İstanbul Efe Yat review: the cheapest Bosphorus sunset yacht

Verdict in one line: good value for a first sunset on the water if price comes first, provided you check the slot time and accept that everything beyond the listing is unconfirmed.

Who İstanbul Efe Yat is

İstanbul Efe Yat Turizm is the name attached to one GetYourGuide listing: "Istanbul: Bosphorus Yacht Cruise at Sunset with Snacks". We found no company website, licence number, address or boat name for it.

The cruise itself has a long record of good reviews. The missing company details do mean that GetYourGuide is your only contact and your only route to a refund. Do not pay anyone at the pier for "the Efe Yat boat" outside the booking.

What the listing says, and what it means

The details below come from the GetYourGuide listing and from a copy of the same listing on another booking site, which carries the same title and wording but names no operator.

• Duration: about 2 hours ("2 hours – 125 minutes" on the listing).
• Group: up to 30 guests. Reviewers describe groups of about 8–20. Under Turkish rules a commercial yacht carries at most 36 passengers, so this is within the legal yacht size.
• Food and drinks: the summary speaks of a generous plate, but the inclusions list light snacks, cookies, a fruit platter, tea and coffee. Expect a snack, not a meal or a cheese board.
• Guide: a guide is listed; whether live or by app, the listing does not make clear. Check before booking if commentary matters.
• Not included: hotel pick-up.
• Access: non-folding and electric wheelchairs are not allowed.

The pier and the route

No operator source confirms the boarding point. Reviewers on the copy of the listing say the boat leaves from Kabataş and turns near Rumeli Hisarı, the fortress just south of the second bridge. Most Kabataş yachts board at the private landing by the Kadoil petrol station on Meclis-i Mebusan Cd., which tickets sometimes call "Dolmabahçe Mosque"; your voucher gives the exact spot. More on the waterfront in our Kabataş pier guide.

Turning at Rumeli Hisarı means you see Dolmabahçe, Çırağan, the Ortaköy Mosque under the first bridge, Bebek and the fortress at the narrowest point of the strait, but not the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. For the full order of sights, see landmarks seen from the water.

The sunset slot: check the time

Reviewers mention a 16:15 departure in autumn. A fixed slot only catches the sunset in part of the season:

• in mid-October the sun sets around 18:25, so a 16:15 boat is back before sunset;
• by early November sunset is around 18:01, and the same slot sails into it;
• in summer, with sunset after 20:00, a sunset boat has to leave much later.

Look at the slot times offered for your date and compare them with the sunset table in our sunset cruise guide. The best boarding time is about 75–90 minutes before sunset. Going north, sit on the left; coming back, the sunset is across the strait on your right.

Reviewers also mention wet seats after rain. On a showery day, bring something to sit on, and a layer: decks are windy in the evening.

Prices and alternatives

Efe Yat sells through GetYourGuide only, from $17 per person. There is no direct price to compare.

◑ Sunset

GetYourGuide2 h

Istanbul: Bosphorus Yacht Cruise at Sunset with Snacks

4.7 (2,273)

from $17Check dates

◑ Sunset

GetYourGuide2 h

Istanbul Bosphorus Sunset Cruise on Yacht with Live Guide

4.9 (4,096)

from $21Check dates

◔ Day or sunset

GetYourGuide2 h

Istanbul: Sunset or Day Small-Group Yacht Cruise with Snacks

4.9 (4,336)

from $39Check dates

◑ Sunset

GetYourGuide2.5 h

Istanbul: Bosphorus Sunset Cruise on a Luxury Yacht

4.8 (1,534)

from $56Check dates

İstanbul Efe Yat Turizm on GetYourGuide →Prices checked on October 17, 2026

How it compares with the other sunset yachts on GetYourGuide:

• Golden City Tours from about $21: a known agency with a live English guide, a route to the second bridge and up to 40 guests. For a few dollars more, we would take it.
• Stambultour from about $39: at most 16 guests on a 20 m boat, app guide, from Azapkapı by Karaköy.
• GetYourGuide's own luxury sunset yacht from about $56: the most expensive of the big sellers.

Cheaper still are the big shared tour boats from about $6–9, some of them sold as "mega yachts". They are not yachts but large boats with indoor saloons. See the sightseeing cruise guide if price is all that matters.

What travelers say

The listing holds a 4.7 rating from more than 2,000 reviews on GetYourGuide; the copy elsewhere shows 4.8 from 1,290. The themes we can report are practical ones: departure from Kabataş, the turn near Rumeli Hisarı, groups of roughly 8–20, and complaints about wet seats after rain. What a booker should check:

• the slot time against the sunset for your date;
• the meeting point on the voucher;
• the most recent reviews, since there is no company site to tell you about changes.

How to book and cancel

1. Book on GetYourGuide. Reserve now and pay later is available on most listings.
2. Free cancellation runs up to 24 hours before on most GetYourGuide listings; check this one's terms on the booking page.
3. Read the voucher the day before for the boarding point and the time.
4. In bad weather the captain decides whether to sail; GetYourGuide rebooks or refunds under its terms.

All other companies are on the operators page, and the platforms are compared in GetYourGuide vs Headout vs Tiqets.

İstanbul Efe Yat FAQ