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TurkeyWalking and Cruising the Lycian Shore

04-Oct-26
08-May-27
02-Oct-27

Fitness Level

4th October 2026 - 18th October 2026

Tour Guide: Dr Jesper Blid and Ilhan Varlik

15 Days | £5,495 per person / Single Supplement: £1,450

Fitness Level

8th May 2027 - 22nd May 2027

Tour Guide: Peter Sommer and Cem Yücesoy

15 Days | £5,695 per person / Single Supplement: £1,595

Fitness Level

2nd October 2027 - 16th October 2027

Tour Guide: tbc

15 Days | £5,695 per person / Single Supplement: £1,550

Description
Itinerary
Details
Inclusions
Tour Guides
Map
FAQs

Over the years, many guests travelling on our “Cruising the Lycian Shore” trip found themselves fascinated and enchanted by the occasional strolls we took on the Lycian Way, Turkey’s very first long-distance hiking trail. Their frequent inquiries inspired us to create a walking tour in Turkey that combines more hiking with historical adventures and the pleasure of a gulet cruise. Thanks to your inspiration, back in 2006, Walking and Cruising the Lycian Shore became the first of our walking holidays.

Rated by The Sunday Times (UK) as one of the ten best walks in the world, the Lycian Way follows over 540km (335 miles) of ancient roadways, mule tracks and shepherds’ paths along one of Turkey’s most remote and untouched coastlines. On this cruise, we follow some of its very best stretches, chosen for their beauty and interest, averaging about 9km (5-6 miles) of hiking per day. Our travelling offshore base is a beautiful traditional Turkish gulet, offering us elegant transport, delicious dining, comfortable accommodation and welcome leisure throughout the voyage.

An ideal tour for hikers and for lovers of the sea alike, the cruise also provides the cultural and archaeological experience that is the trademark of Peter Sommer Travels. You will visit a whole series of ancient sites, stroll along Roman roads, trace the routes of 2,000 year-old aqueducts and follow in the footsteps of characters from the mysterious Lycians of antiquity via Alexander the Great to the nomadic herders of recent centuries.

Exploring on foot offers a uniquely profound and enjoyable engagement with the landscape and its history, including the opportunity to discover truly remote archaeological sites that cannot be easily reached otherwise. You will be able to hike through magnificent scenery high above the Mediterranean Sea, and see sites like wild and ancient Apollonia, with its grand necropolis and romantic theatre, or the extensive ruins of mountain-top Kyaneai, one of the most important cities of ancient Lycia.

Of course, we also visit Lycia’s famous archaeological highlights, such as the regional Lycian capital at Pinara with its “royal” tombs, the monumental Roman port city of Patara: an amazing ancient city in Turkey and the Byzantine/Ottoman castle of Kale, ancient Simena, surrounded by age-old Lycian sarcophagus graves.

The combination of hikes through a succession of beautiful landscapes, expert-led visits to fascinating archaeological sites, cruising in pristine waters and delicious meals on board or in selected local homes or restaurants, in addition to plenty of time to swim and relax, make this tour a perfect choice for the active and curious traveller. From footpaths by the coast to goat tracks high up in the hills, from age-old cemeteries to monumental ruined cities, this Lycian Way tour offers you stimulation and relaxation for mind, body and soul.

Prefer a shorter tour? We have a 1-week version of this trip – Walking and Cruising Western Lycia

Our Tours receive an average rating of 5 out of 5 from 360 reviews, according to AITO reviews.

Day 1: The start of our tour walking the Lycian Way. Our gulet is about 30 minutes from Dalaman airport at Göcek, a pretty harbour beneath mountains at the head of the Bay of Fethiye, on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. Welcome dinner aboard.

Day 2: An easy first day spent in the Bay of Fethiye, with plenty of time for swimming, relaxing and gazing at the scenery of sea and mountains.

Day 3: We set out eastwards to explore the atmospheric ghost town of Kaya/Levissi, abandoned by its Greek inhabitants in 1923. Later we hike back downhill to meet the gulet near Gemiler Island, an area perfect for swimming.

Day 4: We drive inland to Sidyma, to ramble the extensive 2,500 year-old cemeteries of an ancient city. After admiring its elaborate tombs and sarcophagi we hike down a hillside to the neighbouring village of Boğaziçi before returning to the boat for a swim.

Day 5: We drive the fertile Xanthus valley to ancient Pinara, where a mighty cliff riddled with tombs stands guard over one of the most striking and spectacularly situated archaeological sites in Turkey. Highlights include the great theatre and the “royal tomb”, its fine reliefs depicting Lycian cities.

Day 6: East to investigate remote Apollonia, where an ancient Greek theatre stands amid the remains of a Byzantine fortress and basilica church, in turn surrounded by a vast and elaborate necropolis. We hike back through a wild landscape of karstic limestone and stubborn maquis to return back to the sea at ancient Aperlai, Apollonia's harbour.

Day 7: We cruise by Kekova Island to gaze at the Late Roman/Early Byzantine “sunken city” of Dolichiste. Later, we disembark at Üçağız, ancient Teimioussa, to explore its ancient cemetery, looking like so many sarcophagi scattered along the seashore by a passing giant. From here, we walk to Kale, ancient Simena, where another row of sarcophagi crowns the ridge leading up to an Ottoman castle built upon Byzantine and Hellenistic predecessors. One of the most romantic stops of the holiday.

Day 8: We visit Sura, site of a famous fish oracle dedicated to Apollo in a lush coastal valley, its main temple substantially preserved, then trek along a beautiful stretch of coast to the ancient city of Istlada, with various public buildings and more Lycian tombs, to reach our waiting boat.

Day 9: Inland to one of the most remarkable and significant city-states of ancient Lycia, mountain-top Kyaenai. Its theatre, market, baths and vast cemeteries (with over 300 sarcophagi!) stand witness to great affluence that has given way to a wild and inspiring nature. We overnight near Kaş, ancient Antiphellos, where a picturesque seaside town incorporates many ancient remains.

Day 10: A glorious morning's walk in the rural hinterland all the way down to and along the shore, passing by ancient olive oil presses and two watchtowers, perhaps some 2,300 years old, built in the tumultuous period after Alexander the Great, to help secure and control this precious and strategic coast.

Day 11: One of the longest and most challenging days of hiking but well worth the effort. We trek along old migration routes and ancient ways with wonderful unforgettable views both inland and out to sea, discovering a wide variety of ancient Lycian ruins and then descend from on high on a remote and remarkable stretch of Roman road.

Day 12: We cruise west to the pretty harbour of Kalkan and then head inland. Starting at Delikkemer, the ingenious inverted-syphon bridge of a Roman aqueduct, we enjoy a medium length hike to the city it served, ancient Patara, where archaeologists are revealing the remains of a vast and monumental Roman city, one-time capital of the Lycian Confederation.

Day 13: One of our longest hikes: the glorious final trek across the shoulder of Babadaĝ (Father Mountain), taking us from the coastal slopes high into the foothills of a wild mountainous landscape and down to cliffs overlooking the stupendous “Butterfly Valley”.

Day 14: A day of total leisure aboard our elegant gulet, sailing and swimming. We moor in Fethiye, ancient Telmessos, for a final chance to shop.

Day 15: The end of our guided tour on the Lycian way. Transfer to Dalaman airport, about 60 minutes away.

I would like to book, what else do I need to know?

For information not covered below please refer to our FAQ’s or contact us directly on [email protected]

Arrival and Departure Information

**Please Note** For the 8th May 2027 departure the embarkation time is 17:30

Arrival Airport – Dalaman

Departure Airport – Dalaman

Arrival Location – Gocek Marina (approx. 30 mins from airport)

Departure Location – Fethiye Marina (approx. 1 hr 20 mins from airport)

Embarkation and departure is planned for approx.16:45. 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 making everything ready for your group so you will not be able to settle into your cabin.

If your travel plans or flights do not allow you to arrive before 16:45 we recommend arriving the day before the tour starts. This would also allow time to relax, recover from any jet lag and arrive at the boat on time for embarkation and departure.

If you arrive at the gulet after 16:45, we will do our best to enable you to join the tour at a later time and place.

Please Note: Departure time is subject to change depending on weather, harbour, or other conditions.

Disembarkation is around 09:00. We will arrange local transfers on the first and last day of the tour.

Further information about the Walking
Unlike our standard gulet cruises, there is a significant amount of hiking on our Walking and Cruising the Lycian Shore tour in Turkey. We believe that’s a key part of its appeal. The walks we do are for the most part sections of The Lycian Way, Turkey’s first national footpath, and widely regarded as one of the best hiking trails in the world for its combination of stunning vistas, scenery, and the archaeological sites that litter the way.

Please be aware that the terrain is often uneven, rocky, and rugged, and a number of the paths are carpeted with loose stones underfoot and there are occasions when the landscape we are passing through can have some prickly vegetation. You do need to be fit with a good sense of balance. There are some long stretches of uphill and downhill hiking. It’s certainly not a walk in the park, but ropes and crampons aren’t required! You do need to be used to hiking off the beaten track.

The trip is designed to ease you in gently, with a day of pure relaxation to begin with, and then a few short walks and site visits, with some longer walks later in the tour. Across the two weeks, the average distance is about 5-6 miles a day (approx 3 hours), but it’s not really the distance that you need to bear in mind, but the terrain. We take all the hikes at a leisurely pace, with some wonderful sites and great swims thrown in for good measure. In the second week, once people have found their feet, there’s a walk of about 6 hours, and one full day of hiking (about 7 hours), with super picnics along the way. Of course the beauty of being on the gulet, means that it’s perfectly possible for guests to skip a day’s walk if they so wish, and simply relax on the boat. If you fancy putting your feet up and resting for a day, that is perfectly possible. So if you wish to lie back and read a book or have an extra swim, you can.

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

Please note: Flights are subject to change. Please contact the airline for exact details.

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: We consider adequate travel insurance to be essential. You should ensure that you take out a suitable policy, to make sure that your trip is properly covered. Please be advised some insurers may require you to take out a policy within 15-20 days of booking your holiday to receive all of their insurance benefits.

Visas: You must check to see if you require a visa to enter Turkey. Visas are easily obtained online at eVisa and must be purchased before you travel.

Istanbul: If you are planning to stay in Istanbul before or after your gulet tour we would be happy to help with suggestions and information and things to see and do. Please get in touch.

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

Tour Includes:
May 2026 and May and October 2027 – Cruising aboard the 8-cabin gulet Prenses Lila
October 2026 – Cruising aboard the 8-cabin gulet Sultan A
Full board accommodation with water, tea and coffee and wine with dinner
Airport transfers on the first and last day of the tour
Travel by private minibus
Harbour fees and crew services
All entrance fees and tips on land
The services of your expert tour leaders throughout the entire trip
WiFi (coverage permitting)

Not included:
Flights and airport taxes
Visas
Travel insurance
Gratuities on the gulet. It is customary to tip the crew at the end of a tour (we recommend a minimum of 20Euro per day per guest)
Tips for guides

Peter Sommer

Peter studied Ancient History and Archaeology at Birmingham University before completing a Masters on the archaeology of Central Asia. He has taught at Birmingham University and Istanbul’s Bogaziçi Üniversitesi (Bosphorus University). In 1994 he walked 2,000 miles across Turkey, retracing the route of Alexander the Great, and fell deeply in love with the country. For this epic journey he received The Explorers Club of America Young Expeditioners’ award. Two years into a PhD. at University College London, he was seduced into television to work on In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great (BBC/PBS).

An award-winning documentary producer, he filmed around the world for acclaimed series like Millennium: A thousand years of history (BBC/CNN), Commanding Heights: the Battle for the World Economy (PBS/BBC), and Tales from the Green Valley (BBC).

Peter created and led his first archaeological tour in 1995 and founded Peter Sommer Travels, specialising in expert-led archaeological and cultural tours for small groups in 2002.

What previous guests have to say about Peter:

"Peter, you are meant to be a historian and tour guide! You have a natural gift to tell stories to help us visual the past. It is also your passion and enthusiasm for history that I admired too. You were always engaging, thoughtful and quite organized. Thank you for being such a great tour guide!...the tour we took with Peter Sommer as our tour guide and his fellow expert Cem was exceptional and so much fun! Peter’s historical knowledge, passion and story telling has a way of bringing pieces of history to life as we toured different ruins. The traditional homemade food, the places you explore, swimming in secluded bays with each day being unique from the day before is a tour for anyone who wants a historical and delicious adventure. My husband and I can’t wait for our next tour!" Kelly Lussenden

"I loved the talks by Peter before, during and after each trip to land to view a new site. They were informative, intelligent, nuanced, and engaging. One of the best guides I have come across. His knowledge of the history and archaeology of the area was immense.This tour was probably the best we have ever been on. From the beautiful waters of that wild, lonely section of the Turkish south coast east of Bodrum, to the experience of visiting the amazing ancient sites of Knidos, Loryma, Kaunos and Lydae, and their interpretation for us by Peter. Perhaps my favourite moment was his description as we all sat inside the ruins of the grand tomb that had supported the great marble Lion of Knidos after a morning's walk in the sun. The lion is no longer there of course - it now sits in the Great Court of the British Museum - but Peter's description of the lion, its history, its significance and rediscovery in the 1800's, its transport down to the coast and to England had us spellbound. Of many travels on every continent over many years, both self-guided and guided this was one of the very best experiences I have had." Ian Close

"Peter's combination of warmth, knowledge and professionalism was outstanding. A highlight of the tour was listening to and watching Peter eliciting details from ruins and hillsides with a passion that brought ancient temples and agoras and olive groves alive. I truly appreciated the generosity of his sharing a very personal love for the history of the places we visited. He made every question seem worthwhile and never flagged in his willingness to share both his historical knowledge and his personal adventures. Peter has not lost any of the passion that first inspired him to trace the footsteps of Alexander the Great. In dynamic and engaging style, he elicits accounts of daily life of over 2 millennia ago out of the rocks of worn hillsides or the carvings on fallen pillars. Watching his hand outline the contours of earthquake-ravaged city walls, they almost stand tall again. As he swivels to identify the boundaries of an ancient town — the temple, agora, city gateways almost come alive with bustling crowds." Georgina Frampton

"Peter's ability to communicate 3,000 years of history in an exciting storytelling manner that a layperson such as myself could understand and find fascinating and fun was thrilling. Peter is incredibly congenial, intelligent, knowledgeable and has a great ability to turn what could be a dry recitation of history into an engaging story that anyone can understand. ...simply brilliant. Finding enough superlative words to describe the tour is a challenge - the tour was a fantastic experience and perfect blend of sightseeing, education, relaxation, fabulous food and an immersion into Turkish culture and history. Tour organization and planning was flawless. Peter and his fellow guide Cem are exceptionally knowledgeable, gracious and welcoming. I felt the trip surpassed the descriptions in the marketing materials and was one of the most positive travel experiences I’ve had in recent years. The whole package was above and beyond my expectations." Rachel Feldman

"Peter did a wonderful job! He was knowledgeable, personable, enthusiastic, and engaged with the tour members. I can't compliment him enough! It was a terrific learning experience." Bill Skelton

"Peter was wonderful. He enthusiastically delivered historical knowledge which helped bring ancient sites to life for us. Overall, an amazing trip, exceeding our expectations. We plan to book again on another tour. My wife and I count the two weeks of our tour as one of our most memorable travel experiences." Steve Patrick

"The highlight of our trip were the archeological tours with our excellent archeologist, Peter Sommer! He really brought these sites to life with his knowledge and enthusiasm. He added so much to the experience." Susan Mitchell

"I loved the talks that Peter gave. It's wonderful to have someone who not only has an impressive grasp of the history and archaeology of the place but can impart so interestingly. Outstanding! So much so that I've taken a book out of the library on ancient civilizations and am signing up for a course on reading the Iliad! I cried when our trip was over. The beautiful Turquoise Coast mimicked the excitement of learning about the past and wanting to learn more. I yearn for another such trip." Sarajane Milder

"It was such a pleasure to be guided by Peter on our trip. He could, and often did, bring just a dusty hole in the ground to life. Enthusiastic, deep historical knowledge, logistically perfect and very personable and patient. Peter is a top class guide. This tour exceeded our expectations in every way. The guides and crew were excellent, the boat was beautiful, comfortable and a great way to travel, the food was to die for and the ancient sites that we visited and often had nearly to ourselves were fascinating. We will definitely go with Peter Sommer Travels again in the future." Ed Tompkins

"Peter was great. His preparation and knowledge was outstanding. Could not have found anyone better. The favorite part of the trip for me was the enthusiasm and professionalism of Peter and his fellow tour guide, Cem. They truly were the best tour guides we have ever had the pleasure of travelling with. The archeological visits were truly memorable. A perfect mix of archeological and gastronomic experiences, while cruising the turquoise waters of the Turkish coast, led my two outstanding guides that one could easily become friends with. What more could you ask for?" John Mitchell

"Our archeological expert guide, Peter, was one of the highlights of our trip. I was delighted to have Peter personally guide us on this tour. He was so knowledgeable and energetic, but also very engaging, personable and charming. His interest and knowledge in the sites we visited, paired with careful attention to details and the specific needs of their guests made it a perfect trip! This Gulet cruise was all we had hoped for!" Lorraine Patterson

View Peter Sommer's Biography

Jesper Blid

Jesper studied Classical Archaeology and Art History at Uppsala University in Sweden, before earning his doctorate at Stockholm University. He has worked as a researcher at the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lund University and Université of Bordeaux and as a Lecturer at Stockholm University and Uppsala University. His research primarily focuses on Greek and Roman monumental architecture. He has worked as an archaeologist in Greece, Italy, Turkey and Egypt and has published several books on the sanctuary of Zeus at Labraunda in Turkey.

Jesper's passion for the ancient world is distinctly visible in his work as an archaeological illustrator. Through his illustrations for European and American research projects, he strives to make ancient ruins come alive. Jesper led his first archaeological tour in 2004 and over the past 20+ years has led trips in Armenia, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Iran, Italy, Jordan, Spain, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey. We are so pleased that our guests can enjoy and benefit from Jespers extensive knowledge and experience.

What previous guests have to say about Jesper:

"the highlight of the tour was visiting the archaeological sites with Jesper our wonderful archaeologist. He was perfect in every respect. Jesper is incredibly knowledgeable and shared his knowledge with us while on tour and if we had questions on the gulet. He was was also very helpful and kind. He went the extra mile every day. Pleasant and with a great sense of humor, he was a delightful traveling companion and guide!" Susan Noerdlinger

"a brilliant guide, Jesper was knowledgeable, personable and paced the learning perfectly with enthusiasm. Exceeded expectations." Susan Wrigley

"The guided tours of archaeological sites were exceptional due to having Jesper as our guide who can never be surpassed for knowledge and personality. A superb holiday!" Harold Phillips

"Jesper Bild was a fantastic guide. His enthusiasm, personal warmth, depth of knowledge and natural teaching skills made the sites come alive. He could rebuild them and repopulate in his mind and, consequently, in ours. And he a delight to have as a comrade on the boat. Jesper is a wonderful guide in every way. He's also fun to be around! We had deeply knowledgable and personable guides, an interesting group of fellow travelers and a lovely ship with a highly professional crew, as well as plenty of leisure time, good food and well executed educational trips to so many interesting archeological sites. I cannot say enough good things about my experience. Thank you." Ellen Polito

"Jesper were very knowledgeable and helpful - keeping everything interesting and accessible for us. We really loved having an expert archaeologist who could share his first-hand experience with the sites we were visiting. Each location was interesting and special. This was our first Peter Sommer trip - and we will be looking into our next one! Thank you!" Susan Tedesco

View Jesper Blid's Biography

Cem Yücesoy

Peter has been working with Cem since 1995, longer than anyone else in Peter Sommer Travels, longer even than Peter has been married! After graduating with a degree in Tourism Management, Cem moved to Bodrum and worked for several decades at a Turkish travel company, dealing with everything from car rentals to hotel management, gulet cruises to private itineraries.

Aware of his brilliant logistical and organisational skills, in 1996 Peter recommended Cem as a fixer (location manager) for the BBC TV series In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great. Since then, Cem has gone on to work on a wide range of high-class documentaries, working alongside presenters including Anthony Bourdain, Bear Grylls, Joanna Lumley, Sam Neill, and Jeremy Clarkson and the Top Gear team. In 2009, Cem acquired his professional guiding qualification and ever since has accompanied a great many of our trips in Turkey. We are delighted that our guests have the chance to travel with Cem.

"The Lycian Shore was my 3rd Peter Sommer tour, and my husband's 2nd. What a wonderful company to travel with! Knowledgeable and engaging guides; beautiful itineraries; and always fabulous food and company. Cem was an added bonus! Cem's familiarity with the local, the national and the ins and outs of travel were invaluable. Appreciated his selection of Turkish wines! Delightful to be with and a great sense of humor." Lenore and Robert Davis

"Our week with Peter Sommer Travels and our Turkish guide, Cem Yucesoy, was a wonderful experience. Cem is such a charming, experienced guide, used to all sorts of passengers. We felt we were in very experienced hands - much camaraderie, and many great stories! Highly recommend." Carlie and Jonathan Skan

"This was our first trip with Peter Sommer Travels and our first gulet experience. It will stay with us for ever. We loved it all! Every day was full of highlights. Cem our guide and tour manager was a complete delight - a real joy, always there to help with anything and very good fun. Great company! Absolutely fantastic. We had the best time we’ve had in years and will go back next year." Christine and Michael Turnbull

"Cem was the organiser and Mr Fix-it of the tour, which he did so seamlessly that it looked easy. Nothing went wrong that we knew of, and if it had I'm sure that Cem would have sorted it out before we even knew there was a problem. Cem was the silent, masterful organiser of everything on the boat. I loved watching him watching everything going on around him - a quiet word to one of the crew here, a small adjustment there. The food was magnificent and the service impeccable. This tour was probably the best we have ever been on. I've thought hard about this, but I can't find anything to fault. Of many travels on every continent over many years, both self-guided and guided this was one of the very best experiences I have had." Ian Close

"Meeting Cem and hearing his stories was one of the highlights of the tour. After spending a week together with Cem, and my new friends it felt like we were a family! Cem was exceptional, an expert, and so much fun! For me it was such a special experience with all that is included: the food (lots of food!), the gulet itself was spectacular, the wonderful crew and, of course, our amazing tour guide and fixer!" Kelly Lussenden

"The whole package was above and beyond my expectations. Cem is incredibly congenial, intelligent, knowledgeable and shared much interesting information and a layer of expertise about Turkish culture, traditions, food, wine and history. He's a true delight to be around. This tour was a fantastic experience and a perfect blend of sightseeing, education, relaxation, fabulous food and an immersion into Turkish culture and history. Tour organization and planning was flawless. Our tour leader and Çem Yücesoy, our Turkish guide, were exceptionally knowledgeable, gracious and welcoming. Finding enough superlative words to describe the tour is a challenge. I felt the trip surpassed the descriptions in the marketing materials and was one of the most positive travel experiences I’ve had in recent years." Rachel Feldman

View Cem Yücesoy's Biography

Ilhan Varlik

Ilhan is a licensed outdoor and cultural tour guide who has led many tours both inside and outside of Turkey. He started his working life as a Counter-Intelligence Officer at the Turkish General Staff in the mid 90’s before spending more than 10 years as an Operations Manager for a high-end retailing company, working in both Egypt and Turkey. He has also lived and worked in Belgium, Syria, the US and Yemen.

Over the years Ilhan has gained extensive hiking, biking and cultural guiding experience right across Turkey. Since 2019 he has been one of the esteemed lecturers and guides who teach trainee guides on their learning trips across the country. When not leading tours, Ilhan runs a farm with 300 walnut trees near Çanakkale (opposite the Gallipoli peninsula) and is the Founder of the Troy Cultural Route, a 120km hiking and cycling route that aims to bring social and economic development to the region’s villages while preserving their cultural identity and heritage. We feel very lucky to have Ilhan in our roster of guides - he has accompanied a wide number of our expert archaeologists on many of our tours in Turkey.

"Ilhan was a terrific guide in all respects, professional, helpful, informative, kind, and joyous. Ilhan was excellent and kept us all informed and on course each and every day. We were welcomed and comfortable on the gulet, and he helped everyone and made sure things ran smoothly. He is very engaging and shared much of his incredible knowledge of Turkiye with the group. He seems very much to enjoy his work and engaging with people, and he excels as a guide. He did a terrific job all around!" Susan Noerdlinger

"Ilhan was truly outstanding and very caring." Asifa Kanji

"Ilhan was very caring and helpful. Ilhan's contributions to the success of the trip were often behind the scenes and might be taken for granted, but I know he was making things go smoothly. When my companion and I needed medical help he was superb in helping us get it, advocating for us, translating, etc. We were very grateful." Peyton Helm

"The crew and the local Turkish guide, Ilhan, made it a comfortable and fun trip with delicious meals, frequent swims and great service." Maggie Pax

"Ilhan was absolutely wonderful. Very charming and kind. Super helpful. Great company. Good fun. Articulate and knowledgeable. When he spoke on something e.g. early Christianity in Turkey, he was extremely interesting and captivating. Historically wise, he was clearly so knowledgeable on so many aspects. 100% a tip top amazing man! It was a wonderful trip, beautifully organised from start to finish and enhanced by our expert and our wonderful local guide. It will be with me for a very long time. Thank you Peter Sommer." Christine Turnbull

View Ilhan Varlik's Biography

How challenging is the walking on this tour?

Our Walking and Cruising the Lycian Shore journey is designed for guests who enjoy hiking on trails that are off the beaten track. Daily walks typically range between 5–6 miles (8–10km), and are for the most part sections of The Lycian Way, Turkey’s first national footpath, widely regarded as one of the best hiking trails in the world for its combination of stunning vistas, scenery, and the archaeological sites that litter the way. Surfaces are typically rocky, broken and uneven in places, so you do need to be fit with a good sense of balance, but the pace is unhurried, with plenty of time to enjoy the scenery, archaeology, and expert commentary.

The tour is rated 5 out of 5 on our intensity scale, meaning it is classed as intensive, our highest, most challenging rating. You can find out more by visiting the fitness levels page on our website.

Will there be opportunities to swim?

Absolutely, yes — and they are one of the great pleasures of this journey. Depending on the day’s schedule, the gulet will anchor in a quiet bay or cove in the morning or afternoon, giving you time for a refreshing swim in crystal‑clear turquoise waters before or after a hike. On some days, according to where we overnight, you can also choose to swim first thing in the morning before breakfast. As well as cabin towels, swimming towels are also provided, together with floats, kayaks and paddle boards ladders.

What is life like aboard the gulet?

Your home for the week is a beautiful traditional Turkish gulet, offering comfort, character, and a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. All cabins are en‑suite and there are generous deck spaces for dining, reading, or simply watching the coastline drift by. Meals are freshly prepared on board, featuring superb traditional Turkish dishes and local produce. The gulet travels with us along the Lycian coast, meeting us at the end of each day’s walk — so you can enjoy the pleasure of walking in breathtaking scenery, discovering ancient ruins by day and then returning to the serenity of the sea and our beautiful boat each evening.

Who leads this tour?

Your expert guides are archaeologists and historians, together with certified local guides, with long experience of working in Turkey. Their knowledge of Lycia from the ancient Lycian civilisation through the classical world of Greece and Rome, through the Byzantine, medieval and Ottoman periods together with the region’s living traditions brings the sites and landscapes vividly to life. Please click on the tour experts’ names under the tour dates to read full bios and testimonials.

What kind of archaeological sites will we visit?

Lycia is one of Turkey’s most evocative historical landscapes, and this tour brings you to a rich variety of sites — some famous, others wonderfully remote and barely studied. Expect to explore mountain-top cities, provincial capitals and once prosperous ports together with a wide variety of fortifications, aqueducts, ancient roads, Roman baths, Lycian, Greek and Roman tombs, and much else besides. Many of the historic locations are accessible only on foot and little visited, offering a rare chance to encounter antiquity in its most authentic and unspoilt setting.

What should I bring for the walks?

We recommend lightweight walking boots or sturdy trail shoes, a small daypack, sun hat, sunscreen, and comfortable clothing suitable for warm Mediterranean weather. Hiking poles can be useful if you are used to them. You’ll only need to carry water and personal items during the walks (your guides will bring suitable local snacks and arrange lunches where necessary) — everything else stays safely aboard the gulet. A detailed packing list and infopack will be sent to you well before departure.

Enquire now Request a Phone or Video Call

Highlights

Maximum 14 Guests
Cruising aboard an elegant traditional gulet
An expert guide throughout your journey
Hiking on one of the world's most renowned walking routes
Archaeological wonders: well known and off the beaten track
The turquoise coast of Turkey: beautiful and perfect for swimming

Testimonials

An excellent and well organised trip, that, strangely (and uniquely), catered for all tastes - walking, cruising, touring, architecture and history - in a happy and inclusive atmosphere. The catering and transport were excellent, as was the accommodation - which was also surprisingly spacious for a small boat. One felt as if one had been invited to cruise on their private yacht by old friends who had specially picked the other guests; and who were determined to cater for your every whim, while letting you enjoy the peace and serenity of the Lycian coast, about whose history and archaeology they were passionate.

Memo & Maria Spathis - Walking & Cruising Western Lycia

Lazy swimming in the warm waters of the Mediterranean, sailing under clear blue skies, walking to remote and ancient cities with an expert guide and finishing the day with a glass of wine and delicious Turkish food. The Walking the Lycian Shore holiday in Turkey provided all this and more, every day, for two wonderful weeks.

Carol Johnston - Walking the Lycian Shore

The beauty and history of Turkey combined with our guide's in-depth knowledge and attention to detail, the hiking , the swimming, the sailing and the friendliness of the crew and the people we met, combined to make one of our best holidays ever. Thank you.

TurkeyWalking and Cruising the Lycian Shore

Peter Sommer

What previous guests have to say about Peter:

Jesper Blid

What previous guests have to say about Jesper:

Cem Yücesoy