Princes’ Islands Treasure Hunt in Istanbul: Ferry, Büyükada and Heybeliada

Overview

Short answer: Our Princes’ Islands Treasure Hunt is a full-day or long half-day team game off the coast of Istanbul. Your group splits into teams of 5–8, solves the first clues on the ferry, then explores car-free Büyükada or Heybeliada on foot, by bicycle or with the islands’ electric vehicles before meeting for a finale by the sea. It works for 10–300 people, and the whole day is planned backwards from the return ferry. Our staff come with you from pier to pier, and the route, materials, scoring and prizes are all part of the package.

Why the Princes’ Islands?

The Princes’ Islands — often searched for as the “Prince Islands” and known locally as Adalar — are a short ferry ride from the city but feel a world away from it. There are no private cars, no traffic noise and no office towers on the horizon; instead there are wooden mansions, pine woods, quiet coves and streets where the loudest sound is a bicycle bell. The moment the ferry leaves the pier, your team leaves the inbox behind. That makes an island treasure hunt feel less like a routine afternoon activity and more like a reward: a fitting choice for an incentive day, a year-end celebration, a team offsite or the first shared day of a newly formed team.

Unlike our city routes, the island game has three distinct stages — the ferry crossing, exploration on the island and a finale by the water — and each one brings a different type of task. The day has a natural rhythm, and nobody spends three hours doing the same thing. Treasure hunting here is as much about the journey as the destination.

Who it suits

International teams spending several days in Istanbul often choose the islands for their “free” day, when they have seen the Old Town and want something calmer and more scenic. Istanbul-based companies choose it for celebrations, because the ferry and the island setting give the day a sense of occasion without any long-distance travel. It also suits mixed groups well: the pace can be gentle for those who want to stroll and demanding for those who want to tackle the hills. For groups arriving from abroad, our Istanbul incentive programmes page shows how an island day fits into a multi-day itinerary with transfers from Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gökçen and hotel coordination.

How the day flows

The ferry task: the game starts at the pier

Teams board a scheduled public ferry from a pier on the European or Asian side. During the crossing they identify buildings on the shore, predict the order of the islands the ferry calls at and race to crack a code hidden in their pack before their island comes into view. The crossing time depends on the departure pier: from the European side it takes around an hour or a little more, and it is shorter from the Asian-side piers. For large groups we can also look at chartering a boat for the group alone, which adds flexibility on timing and takes the group out of the busy public sailings. Either way, our staff travel with the teams.

Island routes: Büyükada or Heybeliada?

Büyükada treasure hunt

Büyükada is the largest and liveliest of the islands. A typical Büyükada treasure hunt starts at the square by the pier, winds through streets lined with grand wooden mansions, follows the shore road and reaches pine-shaded headlands with views back to the city. For fitter teams, the climb towards the island’s summit is a demanding but rewarding stage. There is a place of worship at the top, so tasks there stay outside and quiet. Büyükada is the better choice for large groups because teams can fan out in several directions without crowding each other.

Heybeliada

Heybeliada is smaller, quieter and greener. Roads through the pine forest, calm coves and the surroundings of the historic buildings on its hills create an intimate playing field for small and mid-sized teams. Distances are shorter, so the route is less tiring, and a finale on the edge of a cove is easy to arrange. Leadership teams and groups who want a relaxed, conversational day often prefer it.

No cars: how teams get around

There are no private motor vehicles on the islands. People travel on foot, by bicycle and with the electric vehicles run by the local municipality. We design the route around your group. A walking route works for everyone. If you would like a cycling stage, we add helmets and a short riding briefing, and we keep it to roads that suit casual riders. For longer distances or steep sections, electric vehicles can carry teams between checkpoints. Participants with limited mobility can take part through fixed checkpoints close to the pier, so nobody is left out of the scoring.

Season, crowds and the return ferry

The best months for the islands are May and June, and September and October, when the weather is pleasant and the crowds are manageable. In July and August, and especially at weekends, the ferries and island streets can be very busy; in that period we recommend weekdays and an early departure. In winter there are fewer sailings and the weather is changeable, so winter programmes are shorter and include indoor refreshment stops.

The single most important element of the plan is the return ferry. We build the entire day backwards from it: the finale finishes with a comfortable margin before the sailing, every team knows the final time from the start and our staff make sure everyone is at the pier together. A treasure hunt that ends with half the group running for the boat is not one we want to run.

Finale by the sea

All teams converge on a single point by the water — a seafront spot, a cove or a venue with a view — to solve the last clue together. Scores are revealed, prizes are handed out and the best photos and videos of the day are shared. Lunch or an early dinner can follow before the return crossing. If your group would like a different way to see the islands, the Princes’ Islands sailing experience is a natural companion activity.

How the game runs

1. Briefing: At the pier, covering rules, safety, the final time and the return ferry.
2. Teams: Teams of 5–8, mixed as you wish.
3. Tasks: Ferry, island and seaside challenges on cards or phones, in English, Turkish or both.
4. Scoring: Time, accuracy and creativity, updated by our staff.
5. Awards: At the seaside finale, before the ferry home.

What shapes the quote

The quote depends on the number of participants and the staff needed, scheduled ferry or private boat, which island, bicycle or electric vehicle use, lunch and the finale venue. Island route design, staff on the ferry and on the island, task materials, scoring and the prize-giving are included.

More routes and your proposal

The islands are one of six routes on our Istanbul Treasure Hunt menu; for a neighbourhood route on the mainland, see the Golden Horn treasure hunt. For other cities across Turkey (Türkiye), see our corporate treasure hunt in Turkey overview, and for help with the wider trip, our corporate activities for international teams in Turkey. Tell us your preferred dates, island and group size via the quote request form; an itemised proposal follows within 24 hours.

Benefits for companies

What’s included

All the features and benefits included in our Corporate Team Building service.

Frequently asked questions