Best of Turkey: Self-Launched Istanbul to Cappadocia Adventure
13 days · Turkey
Neon Tours charges £3,020
No-markup version: ~£1,330 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Neon Tours' 13-day "Best of Turkey" coach tour, covering Istanbul, Gallipoli, Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Fethiye, Antalya and Cappadocia. Instead of a 5-star coach trip with a tour guide, you'll use Turkey's excellent intercity bus network, domestic flights and public transport, stay in hostels, guesthouses and budget cave hotels, and book the key sites and experiences yourself (or via GetYourGuide/local operators). All costs are approximate per-person GBP estimates based on current backpacker rates.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Istanbul
Istanbul
Land at Istanbul Airport and take the Havaist airport bus or M11 metro + Marmaray train into Sultanahmet (about £2-4). Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in Sultanahmet or Beyoğlu. Spend the evening wandering the Hippodrome square and getting your bearings, with a cheap dinner of simit, kebab or a balık ekmek by the water.
🚌Havaist airport bus or metro to city centre (~£3)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Sultanahmet/Beyoğlu (£15-20)
- →Evening stroll around Sultanahmet and the Hippodrome
Istanbul old city: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque & Grand Bazaar
Istanbul
Self-launch your own old-city walking day. Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque are free (Hagia Sophia may have a small entry fee for upper gallery). Book a small-group or skip-the-line guided intro via GetYourGuide (~£15-25) if you want context. Wander the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar in the afternoon. Optional: Topkapı Palace ticket (~£30) and an evening Turkish dinner with belly-dancing show (~£50, bookable locally or via GetYourGuide).
🚌Tram + walking within the old city (~£2)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Sultanahmet/Beyoğlu (£15-20)
- →Hagia Sophia
- →Blue Mosque
- →Hippodrome
- →Grand Bazaar
- →Optional Topkapı Palace
- →Optional belly-dancing dinner show
Istanbul to Çanakkale & Gallipoli
Çanakkale
Take an early morning bus from Istanbul's Esenler or Alibeyköy otogar to Çanakkale (about 5.5-6 hrs, ~£18-22). Book an afternoon Gallipoli day tour with a local operator (bookable via GetYourGuide or through your guesthouse, ~£35-45) covering Anzac Cove, Lone Pine Cemetery and Chunuk Bair. Cross the Dardanelles by ferry (~£2). Stay overnight in Çanakkale.
🚌Intercity bus Istanbul-Çanakkale (~£20) + ferry (~£2)
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Çanakkale (£18-22)
- →Gallipoli battlefields tour (Anzac Cove, Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair)
- →Dardanelles ferry crossing
Troy & Pergamon to Izmir
Izmir
Morning local dolmuş or tour to Troy (Truva) archaeological site (~£5 transport, ~£10 site ticket). In the afternoon, take a bus or dolmuş toward Bergama for the Pergamon Acropolis and Asklepion (~£10-15 transport, ~£12 combined tickets). Continue by bus to Izmir in the evening (about 2-3 hrs, ~£10).
🚌Dolmuş to Troy + bus via Bergama to Izmir (~£25 total)
🛏Hostel/budget hotel in Izmir Basmane or Alsancak (£15-20)
- →Troy archaeological site
- →Pergamon Acropolis and Asklepion
Ephesus & Selçuk day trip
Izmir (Ephesus)
Take the IZBAN commuter train or a bus from Izmir to Selçuk (~£4 each way). Visit Ephesus with a self-booked guided entry or audio guide (~£25-35 including entry). Optional: House of the Virgin Mary (~£6) and a stop at a carpet-weaving cooperative — buy nothing you don't need, prices are inflated. Return to Izmir in the evening for kebabs and a walk along the Kordon.
🚌IZBAN train Izmir-Selçuk return (~£8)
🛏Hostel/budget hotel in Izmir (£15-20)
- →Ephesus ruins (Library of Celsus, Great Theatre, Temple of Hadrian)
- →Optional House of the Virgin Mary
- →Selçuk town and Kordon waterfront
Izmir to Pamukkale & Hierapolis
Pamukkale
Morning bus Izmir to Denizli (~4 hrs, ~£14), then dolmuş to Pamukkale village (~£2). Spend the afternoon walking the white travertine terraces and exploring Hierapolis ancient spa city (combined entry ~£15-20). Swim option in the Antique Pool. Stay in a Pamukkale village pension.
🚌Bus Izmir-Denizli (~£14) + dolmuş (~£2)
🛏Pamukkale village pension (£18-25)
- →Pamukkale travertine terraces
- →Hierapolis ancient city
- →Optional Cleopatra Antique Pool
Pamukkale to Fethiye
Fethiye
Bus from Denizli or Pamukkale to Fethiye (~4 hrs, ~£12-14), passing through the mountains. Afternoon walking tour of Fethiye's old town — Telmessos rock tombs (~£3), the fish market and harbour. Buy fish at the market and have a local restaurant cook it (cheap and delicious).
🚌Bus Denizli-Fethiye (~£13)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Fethiye (£18-25)
- →Telmessos rock tombs
- →Fethiye fish market and harbour walk
Turquoise Coast boat trip & Ölüdeniz
Fethiye
Book a full-day 12-islands or Butterfly Valley boat trip from Fethiye harbour with a local operator (~£25-35 including lunch) — a fraction of the coach tour's optional cruise add-on. Alternatively, take a dolmuş to Ölüdeniz lagoon (~£3) for the beach and, if you're brave, the famous paragliding (~£70-90).
🚌Dolmuş to harbour/Ölüdeniz (~£5)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Fethiye (£18-25)
- →Full-day boat cruise with swim stops
- →Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon
- →Optional paragliding
Fethiye to Antalya
Antalya
Morning bus Fethiye to Antalya along the coast (~3.5 hrs, ~£12). Check in to a Kaleiçi old-town hostel. Late afternoon orientation walk through Kaleiçi and the Old Harbour — cobbled lanes, Roman walls and Hadrian's Gate. Dinner at a meyhane in the old town.
🚌Bus Fethiye-Antalya (~£12)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Kaleiçi, Antalya (£18-25)
- →Kaleiçi old town walk
- →Hadrian's Gate
- →Old Harbour
Perge & Aspendos day trip
Antalya
Take a dolmuş or local bus to Perge ancient city (~£3) and on to Aspendos Roman theatre (~£3 more) — both spectacular and lightly visited compared to Ephesus. Combined tickets around £20-25. Return to Antalya for a swim at Konyaaltı or Lara beach in the late afternoon.
🚌Local bus/dolmuş to Perge and Aspendos (~£8)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Kaleiçi, Antalya (£18-25)
- →Perge ancient city
- →Aspendos Roman theatre
- →Afternoon beach time
Antalya to Cappadocia
Cappadocia (Göreme)
Overnight bus Antalya to Göreme (~9-10 hrs, ~£20-25) or fly Antalya-Istanbul-Kayseri if you prefer speed (~£50-70). Whatever you do, stop off en route at Sultanhanı caravanserai if travelling by bus (many bus companies stop nearby). Check into a budget cave hotel or cave hostel in Göreme. Optional evening Whirling Dervish ceremony in a cave han (~£15-25, bookable via GetYourGuide).
🚌Overnight bus or two-leg flight (~£22)
🛏Budget cave hostel/pension in Göreme (£20-30)
- →Sultanhanı caravanserai (stop en route)
- →Optional Whirling Dervishes ceremony
Cappadocia: balloon, valleys & underground city
Cappadocia (Göreme)
Sunrise hot air balloon ride (book direct with operators like Butterfly Balloons or Voyager, roughly £150-200, book ahead in peak season — cheaper than tour-operator markups). Then a self-guided Green Tour day: Göreme Open-Air Museum (~£8), Devrent Valley, Red Valley hike, and Saratlı or Derinkuyu underground city (~£6). Try a hands-on pottery session in Avanos (~£10-15) or rent a scooter/bike to reach the valleys yourself.
🚌Rented scooter, dolmuş and walking (~£10)
🛏Budget cave hostel/pension in Göreme (£20-30)
- →Sunrise hot air balloon flight
- →Göreme Open-Air Museum
- →Devrent and Red Valleys
- →Underground city (Saratlı/Derinkuyu)
- →Avanos pottery workshop
Cappadocia to Istanbul / home
Cappadocia / Istanbul
One last sunrise over the valleys and a Turkish breakfast. Take the local bus or shuttle from Göreme to Kayseri or Nevşehir airport (~£5) for your onward flight to Istanbul and home. If you have time in Istanbul on the way, pop by the Grand Bazaar or take a Bosphorus ferry (~£2).
🚌Göreme-Nevşehir/Kayseri shuttle (~£5) + onward flight
🛏None (onward travel)
- →Sunrise viewpoint over Göreme
- →Optional Bosphorus ferry in Istanbul
Self-launched vs. Neon Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Neon Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,330 | £3,020 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,690 per person (56%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Neon Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,330
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 Best of Turkey: Self-Launched Istanbul to Cappadocia Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,330 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 Neon Tours?+
Yes — Neon Tours charges around £3,020 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,330 — a saving of roughly £1,690 (56%) 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, 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?
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