More than one is twice the fun while travelling through the wonders of Turkey

Turkey offers a melting pot of experiences which are best enjoyed when shared with others. Longing to sample rakı or balık while cruising on a gület in the Mediterranean? Or are you hoping to snap the perfect shot during your hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia’s fairy chimneys? Find like-minded individuals who'll be just as keen to take in the sights, sounds and smells of Turkish culture when you join an Intrepid small-group tour throughout one (or many) regions of this southeastern European escape. 

Our Turkey solo tours

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See the highlights of Turkey on this eight-day adventure. Start in Istanbul and visit...

15 Days From 3311

From Istanbul to Ephesus, Pamukkale to the coast, and Cappadocia to the Anatolian...

15 Days From 4807

Travel through Turkey and see Istanbul's Blue Mosque, Cappadocia’s fairy chimneys, the...

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This 15-day Premium tour takes you into the ancient heart of Turkey. Begin and end in...

Tailor-Made trips

Take four or more on an exclusive trip and tailor your itinerary

The perks of solo travel in Turkey with Intrepid

A local leader and travellers in Kayakoy, Turkey

A local leader

Have you always wanted the traveller experience with a local expert to lead you every step of the way? Well, your wishes are granted with Intrepid! All tours are led by a fantastic local leader who will escort your group through Turkey's landmarks and national treasures providing guides, information and recommendations. As over 90% of the country speaks the national language of Turkish, travelling with a guide is the best way to get the most out of your time, and to make sure you don't miss anything!

Bike riding in Cappadocia, Goreme, Turkey

Safety

Turkey is a generally safe place for day-to-day travel, however, due to its geographical position there can be potential risks in certain areas. Just like any tourist destination, there are also pickpockets and scammers who try to take advantage. With our tours, we know where to lead you and where to steer clear, leading to a more enjoyable and safer trip. Intrepid tours ensure your safety for you, so you can travel stress-free. 

Friends posing for a photo in a hot air balloon over Cappadocia, Turkey

Ready-made friends

If you've always wanted to travel with people like yourself but with the freedom to go out on your own, then a small group tour is a good choice for you. Every small tour with Intrepid has around 10-12 people on board, so you are able to rejoice in new and exciting places with those who are just as keen but also do your own thing in your free time. 

A traveller in a bus, Turkey

Logistics and convenience

Leave the hassle of organising your daily plans and itineraries with an Intrepid small group trip. You'll be able to take in Turkey without worrying about how to get to your next destination or, what you should do every hour. Our local leaders handle all the nitty-gritty so you're free to roam. 

Reviews

FAQs

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Learn more about Intrepid’s COVID-19 policy

It's your call. Rooming on our trips is organised on a twin-share basis, but most of our trips also have the option to pay an extra fee for your own room. Just let us know at the time of booking and we'll arrange it for you.

For twin-share rooms, we pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. As a responsible tour operator, we strive to create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. In the case that your gender identity differs from what's indicated on your passport, please contact us so that we can discuss rooming options with you.

On a small selection of itineraries some accommodations are booked on an open-gender, multi-share basis. In those instances it will clearly be stated in your Essential Trip Information.

Whether you’re travelling alone or with a partner, our trips have a set itinerary. But within that there’s time set aside for your own exploration (if you want to – no pressure). Depending on how you're feeling, you may want to have some downtime, ask your guide for a few tips then head out alone, or hang out with the group and see where the day takes you.

You sure do. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their tour. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

Learn more about travel insurance

Major credit cards are widely accepted in tourist shopping areas and large hotels in Turkey, but are less commonly accepted by smaller vendors, in remote towns and rural areas. We recommend carrying cash for purchases to avoid being caught out.

Intrepid is committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, regardless of any physical or mental limitations they might have. However, we’re always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them towards the most suitable itinerary for their needs and where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.

Learn more about Accessible Travel with Intrepid

 

Our solo travel safety guide

Good advice for us all, but particularly for people travelling solo. Make copies of your itinerary, contact details, passport and travel insurance, then email them to yourself and to one or two friends/family at home. Check-in on social media when you can so people can keep track of where you are. 

If you’re arriving late in a city by yourself, book a hotel with a front desk or concierge service (many hotels also offer private transfers that don’t cost the earth from the airport or train station). If you're travelling with us, we can help you organise an arrival transfer. Read your maps before you head out for a walk (you can use a map app on your smartphone – or take screenshots of where you’re going if you don’t want to use up your precious data). If you need to check your map when you’re out and about, duck into a shop or café to do it. Leave the blingy jewellery, wedding rings and designer clothes at home, and aim to dress like the locals do – hit up the local markets if you haven’t packed the right outfits. Aim to keep track of travel times, so you’re not caught out after dark.

Most mobile/cell providers now offer travel passes to help manage your international roaming costs (which, let’s face it, are expensive!). For a few dollars a day, you’ll have access to data, which means you can log into your apps (like Skype, email and WhatsApp) when you’re out of WiFi zones and quickly get in touch with someone – a friend at home, someone in your group, or the police – if you need to. It might also be worth checking out the local cell/mobile providers as these can be quite cost effective. 

Solo travellers are way more likely to be ‘taken for a ride’ at the airport by unscrupulous taxi drivers, so do your research before you arrive. Make sure you get a cab from the airport/station taxi rank – if you’re not sure where to go, just head to the information desk for help. Touts tend to hang out in the arrivals area and promise cheaper rates, but can often be dodgy. When you get to the cab rank, ask the driver to use the meter or request a cost estimate before you hop in the car – if it’s way higher than it should be, pick another vehicle. A lot of airports have train stations attached as well, so consider public transport if you want to save a dollar or two.

It’s one of the advantages of travelling solo on a group tour: safety in numbers. The big, 50-person bus groups stand out on the road, but a small Intrepid group of eight or nine people, with a local leader showing the way – including areas to avoid and getting around safely – won’t draw much attention. Plus, it’s a great way to see parts of the world you may feel uncomfortable exploring on your own. If you want to do things on your own, consider a day tour to familiarise yourself with a city and get to know the local way of life. 

Solo travel is all about confidence. If you’re relaxed and self-assured on the street, you’re more likely to blend in. When you meet new people, don’t assume they’re all out to get you, but be sensible too and trust your gut. If it feels wrong, it probably is. Remember: the popular tourist areas are often the most well-lit and secure, but they’re often a juicier target for pickpockets and scammers. Just use your common sense; half of travel safety is simply being aware of your surroundings.

Read more about travel in Turkey