Walk the highlights of the Lycian Way

SUMMARY

Imagine a magical place where ancient ruins crumble between lush greenery, rocky cliffs tower out of the Mediterranean Sea and quaint towns sit above the southern coastline – this is Lycia, and your chance to explore it all. Spend an unforgettable week walking along the Lycian Way – a path once used by ancient Greeks and Romans – joined by a local leader who will add historical context to all your discoveries. You’ll reach ancient cities like Olympos, Aperlai and Sidyma by foot – your journey through the wilderness, making the ancient ruins that much sweeter to explore. You’ll get your blood pumping and ignite your passion for the outdoors but still enjoy time to rest and rejuvenate between hikes. Think afternoon boat tours on the Mediterranean, cultural activities, traditional meals and sunsets by the water to make sure you're balancing work and play. If you can call scenic hikes to incredible locations work, that is.

TOTAL DURATION : 8 Days

GROUP SIZE : MIN 1 MAX 16

TOUR ITINERARY AND DATES

START : Antalya

END : Fethiye

COUNTRIES VISITED : Turkey

Validity : 01 JAN 2023 To 31 DEC 2024

Day :1

Location : Antalya

Karsilama! Welcome to Turkey. Your hiking adventure begins in Antalya today. This beautiful, ancient city sits atop cliffs that rise dramatically from the sea. Your trip will officially kick off with a welcome meeting at 6 pm this evening where you’ll meet your fellow travellers and trip leader before being briefed on the adventures that lie ahead. If you arrive in Antalya early, there’s plenty to keep you busy. You might like to wander the old quarter of Kaleici where narrow streets intertwine between wooden houses with plenty of character. There are also a few additional day tours you might like to join – from Turkish baths and Aspendos' ancient city to touring the Side Antique city – there’s plenty of activities to choose from. Simply talk to your hotel reception for best recomendations and help with bookings.

Day :2

Location : Alacasu to Phaselis

This morning, you’ll make your way to the starting point of your first hike – Alacasu. A nice and easy introduction to the terrain, today’s hike will take just one to two hours, and will finish in Phaselis. These are beautiful, well-preserved ruins where you’ll be able to wander through the ancient, crumbling street, theatre and baths, each protected by the shade of surrounding leafy pine trees. In the afternoon, you’ll take another stroll around famous rocky mountainside above Cirali village – Yanartaş. You’ll have a chance to explore the place of eternal flames dancing on the side of the Fire Mountain. These flames were used in ancient times by sailors to navigate their way round the coast of Lycia, and even before that time, athletes used to light their torches with what was believed to be a sacred flame and run down to Olympos city. You'll stay in family-run accommodation tonight, surrounded by gorgeous views of the surrounding nature (sunset, anyone?).

Day :3

Location : Çamburnu, Olympos

Fuel up on breakfast today and then lace up your walking shoes in preparation for your hike through Olympos and the surrounds. With plenty to see and explore along the way, today’s trek will be broken up into sections. The first section of the trail will lead you directly from your guesthouse to Camburnu. You’ll walk by a medieval tower and rock-climbing route before reaching an intriguing cave that descends into the sea below. From here, you’ll walk back to reach a lovely beach, break for lunch and, if the weather permits, take a refreshing dip in the lapping water. After some time to relax and soak up the scenery, you’ll embark on the next section of your trek to Olympos. This place will take your breath away – an ancient city, built presumably in the 4th century BC. Once ruled by leaders of the past, it’s now only ruled by the wild trees and greenery that surround it. From here, you’ll hike to Maden Bay and Cirali beach to complete your walk for the day before heading back to your accommodation to relax, unwind and stretch your muscles.

Day :4

Location : Adrasan

After a hearty breakfast this morning, you’ll embark on the longest trekking day of our Lycian adventure. We'll walk from Olympos to Adrasan – one of the most scenic trails of the Lycian Way. You can expect to cross through the Musa (Olympos) Mountain and wind through the lush greenery and pine trees, perhaps with glimpses of the turquoise beaches below. After combating steep hills (both up and down) along the path, you’ll be rewarded with magical vistas and a delightful stop for a picnic lunch (at your own expense) along the way. You’ll finish today’s big trek in the seaside oasis of Adrasan. Now, it’s time to put your feet up and breath in the sweet ocean air – you deserve it! Tonight's accommodation is also only 5 minutes from the beach, so watching the sunset tonight will be easy breezy.

Day :5

Location : Simena

Wake up for a relaxed day of recovery today – after yesterday’s epic trek, it’s time to take things back a notch. After a leisurely breakfast to begin the day, you’ll take a short drive to the starting point of a relaxed hike to the close by Gelidonya Lighthouse. Standing proudly above the Mediterranean Sea, the lighthouse was built in 1934. With captivating sights that extend across the sea below and islands dotted in the distance, you’ll have some time to rest and fill your camera roll before we take the same path back to your vehicle. This afternoon is for cultural experiences – you’ll visit the ancient city of Myra, the Museum of Lycian Civilizations and the ancient city of Simena. Plus, your local leader will take you to a special spot to tuck into lunch (at your own expense) at a famously tasty seafood restaurant in Finike.

Day :6

Location : Simena

Today is another fun day filled with the same sense of adventure and excitement you’ve now surely come to expect. We’ll start off with a walk to Aperlai Ancient City. Formerly, Aperlai was significant trading city – now there is little that remains to this once thriving seaside acropolis. You’ll marvel at the crumbling city walls, stone gate that still stands proudly today and the remains of two Roman baths amongst the ruins. After some time here, you’ll retire to lunch at a local restaurant and take the opportunity to snap some photos for the memory bank. After lunch, trace your way back to Simena for afternoon of shopping, or relaxing at the sea side (or both!).

Day :7

Location : Kabak

After breakfast today, hit the trails for the final full day of your trekking adventure through Turkey. You’ll begin with a walk to Delikkemer – a magnificent early Roman aqueduct. Then, you’ll enjoy lunch at the local village of Sidyma before exploring Sidyma Ancient City which lies on the southern slope of Mount Cragus. In the afternoon, you’ll enjoy a leisurely downhill walk, watching as the sun sets over the Mediterranean Sea and finishing your final walk of the trip at a beautiful turquoise beach, aglow under the sunset skies. Tonight, your accommodation, surrounded by lush greenery, boasts gorgeous views of the sea and if you have time, you can even take up a yoga class! Later, tuck into dinner with your newfound travel buddies and toast to all that you’ve seen and all that you’ve achieved in the last week.

Day :8

Location : Fethiye

After one final breakfast together, depart for Fethiye. You can expect a scenic drive with plenty of stops along the way to soak in the last few moments of your trip and briefly explore places like Kayakoy and Oludeniz. Your Lycian trekking adventure comes to an end in Fethiye. You can arrange to be dropped to the airport, city centre or your hotel.