A Carian Odyssey

This cultural gulet cruise will introduce you to the renowned Carian coast.

Starting in the bustling town of Kuşadası we head south to explore this magical coastline in its entirety, from the Aegean Shore facing Greece to the turquoise Mediterranean Coast.

We’ll visit some of the greatest archaeological gems on the southern shore: the world-renowned museum of underwater archaeology in Bodrum, the one-time capital of all Caria; beautifully preserved Knidos, a monumental marbled city arranged around a double harbour; and Kaunos with its exquisite rock-cut temple tombs.

Aboard our traditional Turkish gulet we’ll rediscover the realm of Mausolus, Caria’s ruler 2,400 years ago, whose tomb was ranked one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. With such rich and strategically vital cities, the area was a crossroads of civilisations. Alexander the Great liberated it from Persia, Rhodes sought to subjugate it into an empire, and the legacy of Crusader castles still speaks of the epic battle between Christianity and Islam.

This gulet cruise weaves together a cornucopia of simple pleasures: magnificent sites, quiet coves, wondrous walks, fabulous food, breathtaking vistas and glorious swims. A tour designed to inspire and relax in equal measure.

Day 1: Our boat is an hour from Izmir airport, in Kuşadası’s marina. Welcome drink and dinner.

Day 2: A chance to relax as we cruise past the Greek island of Samos for our very first swim.

Day 3: We explore Herakleia, an ancient city set in breathtaking mountain scenery boasting some of the Mediterranean’s most spectacular Greek fortifications.

Day 4: We sail east to moor in the pretty harbour of ancient Iasos, where excavations are revealing a vital and beautiful classical city.

Day 5: Into the mountains to the sanctuary of Zeus at Labraunda. At Euromus, amidst an olive grove stands a temple to Zeus, one of the best preserved in Asia Minor.

Day 6: We cruise to the pretty village of Gümüşlük, ancient Myndos. The scant ruins offer a glimpse of this once bustling fortified harbour.

Day 7: East to Halicarnassus, home to one of the seven ancient wonders and a Crusader castle that houses a splendid museum of underwater archaeology.

Day 8: At the head of the Ceramic gulf, we wander through the ruins of Cedreae on Cleopatra’s Island, strewn with Byzantine churches and an ancient theatre almost hidden by olive trees.

Day 9: A whole day’s excursion to two of the most evocative sites. First Stratonikeia, with its stunning gymnasium, then Lagina, for a picnic in the sanctuary of the underworld goddess Hekate.

Day 10: West to spectacular Knidos, a well planned ancient city, one of the most beautiful in Turkey. At the tip of a sinuous peninsula, this was a city built for maritime trade, and famed for its fabled nude statue of Aphrodite.

Day 11: We head to Loryma, a magnifi cent rhodian fortress guarding a strategic bay.

Day 12: Inland to Phoenix, a wild and remote citadel city, with grand vistas all around.

Day 13: We take a river boat up the Dalyan River to Kaunos. Its monumental public buildings, surrounding a silted up harbour, speak of its once great wealth.

Day 14: We walk up an ancient track to Lydae, set in a forgotten valley. A final chance to swim, then to Göcek, a pretty harbour town ringed by forested hills.

Day 15: Transfer to Dalaman airport, about 30 minutes away. 

Arrival and Departure Information

Arrival Airport - Izmir (Adnan Menderes)
Departure Airport - Dalaman

We recommend you arrive at the gulet in Kuşadası (approx 1 hour from Izmir airport) in the late afternoon/evening on September 8th, and leave the boat in Göcek (approx 30 minutes from Dalaman airport) first thing in the morning of September 22nd. We will arrange local transfers from Izmir airport at the start of the tour, and to Dalaman airport at the end of the trip.

Guests can board the gulet after 5pm on the first day. You are more than welcome to arrive earlier to drop off your bags, but please be aware that the crew will be busy cleaning and tidying until late afternoon making everything ready for your group.

Suggested Flights
If you are staying in or connecting via Istanbul then the easiest way to get to and from the gulet is to fly. There are a number of airlines that offer domestic flights in Turkey. Here is the recommended flight time with Turkish Airlines the national flag carrier in Turkey.

Arriving Saturday September 8
Turkish Airlines TK2328 departing Istanbul Ataturk at 16:00 arriving in Izmir at 17:05.

Departing Saturday September 22
Turkish Airlines TK2553 departing Dalaman at 09:05 arriving Istanbul Ataturk at 10:25.

Turkish Airlines has a much larger selection of flights on these days and there are alternative flights to and from Istanbul with some of Turkey’s low cost airlines such as Atlas Jet, and Onur Air

Please note: Flights are subject to change. Please contact Turkish Airlines for exact details.

Booking Flights
The cheapest way to book flights is directly with the airline online.

If you prefer to book with a travel agent, we are happy to recommend specialists in a number of countries around the world, please contact our office for more details.

Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is a requirement of our booking conditions and we recommend you investigate the options thoroughly to make sure that your trip is properly covered.

In the UK we work with specialist travel insurers Milsom Howard Ltd. 22 Highfield Drive, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB10 8AN, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1895 234 919 • Fax: +44 (0) 1895 231 864 • Email: globetrotter@milsomhoward.com.

Our travel insurance specialist in the US is Julie Gorny, Email: juliannegorny@yahoo.com • Tel: +1 773 445 7537 • Mob: +1 773 972 8849.

Alternatively you might like to look at an online travel insurance company like World Nomads to give you a comparison in terms of price and coverage.

If you would prefer not to take out travel insurance you will need to complete a travel insurance waiver form.

Visas
Visas are easily obtained on arrival at Istanbul airport (or other local airports). A visa costs £10 for UK Nationals, $20 for USA Nationals and AUS $20 for Australian Nationals. Only US dollars and Euros are accepted at the airports and visas must be paid for in cash. Once you have arrived in the terminal, do remember to obtain your visas before queuing up for immigration control. You can get your visa in advance, before you arrive in Turkey, from any Turkish Consulate, but it entails time and an extra visa processing fee.

Istanbul
If you are planning to stay in Istanbul before or after your gulet tour we have included below links to more information and things to see and do.

Istanbul Destination Guide
Istanbul Travel Article

Custom Tours
If you are thinking of extending your trip to Turkey to include visits to Cappadocia, Ephesus, Istanbul or further afield, please contact our office for further information.