Sailing into Butterfly Valley
One lady who travelled on our Cruising the Lycian Shore was so enchanted with her short strolls along the Lycian Way, Turkey’s first long distance footpath, that she demanded a trip with more walking. So we created this tour which charts the same coast in Turkey, but visits different sites with the emphasis on more trekking. It has proved a tremendous success every year we have run it since it was devised in 2006.
Rated by The Sunday Times as one of the ten best walks in the world, the Lycian Way follows 500km of ancient trails and mule roads that linked the region before the coming of the car. We follow some of its very best stretches, averaging about 5-6 miles walking a day, with a beautiful gulet ever present offshore, providing elegant transport, dining and accommodation.
View towards the theatre at Pinara
This is a dream trip for walkers and sailors alike, with fabulous swims and stunning archaeology thrown in for good measure. We’ll stroll along Roman roads, retrace the routes of 2,000 year old aqueducts, and follow in the footsteps of characters from Alexander the Great to modern day shepherds.
On foot we will be able to discover many of the truly remote archaeological sites, like Phellos ‘stony place’, a small town perched precariously on a pinnacle, or Apollonia, a wild ancient place, with a grand necropolis. More often than not we’ll be the only people exploring such ruins.
From footpaths by the coast, to goat tracks high up in the hills, this archaeological gulet cruise in Turkey is sure to be packed full of breathtaking panoramas.
Day 1: 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: A chance to unwind in the Bay of Fethiye.
Day 3: We set sail east to explore the ghost town of Kaya, abandoned by its Greek inhabitants in 1923. Walk back to the gulet near Gemiler Island, an area perfect for swimming.
Day 4: We drive inland to the impressive ancient ruins of Sidyma, a 2,500 year old Lycian city that surrounds a modern farming village. Then back to our gulet for a swim.
Day 5: Up the Xanthos valley to Pinara, where a mighty cliff riddled with tombs stands guard over one of the most striking and spectacularly situated archaeological sites.
Day 6: East to investigate Apollonia, where a an ancient Greek theatre stands between a Byzantine fortress and several churches. Then a walk through a wild moonscape back to the sea.
Day 7: We cruise by Kekova Island then stroll through ancient burial grounds to the Ottoman castle at Kale. One of the most romantic stops of the holiday.
Day 8: We visit Sura, site of a famous fish oracle dedicated to Apollo, then trek along a beautiful stretch of coast to ancient Istlada and our waiting boat.
Day 9: Inland to one of the most remarkable Lycian towns, mountain-top Kyaenai. We overnight in Kaş, a picturesque town and ancient harbourage.
Day 10: The longest hike of the tour, but well worth the effort. Up to the lost city of Phellos and along a high ridge. Stunning views abound.
Day 11: A wondrous walk retracing the route of the Roman aqueduct to Patara. A sunset dip offers a refreshing finale. Overnight in the pretty harbour at Kalkan.
Day 12: We hike from Faralya to Kabak through beautiful woodland abundant with cyclamens.
Day 13: A glorious final trek across the shoulder of of of Babadaĝ (Father Mountain) to Ovacık. Breathtaking views all day long.
Day 14: A day of total leisure aboard our splendid gulet, sailing and swimming. We moor in Fethiye for a final chance to shop.
Day 15: Transfer back to Dalaman airport.
Further information about the Walking
Unlike our standard gulet cruises, there is a significant amount of walking 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. You do need to be fit with a good sense of balance. There are some long stretches of uphill and downhill walking. 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 walks 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 walking (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.
Arrival and Departure Information
Arrival Airport - Dalaman
Departure Airport - Dalaman
We recommend you arrive at the gulet in Göcek (approx 30 minutes from Dalaman airport) in the late afternoon/evening on September 28th, and leave the boat in Fethiye (approx 60 minutes from Dalaman airport) first thing in the morning of October 12th. We will arrange local transfers from Dalaman 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 such as Turkish Airlines the national flag carrier in Turkey and there are alternative flights to and from Istanbul with some of Turkey’s low cost airlines such as Atlas Jet, and Onur Air
Arriving Saturday Sept 28
Depart İstanbul / Atatürk 16:45 arrive Dalaman 18:05 TK2558 Turkish Airlines
Departing Saturday Oct 12
Depart Dalaman 08:35 arrive Istanbul / Atatürk 09:55 TK2553 Turkish Airlines
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: +1 773 972 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 online at eVisa or on arrival at Istanbul or other local airports. A visa costs £10 for UK Nationals, $20 for USA Nationals and AUS $60 for Australian Nationals. Only US dollars and Euros are accepted at the airports and visas must be paid for in cash. UK passport holders can also pay in Sterling. Once you have arrived in the terminal, do remember to obtain your visas before queuing up for immigration control.
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.
