Hike Turkey’s Lycian Way

Overview

Join a local insider to hike handpicked sections of one of the world’s most beautiful coastal trails

The Lycian Way is regularly named among the world’s most beautiful coastal trails, tracing the mountains and coves of southwest Turkey. On this adventure, we’ve handpicked its most scenic sections, taking you along ancient paths above turquoise bays and through pine-clad hills. Walk Roman roads and mule tracks through olive groves, forests and coastal hills, while your local tour leader reveals the best viewpoints and brings the region’s history to life. There’s also time to visit the ghost town of Kayaköy, cruise above Kekova’s sunken ruins and visit the ever-burning Chimaera flames. It ends in the beach resort of Antalya, the perfect spot to unwind after a week of glorious hiking.

Key Information

Activity: Walking & Trekking
Activity Level: Moderate
See our Activity Level Guidelines to check if this holiday is right for you
Comfort Level: Classic
Trip Code: TTH
Ways to Travel: Guided Group
Countries: Turkey
Pace: Moderate: 3mph-4mph (5kph-6ph)
Terrain: Low altitude; good paths with some steep ascents
Altitude maximum: 4,265ft (1,300m); average: 3,280ft (1,000m)

What's Included

All accommodation: 5 Classic nights (hotels), 2 Simple nights (1 homestay, 1 wooden bungalow)
All breakfasts, six lunches, six dinners
Immersive itinerary with all transport and listed activities
Expert tour leader to enhance your adventure
Group arrival and departure transfers available

Don't Forget To

Request a single room if required, purchase travel insurance and arrange any visas and vaccinations. Also, check out Discover Istanbul, which you can combine on select departures with this adventure (see Dates & Prices).

Highlights

Explore handpicked sections of one of the most beautiful coastal trails in the world

Step inside Kayaköy, an abandoned hillside settlement once home to around 10,000 people

Cruise across Kekova to see walls, stairways and harbour remains lying beneath the water

Stand beside the eternal flames of Chimaera, where natural gas has burned through the rocks for centuries

Finish in Antalya, with time to rest tired legs beside the sea after a rewarding week on foot

Itinerary

First Destination: Fethiye
Next Destination: Antalya

Accommodation:Güneş Hotel or Yeniceri City Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Distance:14 km / 8.7 miles
Accommodation:Montenegro Motel (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Distance:18 km / 11.2 miles
Accommodation:Traditional village house (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Distance:18 km / 11.2 miles
Accommodation:Kayahan Hotel or Kekova Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Distance:12 km / 7.5 miles
Accommodation:Kayahan Hotel or Kekova Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Accommodation:Kıyı Pansiyon (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:Classic beach hotel
Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: Fethiye
Next Destination: Antalya

Begin your adventure in the harbour town of Fethiye, built on the site of ancient Telmessos and set between a sheltered bay and forested mountains. Offshore islands dot the Gulf of Fethiye, while the waterfront curves around a marina filled with sailing boats.

Our welcome briefing takes place tomorrow morning. We recommend arriving a day or two early, giving you time to enjoy the waterfront, visit the Lycian tombs or settle into the slower pace of the coast before the adventure begins. Alternatively, extend your time in Turkey by pairing this adventure with our Discover Istanbul trip on selected departures – check Dates & Prices to find the combinations that work together.

Want more time in Fethiye? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Accommodation:Güneş Hotel or Yeniceri City Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

We have our welcome briefing this morning, when we meet our tour leader and gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.

It’s our first day of hiking today, but first we visit the ghost town of Kayaköy, where roofless stone houses and churches cover the hillside. The predominantly Greek Orthodox settlement was abandoned following the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923, and our tour leader helps us understand the human history behind the ruins rather than simply passing through them.

We then drive (30 minutes) to Ovacık and the official start of the Lycian Way. The trail climbs the western slopes of Babadağ through pine woodland, opening onto views across the blue waters of Ölüdeniz lagoon and the Mediterranean.

Continuing through small upland settlements, we cross the mountainside before descending to Faralya, on the plateau above Butterfly Valley.

This evening, your tour leader ensures a big Turkish welcome by arranging a group dinner.

Distance:14 km / 8.7 miles
Accommodation:Montenegro Motel (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Leaving Faralya on foot, we climb through pine woodland with the Mediterranean appearing between the trees. The trail leads towards Kabak, a small coastal settlement reached through a steep-sided valley, before turning inland and ascending towards Alınca.

This is one of the more challenging stages, but our tour leader knows where to pause and where the terrain requires extra care. Near Alınca, we stop for tea at a viewpoint above the coast before continuing through the hills towards Gey.

Tonight, we stay in a traditional village house, where our host family will welcome us and serve a home-cooked dinner of traditional Turkish cuisine, including fresh vegetables, meat, salads, and other local dishes. It’s a warm and relaxing way to settle in after the longest walk of the trip.

Distance:18 km / 11.2 miles
Accommodation:Traditional village house (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Today’s trail replaces the higher mountain terrain with cultivated fields, olive groves and small agricultural settlements. We follow a rural section of the Lycian Way through Dodurga and towards Gavurağılı, with sections overlooking the Mediterranean and the coastal plain around Patara.

Along the way, our tour leader can provide context on farming and village life in this less-developed stretch of the route, while also guiding us through a mixture of tracks, paths and uneven ground.

After completing the walk, we transfer (1hr 20min) to Kaş for the night.

Distance:18 km / 11.2 miles
Accommodation:Kayahan Hotel or Kekova Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Transfer (45 minutes) to Delikkemer, where our hike begins beside one of the Lycian coast’s most impressive pieces of Roman engineering, the Delikkemer Aqueduct. The water system carried fresh water towards Patara and included a rare, pressurised siphon constructed from precisely carved stone blocks.

Following the aqueduct, we hike towards ancient Patara. Once an important harbour and a leading city of the Lycian League, Patara contains the restored assembly building where representatives met to conduct civic business.

Our tour leader brings the scattered remains into focus as we visit the site, helping us picture the city when ships entered its now-silted harbour. We then return to Kaş.

Distance:12 km / 7.5 miles
Accommodation:Kayahan Hotel or Kekova Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

A transfer (45 minutes) takes us to the start of our hike. We descend towards Aperlai, an ancient Lycian port occupying both sides of a narrow peninsula.

Sarcophagi, building foundations and harbour remains provide clues to the settlement’s maritime past and its reported involvement in producing purple dye from marine snails.

Reaching the shore, we board a boat for lunch and a cruise among the sunken city ruins of Kekova. From the deck, we can see walls, steps and foundations partly submerged beside Kekova Island. Protected status means boats pass slowly through the archaeological zone and swimming is not permitted directly above the ruins.

We also pass Simena, now known as Kaleköy, before continuing by road (two hours) to Çıralı.

Accommodation:Kıyı Pansiyon (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Set out on foot from our accommodation towards the eternal flames of Chimaera. Here, natural gas escaping through the rock fuels clusters of small flames, a geological phenomenon associated in antiquity with the fire-breathing creature of Greek mythology.

The remains of a sanctuary dedicated to Hephaistos, god of fire and metalworking, stand nearby.

Our route continues uphill towards Ulupınar, reaching approximately 1,739ft (530m) before descending. With our tour leader setting a comfortable pace, we negotiate the rocky paths and pause to examine the flames and archaeological remains.

We finish with time for lunch at a local restaurant, then transfer (approximately 1hr 30min) to the old quarter of Antalya, Kaleiçi. Its lanes preserve architecture from several periods, while the Roman-era Hadrian’s Gate and old harbour reveal the city’s long Mediterranean history.

Accommodation:Classic beach hotel
Meals included:Breakfast

You’ve walked the coastal slopes of the Lycian Way, followed an ancient aqueduct into Patara and cruised above the submerged remains of Kekova, but now it’s time to begin your return journey home.

Alternatively, if you’d like to extend your adventure, speak to your sales representative to discuss our large range of extension options.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

Need flights or extra nights? Book through us and fly with confidence

Call us: 020 3733 5948

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View Details

Accommodation

Enjoy Turkish hospitality

We aim to secure locally owned accommodation that is well located, offers good value for money, and plenty of comfort. To help you find your ideal adventure, each trip is given a Comfort Level rating, which indicates the overall standard of accommodation. For more on our ratings, see our Comfort Level guidelines.

Worth knowing

Tailor your trip: Extend your adventure by securing extra hotel nights before or after the main itinerary. Speak to your sales representative to book.
Private rooms: Like most tour operators, we room solo passengers together. If you’d prefer to have a private room, it’s normally possible to do this for a supplement. Speak to your sales representative to book.
Traditional village house: On night 3, rooms have private bathrooms and may accommodate between two and four people, depending on the group size.

Essential Information

This trip has been rated Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings, visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.

Suitability: This trip is designed for active travellers who enjoy hiking and want to explore the Mediterranean Coast beyond the usual tourist routes. You’ll spend six days hiking, covering between 8km (5mi) and 18km (11mi) a day, with some long days of up to seven hours and ascents of up to 2,460ft (750m). Trails are generally well-defined but can be rocky, uneven and occasionally steep, so a good level of fitness and some previous hiking experience are recommended.

Terrain: We walk along marked trails, mule tracks and old Roman roads often stony underfoot. Some paths cross scree falls. Routes are occasionally steep, narrow trails that have rocky terrain. People who suffer with vertigo should avoid this trip.

Key information

Hotel: Güneş Hotel or Yeniceri City Hotel
Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time on Day 1. There is a welcome briefing on the morning of Day 2
Airport: Dalaman Airport (DLM)

Getting to the hotel

The start hotel is just over an hour’s drive from the airport. We provide one group transfer from the airport to the hotel, which you can join at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the transfer times or to arrange a private transfer.

Catching your return flight

There’s one group transfer to the airport, which you can join at no extra cost. Please speak to your sales representative for the time of the transfer. If the group transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative.

Turkey

Travellers from the UK, US, Canada and most EU states normally do not need a visa to enter Turkey. Visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/turkey
Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/turkiye
United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkey/entry-requirements
USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Turkey.html

Turkish cuisine is varied and flavoursome, with plenty of opportunities to enjoy fresh meze, grilled meats, seafood and vegetable-based dishes. A typical Turkish breakfast includes bread, cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, eggs, jams and tea. Vegetarian options are widely available, while vegan and gluten-free travellers can usually be accommodated with advance notice, although choices may be more limited in remote villages.

The Lycian Coast has a Mediterranean climate, making spring and autumn the ideal seasons for walking. Departures are timed to avoid the intense summer heat, when temperatures can regularly exceed 35°C.

March-May: Expect mild to warm temperatures, typically ranging from 15–28°C. Spring brings green landscapes, wildflowers and comfortable walking conditions, although occasional rain showers are possible, particularly in March.

September-November: Temperatures are generally between 18–32°C, with warm sea temperatures and plenty of sunshine. September can still feel hot on exposed trails, while October and November offer cooler conditions that are often ideal for walking.

As much of the route follows coastal and mountainous terrain, temperatures can vary throughout the day. Walkers should be prepared for strong sunshine, cooler mornings and evenings, and the possibility of rain, particularly in early spring and late autumn.

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.