Self-Launched Solo Turkey: Istanbul to Selçuk Independently
8 days · Turkey
G Adventures charges £1,185
No-markup version: ~£705 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, solo-friendly version of G Adventures' 8-day "Solo-ish Turkey" route — Istanbul's old city, Cappadocia's fairy chimneys and underground cities, Konya's Sufi heritage, then Ephesus and Şirince via İzmir. You'll use public buses, the high-speed train and a cheap domestic flight instead of a private vehicle, stay in hostels and family pensions, and book the same experiences (pottery workshop, gozleme cooking class, hot-air balloon, Ephesus entry) directly or via GetYourGuide. Costs are realistic backpacker estimates in GBP and will vary with season and how much you splurge on optional extras.
Day-by-day
Arrive Istanbul — Sultanahmet & street-food crawl
Istanbul
Land at IST or SAW and take the metro/Marmaray or Havaist bus into Sultanahmet (SAW: ~£4 by Havabus to Taksim, or ~£5 by M4 metro + Marmaray). Check into a hostel dorm or private room in Sultanahmet or Beyoğlu. In the evening, replicate the tour's welcome dinner by doing your own street-food crawl: simit from a street cart, balık ekmek (fish sandwich) at Eminönü, and künefe or baklava for dessert — roughly £8-10 total. If you want company, most hostels run free walking tours or family dinners that make it easy to meet other solo travellers.
🚌Airport metro/Marmaray or Havaist bus ~£3-5; walking in the old city
🛏Hostel dorm in Sultanahmet or Beyoğlu (~£15-20/night); private budget rooms ~£30
- →Self-guided street food crawl (Eminönü, Sirkeci)
- →Hostel social evening / free city walk
Istanbul old city: Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, bazaars
Istanbul
Walk the historic peninsula on foot. Start at the Topkapi Palace gardens (free to wander the outer courtyards), then the Blue Mosque (free, dress modestly, avoid prayer times) and Hagia Sophia (entry ~£22 as of 2025 — buy the timed ticket online to skip queues). The Basilica Cistern is ~£12-15. Wander the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar for free. For the Turkish coffee demo, just order one at a traditional cafe in Eminönü or the bazaar (~£1.50) and watch it brewed in a cezve. Skip paid guides — a £3-5 audio guide or a free walking tour (tip-based, ~£5-10 tip) covers the history well.
🚌All walking; tram single ~£0.60 if legs give out
🛏Hostel dorm in Sultanahmet (~£15-20)
- →Hagia Sophia (timed ticket)
- →Blue Mosque
- →Basilica Cistern
- →Grand Bazaar & Spice Bazaar
- →Turkish coffee in the bazaar
Fly to Cappadocia — Göreme Open-Air Museum & pottery in Avanos
Göreme / Avanos
Book a morning domestic flight Istanbul (IST or SAW) to Kayseri (ASR) or Nevşehir (NAV) — Turkish Airlines, AJet and Pegasus all fly this route; book 2-4 weeks ahead for ~£30-45 one way. From the airport take the Havas or local bus to Göreme (~£3-5, 45-75 mins). Drop bags at a cave hostel or pension. Afternoon: walk to the Göreme Open-Air Museum (~£12 entry, or £15 with the Dark Church) — the rock-cut Byzantine churches are the highlight. Then take a local minibus to Avanos (~£0.50) and book a pottery workshop directly with a family studio (Avanos is full of them; ~£15-20 for a hands-on session). For dinner, many guesthouses in Göreme and Nevşehir run gozleme-making evenings — ask your host, or join a small cooking class via GetYourGuide (~£20-25).
🚌Domestic flight ~£30-45; airport shuttle to Göreme ~£3-5; local minibus to Avanos ~£0.50
🛏Cave hostel dorm or family pension in Göreme (~£15-20)
- →Göreme Open-Air Museum
- →Avanos pottery workshop
- →Gozleme cooking evening with a local family
Cappadocia free day: balloon, valleys, hammam
Göreme / Uçhisar
Book your hot-air balloon flight in advance through GetYourGuide or directly with a licensed operator (Royal, Butterfly or Voyager are established) — ~£150-190 including hotel pickup and breakfast, and it is genuinely worth it. If ballooning is out of budget, hike instead: the Rose Valley and Red Valley trails (4-6 hrs, free) or the Pigeon Valley walk from Göreme to Uçhisar castle are stunning at sunrise. Rent an e-bike or scooter (~£15-20/day) or use the local minibuses. In the afternoon, a traditional Turkish bath in Göreme or Ürgüp costs ~£15-25. Sunset drinks on a rooftop terrace with the fairy chimneys in view — the same 'light dinner and views' moment, minus the group price tag.
🚌Balloon pickup included; walking and local minibus
🛏Cave hostel dorm or pension in Göreme (~£15-20)
- →Hot-air balloon flight (book ahead)
- →Rose/Red Valley hike
- →Turkish bath
- →Uçhisar castle viewpoint
Kaymaklı Underground City, Konya & Mevlana Museum, overnight train
Cappadocia → Konya → İzmir
Take the local minibus from Göreme/Nevşehir to Kaymaklı (~£1) in the morning and explore the underground city (~£6 entry). From Kaymaklı, continue by minibus to Niğde, then catch a YHT high-speed train or comfortable intercity bus to Konya (bus ~£7-9, 3-4 hrs). In Konya, visit the Mevlana Museum and Rumi's mausoleum (free) and wander the bazaar. In the evening take the overnight train or a long-distance night bus onward toward İzmir (Konya–İzmir overnight bus ~£15-20, 9-10 hrs) — mirrors the tour's overnight train night and saves a hotel bill.
🚌Minibus to Kaymaklı ~£1; bus to Konya ~£8; overnight bus Konya–İzmir ~£17
🛏Overnight intercity bus or sleeper train (~£15-20, counted in transport)
- →Kaymaklı Underground City
- →Mevlana Museum & Rumi mausoleum, Konya
- →Konya bazaar wander
İzmir waterfront breakfast, Agora & Kemeraltı, bus to Selçuk
İzmir → Selçuk
Arrive in İzmir in the morning and head to the Kordon waterfront for a proper Turkish breakfast at one of the tea gardens or cafes (~£5-7). Walk to the Roman Agora of Smyrna (~£4 entry) and lose yourself in the Kemeraltı Bazaar — free, sprawling and brilliant for cheap eats and coffee. Mid-afternoon, hop the İZBAN commuter train or a regional train from Basmane to Selçuk (~£1.50-2, 1-1.5 hrs) — far cheaper and faster than a bus. Check into a pension in Selçuk, then relax or walk up to the basilica and storks' nests. Optional: İsa Bey Mosque (free) or St John's Basilica (~£5). Dinner in town ~£8-10.
🚌İZBAN/regional train İzmir–Selçuk ~£2
🛏Family pension or guesthouse in Selçuk (~£18-25, often with breakfast)
- →Kordon breakfast
- →Agora of Smyrna
- →Kemeraltı Bazaar
- →Selçuk old town stroll
Ephesus, Temple of Artemis & Şirince village + wine tasting
Selçuk / Şirince
Get to Ephesus early — it opens at 8am and by 10am the tour buses arrive. Take the local minibus from Selçuk otogar (~£0.50) or walk 45 mins. Entry is ~£17-20; a combined ticket with the Terrace Houses is ~£26. Hire an audio guide (~£5) or join a GetYourGuide small-group tour (~£25-30) for the Roman context. Walk to the Temple of Artemis (free, one column left of a Wonder of the World). In the afternoon, take the minibus to Şirince (~£1, 20 mins) — the hillside Greek-Turkish village is free to wander, and several family wineries offer fruit-wine tastings for ~£5-8. Finish with a farewell dinner of mezes and grilled fish back in Selçuk (~£12-15).
🚌Local minibuses to Ephesus and Şirince ~£1.50 total
🛏Family pension in Selçuk (~£18-25)
- →Ephesus archaeological site (incl. optional Terrace Houses)
- →Temple of Artemis
- →Şirince village & fruit wine tasting
- →Farewell meze dinner
Depart Selçuk
Selçuk → İzmir
Take the local train back to İzmir Basmane (~£2) and connect to Adnan Menderes Airport (İZBAN ~£1, 25 mins) for your onward flight home — or continue independently toward Pamukkale, Bodrum or the Lycian Coast if you're extending. Total self-launched spend lands well under half the group tour price, leaving budget for the balloon ride and a few extra days.
🚌Train Selçuk–İzmir Basmane ~£2; İZBAN to airport ~£1
🛏—
- →Onward travel or trip extension
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£705 | £1,185 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £480 per person (41%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£705
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 Self-Launched Solo Turkey: Istanbul to Selçuk Independently cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £705 per person for 8 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,185 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £705 — a saving of roughly £480 (41%) per person.
How long is the Turkey trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 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, foodie, 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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