silverbike Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 We've just returned from a wonderful 6 week trip, 4 spent in Turkey and would like to thank Don Madge and Magbaz for all the help provided. We found their campsite listings very useful. To help anyone else planning such a trip I thought I'd list some other sites and wild spots we used. plus one or two other comments. Prices quoted are for van with 2 people, electric included unless stated. A camping map is available. We picked ours up at the border, but some of the information is out of date and it is not easy to connect the marked sites and the listings. Incidentally, buy your maps before you arrive as they are not that easy to find in Turkey. Our friend's Garmin did not officially cover Turkey but did show main roads when he was in the country. Sites At Egirdir on the lake of the same name. (I can't remember the name but it is signposted left as you come down the hill on the outskirts of the town from the west.) A lovely view over the lake though the motorhome pitching is limited. It's next to a campsite which has chalets and grassy pitches for tents. Shower OK but toilet used by everyone. Expect to be visited by local children wanting to speak English to you. Some 'comings and goings' at night although we weren't bothered. Can't really 'recommend' it but we stayed 3 nights! 20TL per night. Possible wildcamping further along by the western shore of the lake? Kalmar Camping at Sultenhani. Signposted from the road but if you stop at the garage someone will come and lead you by moped. There are two sections, one in the garden of the 'pansiyone' was occupied by a large Dutch tour group the first night we were there (mostly caravans). Over the lane is the much shadier, greener 'overflow' section. Home-cooked evening meal available. 15TL. Be careful if you're invited to a Raki session! Kaya Camping at Goreme in Cappadocia. Again favoured by Dutch tour groups. Splendid views over valley and viewing point for balloon flights. Yes, I did do it and thoroughly enjoyed it although was saddened to hear of the accident a week later. Campsite fees 27 TL, balloon flight 270 TL or €130 if booked at site. A great birthday present! Esenboga Airport Hotel at Ankara. This site is a gravel carpark next to the hotel with EHU. Head towards the airport and the hotel is visible on the left. The turn-off is signposted Saraykoy. You can use hotel facilities for free including swimming pool, sauna, turkish bath etc. Also we were given a free lift into Ankara on staff shuttle bus, left at 8.00am, dropped us in city centre and picked us up (exhausted) at 5.00pm. The city is also accessible by public bus. Tezel Camping at Akcakoca. Magbaz says this is 'too expensive' but it was a grassy and shady haven looking over the Black Sea. €15 or €18 including EHU. Better for smaller vans as the terraces are quite steep although the top one is OK. Mystik Camping at Kilyos for Istanbul. Londra Camping and Atakoy Mocamp were nearer to Istanbul but are now closed. Kilyos is on the Black Sea and it took us about an hour and a half to get into the city centre, bus, bus, metro, funicular,metro! Coming back was much better - boat then bus. Small site with lovely roses! €20 (I think) An alternative is the Istanbul Mocamp but this is situated near Selimpasa, accessible from the E24 coming east but is about 100k from the city I'm told. I'm assuming public transport is good as it is used by Dutch tour groups to access Istanbul. We wild camped at Safron Boulu. Turn right on road to Bartin just before sign with town name cancelled. Picnic spots on right of road. Well-used (ie lots of litter), but we were undisturbed. Also at Amrasa, an attractive town on the Black Sea coast. Rough Guide advises the smaller harbour used as a coach park as you enter the town but we had a disturbed night as the last drinkers left at 3.30am and the dustbin lorry started up at 6.30am! No-one bothered us though. The following night we moved to the big harbour carpark in town and were joined by 3 other vans. Much more peaceful. (Actually the first carpark is being paved and a parking attendant's hut erected so no doubt things will change.) Altogether we were very impressed with Turkey. The scenery and the historic sites are magnificent. All the ATMs worked as did the public transport we used in Istanbul. (Being a small van we were 'hailed' several times by local people who thought we were the local minibus!) The road network was good although some surfaces and bends were 'interesting'. The people were friendly and helpful. Although a muslim country alcohol can be bought freely though some towns are more difficult than others. Apart from the friend we'd arranged to meet we met only one British registered van and that was being used by 4 Kiwis in Istanbul. Plenty of Dutch and Germans around though. Verdict on the holiday – one of the best we've ever had and May/June was undoubtedly an excellent time to visit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peejay Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Hi Silverbike; Good write up, surprised you haven't had any replies yet; We have done Greece twice in our motorhome before but next year we too are thinking of going a little further into Turkey. We were wondering if you thought 6 weeks was enough time in hindsight to do it justice or was it perhaps a bit too much time and distance wise? This is our dilemma at the moment. Do we have a leisurely holiday to Greece (Peloponnese) again, or push the boundaries and do a bit of Turkey as well? I'm assuming you travelled via the Italy - Igoumenitsa ferries then across into Turkey and not overland? Thanks for sharing your experiences and any feedback/advice would be gratefully received. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Hi Judy Thank you for posting that info. I am retiring early next year and to visit Istambul/Constantinople has always been one of my ambition so this is really useful info - i aim to make use of it in 2010. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverbike Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 Thanks for your responses. I hoped it would be helpful, perhaps for future reference. To Peejay - yes we travelled to Igoumenitsa, out via Venice and back via Ancona. Our friend travelled through the balkans but decided to travel back on the ferry as he'd found the driving hard work. Allowing for about a week at either end to reach Turkey (we find continuing one night stands tiring) that gave us just over 4 weeks in Turkey. Capadoccia was our most easterly point. We started on the Gallipoli peninsula and then did an anticlockwise route along the coast then inland via Goreme and across to Ankara and the Black Sea and back to Istanbul. We decided to spend only a day in Istanbul and return by air at some point on a city-break. We could have easily spent more time along the way or gone further east so really time spent is according to your own interests, way of travelling etc. GB Privilege have details of their escorted tour in their brochure (not sure if it's on the website). If I remember they allow 41 or 42 days from Calais back to Ancona. Can't be more precise - it's the proverbial piece of string really! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peejay Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Thankyou for that, very helpful. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hymer C 9. Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Thanks Silverbike - a really informative post will print the information off for when we are planning our next trip. Carol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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