Pamukkale without excursions: how to get there by car or public transport, what to do in two days, how much tickets costs to the travertines and ruins of Hierapolis, and where to treat yourself with thermal water.
We went to Pamukalle when we were traveling around Turkey by car. I really wanted to see the travertine terraces with blue water without tourist crowds. The dream has come true!
What is the Pamukkale area?
Pamukkale means “Castle of Cotton” in Turkish. This is also the name of a small village near the city of Dinezli, which is home to one of the famous wonders of Turkey.
This is a huge mountain of white limestone – travertine, which formed at the outcrop of geothermal springs that have been flowing here for thousands of years. The mineral water brings calcium and chalk to the surface, which forms white natural baths of warm blue water.
Back in the days of the Roman Empire, which spread to the territory of modern Turkey, the ancient Romans steamed in thermal springs. Above the travertines are the ruins of ancient Roman baths. Here was the ancient city of Hierapolis, which is well preserved to this day.
In general, everyone goes to Pamukkale for this beauty: to walk barefoot on travertines, bathe in thermal water, see ancient ruins, and even get treated with mineral water in local sanatoriums.
Getting to Pamukkale
Most tourists come to Pamukkale on tour buses. They don’t even think about how to get there. We never look for easy ways, but it is still more interesting to travel on your own. So if I’m planning an independent trip myself, I either book a car or look for public transportation that will make it easier to get to the right place.
In Pamukkale by car
The most convenient way to travel around Turkey is by car. It has been tested on our own experience and more than once. We traveled to Turkey in our own car and also rented a car .
It’s a completely different experience, but you can definitely drive anywhere (at least where there are roads).
When planning your route to Pamukkale, you need to put a stop at Denizli. It is a large city with Pamukkale in its neighborhood. We were traveling from Antalya, from the city of Isparta, on the D320 highway.
If you are going to Pamukkale from Oludeniz, you should first take the D330, and then in the village of Söğüt turn onto the E87 to Denizli. This is the route we took, only in the opposite direction, when we were traveling from Pamukkale to Oludeniz.
The road is not easy, it takes about 3.5 hours if you don’t make stops, and it leads through the mountains. Therefore, if you plan to go to Pamukkale on your own and for just one day, you need to leave before dawn. Or plan to spend the night there, otherwise you won’t have time to see anything and will have to return late at night.
Getting to Pamukkale by public transport
It all depends on where you are planning to travel from. If you want to go to Pamukkale from Oludeniz, the nearest large city with buses is Fethiye. There are minibuses (dolmus) to Fethiye from Oludeniz every 15-20 minutes, costing 42 Turkish lira (about $2). You need to get to the main bus station Fethiye Otogarı – it is from here that buses to Pamukkale depart.
There are several bus companies that sell tickets in this direction. Several bus companies run this route, for example: Goltur or Çameli Koop. The ticket price is $7-10 one way. Sometimes it may take a little longer due to a stop in Denizli. From Antalya there is an even bigger choice of buses going to Pamukkale.
If you’re planning a trip to Pamukkale by bus, it’s convenient to see the bus schedule and buy bus tickets in Turkey online.
Travertines in Pamukkale
The first thing I wanted to do in Pamukkale was to go to the white travertines. We were lucky, there were no package tourists in the afternoon. They usually arrive in the morning and leave in the afternoon.
So we walked through these amazing calcium formations together with a small number of tourists who came here on their own. We spent time on the travertines until sunset and saw the water turn from milky blue to golden.
If I had to choose what time of day to come to the travertines, I would definitely choose the afternoon:
- much fewer tourists,
- no heat if you come in the summer,
- The sunset on the travertines is worth seeing.
I recommend walking around the terraces from all sides to see them from different angles.
Pools look different from the bottom and top. And it’s nice to walk barefoot on the travertines, which are covered with warm thermal water.
You have to carry your shoes in your hands, so take a small backpack with you for them. It is safe to walk on travertines, except in places where non-flowing water accumulates. Chalky silt settles here – it’s slippery, so be careful.
Combination ticket price: 250 Turkish liras ($8.5).
Opening hours: from 6:30 to 20:00. The entrance closes at 18:00.
The ancient Roman city of Hierapolis
Next to the travertines are the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Hierapolis, which was built in the second century BC. The ancient amphitheater is perfectly preserved – it is the third largest in Turkey and could accommodate up to 6000-10000 spectators.
The Roman baths have also been partially preserved, and the city itself has only a few columns. It was destroyed by earthquakes, which are not uncommon in the mountainous part of Turkey.
Ticket to Hierapolis: entrance to the ruins is included in the price of the combined ticket to the travertines and Pamukkale ruins.
Pamukkale Park
The park is located in front of the entrance to the travertine – its lake is visible in all photos from the upper terraces. It’s a nice park, free of charge, with children swimming in the lake and running water in summer.
There is also a flock of geese here – they are a special feature of this park. For those who want to ride on the lake, there are catamarans in the form of swans. There is a separate area with artificial pools and sun loungers.
Hot air balloon flight in Pamukkale
Everyone knows that you can fly in a hot air balloon in Cappadocia. But not everyone knows that Pamukkale has such an opportunity. Of course, there are not as many balloons here as over the lunar valleys of Cappadocia, but in summer, up to a dozen balloons often rise into the sky at dawn. An hour-long flight over white travertines and Roman ruins costs no more than in Cappadocia – from $65 per person.
Keep in mind that the trajectory of the balloon depends on the wind direction. This means that it is not a given that you will fly over travertines! It is this lottery that greatly distinguishes flights to Pamukkale from flights to Cappadocia.
In Cappadocia, in any case, you will see beautiful landscapes – wherever the wind blows, huge valleys and everywhere is beautiful. In Pamukkale, it’s like roulette: you may be lucky and fly over the travertines, or you may not.
Healing water of Pamukkale
Not all tourists come here for the travertines – there are those who come here for treatment. Pamukkale is also a thermal resort with medical centers on its territory. You can come to treat your joints with thermal water and mud.
If you are really going to Pamukkale for treatment, it is better to do it in the neighboring village of Karakhait. Hot mineral springs are also bubbling here, but they have a slightly different composition. Red travertines were formed at the place where the water came to the surface – there is a lot of iron in the water.
Many people come to sit in the mineral springs and smear their joints with healing clay. Two spacious swimming pools with healing water from the springs are separately equipped for bathing and applying therapeutic mud. The price in high season (summer) is 20 lira ($2.5). In winter, the pools are free to use.
In addition, thermal spa hotels have been built in the village of Karakhait. Each room has a mini-pool, and the same hot mineral water flows from the tap. You can take thermal baths absolutely free of charge when staying at the hotel.
Book a spa hotel in Karahait:
Cleopatra’s pool in Pamukkale
If you want to just sit in the thermal spring, there is the Cleopatra Pool. These are public baths where you can spend at least half a day.
The water entering the pool is the same as the water flowing through the travertines. The water temperature in the pool is +37 degrees all year round, you can take thermal waters even in winter. But the locker rooms are outside, and so are the lockers with the keys, so in winter you have to change outdoors. There is a cafe with fast food on site.
But if there are a lot of people, the pool turns into a frog pond teeming with people.
The ticket price for the Cleopatra’s Pool is 140 lira ($5) per person.
Where to stay – hotels in Pamukkale
There are plenty of hotels in Pamukkale to suit every taste and budget. It seems to me that it makes no sense to settle somewhere far away from the terraces, because after a walk on the terraces you want to sit in a restaurant, drink a glass of beer or Turkish wine.
Also, if you are planning to visit Pamukkale in the summer, I advise you to choose a hotel with a private pool. Cleopatra’s pool is also a good idea, but coming in the heat and plunging into the cool water is just perfect!
Hotels with swimming pools in Pamukkale:
Recommendations for organizing a trip to Turkey
Rent a car – I highly recommend it, because, without it, you will spend a lot of time waiting or adjusting your plans to public transportation. You can find the best option for a rental company on the aggregator Rentalcars.com – Here you can find a budget option and read reviews about rental companies.
Book your accommodation in advance – remember that in Turkey Booking.com is not allowed, so it’s better to find and book a hotel at home. Or use a VPN while in Turkey.
Useful articles and links:
- Kas is the most romantic and cozy city in Turkey
- Fethiye and Oludeniz – features of the beaches where it is better to book accommodation for your vacation
- Lycian coast – big guide to unusual Turkey
- Patara Beach – instructions for independent travelers
