Yacht rental from Arnavutköy and Kuleli: four yachts in the middle of the Bosphorus

Four of our Business-class yachts take guests on board at Arnavutköy and Kuleli, two boarding points on opposite shores of the middle Bosphorus. Two of them suit a group of up to 12; the other two take 30 and 36 guests. An hour on board starts at €190 for the whole yacht, and the minimum rental is 2 hours. Apart from the crew, the only people on board are you and your guests. Read on for the four yachts, where you can go from here and how to get to the boarding point.

Where Arnavutköy and Kuleli are

Arnavutköy is a neighborhood on the European shore, just north of the Bosphorus Bridge, between Ortaköy and Bebek. It’s known for its old wooden houses and waterside mansions lined up along the shore.

Kuleli is on the Asian shore, in the Çengelköy neighborhood. Right at the water stands the large building of the former Kuleli Military High School, with its two towers, easy to spot from the deck.

Both sit midway along the strait. The Bosphorus Bridge is just to the south, and Rumelihisarı Fortress and the second bridge aren’t far to the north. That makes this a handy starting point whichever way you want to go: south toward the palaces or north toward the greener shores.

Yachts that board at Arnavutköy and Kuleli

At the time of writing, four yachts board here, all of them Business class. The cards below this article show the current list with photos and prices.

All four yachts have two boarding points, Arnavutköy and Kuleli, facing each other across the Bosphorus. You choose where to board, at no extra cost.

For a family or a small group of up to 12, look at Su A or Su Prestige. For a birthday with friends or a team outing, Su Orion takes 30 guests and Su Royal 36. Planning a company event? See our Private Yacht Events too. Children count as full passengers, so include them in your group size.

What it costs

The price is per hour for the whole yacht, not per guest. Here it starts at €190 an hour for the whole yacht on Su A; on the largest, Su Royal, it starts at €304. The minimum is 2 hours, and prices don’t include VAT (KDV). People usually book 2 to 4 hours for the Bosphorus. If you’d like more time once you’re out, you can add time, as long as the yacht is free that day.

For how the price is put together and how a group can share it, read our guide to Istanbul yacht rental prices.

Routes from Arnavutköy and Kuleli

The route depends on the boarding point and conditions on the water, so we don’t promise an exact one in advance. We can plan it around what you want to see: one direction, or both if you have the time.

South: the bridge, the mosque and the palaces

The Bosphorus Bridge is just south of Arnavutköy. Right past it on the European shore is Ortaköy Mosque at the water’s edge, followed by Çırağan and Dolmabahçe palaces. On the Asian shore near the bridge stands Beylerbeyi Palace. With enough time, you can go on to the Maiden’s Tower at the mouth of the Bosphorus. Nearly all of these are on the route of our Classic Bosphorus Cruise, which can start from Arnavutköy or Kuleli.

North: Bebek, Rumelihisarı and the second bridge

Beyond Arnavutköy on the European side comes Bebek Bay with its waterside mansions, then Rumelihisarı Fortress. On the Asian side, north of Kuleli, is the elegant Küçüksu Pavilion. Farther still are the second bridge and shores with more trees than houses. If you’d rather start from Bebek itself, some of our other yachts board there: see our guide to yacht rental from Bebek.

You can ask the captain to come closer or slow down for photos if conditions allow. For the stories behind the sights, see our guide to Bosphorus landmarks seen from the water.

In the evening, at sunset

We set the departure time by the sunset on your date. Usually we leave about 30 minutes before, so the sun goes down while you’re already on the water. To catch it at a particular spot, such as the bridge, we leave about an hour before. How clearly you’ll see it depends on the clouds. There’s also a ready-made option, our Bosphorus Sunset Cruise, and it can start from here too.

Getting to the boarding point

Arnavutköy is on the coast road of the European shore; Kuleli is on the coast road of the Asian shore. We’ll send the exact boarding spot on WhatsApp once your booking is confirmed.

If you’re staying far from both, you can book a transfer to the yacht as an extra. Or, on request, you can start from another boarding point in Istanbul: a nearby one costs nothing extra, and if the yacht has to travel to reach you, that time is billed at its hourly rate. A transfer to the yacht usually works out simpler and cheaper than bringing the yacht to you.

On board

You can bring your own food and drinks: on some yachts it’s free, on others there’s a small service fee. You can also order breakfast, lunch or dinner on board. Tea and coffee, glasses and tableware, and a sound system are always included. All four yachts have a heated saloon and blankets. Evenings on the water are cooler than on land, so a jacket is a good idea.

We sail all year round. If there’s a storm or it isn’t safe to go out, we’ll move your cruise to another convenient date free of charge.