Istanbul to Mediterranean Gulet Cruise — Self-Launched Version
5 days · Turkey (Istanbul, Antalya, Olympos, Kekova, Kas, Oludeniz, Fethiye)
Alaturka Turkey – Tours & Blue Cruises charges £1,370
No-markup version: ~£270 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on Alaturka Turkey's 5-day Istanbul-to-Fethiye gulet cruise: instead of a packaged group boat transfer, you fly or bus yourself from Istanbul to Antalya, overnight in Olympos treehouses, then join a shared or small-group gulet cruise out of Kekova/Ucagiz down to Fethiye. You cover the same bays — Gokkaya, Kas, Aquarium Bay, Butterfly Valley, Oludeniz and St Nicholas Island — with self-booked cabins, local buses and dolmuses, and optional paragliding or scuba booked directly. Costs are approximate per-person backpacker rates; the original tour's US$1,736 (~£1,370) price is largely cabin-plus-private-transfer padding you can skip by booking the cruise leg locally.
Day-by-day
Istanbul to Antalya to Olympos
Istanbul → Antalya → Olympos
Unlike the packaged tour, get yourself down south cheaply: take an early pegasus/AJet flight Istanbul (SAW or IST) to Antalya (~£30–45 one way if booked a few weeks ahead), or the overnight bus (~12 hours, ~£20) if you're on a tighter budget. From Antalya airport or otogar, hop the local bus or dolmus toward Kumluca and change to the Olympos/Kemer dolmus (~£4–6 total, about 2 hours). Settle into one of the Olympos treehouse guesthouses, walk the beach and the Lycian ruins in the afternoon, and eat dinner at the communal treehouse table. Book your gulet leg for tomorrow directly with a local operator at Ucagiz (several guesthouses in Olympos and nearby Kekova can arrange this).
🚌Pegasus/AJet flight Istanbul–Antalya ~£35 + local bus/dolmus Antalya–Olympos ~£5
🛏Olympos treehouse guesthouse, shared dorm or simple bungalow (£12–18)
- →Fly or bus Istanbul to Antalya
- →Dolmus transfer to Olympos
- →Olympos beach and Lycian ruins walk
- →Treehouse dinner
Olympos to Gokkaya Bay (gulet boarding)
Ucagiz → Gokkaya Bay
Early dolmus from Olympos to Demre/Ucagiz (~£4, roughly 1.5 hours). Board your shared gulet at Ucagiz harbour — you can book a 3-night/4-day Kekova-to-Fethiye cabin cruise directly with a local boat owner or via Klook/GetYourGuide from ~£150–220 per person including meals and cabin. Sail out past the sunken city of Kekova, anchor for snorkelling and swimming stops, and overnight in Gokkaya Bay. All meals on board are typically included in the cabin price.
🚌Dolmus Olympos–Ucagiz ~£4; gulet cruise (3 nights, full board) ~£180 pp
🛏Gulet cabin, twin share (included in cruise price)
- →Dolmus to Ucagiz harbour
- →Board gulet
- →Kekova sunken city sail-by
- →Snorkelling and swimming stops
- →Overnight in Gokkaya Bay
Gokkaya Bay to Kas to Aquarium Bay
Gokkaya Bay → Kas → Aquarium Bay
Breakfast on deck, then sail to Kas. Spend the afternoon wandering Kas' cobbled lanes, the amphitheatre, and the harbour cafes — buy a simit and Turkish coffee for a few lira. If you want to dive, book a single-tank intro or fun dive directly with one of Kas' dive centres (~£35–45); the original tour lists this as optional too. Re-board and sail to Aquarium Bay for an evening swim and dinner under the stars.
🚌Gulet sailing (included in cruise price)
🛏Gulet cabin, twin share (included)
- →Sail to Kas
- →Explore Kas old town and harbour
- →Optional scuba dive in Kas (~£40)
- →Swim and dinner at Aquarium Bay
Butterfly Valley to Oludeniz to St Nicholas Island
Butterfly Valley → Oludeniz → St Nicholas Island (Gemiler)
Morning sail to Butterfly Valley — swim off the boat, and if the boat allows shore time, walk the short canyon trail up to the waterfall. Continue to Oludeniz; if you booked ahead, paraglide off Babadag (1,960 m) with a licensed tandem pilot booked directly in Oludeniz (~£70–90, cheaper than agency resale). Then sail to St Nicholas (Gemiler) Island, explore the Byzantine church ruins and hike to the ridge for sunset over the Mediterranean.
🚌Gulet sailing (included)
🛏Gulet cabin, twin share (included)
- →Swim and trail walk at Butterfly Valley
- →Sail to Oludeniz
- →Optional tandem paragliding off Babadag (~£80)
- →St Nicholas Island ruins and sunset hike
St Nicholas Island to Fethiye
St Nicholas Island → Fethiye
Final breakfast and a last swim stop in a quiet bay before the boat docks at Fethiye around midday (the operator notes ~14:30 for the packaged version). Have lunch with your boat-mates, then either check into a Fethiye hostel for a night or take the local bus to Dalaman airport (~£5, 1 hour) or the overnight bus onward. Fethiye's Tuesday market and Paspatur old town are worth an extra afternoon if you have time.
🚌Gulet dock at Fethiye (included); bus Fethiye–Dalaman airport ~£5
🛏Optional Fethiye hostel, dorm (£14–20) if staying on
- →Final swim stop
- →Dock at Fethiye
- →Lunch with boat group
- →Fethiye market and Paspatur old town stroll
Self-launched vs. Alaturka Turkey – Tours & Blue Cruises
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Alaturka Turkey – Tours & Blue Cruises | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£270 | £1,370 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,100 per person (80%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Alaturka Turkey – Tours & Blue Cruises-style trips? Check them out here.~£270
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.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Istanbul to Mediterranean Gulet Cruise — Self-Launched Version cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £270 per person for 5 days in Turkey (Istanbul, Antalya, Olympos, Kekova, Kas, Oludeniz, Fethiye). 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 Alaturka Turkey – Tours & Blue Cruises?+
Yes — Alaturka Turkey – Tours & Blue Cruises charges around £1,370 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £270 — a saving of roughly £1,100 (80%) per person.
How long is the Turkey (Istanbul, Antalya, Olympos, Kekova, Kas, Oludeniz, Fethiye) trip?+
This itinerary runs 5 days, covering 5 day-by-day stops through Turkey (Istanbul, Antalya, Olympos, Kekova, Kas, Oludeniz, Fethiye).
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 adventure, beaches, culture trip through Turkey (Istanbul, Antalya, Olympos, Kekova, Kas, Oludeniz, Fethiye), 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.