Magic Explorer Turkey — Self-Launched 13-Day Adventure
13 days · Turkey
Fez Travel charges £2,675
No-markup version: ~£700 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Fez Travel's 13-day Magic Explorer loop from Istanbul, hitting the classic highlights — Istanbul's Old City, Gallipoli, Troy, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Konya and Cappadocia — plus the extraordinary southeast (Mount Nemrut, Harran, Göbekli Tepe, Gaziantep) that few solo travellers reach. You'll travel on Turkey's excellent intercity buses and domestic flights, stay in hostels, guesthouses and a Cappadocia cave hostel, and book day tours locally via GetYourGuide/Klook or directly with operators. Costs are approximate backpacker/mid-range rates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Istanbul — Sultanahmet orientation
Istanbul
Land at IST or SAW and take the metro/Havabus into Sultanahmet or Beyoğlu. Check into a hostel, then do a free self-guided wander of the Hippodrome, Blue Mosque exterior and Gülhane Park. Grab a cheap dinner of balık ekmek (fish sandwich) by Eminönü or a pide in Sirkeci. Optional evening: a 90-minute Bosphorus public ferry ride (~£1-2 with Istanbulkart) for sunset views.
🚌Metro + tram from airport (~£2-4) or Havabus shuttle (~£3)
🛏Hostel dorm in Sultanahmet/Beyoğlu (~£15-22/night)
- →Self-guided Sultanahmet walk
- →Sunset Bosphorus public ferry (Istanbulkart)
Istanbul Old City — Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapı
Istanbul
Full day exploring the UNESCO Old City on foot. Book skip-the-line entry online where possible. See Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace (including the Harem and Hagia Irene), and the Hippodrome. End at the Grand Bazaar for tea and browsing. A guided small-group Old City walking tour on GetYourGuide runs ~£30-45 if you want narration.
🚌Walk + tram (single ~£0.60 with Istanbulkart)
🛏Hostel dorm in Sultanahmet/Beyoğlu (~£15-22/night)
- →Topkapı Palace + Harem entry (~£30)
- →Hagia Sophia entry (~£22)
- →Blue Mosque (free)
- →Grand Bazaar wander
Gallipoli WWI battlefields
Eceabat / Gallipoli
Take an early bus from Istanbul's Otogar to Eceabat (~5 hrs, ~£15-20). Base yourself in Eceabat or Çanakkale. Join a small-group Gallipoli battlefield tour covering ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair, The Nek and Johnston's Jolly with original trenches — bookable locally or via GetYourGuide (~£35-50 including lunch).
🚌Intercity bus Istanbul–Eceabat (~£15-20, 5 hrs)
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Eceabat or Çanakkale (~£18-25/night)
- →Gallipoli battlefield guided tour (~£40)
- →ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair
Troy and on to Kuşadası
Troy / Kuşadası
Morning minibus to Troy (~30 min from Çanakkale) for the UNESCO archaeological site and the modern Troy Museum (~£8 entry). In the afternoon continue south by bus to Kuşadası (~5-6 hrs via Izmir, ~£15-20). Evening stroll on the seafront promenade.
🚌Local minibus to Troy (~£2) + intercity bus to Kuşadası (~£15-20)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Kuşadası (~£15-22/night)
- →Troy archaeological site + Troy Museum (~£8)
- →Kuşadası seafront evening
Ephesus and the Temple of Artemis
Selçuk / Kuşadası
Take the dolmuş to Selçuk and explore Ephesus — one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world (~£18 entry). Visit the Ephesus Archaeology Museum and the lone column of the Temple of Artemis. Optional: local carpet-weaving cooperative visit. A guided Ephesus day tour from Kuşadası runs ~£35-50. Return to Kuşadası for the night.
🚌Dolmuş Kuşadası–Selçuk (~£1.50 each way)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Kuşadası (~£15-22/night)
- →Ephesus entry + Terrace Houses (~£22)
- →Ephesus Archaeology Museum (~£5)
- →Temple of Artemis site (free)
Pamukkale travertines and Hierapolis
Pamukkale
Bus from Kuşadası to Denizli (~3 hrs, ~£8-12), then dolmuş to Pamukkale village. Spend the day barefoot on the white calcium travertines and explore the ancient city of Hierapolis, including its theatre and necropolis (~£18 combined entry). Optional: swim in Cleopatra's Antique Pool among sunken columns (~£12) or take a hot-air balloon flight over the terraces (~£130-180, book ahead).
🚌Intercity bus to Denizli (~£8-12) + dolmuş (~£1)
🛏Pension/guesthouse in Pamukkale village (~£18-28/night)
- →Pamukkale travertines + Hierapolis entry (~£18)
- →Cleopatra's Antique Pool (~£12 optional)
- →Hot-air balloon over Pamukkale (optional ~£150)
Silk Road and Konya to Cappadocia
Konya / Göreme
Travel east along the old Silk Road. Stop at the 13th-century Sultanhani Caravanserai (~£3 entry) en route to Konya. Visit the Mevlana Museum (free/cheap), home of the Whirling Dervish order, then continue to Göreme in Cappadocia by evening bus (~£20-25 total). Check into a cave hostel.
🚌Bus Pamukkale–Konya–Göreme (~£20-25 total, 8-9 hrs)
🛏Cave hostel/guesthouse in Göreme (~£20-30/night)
- →Sultanhani Caravanserai (~£3)
- →Mevlana Museum, Konya (~£3)
- →Optional Whirling Dervish ceremony in Cappadocia (~£15-25)
Cappadocia — Göreme, fairy chimneys, underground city
Göreme / Cappadocia
Sunrise option: hot-air balloon flight over the fairy chimneys (~£150-200 — book well ahead, it's the trip's signature splurge). Day: Göreme Open Air Museum (~£15), Devrent and Paşabağ fairy-chimney valleys, and the multi-level underground city of Derinkuyu or Kaymaklı (~£8). Rent a scooter or use the local dolmuş network. Evening: traditional hammam (~£20-30) or Turkish night with dinner (~£30).
🚌Dolmuş/scoter around the valleys (~£5-10/day)
🛏Cave hostel/guesthouse in Göreme (~£20-30/night)
- →Hot-air balloon (optional ~£170)
- →Göreme Open Air Museum (~£15)
- →Underground city (~£8)
- →Hammam (~£25 optional)
Long haul to Adıyaman — Mount Nemrut sunset
Adıyaman / Mount Nemrut
A big travel day: fly or bus from Kayseri onward toward Adıyaman. Buses run from Göreme/Kayseri via Kayseri or Malatya (~10-12 hrs, ~£25-30); alternatively a cheap domestic flight to Adıyaman/Şanlıurfa cuts it to ~2 hrs (~£30-50) plus transfer. In the late afternoon head up to Mount Nemrut (2,150m) for the colossal statues of the Commagene gods and the sunset from the tumulus (~£8 entry; shared minibus from Karadut ~£15-25 return).
🚌Bus or domestic flight to Adıyaman (~£25-50) + shared minibus to Nemrut (~£15-25)
🛏Guesthouse in Karadut or Adıyaman (~£18-28/night)
- →Mount Nemrut summit + sunset (~£8 entry)
- →Colossal statues of the Commagene Kingdom
Harran and Şanlıurfa
Harran / Şanlıurfa
Morning travel to Şanlıurfa (~3 hrs). Excursion to Harran to see the famous beehive mud-brick houses and ancient city walls, passing the Atatürk Dam (~£8-12 with a shared taxi/minibus). Back in Şanlıurfa, explore the atmospheric Balıklıgöl (Holy Pools of Abraham) and the cave believed to be Abraham's birthplace, plus the buzzing bazaar. Dinner of Urfa kebab and çiğ köfte.
🚌Bus to Şanlıurfa (~£5-8) + shared minibus to Harran (~£8-12 return)
🛏Guesthouse/hotel in Şanlıurfa (~£18-28/night)
- →Harran mud-brick village (~£5)
- →Balıklıgöl Holy Pools (free)
- →Cave of Abraham (free)
- →Şanlıurfa bazaar
Göbekli Tepe and Şanlıurfa's museums
Şanlıurfa / Göbekli Tepe
The trip's historic centrepiece: Göbekli Tepe, the 11,000-13,000-year-old temple complex that rewrote the story of human civilisation (~£10-15 entry, shared taxi/minibus ~£10 return). Back in town visit the Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum, the Kızılkoyun Necropolis and the superb Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum, home of the famous 'Urfa Man' statue.
🚌Shared taxi/minibus to Göbekli Tepe (~£10 return) + city taxis
🛏Guesthouse/hotel in Şanlıurfa (~£18-28/night)
- →Göbekli Tepe (~£12)
- →Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum (~£5)
- →Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum (~£3)
- →Kızılkoyun Necropolis (free)
Gaziantep — Zeugma mosaics and Halfeti
Gaziantep / Halfeti
Bus to Gaziantep (~2.5 hrs, ~£6-10). Optional detour to Halfeti for a boat trip on the Euphrates over the partially sunken old town (~£10-15). Then the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, home of the Gypsy Girl mosaic (~£5). Free afternoon for Gaziantep's bazaars and its justly famous food scene — baklava, kebabs and beyran soup.
🚌Bus Şanlıurfa–Gaziantep (~£8) + local minibus to Halfeti (~£5)
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Gaziantep (~£18-28/night)
- →Zeugma Mosaic Museum (~£5)
- →Halfeti Euphrates boat trip (optional ~£12)
- →Gaziantep bazaar + food crawl
Fly Gaziantep to Istanbul — depart
Istanbul / Gaziantep
Morning flight from Gaziantep (GZT) to Istanbul (~2 hrs, ~£30-60, book ahead on Turkish Airlines/Pegasus). Depending on departure time, squeeze in a last Sultanahmet coffee or bazaar run before heading to the airport. Trip ends in Istanbul.
🚌Domestic flight Gaziantep–Istanbul (~£30-60) + airport metro
🛏None (departure day) or final airport-area hostel (~£15-20 if needed)
- →Final Istanbul wander (time permitting)
Self-launched vs. Fez Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Fez Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£700 | £2,675 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,975 per person (74%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Fez Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£700
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.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Magic Explorer Turkey — Self-Launched 13-Day Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £700 per person for 13 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 Fez Travel?+
Yes — Fez Travel charges around £2,675 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £700 — a saving of roughly £1,975 (74%) per person.
How long is the Turkey trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 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, adventure, budget 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?
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