Izmir to Denizli. You can get to Izmir from all major cities of Turkey via Eskişehir by Train or directly by flight.

Being a highly visited tourist town, Pamukkale is easily accessible by road as well. There are buses to Denizli from almost every city of Turkey. An efficient way to travel is to take an overnight bus from Istanbul which takes 11 hours. From Denizli, there is a communal 10-seater taxi known as the dolmuş which will take you right up to Pamukkale.

You could also hire a car and drive all the way to Pamukkale. The fastest route from Istanbul is via Akhisar. The total distance is 570 Km and it could take up to 8 hours.

Pamukkale is a small town with an area of 10 km and can be easily explored on foot. Other alternatives are to hire a private vehicle or you could also use the local taxi service. An exciting way to experience the place is by a Hot Air Balloon ride. You can get a great aerial view of the white terraces of Pamukkale and also the architectural ruins of the ancient Roman city nearby, all in one easy package.