The Lycian Trail for many tourists opens the door to overseas travel. It does not leave any tourist indifferent, because the variety of landscapes and attractions just amazes! Here is something special for fans of mountain hiking and sea relaxation. Also, fans of ancient Greek and Roman history and mythology will not be left out.
The total length of the Lycian Trail is about 540 km, so it is customary to divide it into three parts: Western, Central and Eastern. Each of them has its own peculiarities. Our guide Igor Kolotukha repeatedly hiked all parts of Lycium and described each of them. Read, choose which one resonates more and hike through the Lycia with Kuluar!
The Lycian Peninsula has a long and very diverse history. Even in ancient times there was an ancient Lycian civilization, which was a union of Lycian cities - the Lycian League. The beginning of the existence of Lycia as a state dates back to the I millennium BC. Because of its rich lands, access to the sea and favorable climate, Lycia was constantly under the considerable influence of the Phoenician and Greek cities and later of the Persian kings. From time to time the Lycians succeeded in regaining their independence. In time, however, Lycia was annexed to the Roman Empire and became one of the early centers for the spread of Christianity. Later it was part of the Byzantine Empire and fell into a kind of decline with the arrival of the Arab conquerors, and finally in the 11th century it came under the rule of the Turks. Each civilization and each historical era has left a unique imprint of history on this land, which can be seen today.
The Lycian state at first consisted of about 70 cities. At the time of the numerous conquests, when Lycia became part of the Roman Empire, there were already only 23 major cities that played an important role in the history of the Union. Some of them still exist today, albeit in their modern form, and some have been wiped out forever. Despite the influence of many cultures over the course of their existence, the Lycians have long been able to maintain their authenticity, their beliefs and traditions. This is why the land of Lycia is still full of unique architectural and religious sites. Many myths and legends are associated with the Lycian state, different gods lived here. Also the Lycians played an important role in the Trojan War, as described in Homer's poem The Iliad.
In 2000, Kate Clow, an American who lived in Antalya, Turkey and was passionate about local ancient history, nature and trekking, published a guide book entitled "The Lycian Trail. Turkey's First Hiking Trail." The book describes about 500 kilometers of trail, following the former trade routes and roads of the ancient Lycian, Greek and Roman civilizations. The book also contains descriptions of preserved cultural and natural landmarks, places of interest along the route, and descriptions by day of how best to traverse the route. The Turkish authorities, who had plans to develop tourism on the Mediterranean coast, picked up on this initiative and took it upon themselves to support the marking of the route and began to add some new sections to it. The book proved so popular that a second and updated edition was published in 2014. And the Lycian Trail trek route is ranked among the ten most beautiful trails in the world by many ratings.
Today, the Lycian Trail is more than 540 kilometers long! It stretches from Fethiye in the west to Goykbairi in the east, just short of the city of Antalya. It will take a traveler at least 30-40 days to hike the entire length of the trail. Therefore, domestic tourists are traditionally divided into three parts: the Western, Central and Eastern. After all, overcome the entire route in one trip is not for everyone. So you have to choose, what scenery you have in priority - or sea bays, or mountain ranges, or the remains of ancient cities. True, all of these to a certain extent can be seen at any of the sites. Let's take a brief look at how the parts of the Lycian Trail differ and try to choose which one is more to your liking.
The trek along the western part of the trail starts conventionally from the town of Fethiye. The ruins of a fortress and several Lycian tombs remind us that the ancient Lycian city of Telmessos was once here. Today Fethiye is a regional administrative center with a large yacht port, a cozy waterfront, several beautiful beaches and a famous fish market. Fethiye is favorably visited by tourists from Western Europe, with many locals speaking English or German.
Near Fethiye is the Greek settlement of Kayakoy, abandoned in the early twentieth century and worth a visit. Also nearby is Oludeniz Bay with a very picturesque and famous beach. Here, a large number of paragliders land right on the sand, which take off from the high local mountain - Baba Dag. For a fee, travel agencies offer you a paragliding descent with an instructor.
The Lycian Trail passes just above the bay of Oludeniz, which allows you to see the incredible scenery around. In the nearby mountain village you can try the local gyozleme pancakes along with local honey and Turkish tea. In a few days you will come to the village of Faralla, where the Valley of Butterflies is located. It has a view from above. In the next village of Kabak you can take a dip in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, then continue along the trail and the local Taurus Mountains, watching beautiful sunsets. Eventually the route of the western trail will end in the large Patara Valley with a huge sandy beach. This valley is home to UNESCO World Heritage sites, namely the ruins of the city of Xanthos and the temple complex of Leton. These remains are quite well preserved and you can walk between the ancient columns of the temple of Artemis or Apollo, enter the almost entire amphitheater and wander in the necropolis of Xanthos.
The West Lycian Trail program lasts 10 days (70 km), of which 6 days with a backpack, the rest without. Lots of panoramic views and scenery. Four beaches for swimming. Several ancient ruins. Opportunity to fly a paraglider or take a boat trip. The difficulty is medium due to the noticeable altitude differences (but fewer kilometers per day). It is also the shortest route on the Lycian Trail of the three main ones.
The central part of the Lycian Trail conventionally runs from the town of Finike to the town of Kash. This is probably the least popular part of the trail. The first three days of trekking along the central trail are more difficult than the rest of the route because of the drops in elevation. The rest of the trail runs along the sea with minor climbs and descents.
The trek begins with the orange capital, the town of Finike. It was built on the site of one of the ancient cities, but unfortunately, no ruins remain. Subsequently, the trail leads us to the remains of the town of Belos, which today is surrounded by olive trees and pastures. From here we have a beautiful panoramic view of the town of Demre, which we will go to later. On the way we will also come across the ruins of the ancient church of Alakilise. But in Demre we can visit the famous church and shrine of St. Nicholas, who was the local bishop here during his life. On the outskirts of the city are the ruins of the ancient city of Mir, among which we can see the restored local amphitheater and Lycian tombs carved right into the rocks.
After Demre, the trail continues straight along the sea and comes to the old Greek village of Uchagiz, now inhabited by Turks. Near the settlement are the ruins of the Lycian tombs and the local fortress. It will also be very interesting to take a boat tour and see the neighboring ancient city of Kekova, which is slowly sinking under water. You will also be lucky enough to see other abandoned ancient cities, namely Aperlae and Apollonia. The hike ends in the picturesque town of Kash, which is nestled on a mountainside by the sea.
The program on the Central part of the Lycian Trail lasts 11 days (95 km), of which 7 full days with a backpack, the rest - without. Lots of places with ancient ancient ruins, generally little elevation gain (except for the first three days). Several comfortable beaches for swimming. Some panoramic views. Sea walk in one of the days. Medium difficulty thanks to the first three days.
The eastern part of the Lycian Trail (classic) is the most popular among tourists. This is primarily due to the proximity to Antalya airport, and the variety of landscapes on the route. Trekking along the eastern trail can be divided into two parts: mountainous and seaside. The mountainous part takes the first five days and passes at the highest peak in the vicinity - Mount Tahtali. Then the trail descends to the sea and passes through several seaside valleys.
The start of the trek begins in the suburb of Göynük with a tour of the local canyon. Here, water temperatures permitting, you'll have the opportunity to rent canyoning gear to hike upstream to a small waterfall. Then, after a few days in the local woods, you will get to the village Gedelme, where you can visit the old Genoese fortifications and the cave nearby. Then you will spend the night on Chukur-Yayla, on the slope of the majestic Tahtaly Mountain. On the top of the radial rise without backpacks, and then will be quite steep descent to the village Beychik. Passing through pomegranate orchards, we will get to the village Ulupinar, which is famous for its fish restaurants with fresh trout. Next, the trail will take us to the slopes of the mountain where tongues of fire burst out of the ground. This is the mythical creature Chimera, once defeated by an ancient Greek hero, trying to break free.
After Chimera the seaside part of the track begins. First you will get to Chirali village, which is famous for its large pebble beach, the ancient city of Olympos and orange orchards. This is where the big turtles come in season to lay their eggs. The sea here is beautiful and clean. There is an opportunity to take a boat tour of the nearby bays. After a day's rest, you can go to the next village of Adrasan, and appreciate the local bay and mountains. The final part of the route will go through the rocky Cape Helidonia with a beautiful white lighthouse to the small Pirate Bay.
The trekking program on the Eastern (classic) part of the Lycian Trail lasts 11 days (125 km), among them 7 full days with a backpack, the rest without. It is possible to reduce the number of days with a backpack. There is only one town with ancient ruins. In the first part on the way a lot of panoramic views, climbing to the top of Tahtala, the lights of Chimaera. In the second part a lot of sea, the opportunity to take a boat trip. In general, the difficulty is medium due to some elevation gain and a few long days.
The spring months are a great time to hike one of the Lycian Trail routes. As early as March, it is warm and comfortable enough for hiking. Everything around begins to bloom, which contrasts strongly with the gray landscapes of early spring, usual for the inhabitants of Eastern Europe. In April, the weather is most favorable to participate in treks on the Lycian Trail. The sea is not yet too warm, so only the toughest people will be able to swim for a long time. We recommend hiking along the Lycian Way until the second half of May. Then it starts to get really hot in the summer, and walking with a backpack under the scorching sun will be a torture.
Summer temperatures often reach 40 degrees or higher even in the shade, so only the most desperate of heat-seekers can hike in the Lycia. But we have a great alternative that will allow you to enjoy the sights of the region in the most comfortable conditions. We are talking about traveling to Lycian way by car.. In this itinerary, we make moves during the hottest hours of the day and enjoy walks and swimming in the sea in the morning and evening. An added bonus of this format is the opportunity to see all 3 parts of the Lycian Trail in one trip.
The autumn months are probably the ideal time of year to explore the Lycian Trail. This is especially true in October and November, because in September on the southern coast of Turkey it is still summer. The weather in autumn is not as hot as in summer, and the sea is still as warm. The average daytime air temperature is around +25, which is optimal for hiking and trekking. Another perk of fall travel in Lykijk is the abundance of fresh fruit. In November, it gets noticeably cooler at night and the number of rainy days increases, so be sure to take raincoats and warm clothes for overnight stays.
In winter, the Mediterranean coast of Turkey is also quite comfortable to travel on foot. The temperature by the sea almost never drops below zero, the amount of precipitation is not too high. Therefore, with proper preparation it is quite possible to go hiking on the Lycian Trail, including the New Year. The main problem of this time of year is the short daylight hours, which leaves little time for day hikes.
The most important thing for comfortable hiking on the Lycian Trail is the right footwear. You will need good trekking sneacers with a thick fluted sole and good foot support (as much as possible in sneakers). Please do not take sneakers, moccasins, or other city shoes.
Otherwise, the list of gear and clothing for hiking in Lycik is the same as for hiking in other warm regions. You can see the detailed list of necessary things on the page of each of our routes.
Many people start their hiking experiences in other countries from the Lycian Trail. This is not surprising. After all, Lycium can satisfy any desire. If you want mountain scenery, you will get it in full, and you can even climb to the top of Tahtaly Dagh 2365 m. If you like historical sites - no problem. You will meet many ruins of ancient Lycian cities, some of which are preserved in rather good condition, while others are only a few ruined walls. Also, the Lycian Trail will appeal to lovers of ancient myths and legends, because each place is associated with Greek or Roman gods or even mythical creatures. As proof, just look at the Chimera lights that burst out of the ground. However, there is something to surprise and beach tourists who love the sea vacation - the incredible beaches, wild deserted bays, clear azure water.
Also hiking along the Lycian Trail will be ideal for hiking with children in Turkey. After all, small transitions without sudden drops in altitude and a variety of nature contribute to this. Your children will be able to get acquainted with the unique flora and fauna, to hold a turtle in his hands. And also almost every day to swim in the warm gentle waters of the Mediterranean Sea on sandy shores with a smooth entrance. Warm Turkish nights and fresh air will contribute to the best rest and a comfortable sleep in tents for your children.
Although you can go camping in Turkey all year round, still comfortable months are March-May and September-October. After all, in summer it is very hot, the temperature in the open areas can rise above 40 degrees and most sources of drinking water dries up, and in winter it can often rain or snow. So you won't have much fun in these conditions. But in the spring, everything begins to bloom, all the mountain slopes are covered with a green carpet of colorful flowers. The water warms up to a comfortable bathing temperature closer to the middle of April. Although at the tops of the mountains snow may lie until June. In the autumn, although most of the grass has already turned yellow and dried in the hellish sun, the air is filled with the scents of pine trees, and in the gardens ripening pomegranates and oranges. The sea is very pleasant and warm.
In general we can say that hiking in Lycian Peninsula is a unique combination of active recreation in the mountains, by the sea and with a lot of historical and natural attractions around. Turkey is a very hospitable country that will allow you to spend a pleasant and budget-friendly two-week vacation. Choose your perfect itinerary and join our hikes!
Kuluar - your life-changing mountain experience!
