Wonders of Turkey — Self-Launched
11 days · Turkey
Insight Vacations charges £2,185
No-markup version: ~£654 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 11-day independent loop from Istanbul covering the Gallipoli battlefields, Troy, Izmir and Ephesus, the travertines of Pamukkale, the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia and Ankara's Hittite treasures — the same route as Insight Vacations' "Wonders of Turkey (Classic)", but done on Turkey's excellent intercity bus network, in hostels and family-run cave pensions, and with self-bookable activities. Costs are approximate backpacker-level estimates in GBP; you can shave more by taking night buses and eating at lokantas.
Day-by-day
Arrive Istanbul — old city orientation
Istanbul
Land at IST or SAW and take the Havaist/Metro into Sultanahmet or Karaköy. Use the afternoon to get your bearings: a walk along the Galata Bridge at sunset to watch the ferries and fishermen, then a cheap dinner of balık ekmek (fish sandwich) and çay. Pick up an Istanbulkart at any kiosk — it covers tram, metro, ferry and bus at discounted rates.
🚌Airport bus Havaist to Sultanahmet ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm in Sultanahmet or Karaköy (~£18)
- →Galata Bridge sunset walk
- →Eminönü street food dinner
- →Buy Istanbulkart transit card
Gallipoli battlefields and Anzac Cove
Çanakkale
Take a morning bus from Istanbul's Esenler Otogar to Çanakkale (~5.5 hrs, ~£18). In the afternoon join a half-day Gallipoli battlefield tour from Çanakkale — local operators run shared minibus trips to Anzac Cove, Lone Pine Cemetery, Chunuk Bair and the Turkish memorial for around £30-40, and they function as the self-bookable equivalent of the coach's included battlefield stops. Overnight in Çanakkale's compact centre.
🚌Intercity bus Istanbul–Çanakkale ~£18
🛏Guesthouse/pension in Çanakkale (~£22)
- →Shared minibus Gallipoli battlefield tour
- →Anzac Cove
- →Lone Pine Cemetery
- →Chunuk Bair
Troy, then south to Izmir
İzmir
Morning dolmuş or local bus to Troy (Truva) archaeological site, ~30 mins from Çanakkale, entry ~£10 — the reconstructed Trojan Horse is right at the entrance. Return to Çanakkale for lunch, then take an afternoon bus down the coast to Izmir (~4 hrs, ~£14). Base yourself in Alsancak or Basmane for cheap eats and good transport links.
🚌Local bus to Troy ~£2; Izmir bus ~£14
🛏Hostel dorm in Izmir (~£15)
- →Troy archaeological site and Trojan Horse
- →Coastal bus ride to Izmir
- →Alsancak waterfront evening
Ephesus and Selçuk
Selçuk / İzmir
Take the İZBAN commuter train or a minibus to Selçuk (~1 hr, ~£3), then a short dolmuş to Ephesus. Buy the Ephesus ticket (~£22) and walk the Arcadian Way, the Library of Celsus and the Great Amphitheatre early before the coach crowds arrive. Add the Terrace Houses if you like mosaics (~£8). On the way back stop at the Temple of Artemis site (free), the House of the Virgin Mary (~£8) and the small Archaeological Museum of Selçuk (~£5). A carpet-weaving demo in Selçuk village co-ops is free to watch and pressure-free if you say no politely.
🚌İZBAN + dolmuş ~£5 return
🛏Hostel dorm in Izmir (~£15)
- →Ephesus ancient city
- →Library of Celsus and Arcadian Way
- →Great Amphitheatre
- →Temple of Artemis
- →House of the Virgin Mary
- →Selçuk Archaeological Museum
- →Carpet-weaving demonstration
Pamukkale travertines and Hierapolis
Pamukkale
Bus or train from Izmir to Denizli (~3.5 hrs, ~£12), then a 20-minute dolmuş up to Pamukkale village (~£1.50). Walk the white travertine terraces barefoot (entry ~£14 covers the whole Hierapolis site), then explore the Roman spa city of Hierapolis — the theatre, the necropolis and the Antique Pool. Stay in a simple village pension so you can catch the terraces at golden hour with almost nobody there.
🚌Bus Izmir–Denizli ~£12 + dolmuş ~£1.50
🛏Village pension in Pamukkale (~£20)
- →Pamukkale travertine pools
- →Hierapolis ancient city and theatre
- →Antique Pool (optional swim ~£9)
Caravanserai and underground city en route to Cappadocia
Cappadocia (Göreme/Avanos)
This is the long travel day. Take a morning dolmuş to Denizli, then an intercity bus to Konya or Nevşehir (~8-9 hrs total, ~£22-25). If your routing passes Aksaray/Sultanhanı, hop off briefly to see the 13th-century Sultanhanı Caravanserai (~£4) — it's directly on the Denizli–Aksaray road. Otherwise, plan a stop at Saratlı underground city near Aksaray (~£4), reachable by dolmuş from the highway junction. Arrive in Göreme and settle into a cave-family pension.
🚌Intercity bus ~£24 + dolmuş ~£3
🛏Cave pension in Göreme (~£20)
- →Sultanhanı Caravanserai
- →Saratlı underground city
- →Intercity bus across the Anatolian plateau
Göreme Open Air Museum and the valleys
Cappadocia (Göreme)
Start with the Göreme Open Air Museum (~£14) for the rock-cut churches and Byzantine frescoes, then walk the 4km trail down through Love Valley and up to Paşabağ (Monks' Valley) to see the fairy chimneys. A local family in Zelve or Çavuşin will show you a traditional cave house for a small tip (~£5). In the evening catch a Whirling Dervish sema ceremony in a restored caravanserai (~£15 via Klook/GetYourGuide).
🚌Dolmuş and on foot ~£5
🛏Cave pension in Göreme (~£20)
- →Göreme Open Air Museum frescoes
- →Love Valley hike
- →Paşabağ fairy chimneys
- →Cave house visit with a local family
- →Whirling Dervishes ceremony
Sunrise balloons, Avanos pottery, Ankara
Ankara
Wake early and watch the balloons rise over Göreme from a free viewpoint (Rose Valley or the Göreme hillside) — a balloon flight itself costs ~£150-200 if you book direct, so most budget travellers watch instead. Then take a dolmuş to Avanos for a pottery workshop on the Kızılırmak river (~£8), and in the afternoon take the high-speed train or bus to Ankara (~4.5 hrs, ~£12 train). Evening at leisure in Kızılay.
🚌Dolmuş ~£3 + train to Ankara ~£12
🛏Budget hotel/hostel in Kızılay, Ankara (~£18)
- →Sunrise hot air balloon viewing
- →Avanos pottery studio workshop
- →Train/bus to Ankara
Ankara — Hittites and Anıtkabir
Ankara
Morning at the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations (Hittite Museum, ~£5) — one of the best archaeology museums in the region. Then walk or metro to Anıtkabir, Atatürk's monumental mausoleum (free entry, allow 1.5 hrs). Take an evening bus back to Istanbul (~5 hrs, ~£14) and return to your Sultanahmet/Karaköy base.
🚌Metro ~£2 + bus Ankara–Istanbul ~£14
🛏Hostel dorm in Istanbul (~£18)
- →Museum of Anatolian Civilisations
- →Anıtkabir (Mausoleum of Atatürk)
- →Evening bus to Istanbul
Istanbul classics — Hagia Sophia, Topkapı and the bazaar
Istanbul
A big self-guided walking day. Start at the Hippodrome and Blue Mosque (free), then Hagia Sophia (~£22) — you can pre-book a small-group guided entry via GetYourGuide for ~£35 if you want context, or use the audio guide. Topkapı Palace (~£28) takes 2-3 hrs including the Harem. Finish with a wander through the Grand Bazaar and an evening Bosphorus ferry on the public Şehir Hatları line (~£1.50, far cheaper than the tourist cruise and the same views).
🚌Tram, metro and public ferry via Istanbulkart ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm in Istanbul (~£18)
- →Blue Mosque
- →Hippodrome
- →Hagia Sophia
- →Topkapı Palace
- →Grand Bazaar
- →Public Bosphorus ferry
Departure
Istanbul
Optional morning: Spice Bazaar, the Süleymaniye Mosque terrace for skyline views, or a hamam (historic Çemberlitaş hamam from ~£30). Then Havaist bus or metro to the airport for your flight out.
🚌Havaist airport bus ~£4
🛏—
- →Spice Bazaar
- →Süleymaniye Mosque viewpoint
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Insight Vacations
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Insight Vacations | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£654 | £2,185 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,531 per person (70%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Insight Vacations-style trips? Check them out here.~£654
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 Wonders of Turkey — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £654 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 Insight Vacations?+
Yes — Insight Vacations charges around £2,185 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £654 — a saving of roughly £1,531 (70%) 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, budget 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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