Travelling in Turkey on your own rather than going with a tour group? That may sound difficult but it is actually pretty easy if you plan properly. So today I’ll be sharing an overview of my 10-day itinerary in Turkey and how to get from one city to another.
Turkey 10-Day Itinerary
Day 1 – 2: Istanbul
Day 2 – 5: Cappadocia
Day 6 – 7: Oludeniz
Day 7 – 8: Pamukkale
Day 8 – 10: Istanbul
How to Get To Cappadocia From Istanbul?
The quickest way would be by flying. You can check out Turkish Airlines or Pegasus Airlines – they offer plenty of flight options between these 2 cities every day. It takes about 1.5 hours to get to Kayseri Airport and from there, another 1-hour car journey to arrive at Göreme, Cappadocia.
Must do in Cappadocia
- Go on a sunrise hot air balloon ride
Read more here: Hot Air Balloon Ride in Cappadocia - Explore the interesting landscape by foot
Where to hike: Hiking the Valleys of Cappadocia - Visit an open air museum
- Visit some of the deepest underground cities
Getting Around
The attractions in Cappadocia are not closely located so definitely require a car or by public transport/taxi. There are many local drivers available for full day hire and they can bring you to the places you wish to visit. Alternatively, you can go with day tours offered by travel sites such as Klook.
Within Göreme town itself (where most hotels are located), you can easily get around by foot. Since it is a popular tourist attraction, there are plenty of food options here from Turkish to European, Chinese etc…
Getting to Oludeniz
We took an overnight bus from Cappadocia to Fethiye using KamilKoc (local bus company). The bus journey was about 11 hours including three 30 minutes restroom stops throughout the night. You can check with your Cappadocia hotel and get them to help you book your bus seats in advance.
From Fethiye bus station, it takes about 30 minutes car ride to Oludeniz beach. You can choose to stay in Fethiye or Oludeniz, both are convenient location to get around.
Must do in Oludeniz
- Paraglide at one of the best spots in the world
Check out my experience here: Paragliding in Oludeniz - Visit the beautiful Blue Lagoon
- Island hopping
From Oludeniz to Pamukkale
We took a 3-hour bus from Fethiye to Denizli bus station. From the bus station, you can book a private transfer to your hotel in Pamukkale town which is about 30 minutes away.
Most hotels are conveniently located within walking distance to the popular attractions i.e. Travertines and the Hierapolis Ancient Theatre. Some hotels even offer free shuttle to and from the attractions.
Getting Back to Istanbul
The nearest airport to Pamukkale is Denizli airport (about 1 hour from Pamukkale town). It is a short 1-hour flight from Denizli back to Istanbul.
That is a quick summary of how to get around in Turkey. Feel free to drop me a message here if you need more information.
Also, do check out my other posts for more travelling stories in Turkey!