Lycian Way Turkey

We arrive in Antalya and immediately go to the hotel to rest and gain strength for tomorrow. If you want, you can still walk around the city and try traditional Turkish cuisine. We recommend trying the national dish, Menemen.

We leave early, meet the sunrise, and drive to the beginning of the route to the village of Gedelme. In the town, we will drink fresh orange juice and try Turkish cuisine - we will find a local restaurant there. Then we go to the ruins of the Genoese fortress and the Gadelme cave. The cave is next to the fortress that once defended the local valley. The Gadelme Cave is 500 meters deep, and locals may ask for money to enter it, but it is not worth paying. Near the ruins of the fortress and in the cave, we can take fantastic photos and take a break, and then we will go to the foot of Mount Takhtali.

We will have a short climb to the mountain village of Yayla Kuzdere, a small village located near the Takhtali mountain. But that's not all. The route will continue to the saddle of Chukur-Yayla. This place is called a fairy tale because we will be surrounded by huge Lebanese cedars, mighty rocks, and strange plants, and a real Olympus—Mount Takhtali—will be above us. We will camp on a large lawn with incredible mountain views.

The mountain is not very high, but the climb is long and difficult. However, we will be rewarded at the top, because the view from the mountain is incomparable, it is not for nothing that this mountain is called the Turkish Olympus. From the top, we will see the coastline from Antalya to Phoenicia as if in the palm of our hand. According to legend, a terrible monster, the Chimera, lives here, and we will see its lights a little later. In the meantime, let's enjoy the top.

After the climb, we will go to our campsite, cook dinner and rest.

We meet the sunrise and head down through the forest with centuries-old trees to the village of Beichik. In the village, we will have a little rest and then go to the village of Ulupinar, which is famous for its trout. We will try it. The taste of this fish is hard to describe; it may be a subjective opinion, but it is the most delicious trout we have ever eaten. Therefore, we have to evaluate this fish in a restaurant called Havuzbasi.

Let's continue our route to Mount Chimera, a mystical landmark in Turkey called the “Lights of Chimera”. Here, all year round, you can observe a unique phenomenon - flames breaking through the ground. Once you see this, you will never forget your emotions. We will have a gorgeous evening and night photo shoot. On the saddle in front of Chymera Mountain, there is the most beautiful camping spot of the trip, so we spend the night here.

We chose a top campsite, so the sunrise will be no less impressive than the sunset. Behind us is Mount Tahtali, and in front of us is the Mediterranean Sea.

It's time for a swim. The water temperature is 19 degrees, but it's comfortable for swimming in the sea. So, we go down to the town of Cirali, check into a campsite, and go for a walk, swim, and just relax. Each participant will have a free program for the whole day.

After breakfast, we go to the ancient city of Olympus, which now consists of a huge complex of ancient ruins. Here, you can see Lycian sarcophagi, a Greek theater, a Roman gate, and many more remnants of a powerful heritage. So smoothly, we move on to the part of the Lycian Way near the sea. Today, we are still enjoying a free program, and tomorrow, we will set off again for new adventures.

It's time to get ready to hit the road again. We have a two-day trip to Tekirova ahead of us. Along the way, we will visit several interesting places, one of which is an abandoned mine, and walk along wild beaches. This part of the Lycian Way runs entirely along the Mediterranean coast.

In April, the average temperature will be 23 degrees Celsius, ideal for hiking, and the sea will be 19 degrees, which is also warm enough to swim. Also, there will be almost no tourists in the bays so that we can enjoy these wild beaches to the fullest.

Along the way, we can meet sea turtles because it is during this period that they go to land to leave their eggs. You can watch and take pictures, but you can't touch them. What else can I say? It will be busy days, and we will set up our campsite in a bay to look at the sea, sky, and waves.

Tekirova is a small village that is very popular with tourists. There are very nice beaches here and plenty to see around. We will appreciate this beauty in full because to get to Tekirova, we need to walk another 9 km of the Lycian Way, and you can be sure that this part of the route will be memorable. Along the way, we will see quiet bays with crystal-clear water and rocks surrounding the shores.

In the village, we will settle in a campsite and go to a local restaurant for lunch. For the rest of today, everyone will have a free program.

It's the last day of our traveling part, and today's route will be short. We are heading to the ancient Greek city-state of Phaselis, which was founded in 695 BC. The city had an important port and was a center of transit trade. Nowadays, the settlement has many monuments of ancient Greece and Rome.

We think everyone will be interested in walking around these ruins and learning about the history of the ancient world. After Phaeselis, we drive to Antalya, where we check into our hotel, visit the city, buy souvenirs, and say goodbye to Turkey.

It's time to say goodbye, but first, let's make friends on Facebook and exchange our best photos. And, of course, we'll talk about our next adventure together!

Important! All trip participants must register on the website and complete an electronic questionnaire before entering Turkey. This form must be completed within the last 72 hours before the trip. A unique HES code will be created automatically based on this information. Website for registration: https://register.health.gov.tr