Eastern Turkey & Georgia Discovery — Self-Launched

Land at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) and take the Havaist airport bus or M11 metro to the centre (~£5-8). Base yourself in Sultanahmet or Beyoğlu for easy walking access. In the evening do your own orientation loop: Hippodrome, Blue Mosque exterior, Gülhane Park and down to the Galata Bridge for sunset over the Golden Horn. Buy an Istanbulkart at any kiosk (~£3 card + top-ups) for cheap trams and ferries. Eat a cheap balık ekmek (fish sandwich) by the bridge or a pide dinner in Sirkeci (~£5).

🚌Havaist airport bus or M11 metro + tram, ~£5-8

🛏Hostel dorm or simple guesthouse, Sultanahmet/Beyoğlu (~£15-20)

• →Self-guided Sultanahmet orientation walk
• →Galata Bridge sunset
• →Istanbulkart purchase
• →Balık ekmek dinner

Fly Istanbul (SAW or IST) to Adıyaman (~£30-55 one-way with AJet/Turkish, book 3-6 weeks ahead; alternatively fly to Şanlıurfa and bus over). At Adıyaman otogar, arrange a shared dolmuş or a local driver for the Nemrut loop — most travellers pay ~£20-30 per person for a half-day car with driver, best split with other travellers at your hotel. Lunch by Atatürk Dam, then visit the Karakuş Tumulus and the Roman-era Cendere Bridge before driving up to the summit of Mt Nemrut for the famous sunset among the colossal statues (~£6 entry). Overnight in Adıyaman; cheap lahmacun and çiğ köfte dinner in town (~£6).

🚌Domestic flight ~£30-55 + shared car/dolmuş ~£25

🛏Simple hotel in Adıyaman town centre (~£18-25)

• →Mt Nemrut summit at sunset
• →Karakuş Tumulus monument
• →Cendere Bridge
• →Atatürk Dam viewpoint

Early dolmuş or bus from Adıyaman to Şanlıurfa (~£5-7, 2.5 hrs). Drop bags, then take a local minibus or taxi (~£5-8 return, or hike 20 mins from the main road) to Göbekli Tepe, the 11,500-year-old temple complex — entry ~£6-8. Back in Urfa, spend the afternoon at leisure: Balıklıgöl (Abraham's Pool and cave), the bazaar and the old bazaar hans. Note that Göbekli Tepe tickets are best bought on-site or via the official museum site rather than resellers. Dinner of Urfa kebab or liver wrap ~£6.

🚌Intercity bus Adıyaman–Urfa ~£6, local dolmuş to Göbekli Tepe ~£4

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Urfa old town (~£18-25)

• →Göbekli Tepe archaeological site
• →Balıklıgöl and Abraham's Cave
• →Urfa bazaar wander
• →Gümrük Han courtyard tea

Bus or dolmuş from Urfa to Mardin (~£6-8, 2.5 hrs). Mardin's UNESCO-listed honey-coloured limestone old town is an open-air museum — walk it independently with a free walking-tour app or a £10-15 local guide if you want the stories. Highlights: Ulu Cami, Latifiye Mosque, the Tellallar Bazaar and views from the Kırklar Church terrace across the Mesopotamian plain. Sunset from a rooftop çay garden is the money shot. Optional evening: a hammam or a cheap local dinner of kaburga dolması (~£7).

🚌Intercity bus Urfa–Mardin ~£7

🛏Boutique-style budget guesthouse in Mardin old town (~£20-30)

• →Mardin old town self-guided walk
• →Latifiye Mosque
• →Tellallar Bazaar
• →Mesopotamia plain viewpoint at sunset

Travel Mardin to Van by bus (~£15-20, 8-9 hrs, overnight or early-morning departure) or break it with a change in Diyarbakır/Batman. From Van's otogar take a dolmuş to Gevaş (~£3) and the local boat out to Akdamar Island to see the Armenian Church of the Holy Cross and its carved reliefs (boat ~£4-6, church entry ~£5). Return to Van for the evening and eat a Van-style breakfast-for-dinner or a homey kebab dinner (~£7). If you'd like the local-family dinner experience, ask your guesthouse host to arrange a home meal — many do it for ~£10-15.

🚌Intercity bus ~£18 + local dolmuş and boat ~£9

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Van (~£18-25)

• →Akdamar Island boat trip
• →Church of the Holy Cross
• →Gevaş lakeshore walk
• →Optional local family dinner

Morning at Van Castle (Urartian fortress above the lake, entry ~£3-5). Then catch a bus or shared dolmuş east to Doğubeyazıt (~£8-10, 3 hrs). Visit İshak Pasha Palace (entry ~£6-8) with Mt Ararat looming behind — the classic photo. Continue on the afternoon/evening bus Doğubeyazıt to Kars (~£8-10, 3.5 hrs). Kars is a lovely grid-town of Baltic-looking stone buildings; take a short self-guided orientation walk and eat Kars gravyer cheese and cağ kebab (~£7).

🚌Buses/dolmuş Van–Doğubeyazıt–Kars ~£18

🛏Budget hotel near Kars centre (~£18-25)

• →Van Citadel / Van Castle
• →İshak Pasha Palace
• →Mt Ararat viewpoint
• →Kars evening orientation walk

Take a taxi or the seasonal minibus from Kars to Ani (~£10-15 return by shared taxi, 45 mins) and spend the morning walking the ruined medieval Armenian capital on the closed border with Armenia — the Cathedral of Ani, the Church of the Redeemer, the city walls and the Silk Road bridge. Entry ~£4-5. Back in Kars, use the afternoon for the Kars Museum (optional, ~£2) or the castle, then a relaxed dinner.

🚌Shared taxi Kars–Ani ~£12

🛏Budget hotel in Kars (~£18-25)

• →Ani archaeological site walk
• →Church of the Redeemer
• →Kars Museum (optional)
• →Kars castle viewpoint

Take the morning train or bus from Kars towards the border. The easiest route is the Kars–Akhalkalaki–Tbilisi service (Georgian Railways, roughly £8-12, check current timetable as it varies by season) or a bus to the Çıldır/Aktaş border gate and onward marshrutka. Cross at Aktaş/Çıldır or Kartsakhi, then continue to Tbilisi. En route, stop for a wander and lunch in the small town of Poka on the Tsalka road if you're going by road. In Tbilisi, check into a guesthouse in Sololaki or Abanotubani, then take a self-guided evening orientation walk along Rustaveli Avenue and down to the river for a khinkali dinner (~£8).

🚌Kars–Tbilisi train ~£10 (or bus + marshrutka), metro ~£1

🛏Guesthouse or hostel dorm in old Tbilisi (~£15-22)

• →Turkey–Georgia border crossing
• →Poka town stop (road route)
• →Tbilisi evening orientation walk
• →Khinkali dinner

Join a free walking tour of Tbilisi (tip-based, ~£8-10 tip) covering the Old Town, Metekhi Church, the sulphur baths district and Sioni Cathedral, or DIY the same route. Ride the cable car up to Narikala Fortress (~£1) for city views, walk down to the Caravanserai and the Leghvtakhevi waterfall, then cross the Peace Bridge for the modern side of the city. Afternoon at the Dry Bridge flea market and a bakery stop for churchkhela and lobiani (~£4). Evening: wine bar in Sololaki or a suprafied dinner (~£12).

🚌Metro and cable car ~£2

🛏Guesthouse in old Tbilisi (~£15-22)

• →Free walking tour of Old Tbilisi
• →Narikala Fortress cable car
• →Metekhi Church
• →Caravanserai and Leghvtakhevi waterfall
• →Dry Bridge flea market

Take a marshrutka from Didube bus station, Tbilisi, to Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) — ~£8 one way, 3 hrs. From the village, hire a shared 4WD up to Gergeti Trinity Church (~£15-20 per vehicle, split it) or hike up in about 1.5 hrs for free. Book a khinkali-making session with a local guesthouse family in Stepantsminda (many charge ~£12-18 including lunch; arrange via your guesthouse or GetYourGuide/Klook). Afterwards, marshrutka or shared taxi south to Gudauri (~£5) and stop at the Soviet-era Friendship Monument with its panoramic view over the Aragvi valley.

🚌Marshrutka Tbilisi–Stepantsminda ~£8, shared 4WD ~£8, transfer to Gudauri ~£5

🛏Guesthouse in Gudauri or Stepantsminda (~£18-25)

• →Gergeti Trinity Church (4WD or hike)
• →Khinkali cooking experience with a local family
• →Friendship Monument viewpoint
• →Kazbegi mountain scenery

Marshrutka or shared taxi south from Gudauri to Gori (~£5-8, 2 hrs), with a change in Tbilisi if needed. In Gori, choose between the State Stalin Museum (~£5) or a free walk up to Gori Fortress for valley views. Then take a local taxi or marshrutka out to Uplistsikhe (~£5-8 return), the ancient cave city carved into the rock above the Mtkvari river — entry ~£4. In the late afternoon continue by marshrutka or train to Kutaisi from Gori (~£5-7, 2.5 hrs). Check in, then take an evening orientation walk around the central square and Bagrati Church hill, dinner of Imeruli khachapuri (~£6).

🚌Marshrutka/shared taxi legs ~£20 total

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Kutaisi (~£15-22)

• →State Stalin Museum (optional)
• →Gori Fortress walk
• →Uplistsikhe cave city
• →Kutaisi evening orientation walk

Take a marshrutka or shared taxi from Kutaisi to Martvili (~£3-5, 1 hr), then a local taxi to the canyon (~£4 return). The Martvili Canyon boardwalk and the short boat ride along the gorge past the waterfalls (boat ~£4-5, entry ~£5) is the highlight. Walk to a nearby village for a long home lunch of Imeretian dishes (~£8-12). Return to Kutaisi for a free afternoon — the Bagrati Cathedral hill or the central market, then an optional dinner out (~£8).

🚌Marshrutka and local taxis ~£12

🛏Guesthouse in Kutaisi (~£15-22)

• →Martvili Canyon boat ride
• →Canyon boardwalk and waterfalls
• →Village lunch
• →Bagrati Cathedral walk

Bus or marshrutka Kutaisi to Tbilisi (~£8-10, 3.5-4 hrs; trains also run). Stop in Mtskheta, the ancient Georgian capital and UNESCO site — marshrutka from Tbilisi's Didube or a direct stop en route (~£2). Visit Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and the Jvari Monastery hilltop across the river (entry free, small donation welcome). If you want the Terragarden cooking-class element from the original tour, book a Mtskheta-area Georgian cooking class via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£25-35) — a good final-night splurge. Return to Tbilisi for the evening; last supper of chakhokhbili or a supra spread (~£15).

🚌Marshrutka Kutaisi–Tbilisi ~£9, Mtskheta return ~£4

🛏Guesthouse in old Tbilisi (~£15-22)

• →Mtskheta old town
• →Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
• →Jvari Monastery
• →Optional Georgian cooking class (GetYourGuide/Klook)

Free morning for the last bazaar run — Deserter's Bazaar for spices and churchkhela, or the Fabrika courtyard for coffee and a wander. Take the cheap city bus or the official taxi app (Bolt works in Tbilisi, ~£5-8) to Tbilisi International Airport for your flight home or onward. Buffer in two hours for the airport, and remember Georgian law now requires valid health and accident insurance to be presented on entry.

🚌Bolt/taxi to airport ~£6

🛏None (departure day)

• →Deserter's Bazaar shopping
• →Fabrika courtyard coffee
• →Airport transfer