Turkish Delight: Self-Launched Istanbul to Cappadocia Loop
11 days · Turkey
Contiki charges £1,750
No-markup version: ~£765 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched version of Contiki's 11-day "Turkish Delight" coach tour — same loop from Istanbul through Gallipoli, Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Konya and Cappadocia, but done on Turkey's excellent and cheap intercity bus network with hostel/guesthouse stays and self-booked day tours. You'll move at your own pace, linger longer in Cappadocia (where the balloon flights actually happen), and spend roughly a third of the tour price. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP per person, excluding international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Istanbul — Sultanahmet orientation
Istanbul
Land at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) and take the Havaist airport bus or metro into the city (~£3-5). Check into a hostel or small hotel in Sultanahmet or Karaköy. Spend the late afternoon wandering the Hippodrome, Gülhane Park and the waterfront, then eat a cheap Turkish dinner — soup, pide or a balık ekmek (fish sandwich) by the Galata Bridge for £5-8. Buy an Istanbulkart transit card (£3 deposit + top-up) for cheap tram/metro/ferry travel all week.
🚌Airport bus or metro from IST/SAW (~£3-5)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Sultanahmet/Karaköy (~£15-22)
- →Sultanahmet orientation walk
- →Galata Bridge and Eminönü waterfront
- →Istanbulkart setup
Istanbul's big three: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar
Istanbul
Do the classic guided-tour circuit yourself. Hagia Sophia is free to enter (book a timed slot online or arrive at opening); the Blue Mosque is free with modest dress required. Walk to Topkapı Palace if you want the full imperial experience (~£20 extra, optional). In the afternoon get lost in the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. Optional extras the coach tour charges for: a traditional hammam (£20-30 at a mid-range bathhouse like Çemberlitaş) or an evening Bosphorus ferry — the public Şehir Hatları ferry is only ~£1.50 each way and beats any tourist cruise.
🚌Tram and walking (Istanbulkart, ~£2)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse (~£15-22)
- →Hagia Sophia (free)
- →Blue Mosque (free)
- →Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar
- →Optional hammam or public Bosphorus ferry
Istanbul to Çanakkale via Gallipoli
Çanakkale / Gallipoli
Take an early morning bus from Istanbul's Esenler or Alibeyköy otogar to Eceabat/Çanakkale (~5.5 hours, ~£12-15 with Pamukkale or Metro Turizm; book on bilety.com or at the otogar). Drop bags and join an afternoon Gallipoli battlefield day tour covering ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair — bookable through local Çanakkale agencies or GetYourGuide for ~£35-45 including lunch. Alternatively, base in Eceabat, which is closest to the sites. Evening stroll along the Çanakkale waterfront and a cheap fish dinner.
🚌Intercity bus Istanbul–Çanakkale (~£13)
🛏Guesthouse or hostel, Çanakkale (~£15-20)
- →Gallipoli battlefield day tour: ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair
Troy and Pergamon en route to Izmir
Çanakkale – Troy – Bergama – Izmir
Catch a dolmuş (shared minibus) to Troy (~30 min, ~£1.50) and explore the ruins and the replica Trojan Horse with an audio guide or a small-group local guide (~£8 entry). Then take a bus down the coast to Bergama (~3 hours, ~£8) for the hillside Pergamon acropolis and its vertigo-inducing theatre (~£8 entry; cable car ~£1 extra). In the late afternoon continue by bus to Izmir (~2 hours, ~£6). Base yourself in the Alsancak or Basmane area — Basmane is the transport hub and cheapest for hostels.
🚌Dolmuş + regional buses (~£16 total)
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Izmir (~£15-22)
- →Ancient Troy ruins
- →Pergamon acropolis and theatre
Ephesus from Izmir, then on to Pamukkale
Izmir – Selçuk/Ephesus – Pamukkale
Take the local IZBAN train or a bus from Izmir to Selçuk (~1-1.5 hours, ~£2-3), then a short minibus to Ephesus. Ephesus entry is ~£15-20 (buy the combined ticket if you want the Terrace Houses). See the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre, and walk 10 minutes to the sparse remains of the Temple of Artemis. Join a small-group guided tour via GetYourGuide if you want context (~£25). In the late afternoon take a bus from Selçuk to Denizli (~3 hours, ~£8) and a local shuttle to Pamukkale village for the night.
🚌IZBAN train + regional bus (~£11)
🛏Pansiyon/guesthouse in Pamukkale village (~£15-20)
- →Ephesus archaeological site
- →Library of Celsus and Great Theatre
- →Temple of Artemis
Pamukkale terraces and Hierapolis, then Konya
Pamukkale – Konya
Hit the white travertine terraces at opening (the south gate) to avoid the midday crowds and heat — entry ~£12-15 including Hierapolis. Walk barefoot down the terraces (shoes in hand), swim in the antique Cleopatra's Pool if you fancy it (~£6 extra), and explore the Hierapolis necropolis and theatre. Mid-afternoon, catch a bus from Denizli to Konya (~4.5-5 hours, ~£10-12). Konya is conservative — dress modestly and enjoy a quiet evening near Mevlana Square.
🚌Regional bus Denizli–Konya (~£11)
🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse, Konya (~£15-22)
- →Pamukkale travertines
- →Hierapolis ruins and necropolis
Konya to Cappadocia — first taste of Göreme
Konya – Göreme/Cappadocia
Morning at the Mevlana Museum (free/cheap), the spiritual home of the Whirling Dervishes — the coach tour skips it, but it's a highlight. Catch a midday bus or the high-speed train combo to Kayseri/Nevşehir (~4-5 hours, ~£10-14), then a shuttle to Göreme (~£3). Settle into a cave-style hostel or guesthouse. Evening: watch the sunset from Göreme's viewpoint with a cheap dinner, and confirm your balloon booking for the morning if the weather looks good.
🚌Bus Konya–Nevşehir/Kayseri + shuttle (~£14)
🛏Cave-style hostel or guesthouse, Göreme (~£18-25)
- →Mevlana Museum, Konya
- →Göreme sunset viewpoint
Cappadocia: balloon sunrise, Göreme Open Air Museum, valleys
Göreme / Cappadocia
Book a hot air balloon flight independently (the coach tour doesn't offer one) — ¥standard 60-min flights run ~£150-190 booked direct with operators like Butterfly Balloons, Voyager or Royal, and are weather-dependent, so build an extra night of buffer. If ballooning is out of budget, the sunrise viewpoint on Göreme's ridge is free and spectacular. Then explore the Göreme Open Air Museum with its cave churches (~£8-10, Dark Church extra), and walk the Fairy Chimneys / Love Valley trail self-guided (2-3 hours, free). Optional evening cooking class with a local family (~£25-35 via GetYourGuide).
🚌Walking and local dolmuş (~£3)
🛏Cave-style hostel or guesthouse, Göreme (~£18-25)
- →Optional hot air balloon flight (~£170)
- →Göreme Open Air Museum
- →Fairy Chimneys and Love Valley hike
- →Optional local cooking class
Uçhisar Castle, Zelve and Pigeon Valley
Uçhisar – Zelve – Göreme
Hire a scooter or take dolmuş to Uçhisar Castle (~£4 entry) for the panorama over the whole Cappadocian moonscape. Continue to the Zelve Open Air Museum (~£4-6), a monastic cave complex less crowded than Göreme, and see the Paşabağ fairy chimneys en route. Walk back down through Pigeon Valley to Göreme — a beautiful self-guided trail of about 3 hours. Skip the coach-companion night in one-night hotel stops and instead enjoy a hammam or a Whirling Dervish ceremony in a restored caravanserai (~£15-20).
🚌Dolmuş and walking (~£4)
🛏Cave-style hostel or guesthouse, Göreme (~£18-25)
- →Uçhisar Castle
- →Zelve Open Air Museum
- →Paşabağ fairy chimneys
- →Pigeon Valley hike
- →Optional Whirling Dervish ceremony
Optional Ankara detour or linger in Cappadocia, then overnight to Istanbul
Göreme – Ankara/Istanbul
The coach itinerary pushes on to Ankara for one night; unless you're desperate for the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, it's worth cutting Ankara and giving Cappadocia another half-day (hike the Red/Rose Valley, visit a horse ranch, or try an ATV safari ~£20). Catch an evening domestic flight from Kayseri (ASR) or Nevşehir (NAV) to Istanbul for as little as £25-40 if booked early, or an overnight bus (~10 hours, ~£18). Arrive Istanbul late and check into a hostel near Taksim or Sultanahmet.
🚌Domestic flight ASR/NAV–IST (~£30) or overnight bus (~£18)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, Istanbul (~£15-22)
- →Red/Rose Valley hike
- →Optional ATV safari or horse riding
Istanbul farewell — Kadıköy and departure
Istanbul
Spend the morning ferry-hopping to the Asian side: take the commuter ferry to Kadıköy (~£1.50), browse the Moda district, eat a giant Turkish breakfast at Çiya Sofrası (regional Anatolian food for ~£8-12) and sip çay by the Bosphorus. If you've got a late flight, finish with a last baklava stop in Karaköy before heading to the airport. Buffer any balloon flight that was weathered out by rebooking it for this morning if you can.
🚌Ferry and airport bus/metro (~£5)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Kadıköy and Moda food walk
- →Bosphorus ferry crossing
- →Turkish breakfast
Self-launched vs. Contiki
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Contiki | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£765 | £1,750 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £985 per person (56%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Contiki-style trips? Check them out here.~£765
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 Turkish Delight: Self-Launched Istanbul to Cappadocia Loop cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £765 per person for 11 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 Contiki?+
Yes — Contiki charges around £1,750 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £765 — a saving of roughly £985 (56%) per person.
How long is the Turkey trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 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, hiking 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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