Turkey: Cave Churches & Fairy Chimneys — Self-Launched
7 days · Turkey
G Adventures charges £600
No-markup version: ~£540 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 18–39s Istanbul-to-Antalya route, covering Istanbul's old city, Ankara's Atatürk Mausoleum, the fairy chimneys and cave churches of Cappadocia, and the Roman ruins of Termessos above Antalya. Everything on the original itinerary is replicable independently: cheap domestic flights and intercity coaches instead of a private group vehicle, hostel dorms and family-run cave guesthouses instead of tour hotels, and museum tickets plus locally-booked day tours instead of included guided visits. Budget roughly £480–560 per person excluding international flights — about half the operator's brochure price, and you get to choose your own pace (and skip the 6am wake-ups). All figures are approximate and assume dorm/shared or budget double rooms, shoulder-season prices and street-food-to-mid-range eating.
Day-by-day
Arrive Istanbul — old city on foot
Istanbul
Land at IST or SAW and take the metro/Marmaray into Sultanahmet (about £1.50 with an Istanbulkart). Check into a hostel in Sultanahmet or Beyoğlu. Spend the late afternoon doing your own orientation walk: Hippodrome, Blue Mosque exterior, Gülhane Park, and the waterfront at Eminönü for a balık ekmek (fish sandwich, ~£2) and sunset over the Golden Horn. Evening: drinks on a Beyoğlu rooftop or çay in a nargile café — this replaces the tour's 'connect with new friends' icebreaker, but hostels here run nightly social dinners if you want company.
🚌Metro + Marmaray from airport, ~£1.50; everything else on foot or tram (~£0.60/ride)
🛏Hostel dorm in Sultanahmet/Beyoğlu (e.g. Cheers Lighthouse, Istanbul Hostel) — £15–20
- →Self-guided old city orientation walk
- →Gülhane Park
- →Eminönü waterfront and fish sandwiches
- →Optional: Istanbul walking tour + Bosphorus cruise booked on GetYourGuide (~£25–35)
Istanbul highlights, then evening flight or overnight bus to Ankara
Istanbul → Ankara
Get to Hagia Sophia early (book a timed ticket online, ~£25, or use the free exterior/queue) and Topkapı Palace (~£30) if you're a history person — pick one to keep costs down. Wander the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar, then take the tram to Karaköy for the Tünel/funicular up to İstiklal Caddesi. In the evening, fly Pegasus or AJet IST/SAW to Ankara (~£20–30, 1h) and take the metro to Kızılay, or save money with a night bus (Metro/Süha, ~£12–15, 5–6 hrs).
🚌Tram + optional flight IST→ESB ~£25, or overnight coach ~£14
🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Kızılay, Ankara (e.g. around Kızılay metro) — £18–25
- →Hagia Sophia
- →Topkapı Palace or Grand Bazaar
- →İstiklal Caddesi and Galata area
- →Bosphorus ferry (public ferry ~£1) as a cheap cruise alternative
Ankara — Anıtkabir and the road to Cappadocia
Ankara → Cappadocia (Göreme)
Morning at Anıtkabir, Atatürk's mausoleum — free entry, allow 1.5–2 hours, and time it for the changing of the guard. Then Ankara's Museum of Anatolian Civilisations (~£8) if you have time. Afternoon coach from Ankara's AŞTİ bus terminal to Göreme/Nevşehir (~£12–15, 4.5–5 hrs) — the ride passes the Salt Lake (Tuz Gölü), the same stop the tour makes. Arrive Göreme in the evening, check into a cave or stone guesthouse, and eat a cheap pide or testi kebab dinner.
🚌Coach Ankara AŞTİ → Göreme ~£13 (Nevşehir Seyahat / Metro)
🛏Cave/stone guesthouse in Göreme, dorm or budget double — £15–22
- →Anıtkabir (Mausoleum of Atatürk) — free
- →Museum of Anatolian Civilisations (optional, ~£8)
- →Salt Lake views from the coach
Cappadocia: Göreme Open Air Museum and valleys
Göreme / Cappadocia
This is the big sightseeing day. Walk or take a dolmuş to the Göreme Open Air Museum (~£12 entry; the Dark Church frescoes are the highlight — the tour's 'cave churches'). In the afternoon do the Red/Rose Valley loop on foot (2–3 hrs, bring proper shoes — reviewers flagged the hikes) or join a small-group Green Tour or Red Tour via GetYourGuide/Klook (~£30–40 including lunch and transport). Optional splurges: sunrise hot air balloon (~£150–200 booked direct with a local operator or on GetYourGuide — far cheaper than the £250 the tour quotes) or a Whirling Dervishes ceremony in a cave han (~£15–20). Sunset from the Göreme viewpoint is free and unbeatable.
🚌Dolmuş to Open Air Museum ~£1; walking for the valleys
🛏Same cave/stone guesthouse in Göreme — £15–22
- →Göreme Open Air Museum (cave churches)
- →Red/Rose Valley hike
- →Optional: Green/Red small-group tour ~£35
- →Optional: hot air balloon ~£170
- →Optional: Whirling Dervishes ~£18
Cappadocia → Konya → Antalya
Cappadocia → Antalya
Early coach or dolmuş to Konya (or a direct Göreme–Antalya night bus, ~£18, 9–10 hrs). If routing via Konya, stop at the Mevlana Museum and Mausoleum (~£3 entry) — the tour's optional stop — then continue by coach or train to Antalya (~£13–16, 5 hrs). Alternatively fly Kayseri (ASR) → Antalya (AYT) with Pegasus/SunExpress for ~£25–40 if a cheap fare pops up. Arrive Antalya, check into a budget hotel in Kaleiçi (the old town), and have a welcome dinner of Antalya-style kebabs or mezes near the harbour (~£8–12).
🚌Coach Göreme→Konya ~£8; Konya→Antalya ~£14 (or flight ~£30)
🛏Budget hotel/pension in Kaleiçi, Antalya — £18–25
- →Mevlana Museum and Mausoleum, Konya
- →Kaleiçi old town evening wander
- →Harbour sunset
Termessos and Antalya old town
Antalya / Termessos
Take a local bus or dolmuş towards Korkuteli and get off at the Termessos turnoff, then hike or hitch the last stretch up to the ruins (free-ish entry, ~£3; allow 3–4 hrs total, proper shoes needed) — the Pisidian mountain city the tour visits, and genuinely one of Turkey's best under-the-radar sites. Alternatively book a shared day tour from Antalya on GetYourGuide (~£35) if you don't want the logistics. Afternoon back in Kaleiçi: Hadrian's Gate, the old harbour, and a swim at Konyaaltı or Lara beach. Evening: the tour's 'Big Night Out' replaced by a bar crawl along Kaleiçi's rooftop bars (~£15–20).
🚌Local bus to Termessos turnoff and back ~£4
🛏Same Kaleiçi pension — £18–25
- →Termessos ancient city hike
- →Hadrian's Gate and Kaleiçi old town
- →Konyaaltı/Lara beach swim
- →Evening bar crawl in Kaleiçi
Depart Antalya
Antalya
Breakfast at the pension, a last walk through the old harbour, then tram + bus or the Antray metro to Antalya airport for your flight home. If you've got a late flight, the Antalya Museum (~£8) is excellent and right by Konyaaltı. Budget a final £10–15 for food and airport transfer.
🚌Antray tram + bus to AYT airport, ~£1.50
🛏None (departure day)
- →Old harbour morning walk
- →Optional: Antalya Museum ~£8
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£540 | £600 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £60 per person (10%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£540
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 Turkey: Cave Churches & Fairy Chimneys — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £540 per person for 7 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 £600 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £540 — a saving of roughly £60 (10%) per person.
How long is the Turkey trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 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, adventure 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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