10 Days Seven Wonders of Turkey — Self-Launched
10 days · Turkey
Turkey Tour Booking charges £1,290
No-markup version: ~£627 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Turkey Tour Booking's 10-day Istanbul–Ephesus–Pamukkale–Cappadocia loop, done independently with public transport, hostel/guesthouse stays and self-bookable tours. You'll cover the same headline sights — Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Ephesus, Pamukkale's travertines and Hierapolis, and the valleys and underground cities of Cappadocia — but book each piece yourself via local operators, Turkish domestic flights or overnight buses. Costs are per person for one traveller on a backpacker/budget footing, joining shared day tours rather than private ones. Two people sharing a room on the same plan would cut the accommodation figure significantly.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Istanbul
Istanbul
Fly into Istanbul (IST) and take the M11 metro plus Marmaray or the Havabus shuttle into the old city (roughly £1-2). Check into a hostel in Sultanahmet or Karaköy. Use the afternoon to get your bearings along the Hippodrome square and pick up an Istanbulkart transit card from a kiosk for cheap tram/metro/ferry rides all week. Sort your e-Visa confirmation, a Turkish SIM (Turkcell/Vodafone tourist SIM ~£10-15) and cash in lira from an ATM. Evening: cheap dinner of pide or lahmacun near the Grand Bazaar.
🚌M11 metro + Marmaray from IST to central Istanbul (~£1-2)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Sultanahmet/Karaköy (~£15-22)
- →Airport transfer by metro/Havabus
- →Istanbulkart purchase
- →Sultanahmet orientation walk
Istanbul Old City highlights
Istanbul
Do the classic old-city cluster on foot — everything is within walking distance. Hagia Sophia is free to enter (dress modestly; expect queues, go early). The Blue Mosque is free. Topkapi Palace charges about £22-25 for the museum ticket including the Harem — pre-buy on muze.gov.tr or Klook to skip the ticket line. Wander the Grand Bazaar in the afternoon; it's free to enter and endlessly interesting. Lunch of çorba and a dürüm for around £4-6.
🚌Walking / T1 tram (~£1 per ride)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Sultanahmet (~£15-22)
- →Visit Hagia Sophia
- →Visit Blue Mosque
- →Visit the Hippodrome
- →Visit Topkapi Palace (timed entry)
- →Wander the Grand Bazaar
Bosphorus cruise & Spice Market
Istanbul
Skip the pricey tourist cruise and take the public ferry — the Şehir Hatları line from Eminönü up the Bosphorus to Anadolu Kavağı is a fraction of the cost and the same views, roughly £2-3 return with an Istanbulkart. Stop for lunch and walk up to the castle ruins. On the way back, hop off at Eminönü for the Spice (Mısır) Market, free entry. Evening in Beyoğlu or Kadıköy: street food and meyhane culture.
🚌Public ferry with Istanbulkart (~£2-3)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Sultanahmet/Karaköy (~£15-22)
- →Public Bosphorus ferry to Anadolu Kavağı
- →Visit the Spice Market
- →Beyoğlu/Kadıköy evening stroll
Fly to Izmir, Ephesus day
Selçuk / Kuşadası
Book a cheap domestic flight Istanbul (IST or SAW) to Izmir on Turkish Airlines, Pegasus or AJet — book a few weeks out and it's often £25-40 one way with hand luggage, add a 15kg hold bag for a small fee. From Izmir airport take the IZBAN train to Selçuk (~£1.50, ~1 hour), which drops you right at the ruins. Stay in Selçuk rather than Kuşadası — a short dolmuş or walk gets you to Ephesus and it's quieter and cheaper. Afternoon free for the Basilica of St John and Isa Bey Mosque.
🚌Domestic flight (~£25-40) + IZBAN train (~£1.50)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Selçuk (~£15-20)
- →Domestic flight Istanbul–Izmir
- →IZBAN train to Selçuk
- →Afternoon at St John's Basilica
Ephesus & Selçuk
Selçuk
Get to Ephesus at opening (around 08:30) to beat both heat and tour groups. The Ephesus ticket is on muze.gov.tr for around £20-22; you can add the Terrace Houses for a little more and it's worth it. Walk the whole site: the Great Theatre, Library of Celsus, Temple of Hadrian, Fountain of Trajan, Bouloterion. A shared shuttle minibus from Selçuk town runs to the upper gate, or it's a 30-minute walk. In the afternoon take a dolmuş up to the House of the Virgin Mary (~£4 entry). Skip a paid guide and use an audio app or the on-site signage instead.
🚌Dolmuş to Ephesus and Meryemana (~£2-3 total)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Selçuk (~£15-20)
- →Ephesus Archaeological Site (self-guided)
- →Terrace Houses
- →Library of Celsus & Great Theatre
- →House of the Virgin Mary
Pamukkale travertines & Hierapolis
Pamukkale
Day trip to Pamukkale by dolmuş or bus from Selçuk/Denizli — Dolmuş to Denizli then a local Dolmuş up to Pamukkale, roughly £5-7 total and 3 hours each way. The combined Pamukkale + Hierapolis ticket is about £22-25 and includes the ancient city and the Cleopatra Antique Pool area (pool entry is separate). Take the barefoot walk down the white travertine terraces and soak in the thermal channel. Return same evening or, if you're slower, overnight in Pamukkale village guesthouses (~£15-25).
🚌Dolmuş/bus Selçuk–Denizli–Pamukkale (~£5-7 each way)
🛏Selçuk guesthouse or Pamukkale village guesthouse (~£15-25)
- →Pamukkale travertine terraces
- →Hierapolis ancient site
- →Thermal pools / Antique Pool (optional)
Transfer to Cappadocia
Göreme, Cappadocia
The long haul east. The operator uses a domestic flight Denizli/Izmir to Kayseri or Nevşehir — you can do the same for £30-50 if booked ahead, or take an overnight bus from Denizli to Göreme (~10-11 hours, £20-28) which saves a hotel night. On arrival, check into a cave-style hostel or guesthouse in Göreme (dorms from around £15-25). Rest, then a sunset viewpoint walk from Göreme's Lover's Hill or the Göreme panorama. Sort tomorrow's balloon or valley tour tonight.
🚌Flight (~£30-50) or overnight bus (~£20-28)
🛏Cave hostel/guesthouse in Göreme (~£15-25)
- →Domestic flight or overnight bus to Cappadocia
- →Sunset viewpoint in Göreme
North Cappadocia (Red) tour
Göreme
Book a small-group North Cappadocia tour via GetYourGuide or Klook, or book directly at a Göreme agency — expect £30-45 with a licensed guide and lunch, versus the private version in the original package. It covers Devrent (Imagination) Valley, Zelve Open Air Museum and/or Göreme Open Air Museum, Paşabağ (Monks Valley), a pottery workshop in Avanos, Uçhisar Castle and Pigeon Valley. Museum entries are often extra unless specified, so check what's included; the Göreme Open Air Museum is around £10-12.
🚌Included in group day tour pickup, or dolmuş (~£1)
🛏Cave hostel/guesthouse in Göreme (~£15-25)
- →Devrent Valley
- →Monks Valley (Paşabağ)
- →Avanos pottery village
- →Göreme or Zelve Open Air Museum
- →Pigeon Valley
- →Uçhisar Castle
South Cappadocia (Green) tour & balloon option
Göreme
If you want the hot-air balloon, book it yourself on a platform like GetYourGuide or via your guesthouse — budget roughly £130-180 per person for a standard 60-minute flight, versus the ~£250 the operator charges. Balloons fly at dawn, so you're back by breakfast. Then a South Cappadocia small-group tour (£30-45) covering Red/Rose Valley, Çavuşin old village, the Derinkuyu underground city and the Ihlara Valley area. If you'd rather self-drive, bike rental or a dolmuş to Derinkuyu is cheap and easy.
🚌Group tour pickup or bike/dolmuş (~£5-10)
🛏Cave hostel/guesthouse in Göreme (~£15-25)
- →Hot-air balloon flight (optional, self-booked)
- →Red Valley / Rose Valley walk
- →Çavuşin village
- →Derinkuyu Underground City
Return to Istanbul & depart
Istanbul
Fly Kayseri (ASR) or Nevşehir (NAV) back to Istanbul — Pegasus/AJet/Turkish fares are typically £25-45 if booked ahead; add a hold bag for around £10-15. Allow 3 hours between the domestic arrival and any onward international flight. If you have a late departure, use the time for a Turkish bath or last baklava run before heading to IST. Airport transfer by metro/Havabus again at ~£1-2.
🚌Domestic flight (~£25-45) + metro/Havabus (~£1-2)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Domestic flight Cappadocia–Istanbul
- →Last sightseeing in Istanbul (optional)
- →Departure transfer
Self-launched vs. Turkey Tour Booking
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Turkey Tour Booking | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£627 | £1,290 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £663 per person (51%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Turkey Tour Booking-style trips? Check them out here.~£627
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does 10 Days Seven Wonders of Turkey — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £627 per person for 10 days in Turkey. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Turkey Tour Booking?+
Yes — Turkey Tour Booking charges around £1,290 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £627 — a saving of roughly £663 (51%) per person.
How long is the Turkey trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Turkey.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, backpacker trip through Turkey, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.