Turkey, Georgia & Armenia Encompassed — Self-Launched

Fly into Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen or Istanbul Airport. Take the Havaist airport bus or metro into the city (£5-8). Check into a hostel or guesthouse in Sultanahmet or Beyoğlu. In the evening, walk through Sultanahmet Square to see the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia lit up at night — free to admire from outside. Grab a cheap çorba (soup) and simit from a street stall.

🚌Airport bus or metro to city centre — approx £5-8

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Sultanahmet (e.g. Agora Guesthouse or Istanbul Hostel) — approx £18-25/night

• →Arrive and check in
• →Evening walk through Sultanahmet Square
• →Street food dinner near the Grand Bazaar area

Spend the morning exploring Istanbul's iconic landmarks. Book a self-guided walking tour or join a cheap local walking tour via GetYourGuide (from £15). Visit Hagia Sophia (free or small entry fee), the Blue Mosque (free), and Topkapi Palace (£12). In the afternoon, take the public Bosphorus ferry from Eminönü — a budget alternative to a private cruise at around £2-3 return — for stunning views of the city skyline.

🚌Istanbul metro/tram day pass — approx £4

🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Sultanahmet — approx £18-25/night

• →Hagia Sophia visit
• →Blue Mosque visit
• →Topkapi Palace
• →Public Bosphorus ferry
• →Grand Bazaar browse

Take an early Metro Turizm coach from Istanbul to Çanakkale (approx 5-6 hrs, £15-20). Book a half-day Gallipoli guided minibus tour from Çanakkale via GetYourGuide or directly with local operators like Crowded House Tours or Hassle Free (approx £30-40) — covering ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, and the war cemeteries. Return to Çanakkale for the night.

🚌Metro Turizm coach Istanbul–Çanakkale — approx £18

🛏Budget guesthouse in Çanakkale (e.g. Anzac House Hostel) — approx £15-20/night

• →Gallipoli Peninsula guided minibus tour
• →ANZAC Cove
• →Lone Pine cemetery
• →Çanakkale waterfront evening stroll

Take a dolmuş or taxi to the ancient city of Troy (approx 30 mins, £5-8 return including entry at £8). Don't miss the replica Trojan Horse photo opportunity. Afterwards, catch a southbound Metro Turizm or Pamukkale coach towards Selçuk, passing through Ayvalık if time allows. Arrive Selçuk in the evening.

🚌Dolmuş to Troy + coach to Selçuk — approx £20 total

🛏Budget guesthouse in Selçuk (e.g. Boomerang Guesthouse or Amazon Guesthouse) — approx £15-20/night

• →Troy ruins visit
• →Photo with the Trojan Horse replica
• →Optional stop at Ayvalık

Walk or take a short dolmuş to Ephesus (£2). Explore the ancient ruins including the Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre, and Harbour Street (entry approx £15). Afterwards, visit the nearby Temple of Artemis ruins (free). In the afternoon, take a local train or bus to İzmir (45 mins, £2-3) and check into a central hostel.

🚌Dolmuş to Ephesus + train to İzmir — approx £5

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in İzmir (e.g. Izmir Guesthouse) — approx £18-22/night

• →Ephesus ruins self-guided tour
• →Library of Celsus
• →Great Theatre of Ephesus
• →Temple of Artemis
• →İzmir Kordon waterfront walk

Take a morning coach from İzmir to Pamukkale (approx 3.5 hrs, £10-12). Spend the afternoon at the famous white travertine terraces and thermal pools (entry approx £12). Visit the ruins of Hierapolis on the hillside above. Stay in a guesthouse right beside the terraces for easy early-morning or late-evening access.

🚌Coach İzmir–Pamukkale — approx £11

🛏Guesthouse in Pamukkale village (e.g. Melrose House or Venus Hotel) — approx £15-20/night

• →Pamukkale travertine terraces & thermal pools
• →Hierapolis ancient city ruins
• →Sunset views over the terraces

Take a morning bus from Pamukkale to Konya (approx 5-6 hrs, £12-15). Konya is the spiritual heart of the Whirling Dervishes — visit the Mevlâna Museum and Mausoleum (entry approx £4) in the afternoon. If timing is right, catch a free Sema (whirling dervish) ceremony at the Mevlâna Cultural Centre on certain evenings. Explore the atmospheric old city on foot.

🚌Coach Pamukkale–Konya — approx £13

🛏Budget hotel in Konya centre — approx £18-22/night

• →Mevlâna Museum & Mausoleum
• →Konya old city walk
• →Optional free Sema whirling dervish ceremony

Take a morning coach to Göreme in Cappadocia (approx 3 hrs, £8-12). Check into a cave guesthouse for the quintessential Cappadocia experience. Spend the afternoon exploring Göreme Open Air Museum (entry approx £10) with its rock-cut churches and Byzantine frescoes. In the evening, wander the fairy chimney valleys at sunset.

🚌Coach Konya–Göreme — approx £10

🛏Cave guesthouse in Göreme (e.g. Kelebek Cave Hotel or Sultan Cave Suites budget rooms) — approx £20-28/night

• →Göreme Open Air Museum
• →Fairy chimney valleys exploration
• →Sunset walk in Rose Valley or Sunset Hill

Rise before dawn for an optional hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia — book directly with local operators like Kapadokya Balloons or Royal Balloon (approx £130-160 per person, much cheaper than tour operator rates). If skipping the balloon, hike the Pigeon Valley or Rose Valley at sunrise for free. Spend the afternoon on a self-guided tour of Devrent Valley, Pasabag (Monks Valley), and Avanos pottery village.

🚌Local dolmuş between valleys — approx £3-5

🛏Cave guesthouse in Göreme — approx £20-28/night

• →Optional hot air balloon ride at sunrise (approx £130-160 direct booking)
• →Pigeon Valley or Rose Valley hike
• →Devrent & Pasabag valleys
• →Avanos pottery village

Take a dolmuş to Derinkuyu Underground City (entry approx £8) — an extraordinary multi-level subterranean city carved into volcanic rock. Return to Göreme for lunch. In the evening, book a 'dinner with a local family' experience via Airbnb Experiences or a local tourism cooperative — expect homemade meat dumplings (manti) and seasonal dishes for around £20-25 per person. This mirrors the included farmhouse dinner on the original tour.

🚌Dolmuş to Derinkuyu and back — approx £5

🛏Cave guesthouse in Göreme — approx £20-28/night

• →Derinkuyu Underground City
• →Kaymaklı Underground City (optional alternative)
• →Farmhouse dinner experience with local family (bookable via Airbnb Experiences, approx £20-25)

Take an early coach east towards the Adıyaman region (approx 5-6 hrs, £15-18). This positions you for the Nemrut Dağ and Karakuş Tumulus area. Stop at Karakuş Tumulus en route — a large burial mound from the Commagene Kingdom with giant eagle statues (free entry). Check into a budget hotel in Adıyaman or Kahta.

🚌Coach eastward — approx £16

🛏Budget hotel in Kahta or Adıyaman — approx £15-20/night

• →Karakuş Tumulus (Commagene burial mound)
• →Scenic drive through Anatolian highlands
• →Kahta town exploration

Join a local minibus tour from Kahta for the pre-dawn drive up to Nemrut Dağ (approx £15-20 including transport and entry) to watch sunrise over the colossal stone heads of the Commagene kings. Return to Kahta for breakfast, then take a bus east to Mardin (approx 2.5 hrs, £10). Mardin is a stunning ancient city of honey-coloured stone perched on a hillside — explore the bazaar, mosques, and Syriac Christian churches on foot.

🚌Minibus to Nemrut + bus to Mardin — approx £25 total

🛏Boutique guesthouse or budget hotel in Mardin old city — approx £18-25/night

• →Nemrut Dağ sunrise tour with giant stone heads
• →Mardin old city walk
• →Mardin bazaar
• →Deyrul Zafaran Monastery (optional, approx £3)

Spend the morning exploring more of Mardin — visit the Zinciriye Medresesi and enjoy the panoramic views over the Mesopotamian plains. After lunch, take a bus to Diyarbakır (1 hr, £5). Diyarbakır's ancient black basalt city walls are a UNESCO World Heritage Site — walk the ramparts and visit the Ulu Cami mosque. The city is also known for its enormous watermelons.

🚌Bus Mardin–Diyarbakır — approx £5

🛏Budget hotel in Diyarbakır — approx £15-20/night

• →Mardin morning exploration
• →Diyarbakır city walls (UNESCO)
• →Ulu Cami mosque
• →Hevsel Gardens walk

Take a domestic flight from Diyarbakır to Kars (approx 1.5 hrs, £35-60 booked in advance via Pegasus or Turkish Airlines), or take an overnight bus (approx 10 hrs, £18-22). Kars is a dramatic northeastern city near the Armenian border, with Russian-era architecture and access to the ancient city of Ani. Check in and explore the Kars castle.

🚌Flight or overnight bus Diyarbakır–Kars — approx £20-55

🛏Budget hotel in Kars (e.g. Hotel Karabağ or similar) — approx £15-20/night

• →Kars Castle
• →Kars city exploration
• →Russian-era architecture walk

Take a dolmuş or shared taxi from Kars to the ancient ruined city of Ani, right on the Armenian border (approx 45 mins, £8-10 return). Ani was once a great medieval Armenian capital — its crumbling cathedrals, city walls, and palaces are extraordinarily atmospheric and largely crowd-free (entry approx £6). Spend 3-4 hours exploring the vast site before returning to Kars.

🚌Shared taxi Kars–Ani return — approx £9

🛏Budget hotel in Kars — approx £15-20/night

• →Ani ancient city ruins
• →Cathedral of Ani
• →Church of St Gregory
• →City walls and gorge viewpoints

Take the early morning marshrutka (shared minibus) from Kars to the Georgian border at Aktaş/Vale, then a connecting marshrutka to Tbilisi (total approx 5-7 hrs, £15-20). Alternatively, a direct shared taxi from Kars to Tbilisi costs approx £20-25. Arrive in Tbilisi and check into a guesthouse in the old town (Fabrika or Abanotubani district). Explore the atmospheric Old Town, the sulphur bath district, and the Narikala Fortress in the evening.

🚌Marshrutka Kars–Tbilisi — approx £18

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Tbilisi Old Town (e.g. Fabrika Hostel or Envoy Hostel) — approx £15-22/night

• →Tbilisi Old Town exploration
• →Narikala Fortress (free, reachable by cable car for £1)
• →Abanotubani sulphur bath district
• →Rustaveli Avenue stroll

Spend a full day exploring Tbilisi. Visit the Mtatsminda funicular for panoramic views (£2), the Georgian National Museum (entry £3), and the colourful balconied streets of the old town. Book a free walking tour (tip-based) to get the full history. Sample khinkali (Georgian dumplings) and khachapuri at a local canteen — budget meals cost £4-8. In the evening, visit a local wine bar for natural Georgian wine.

🚌Tbilisi metro day pass — approx £2

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Tbilisi Old Town — approx £15-22/night

• →Mtatsminda funicular & park
• →Georgian National Museum
• →Free walking tour of Old Tbilisi
• →Khinkali dumplings lunch
• →Georgian wine tasting evening

Take a marshrutka from Tbilisi's Didube bus station to Mtskheta (20 mins, £0.50) — the ancient capital of Georgia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (free) and hike up to the stunning Jvari Monastery overlooking the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers. Return to Tbilisi in the afternoon. Optional evening: try a traditional Georgian feast (supra) at a local restaurant.

🚌Marshrutka Tbilisi–Mtskheta return — approx £2

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Tbilisi — approx £15-22/night

• →Mtskheta UNESCO old town
• →Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
• →Jvari Monastery hike & views
• →Traditional Georgian supra dinner (optional)

Take a marshrutka to Gori (1.5 hrs, £2.50) and visit the Stalin Museum — an extraordinary and thought-provoking museum in the city where Joseph Stalin was born (entry approx £5). See Stalin's actual birth house and his personal railway carriage. After the museum, continue west by marshrutka to Kutaisi (2 hrs, £3-4), Georgia's second city.

🚌Marshrutka Tbilisi–Gori + Gori–Kutaisi — approx £6 total

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Kutaisi — approx £14-20/night

• →Stalin Museum, Gori
• →Stalin's birth house
• →Stalin's personal railway carriage
• →Kutaisi city arrival & evening walk

Hire a local taxi for the day (approx £20-25 shared) to visit the UNESCO-listed Gelati Monastery (free entry, stunning mosaics) and the spectacular Prometheus Cave (entry approx £8 — a vast illuminated cave system). Return to Kutaisi for the afternoon. Explore the Kutaisi Green Bazaar for local produce and cheap street food.

🚌Local taxi day hire for Gelati & Prometheus Cave — approx £22

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Kutaisi — approx £14-20/night

• →Gelati Monastery (UNESCO)
• →Prometheus Cave tour
• →Kutaisi Green Bazaar
• →Bagrati Cathedral

Take a morning marshrutka or shared taxi from Kutaisi to the Armenian border (approx 3 hrs, £10-15), then connect to Yerevan (total journey 5-6 hrs, £15-20 total). Alternatively, book a direct shared taxi Kutaisi–Yerevan for approx £20-25. Arrive in Yerevan and check into a guesthouse in the city centre. Explore Republic Square and the Cascade monument in the evening.

🚌Marshrutka/shared taxi Kutaisi–Yerevan — approx £20

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Yerevan centre (e.g. Envoy Hostel Yerevan or Semaphore Guesthouse) — approx £14-20/night

• →Cross into Armenia
• →Republic Square, Yerevan
• →Cascade monument & steps
• →Evening Yerevan city walk

Spend the day exploring Yerevan. Visit the History Museum of Armenia (entry approx £3), the Armenian Genocide Memorial and Museum at Tsitsernakaberd (free — deeply moving), and the Vernissage open-air market for crafts and souvenirs. Grab local food at the GUM Market. In the evening, join the locals on the Yerevan Night Walk along Northern Avenue and Republic Square.

🚌Yerevan metro/minibus — approx £2

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Yerevan — approx £14-20/night

• →Armenian Genocide Memorial & Museum (Tsitsernakaberd)
• →History Museum of Armenia
• →Vernissage open-air market
• →GUM Market food hall
• →Republic Square evening fountains

Join a shared day-trip minibus from Yerevan to Garni and Geghard (bookable from the city centre for approx £8-12 per person) — or hire a shared taxi for the day (approx £20-25 split between travellers). Garni Temple is a stunning Hellenic-era pagan temple (entry £2), and Geghard Monastery (free) is a UNESCO-listed medieval monastery carved partly into a cliff face. Return to Yerevan for the evening.

🚌Shared day-trip minibus or shared taxi — approx £10-12

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Yerevan — approx £14-20/night

• →Garni Temple (Hellenistic pagan temple)
• →Geghard Monastery (UNESCO)
• →Symphony of Stones basalt columns at Garni gorge
• →Local lavash flatbread lunch

Take a morning marshrutka or shared taxi towards Artashat and Khor Virap Monastery (approx 1 hr, £5-8 return shared). Khor Virap has the most iconic view in Armenia — the monastery dramatically framed against Mount Ararat. Descend into the underground dungeon where St Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned for 13 years. Return to Yerevan for an afternoon at leisure — explore the trendy Tumanyan Street café scene.

🚌Shared taxi to Khor Virap return — approx £7

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Yerevan — approx £14-20/night

• →Khor Virap Monastery
• →Mount Ararat panoramic views
• →St Gregory dungeon descent
• →Yerevan café culture afternoon

Take a marshrutka from Yerevan to Lake Sevan (1.5 hrs, £2-3) — a vast high-altitude lake with brilliant turquoise water. Visit the Sevanavank Monastery on the peninsula (free). Continue to the charming spa town of Dilijan by marshrutka (30 mins, £1.50) — Armenia's 'Little Switzerland' — and walk the restored Old Dilijan Street with its craft workshops and cafés. Return to Yerevan or stay overnight.

🚌Marshrutka Yerevan–Sevan–Dilijan — approx £5

🛏Guesthouse in Dilijan or return to Yerevan hostel — approx £14-20/night

• →Lake Sevan shoreline walk
• →Sevanavank Monastery
• →Dilijan Old Street craft workshops
• →Haghartsin Monastery near Dilijan (optional taxi)

Return to Yerevan if staying overnight in Dilijan (1.5 hrs, £3). Spend the day at leisure — revisit any favourite spots, pick up Armenian brandy (cognac) from the Ararat Brandy Factory shop, or join an optional Ararat Brandy Factory tour (approx £12 including tasting). Head to the Yerevan Brandy Company for a tasting. Final group dinner at a traditional Armenian restaurant — try khorovats (Armenian barbecue) and dolma.

🚌Marshrutka Dilijan–Yerevan (if needed) — approx £3

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Yerevan — approx £14-20/night

• →Ararat Brandy Factory tour & tasting (optional, approx £12)
• →Armenian souvenir shopping
• →Final dinner with khorovats and dolma
• →Republic Square evening farewell

Transfer to Zvartnots International Airport for your onward flight. Take a taxi (approx £8-12) or the airport bus (approx £1.50). Allow plenty of time — airport is 12km from the city centre. If your flight is late, consider a final visit to the Mother Armenia statue and Military Museum (free) or a last Armenian coffee in a Yerevan café. Safe travels!

🚌Taxi or bus to Zvartnots Airport — approx £2-12

• →Transfer to Zvartnots Airport
• →Optional final sightseeing if late departure
• →Mother Armenia statue & Military Museum (free)