The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page
Aoa,
I am not a travel guru or a die hard backpacker. But after visiting USA, Europe, Qatar and Dubai, I realized that there was always something missing; either good food experience or budget or culture. After a lot of internet reviews, I came to a conclusion that this time, I had to visit Turkey in all its awesomeness and plan an Umrah along with it (if possible). Other option was South East Asia or Middle East.
Now days there are lot of advertisements of travel and tour packages online (esp on facebook) for single / married people. Having gone through all, I realized that no package / itinerary was good enough to hit all places or the budget became too much. So, I decided to plan and execute trip of my own liking and choosing.
So, in hopes of an ultimate trip with possible budget limits, I went with my wife to Turkey (10 days) which included Cappadocia, Fethiye, Pammukale and Istanbul, and also performed Umrah (4 days) Mecca and Medina; in a budget much less than Rs 400,000 /- (includes all expenses even gifts etc) from late September 2018 to mid October 2018.
I wont say that this was the most budget friendly trip, as all night bus travels city-city of 8-10 hours (advertised by tour agencies) could have saved a lot but the whole point of visiting Turkey was to enjoy, not to exhaust. Similarly, hotel stay in KSA afar places of worship could also have saved a lot. I will post my itinerary with all the expenses hoping to give a picture of what makes a trip to Turkey complete (IMHO) with Umrah. Pictures posted are random and do not justify the beauty, you have to visit to experience the best of culture, hospitality and beauty. I hope it will help a lot of people!
Itinerary with expenses for 2 x adults @ 1 TL = 20 PKR & 1 SR = 34 PKR
Return Air Tickets via Turkish Airlines (Rs 126,000)
Hotel Stay each night in Turkey - Rs 6-7,000
Hotel Stay each night in Mecca (Al Makkah Towers) - Rs 10-12,000
Hotel Stay each night in Medina 50m distance - Rs 12,000
Visa and other misc processing expenses for Turkey & Umrah - Rs 40,000
Day 1 -
- Flight - Depart from Lahore and arrive at Istanbul via Turkish Airlines
- Buy travel sim from airport with 30 x days validity (TL 150)
- Fast food at airport (TL 50)
- Flight - Depart from Istanbul to Kayseri via Turkish Airlines (TL 744)
- Bus - Kayseri Airport to Goreme (Hotel) via Helios (TL 60)
- Check in at Coco Cave Hotel and stroll through Goreme streets
- Dinner at Buyuk Adana (TL 200)
- Coffee at Nesve Cafe (TL 23)
Arrival at Kayseri Airport
Dinner at Buyuk Adana
Day 2 -
- Get up early morning for balloon ride (not recommended) or view balloon rides from hotel balcony (no balloons during my stay due to strong winds)
- Enjoy complimentary breakfast
- I changed my hotel to Elysee Cave Hotel as previous one was awful
- Stroll through Goreme streets upto Goreme Open air Museum
- Pomegrenate Shake enroute Goreme Open Air Museum (TL 20)
- Tour Goreme Open Air Museum (TL 60)
- Evranos Turkish Night with buffet dinner and bus transportation (TL 260)
Sunrise Views from Hotel
Complimentary Breakfast
Goreme Open Air Museum
Turkish Night at Evranos
Night views of City from Hotel
Day 3-
- Enjoy complimentary breakfast
- Checkout and deposit luggage at hotel reception
- Stroll around Goreme streets / market
- 2 hr group ATV ride of Cappadocia (TL 130)
- Juices during ATV tour (TL 13)
- Local Bus - Goreme to Uchisar (TL 11) (although hiring a motorcycle is recommended but all were already booked before I could get one)
- Stroll to upto the castle and buy Uchisar Castle entry tickets (TL 25)
- Local Bus - Uchisar to Goreme (TL 11)
- Turkish Ice Creams at Goreme Bus Stop (TL 10)
- Metro Bus - Goreme to Fethiye (TL 200)
- 2 x short meal stops enroute to Fethiye (TL 63)
Complimentary Breakfast
Views of / from Cafe Elysee
Views of Goreme streets and market
Views along ATV tour with a friendly tourist group
Views from Uchisar Castle of Cappadocia (many recommend to visit Ushisar castle instead of going for packed balloon ride)
On way to Fethiye (very long ride - makes one wonder how people travel with families inter-cities on buses with tour agencies)
Day 4-
(Initially I had planned this day for Oludeniz and next day for road trip Fethiye to Kas & back but due to unforeseen, had to change itinerary and just strolled through Fethiye instead)
1. Breakfast at Fethiye Bus Stop (TL 20)
2. Dolmus (local bus) - Fethiye to Calis (TL 6.5)
3. Checkin at Bahar Hotel
4. Dolmus (local bus) - Calis to Fethiye (TL 6.5)
5. Lunch at Fethiye (TL 16)
6. Dolmus (local bus) - Calis to Fethiye (TL 6.5)
7. Juices at Calis Beach (TL 10)
8. Dinner at Calis Beach (???)
Fethiye Bus Stop - Breakfast at Otogar Taksi
View of Fethiye
Sunset view from Calis Beach (Minimum number of tourists makes it ideal family place in lieu of Oloduniz for beach)
Beach is also open at night with all restaurants astride
Day 5-
- Complimentary breakfast at Hotel
- Dolmus (Local bus) - Calis to Fethiye (TL 6.5)
- Dolmus (Local bus) - Fethiye to Oludeniz (TL 12.5)
- Pomegranate juice at Oludeniz Beach (TL 25)
- Reaction Sports Tandem Paragliding ($ 119) - they have female instructors as well for spouse
- Photos of Paragliding ($ 58)
- Post gliding snacks (TL 28)
- Private fast boat trip to Butterfly Valley and some cave (TL 150) - boat was shared with a South American couple
- Dolmus (Local bus) - Oludeniz to Fethiye (TL 12.5)
- Dolmus (Local bus) - Fethiye to Calis (TL 6.5)
- Dinner at Oben Restaurant (TL 85)
Views of Oludeniz Beach
Take off point for Tandem Paragliding (20-30 minutes flight time)
Butterfly Valley , a cave ??? and back to Oludeniz Beach
Night views of Calis beach hotel
Bahar Hotel
Day 6-
(People of Pammukale were not so friendly and try to loot you a lot as tourists mostly have day trips at Pammukale only)
1. Complimentary breakfast at hotel and check out
2. Dolmus (local bus) - Calis to Fethiye (TL 6.5)
3. Goltur Bus - Fethiye to Pammukale (TL 88)
4. Drop your bags at Metro Stop to tour white terraces luggage free (buy a ticket for airport transfer from Pammukale to Denizli first) (serial 7)
5. Lunch at a restaurant (TL 45)
6. Pammukale terraces and ruins entrance (TL 50)
7. Airport transfer Pammukale to Denizli (TL 80)
8. Flight - Denizli to Istanbul (TL 500)
Views of Pammukale
Day 7-9
(Wont go into details as already a lot of content online is available)
1. Check in at Hilton Hotel (Free) - we arrived late at night and wanted to go to a hotel nearest to airport
2. Check in at Fide hotel near Istiklal street
3. Visited Taksim Square
4. Visited Sultanahmet
5. Visited Islamic Museum (TL 70)
6. Visited Grand Bazaar (TL 50)
7. Sultan & Sultana costume photoshoot (TL 60)
8. There is a place at end of Bosphorous bridge at Sultanahmet end , must visit that place , very lively and tasty street food (TL 43)
9. Bosphorous River cruise (Night is best) (TL 45)
10. Buy turkish sweets (TL 120)
11. Get Istanbul Kart card (TL 30)
12. Tried Turkish Coffee (smokey & awful) with chips (TL 26)
13. Different meals in 3 days (TL 200)
Views of Istanbul
This is the place i talked about at serial 8
Day 10-13
Umrah and afterwards back to Pakistan on 14th Day
