Turkey: Ancient Cities & Hikes Along the Lycian Way (Self-Launched)
8 days · Turkey
G Adventures charges £2,950
No-markup version: ~£645 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of the Turquoise Coast adventure from Şirince to Göcek: Ephesus and the Ionian ruins at Priene, Miletos and Didyma, Bodrum's castle and windmills, the Dalyan River mud baths and Kaunos rock tombs, hiking from Minare village to the cliff-cut tombs of Pinara, kayaking or walking the Lycian Way near Ölüdeniz, and a full day of swimming and hot springs on a Göcek boat trip. Everything is bookable independently via local buses (dolmuş), shared boats and GetYourGuide/Klook entries — approximate costs, backpacker-to-comfortable mid-range stays.
Day-by-day
Şirince: Gateway to Ephesus
Şirince
Fly into Izmir (Adnan Menderes) and take the Havaş/İzmirbüyükşehir airport shuttle or train into Izmir, then an İzmir–Selçuk regional bus or the Selçuk-bound train (roughly £6–8). From Selçuk, a dolmuş climbs the hill to Şirince in 20 minutes. Settle into a family-run village pension with a balcony over the olive groves, spend the late afternoon wandering the stone lanes, wine shops and old Greek houses, then eat a home-cooked village dinner (gözleme, stuffed vine leaves, seasonal stew).
🚌Airport bus/train to Selçuk + dolmuş to Şirince (~£8)
🛏Village pension/guesthouse in Şirince (private room, ~£22)
- →Optional Ephesus visit if you arrive early
- →Wander Şirince village streets and wine shops
Ancient Ionian Ruins & Tea Stops, on to Bodrum
Priene, Miletos, Didyma
Take an early dolmuş down to Söke, then local transport to Priene (hilltop temple of Athena with a view over the plain). A short bus ride continues to Miletos (great theatre, harbour baths) and then Didyma, whose Temple of Apollo columns are enormous — stop at a village tea house for çay and a picnic of simit, cheese and tomatoes. In the afternoon head to Söke or Didyma and catch a direct Söke–Bodrum bus (roughly 2.5 hours, ~£7) to sleep on the Bodrum Peninsula.
🚌Dolmuşes and regional buses Söke–Didyma (~£10); Söke–Bodrum bus (~£7)
🛏Budget hotel/pension in Bodrum or Gümbet (~£26)
- →Self-guided Priene
- →Miletos ancient site
- →Didyma Temple of Apollo
- →Village tea house stop
Bodrum: Castle and Coastline
Bodrum
Buy a ticket to Bodrum Castle (Museum of Underwater Archaeology, ~£10 direct at the gate or via Klook) and give it two to three hours — the Carian shipwreck gallery is superb. Walk to the ancient theatre and then out to the whitewashed Bodrum windmills on the ridge for sunset views over the Aegean. Lunch of meze and grilled sea bass at a Bodrum marina lokanta, or cheaper at a bazaar-side döner stand.
🚌On foot and local minibus (~£3)
🛏Budget hotel/pension in Bodrum (~£26)
- →Bodrum Castle & underwater archaeology museum
- →Ancient theatre of Halikarnassos
- →Bodrum windmills walk
Dalyan River, Mud Baths and Kaunos
Dalyan
Bus from Bodrum to Ortaca/Muğla and a dolmuş onward to Dalyan (about 3.5 hours, ~£9). From the riverside jetty, shared boats run upriver to the Sultaniye mud baths and hot springs (~£8–10 including entry, or negotiate a combined boat trip). Continue by the same or next boat to Kaunos, walk up to the theatre and the Lycian-style rock tombs cut into the cliffs, and cruise back to Dalyan for a riverside dinner facing the illuminated tombs.
🚌Bodrum–Ortaca/Muğla bus + dolmuş (~£9); shared river boat (~£10)
🛏Riverside pension in Dalyan (~£28)
- →Shared boat up the Dalyan River
- →Sultaniye mud baths and hot springs
- →Kaunos ancient site and cliff rock tombs
Minare Village to Pinara with a Local Family Lunch
Minare & Göcek
Take a dolmuş from Dalyan to Fethiye (about 1.5 hours, ~£5), then a local minibus toward Minare village. From the village trailhead, walk to the remote Lycian city of Pinara (about 1.5–2 hours each way) — a huge theatre, basilica remains and hundreds of rock tombs carved into the cliff face. Arrange in advance (or via your Fethiye guesthouse) a home-cooked lunch in Minare — a very easy, warm experience to organise directly. In the late afternoon continue by dolmuş to Göcek (about 40 minutes) and check into a small pension.
🚌Dolmuş Dalyan–Fethiye–Minare–Göcek (~£10)
🛏Small pension in Göcek (~£32)
- →Hike Minare village to Pinara
- →Pinara theatre, basilica and Lycian rock tombs
- →Local family lunch in Minare
Your Own Adventure: Kayak or Hike the Lycian Way
Ölüdeniz & Fethiye
Choose your day. Option A: join a sea-kayak trip around St Nicholas Island (Gemiler Adası) and the rocky coves from Ölüdeniz (~£28–35, bookable via GetYourGuide or on the beach the day before). Option B: hike a waymarked section of the Lycian Way between Faralya/Kabak and Ölüdeniz — the stretch to the Blue Lagoon viewpoint is dramatic with the Mediterranean on one side and pine forest on the other. Either way, regroup in Ölüdeniz for a swim at the Blue Lagoon and a cheap fish sandwich, then dolmuş back to Göcek.
🚌Dolmuş Göcek–Ölüdeniz return (~£5)
🛏Small pension in Göcek (~£32)
- →Sea kayaking around St Nicholas Island (option)
- →Lycian Way hike Faralya–Ölüdeniz (option)
- →Blue Lagoon swim
Göcek Bays Boat Trip and Cleopatra's Bath
Göcek
Book a seat on a shared Göcek 12 Islands-style day boat at the harbour (about £22–30 per person including lunch — a barbecue or grilled fish plate is standard). Spend the day winding between the bays, swimming and snorkelling, and stop for the short walk to Cleopatra's Bath (Yassıca Islands) where a hot spring bubbles up into the sea. Back in Göcek in the late afternoon for a last dinner of mezes and grilled fish on the waterfront.
🚌Walk to harbour; shared boat (~£26)
🛏Small pension in Göcek (~£32)
- →Full-day shared boat trip from Göcek
- →Swimming and snorkelling in the bays
- →Cleopatra's Bath hot spring swim
- →Onboard barbecue lunch
Göcek Departure
Göcek / Dalaman
Depart at your own pace. Dolmuş or shared shuttle from Göcek to Dalaman Airport takes about 30 minutes (~£4–6); allow extra time if you have an early flight. If you have a late flight, spend the morning on the Göcek waterfront or take one last swim before heading out.
🚌Dolmuş to Dalaman Airport (~£5)
- →Free morning in Göcek
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£645 | £2,950 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,305 per person (78%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£645
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.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Turkey: Ancient Cities & Hikes Along the Lycian Way (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £645 per person for 8 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 £2,950 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £645 — a saving of roughly £2,305 (78%) per person.
How long is the Turkey trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 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 adventure, culture, 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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