What do I need to bring?
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A smart phone with a fully charged battery, camera, internet, WhatsApp, and possibly a charger.
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Comfortable shoes.
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Turkish lira. (Many challenges encourage teams to buy food, drinks, or support local businesses. Most places take cards, but cash is faster.) ​
The Spirit of the Hunt
Istanbul Scavenger Hunt has points, prizes, winners, and losers but that doesn't mean that any of these things are the true purpose of playing. The spirit of the game is not to strategically accrue the highest score, it's to have more fun than anyone else, earn the best stories to tell, and to experience this city in a fresh way that you'll remember for a long, long time. Winning is fun, sure, but don't let the competition dominate your experience.
How Does The Hunt Work?
All participants will meet at the location specified on the tickets. Everyone will have 30 minutes to arrive before the game starts. This is the time to come up with a team name, create a WhatsApp group to message the Game Master, to meet the other teams, and maybe even have a few drinks to loosen up a bit. The maximum number of players on a team is 6 and the Game Master encourages the entire team to stick together throughout the hunt - you will have more fun if you do!
If you don't have a team, no problem. Istanbul Scavenger Hunt is all about meeting new people. The Game Master can put you on a team or you can find a team using your own wiles and charm.
10 minutes before the game starts, all teams will receive a physical copy of the scavenger hunt challenges. Teams will have just 10 minutes to discuss amongst themselves which challenges they'd like to complete in the 2-hour time limit along with any other teams they may want to join in face-off challenges. Once the 10 minutes are up, the teams are released onto the streets of Istiklal to complete as many challenges as possible.
The challenges are divided into 3 categories: Gourmands and Gluttons, Gazers and Gumshoes, Gabbers and Gadabouts. Each category has a unique blend of challenges with easier challenges being worth a minimum number of points and the more difficult or time-consuming challenges, worth the highest amount. In order to score points, a member on your team will need to send either a photo or video (except in specified circumstances) to the Game Master along with the challenge number. There have been times when teams have attempted to provide less than satisfactory evidence or have not completed the challenge according to the spirit of the game. The Game Master will promptly let you know that you have failed and will urge you to try again.
At exactly 11:00, all teams will receive a notification that no more challenges may be submitted, and all teams should return to the starting location. A compilation of everyone's videos and photos will be projected onto the bar's TV and any teams that wish to deliver a speech or regale the bar with their misdeeds will have their moment to shine. After the video, the scores are announced and the prizes given out. The scavenger hunt will be officially over, but most people stick around to socialize and relax.