Highlights of Turkey — 12 Days Self-Launched (Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Fethiye, Antalya & Cappadocia)
12 days · Turkey
Tour Altinkum Travel charges £1,700
No-markup version: ~£1,015 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Tour Altinkum's "Highlights of Turkey - 12 Days / by Plane", covering the same classic loop independently: Istanbul's imperial core, Ephesus and the House of Virgin Mary from Selçuk/Kuşadası, the white terraces of Pamukkale, a Fethiye 12 Islands boat day, Antalya's Kaleiçi and waterfalls, and two days in Cappadocia with an optional balloon flight. Instead of a guided coach group, you'll use domestic flights, overnight/long-distance buses and dolmuş minibuses, join short day tours through GetYourGuide/Klook where guides genuinely add value, and book your own boutique guesthouses and small hotels. Costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP for a solo traveller sharing dorm/private rooms where it saves money.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Istanbul — settle into Sultanahmet
Istanbul
Land at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) and get to the old city on your own. From IST, the Havaist bus to Sultanahmet costs about £5-6 (~90 min); from SAW, take the Havabüs to Kadıköy then the Marmaray/metro, or the direct Havabüs to Taksim (~£6). Check into a Sultanahmet or Sirkeci guesthouse — the operator's Celal Sultan Hotel equivalent, but at hostel/boutique-guesthouse prices. Spend the late afternoon walking the Hippodrome square and the Blue Mosque exterior at sunset, then eat a cheap pide or kebab dinner in the backstreets. Optional evening: a Bosphorus dinner cruise with Turkish dance shows (bookable on GetYourGuide, ~£35-45) if you want the tour's optional night out.
🚌Havaist/Havabüs airport bus ~£5-6 each way; tram within the old city ~£0.60/ride
🛏Sultanahmet boutique guesthouse or hostel private room, ~£30-40/night
- →Arrival and old city orientation walk
- →Hippodrome Square
- →Blue Mosque exterior at sunset
- →Optional: Bosphorus dinner cruise with Turkish dance (~£35-45)
Istanbul imperial core — Hagia Sophia, Topkapı, Blue Mosque
Istanbul
Do the tour's guided highlights independently but efficiently: buy a timed Hagia Sophia ticket online the night before, then Topkapı Palace (with Harem ticket worth the extra), the Hippodrome and the Blue Mosque interior. Rather than paying the operator's private-guide premium, join a small-group walking tour of Sultanahmet on GetYourGuide (~£20-30) if you want the commentary, or use the official audio guide. Eat lunch at a lokanta near Eminönü (cheap set menu ~£5-7). Evening free for a Hammam or a drink on a rooftop. Buy your İstanbulkart transport card today — it halves tram/ferry costs for the trip.
🚌Tram/foot within Sultanahmet; İstanbulkart top-up ~£5
🛏Sultanahmet boutique guesthouse or hostel private room, ~£30-40/night
- →Hagia Sophia entry (~£22)
- →Topkapı Palace + Harem (~£30)
- →Hippodrome Square
- →Blue Mosque (free)
- →Optional GetYourGuide small-group walking tour (~£20-30)
Spice Bazaar & Bosphorus cruise — fly to Izmir
Istanbul to Izmir
Morning at the Spice Bazaar, then take a public Bosphorus ferry (Şehir Hatları, ~£2-3) up past Dolmabahçe Palace, Rumeli Fortress and the Yıldız shoreline — the same views as the tour's private cruise for a fraction of the price. In the late afternoon fly Istanbul to Izmir or Bodrum with Pegasus/AJet (book 3-6 weeks ahead, ~£35-55 one-way, 1h15). From Izmir airport take the Havaş/Izban train or bus to Selçuk (~£3-4, 1h) and check into a Selçuk guesthouse. Selçuk is the smarter, cheaper base than Kuşadası for Ephesus and keeps you walking distance from the basilica and museum.
🚌Public Bosphorus ferry ~£2-3; domestic flight IST-SAW/IZM ~£35-55; Izmir airport to Selçuk bus/train ~£3-4
🛏Selçuk guesthouse/pension, ~£25-35/night
- →Spice Bazaar
- →Public Bosphorus ferry past Dolmabahçe, Rumeli Fortress & Yıldız Palace
- →Fly to Izmir
- →Evening in Selçuk
Ephesus, House of Virgin Mary & Temple of Artemis
Selçuk / Kuşadası
Take a dolmuş from Selçuk otogar to the Ephesus upper gate (~£1, 10 min), or join a small-group half-day Ephesus tour on GetYourGuide/Klook (~£25-40, includes transport and guide). Walk the full site independently: the Library of Celsus, Terrace Houses (extra ticket ~£6, worth it), the Great Theatre. Then taxi or dolmuş to the House of Virgin Mary (~£10-15 return) and stop at the single remaining column of the Temple of Artemis. Finish at the excellent Ephesus Museum in Selçuk town. Evening: cheap dinner and a drink in Selçuk.
🚌Dolmuş to Ephesus ~£1; taxi to House of Virgin Mary ~£10-15 return
🛏Selçuk guesthouse/pension, ~£25-35/night
- →Ephesus Ancient City entry (~£22)
- →Terrace Houses of Ephesus (~£6)
- →House of Virgin Mary (~£6)
- →Temple of Artemis (free)
- →Ephesus Museum (~£5)
Pamukkale & Hierapolis on the way south
Selçuk to Pamukkale to Fethiye
Catch an early bus Selçuk to Denizli/Pamukkale (~2.5-3h, ~£7-9), store bags at the Pamukkale otogar, then walk up to the travertine terraces. Buy the combined Pamukkale + Hierapolis + Antique Pool ticket (~£28) and explore the ancient city and the Sacred Pool of Hierapolis where you can swim among fallen columns. In the late afternoon continue by bus from Denizli to Fethiye (~4h, ~£10-12) and check into a Fethiye guesthouse or a hostel in the old town. DIY note: doing Pamukkale as a stopover between buses is exactly what the tour does — but on your own schedule.
🚌Selçuk-Denizli bus ~£7-9 (2.5-3h); Denizli-Fethiye bus ~£10-12 (4h)
🛏Fethiye guesthouse/hostel, ~£28-38/night
- →Pamukkale travertine terraces
- →Hierapolis Ancient City
- →Cleopatra/Sacred Antique Pool swim (~£10 extra optional)
Fethiye 12 Islands boat tour
Fethiye
Join the classic full-day 12 Islands (12 Adalar) boat trip from Fethiye harbour — book direct at the harbour or via GetYourGuide (~£25-35, usually including the on-board BBQ lunch). Swim stops at Göcek/Ölüdeniz-area bays and islands, exactly the experience the operator sells as an included activity. Note this runs roughly mid-May to mid-October; outside that window swap in a Saklıkent gorge day tour or a Kayaköy ghost village hike. Evening back in Fethiye: harbour-side fish market where you pick your fish and a restaurant grills it cheaply.
🚌Walk to harbour; local dolmuş to Ölüdeniz if you extend the day ~£1.50
🛏Fethiye guesthouse/hostel, ~£28-38/night
- →12 Islands boat tour with lunch and swimming (~£25-35)
- →Optional evening fish market dinner
- →Alternative off-season: Saklıkent gorge tour or Kayaköy walk
Fethiye to Antalya via the coast
Fethiye to Antalya
Long-distance bus Fethiye to Antalya (~4h, ~£10-14) — book with Pamukkale/Ulusoy/Metro at the otogar or via obilet.com. Settle into a Kaleiçi old-town pension; Antalya's walled harbour district is the atmospheric budget base and is exactly where the tour's Best Western Khan equivalent sits. Spend the afternoon walking Kaleiçi's lanes, Hadrian's Gate, the Clock Tower and Kesik Minare, and swim off Konyaaltı beach or the Mermerli steps in the old harbour. Cheap dinner at a Kaleiçi meyhane.
🚌Intercity bus Fethiye-Antalya ~£10-14 (4h); tram from otogar to Kaleiçi ~£0.60
🛏Kaleiçi old-town pension, ~£28-40/night
- →Kaleiçi old town walk
- →Hadrian's Gate, Clock Tower, Kesik Minare
- →Konyaaltı or Mermerli beach swim
Antalya waterfalls & coastal boat trip
Antalya
Take the local dolmuş or tram to Düden Waterfalls' lower cascade (free entry, sea cliffs) and to Karpuzkaldıran falls viewpoint, then return for a one-hour public/independent coastal boat trip from the old harbour (~£10-15) that passes the cliffs and islands. Lunch at a local lokanta with traditional Turkish food (~£5-7), then free time in Kaleiçi for shopping and the Antalya Old Town harbour. Optional evening Turkish bath (hamam) in the old city (~£20-30).
🚌Local tram/dolmuş to waterfalls ~£1-2 each way
🛏Kaleiçi old-town pension, ~£28-40/night
- →Düden Waterfalls and Karpuzkaldıran viewpoint
- →One-hour coastal sightseeing boat tour (~£10-15)
- →Kaleiçi free time and shopping
- →Optional Turkish bath (~£20-30)
Antalya to Cappadocia — arrive Göreme
Antalya to Cappadocia (Göreme)
Fly Antalya to Kayseri/Nevşehir with Pegasus or AJet (~£30-50, ~1h15, book ahead), or take the overnight/long bus via Konya (~9-10h, ~£18-22) which roughly matches the tour's flight day. From Kayseri/Nevşehir airport take the shuttle to Göreme (~£5-8). Check into a Göreme cave guesthouse or hostel — the operator's 'Cappadocia Old Houses' experience can be matched cheaply, and cave dorms are abundant. Sunset walk up to Göreme Panorama or the Red Valley viewpoint. Optional evening: sunset quad safari (~£25-35 if you want the tour's optional activity).
🚌Domestic flight Antalya-Kayseri ~£30-50 or overnight bus ~£18-22; airport transfer ~£5-8
🛏Göreme cave guesthouse/hostel, ~£25-40/night
- →Flight or overnight bus to Cappadocia
- →Göreme Panorama / Red Valley sunset
- →Optional sunset quad safari (~£25-35)
Cappadocia green/red route — Göreme, Devrent, Paşabağ, Uçhisar
Cappadocia (Göreme)
Optional sunrise hot air balloon flight (~£140-200 booked direct with local operators like Butterfly or Royal — the same product the operator sells for $350). Then explore independently: Göreme Open Air Museum (rock-cut churches with frescoes, ~£10), Devrent (Imagination) Valley, Paşabağ/Monks Valley fairy chimneys, Göreme Panorama and Uçhisar Castle (~£6). Cheapest way is the local red/green tour minivans (~£20-30 for a full day with lunch) or a dolmuş between Göreme-Uçhisar-Çavuşin. Evening: dinner and rooftop views in Göreme.
🚌Local tour minivan ~£20-30 or dolmuş hops ~£1 each
🛏Göreme cave guesthouse/hostel, ~£25-40/night
- →Optional hot air balloon flight at sunrise (~£140-200)
- →Göreme Open Air Museum (~£10)
- →Devrent Valley
- →Paşabağ (Monks Valley)
- →Uçhisar Castle (~£6)
Rose Valley, Underground City & fly back to Istanbul
Cappadocia to Istanbul
Morning hike or minivan tour through Rose Valley (Kızılçukur) to Çavuşin old cave village and Pigeon Valley, then the Derinkuyu or Kaymaklı Underground City (~£7). If you didn't balloon today is a second sunrise chance. In the late afternoon fly Kayseri/Nevşehir back to Istanbul (~£30-50, 1h20) or take the overnight bus. Check back into Sultanahmet for your final night. Cheap final dinner and one last wander past the illuminated mosques.
🚌Local dolmuş/tour van in Cappadocia ~£15-25; domestic flight to Istanbul ~£30-50 or overnight bus ~£18-22
🛏Sultanahmet guesthouse/hostel, ~£30-40/night
- →Rose Valley and Çavuşin
- →Pigeon Valley
- →Derinkuyu/Kaymaklı Underground City (~£7)
- →Fly back to Istanbul
Departure from Istanbul
Istanbul
Breakfast, then last-minute souvenir shopping at the Grand Bazaar or Arasta Bazaar if time allows. Reach IST or SAW by Havaist/Havabüs (~£5-6, allow 2.5-3h buffer for IST, 2h for SAW). Trip ends.
🚌Havaist/Havabüs to IST or SAW ~£5-6
🛏—
- →Grand Bazaar / Arasta Bazaar shopping
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Tour Altinkum Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Tour Altinkum Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,015 | £1,700 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £685 per person (40%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Tour Altinkum Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,015
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.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Highlights of Turkey — 12 Days Self-Launched (Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Fethiye, Antalya & Cappadocia) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,015 per person for 12 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 Tour Altinkum Travel?+
Yes — Tour Altinkum Travel charges around £1,700 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,015 — a saving of roughly £685 (40%) per person.
How long is the Turkey trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 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, city-breaks, 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.
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