Plan a Turkish gulet week in this order. Pick the start port, then the number of guests, then the dates. The yacht comes last, because those three choices cut a list of 195 gulets down to a few.
All figures below come from Yacht Cloud's Turkey listings on 27 October 2026. Rates are per week, plus APA, and VAT may apply.
Start with the port
Four ports hold almost all of the fleet. Where you start decides how many boats you can choose from and what you pay.
Start port | Gulets listed | Typical weekly rate | Cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|
Bodrum | 94 | €8,750 to €21,000 | €4,200 |
Fethiye | 40 | €9,450 to €19,820 | €5,600 |
Marmaris | 36 | €10,250 to €24,000 | €5,010 |
Göcek | 19 | €13,400 to €26,775 | €7,000 |
Typical means the middle half of priced gulets. Bodrum has the most boats and the lowest entry price. Göcek has the fewest and the highest typical rate. Bozburun, Kaş and a handful of other bases hold the remaining few.
If you fly into Milas-Bodrum, start at Bodrum. If you fly into Dalaman, Göcek, Fethiye and Marmaris are all within reach. A one-way week can carry a repositioning fee for the boat's return trip, which your quote will show.
Routes
The Blue Cruise is the standard week. Going one way from Bodrum to Fethiye covers about 110 nautical miles in a straight line and 130 to 150 as sailed, with two to four hours under way on most days. The stops are Knidos, Datça, Bozburun, Marmaris, Ekincik for the Dalyan river, and the Twelve Islands off Göcek. Day-by-day distances are in our Bodrum to Fethiye itinerary.
Three alternatives are worth a look.
A round trip from Bodrum around the Gulf of Gökova, with Sedir Island and a series of quiet bays. It starts and ends at the same airport.
A Göcek week among the Twelve Islands. The hops are very short, so it suits a first charter or a family with young children.
Fethiye to Kekova, east along the Lycian coast past Ölüdeniz and Butterfly Valley. Kekova is about 45 nautical miles from Fethiye in a straight line, so it works best as a one-way trip or with a few longer days.
What you can do on board and ashore
Water sports depend on what each yacht carries, and the lists differ a lot. Samarkand, a 24 m gulet, lists kids' water skis, a banana boat, two kayaks, two paddleboards, two tubes, a wakeboard and a tender. Queen of Salmakis lists a windsurfer, wakeboard equipment, a canoe, paddleboard and fishing gear. Daima lists a jet ski, two Seabobs and a canoe. Some listings say only "water toys". If a particular toy matters, get it confirmed in writing.
Ashore, the route decides. The Castle of St Peter in Bodrum houses a museum of underwater archaeology. Knidos has Greek ruins with a theatre and temple terraces. At Ekincik, small boats take you up the Dalyan river to the Kaunos ruins and the rock tombs, and on to Iztuzu beach, a loggerhead turtle nesting site where visitors must stay in marked areas.
Family trips
A family week works best on a boat sized to the family. The number of guests a gulet takes sets its price more than its length does, and bigger is not always dearer.
Guest capacity | Gulets listed with a rate | Cheapest | Median | Dearest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
8 guests | 30 | €4,200 | €9,275 | €49,000 |
10 guests | 27 | €4,900 | €17,500 | €77,980 |
12 guests | 61 | €5,600 | €16,100 | €82,000 |
16 guests | 21 | €6,300 | €12,500 | €28,000 |
Rates are per boat, so divide by the guests you will actually bring. Filled to capacity, the median lowest rate works out at about €1,160 a guest on an 8-guest boat, €1,750 on a 10-guest boat, €1,340 on a 12-guest boat and €780 on a 16-guest boat. The 16-guest boats are typically 32 m with 8 cabins and were built around 2005, so the saving comes with older fit-outs. A family of six on a 16-guest gulet still pays for the empty berths, unless friends join.
Most gulets bed two guests per cabin, so work out your cabin needs by family unit, not by head count. The older children might share a twin, and the toddler's cabin should be near the parents'.
Season matters for children as much as for price. June and September offer warm water, around 22 to 25°C in June and 24 to 27°C in September, without the crowds of July and August. For a first family trip, a short week in the Göcek islands with a boat of 8 to 10 guests keeps passages short and the water close.
When to go and what it costs
Turkey's charter season runs from April to October. July and August are peak. May, June, September and October are the best months for most itineraries. Across the 187 gulets with a published rate, the dearest date for the median boat costs about 1.5 times the cheapest, so shifting a week out of peak is the quickest way to save. Our best time for a gulet charter guide covers month by month, and the cost guide covers rates by size.
Across all priced Turkish gulets, a typical week is about €9,050 to €22,450, and the cheapest is Blue Diamond at €4,200.
What the captain adds
Gulets come with a captain, and most also have a cook and deckhands. Listings state the crew count for 153 of the 195 gulets, with a median of 4. The captain's local knowledge shapes the week more than the yacht does.
Tell the captain who is travelling, the pace you like, and which stops matter. The summer breeze on this coast tends to build through the afternoon from the west or north-west, so skippers usually make the longer passages in the morning. If the wind changes, the captain can swap a bay or move lunch. Name the stops you will not give up, and leave the rest open.
What the price covers
Gulet rates are for the yacht and crew. Food, fuel and port fees are usually covered by an advance provisioning allowance, known as APA, paid on top. Drinks and tips are often separate. Terms vary by yacht, so confirm what the written terms say about fuel, food, drinks, crew gratuity, insurance and cancellation before you pay a deposit. Tipping is at your discretion.
Book it
Send an enquiry with your dates, party size, children's ages and start port. Yacht Cloud replies with a shortlist and indicative prices, and a firm proposal usually takes about 24 hours. You can start at our Turkey gulet charters page or send an enquiry.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to charter a gulet in Turkey?
The season runs from April to October. June and September are the best balance of warm water and fewer boats. July and August are the busiest months, and the dearest.
Is a gulet charter suitable for families?
Yes, with a boat sized to the party. Most gulets take two guests per cabin, so count cabins by family unit. Ask about child-size life jackets, tender transfers and whether the charter terms set a minimum age.
Why choose a gulet over a villa or hotel?
A gulet changes bays each day, so you move without repacking. A villa gives you land access and a fixed base. If your group wants to swim and explore, the gulet suits; if it wants one quiet place, the villa does.
What are the highlights along the Turkish coast?
Knidos and its ruins, the Dalyan river with Kaunos, the Twelve Islands off Göcek, Butterfly Valley near Ölüdeniz, and Kekova's half-submerged ruins. Your route decides which you see.
