Autotour in Turkey is a trip for those who want a mix: to climb a mountain and relax by the sea. Who enjoys exploring places that not many people are familiar with. Who can't spend all day on a sun lounger, wants to go to the mountains, loves nature and can't imagine being in a big hotel today. And this is probably the trip whose format allows you to invite a friend from the "all inclusive" universe and show him 1000 stars from the tent!
An active adventure with cars and an experienced team who have traveled more than 10,000 km on the roads of Southern Turkey. Explored almost everything, in bays large and small. We have explored the Lycian Trail with all its distractions and little-visited sections. We know a lot about insta-locations and gastro-tourism! Better yet, we can organize a night under the stars and bring good people together. And perhaps offering the only way to cover the west, central and east trails in just 9 days, visiting places that sometimes remain unreachable on hikes.
The Lycian Trail can also be hiked with a backpack. It is gorgeous and an experience in any format. And as its popularity grows, guesthouses, campgrounds, and roads grow. Places where tents stood as recently as last season have already been fenced off for store construction. The appeal of backpacking transitions is changing, and the search for new experiences and built roads are opening up a new travel format!
On our autotrip in Turkey we are not giving up on tents and the magic of evenings by the fire, we will walk most of the day. Cars allow us to reach beautiful places, clear sea, high mountains. But they are only part of the big plan and the main time we are in active trekking:
Thanks to the transfers by car we will be able to visit the most interesting places and enjoy our stay in Turkey
The opportunity to fully concentrate on the beauty of Turkey, forgetting about all the organizational issues.
We do not cancel or shift groups. If the manager approved the purchase of a ticket, you can surely buy it. The hike will not be canceled due to our fault.
The manager has been in many trips and will advise you knowledgeably.
Travel under the guidance of experienced teamleaders who know the region well and have repeatedly conducted tours of Turkey by car.
During the club work, we have developed an algorithm, that allows you to maximize the quality of the organization of hikes and climbs. You can see this for yourself by applying for participation in the auto-tour in Turkey.
The opportunity to save significantly, going on a trip with Kuluar.
More than 12,000 participants have already gone to the mountains with the Kuluar and 97,8% were satisfied
Great savings in the future
Most charter and scheduled flights touch Turkish soil early in the morning. Around 7:00 we are served the cars directly to the airport. We tolerate the flight and the change of climate differently, and so we will enter the rhythm of adventure with a minimum of strain. After an hour on the expressway, we arrive at the opening of a familiar place, a fish and vegetable shop. We show in the window at the desired, cooked on coals. It's a little bit to the private beach with showers and chillas in the shade of pine trees, two meters from the Mediterranean Sea! Afternoon nap, swimming, and before sunset we go for a walk in (or near) the Valley of the Butterflies. Overnight in the pines, gaining 1000 m all the way up into the mountains.
We must have had a cozy evening and will wake up today fully rested. Beautiful, narrow road with no oncoming traffic, exactly the same as the classic Lycian Trail route. Lots of stops for photos and meeting people with backpackers. By lunchtime, we turn to places off the markings and maps - the ancient cities of Lycia. See the ruins and wondering how those slabs got raised so high! :)
It's half-day and we haven't had a swim? Let's fix that! We go to a town with thousands of greenhouses, the locals turn their heads in our direction and wonder about the Europeans. For 10 lira we order a dish from a family that has worked in this cafe for generations, and after buying fruits, we start making our way to the sea. Exactly wading, slowly and with pumping. At the beginning there is a dirt road waiting for us, washed out after a difficult winter. And parking the cars, there is a view of 20-meter bloats of sand. You can give an example and put a geolocation on instagram - the Sahara. This beach has big, ocean waves and an experienced guy kiting in the distance. For the overnight stay, we move to a grove under the olives, where a mini tree house (2 seats) and a tent site with a view of the mountains is chopped up.
Probably the only morning when it is good to wake up early. On our way there are places visited by many tourists, but they are not brought "packaged" until lunchtime. And the canyons and waterfalls without people look attractive in the rising sun. Our hike through probably the largest canyon in Turkey will take about 3 hours, we will not hurry. In some places we will help each other to climb to a height of 2-3m by giving us a hand. And next to the rocks flowing water sometimes turning into large waterfalls. The place is fantastic and we will go out of it under impression.
We take a break from the physical exertion on the route. The drivers switch on the music in accordance with the mood and drive out along the winding road to the two-thousand meter mountains. Let's remind you that the whole route is a ring from Dalaman to Dalaman, and in order to drive always on new sections, not going back, today we will drive the biggest section, about 200km. Approaching the high mountains, we stop at a trout farm, making a late lunch reservation (+-15:30). Masters grill fish and vegetables, and we walk at an unaccustomed altitude in Turkey, over 2000m. The scenery has changed, instead of green trees, brown rocks, waterfalls and lakes. It is cool even in summer, and we had better go further, where it is warm.
Closer in the evening, after 2 hours of unusual road, we stop at a large town. There we have a choice of a place to stay overnight - a camping or a hotel. The price is surprisingly similar. And of course, the choice of almost all groups is hotel rooms, where there will be a washing machine. Ending the evening can be spent at an adult amusement park.
Like yesterday, the morning begins with the canyon. However, it is so different! The walls are narrower, there is more water and some people are advised to wear a wetsuit. You can and should swim here. There are safe rocks from which you can jump and have fun to the fullest. And the way to and from the canyon we will spend in jeeps, passing the Lycian Trail markers.
The second part of the day is relaxing at the beach. We stop at the paradise spot where backpackers most often end up and stay at the campsite. At sunset we climb higher and higher, to a secret place and probably the most beautiful spot for pictures. The sea and the mountains are uniquely combined here. Here, in the absence of waves you can enter the water and swim with a huge number of sea creatures. And in the evening, in complete darkness, we go to the place where natural gas bursts out and ignites. A large number of tongues tear the darkness. It will be warm and even stuffy there, and as we descend, most of us will want to go into the night sea.
Will we climb 2350 m? The plan is to climb to the top of Tahtala. We will get a lift to a modern funicular, 30 minutes and we are at the level of the clouds. Of course, this summit is very valuable when reaching it with backpacks in a hike. But we don't lose our form and do our feat! After taking photos and marveling at the 360 panorama, we begin the hike down. It passes through the Lebanese cedars, - unique trees that give off a strong scent and are different from anything we have seen before. Meeting them for many is the key to the day! Already at sunset, we go into the tree restaurant, order national dishes and discuss - we are only five days in Turkey, and so much more! Overnight in the same campsite, we did not pack tents.
Someone is still asleep, but we walk around the ancient city by the sea. Some of its sections stand in pristine condition, without seeing the hand of a restorer, with ivy attached to them and in some places you want to have a machete. Fantastic panoramas of the modern villages below and the blue sea. Tired of hopping through the ruins, we move to the beaches, making stops to bathe and take a shower. In the evening, after the road by the sea (section Finike - Demre, did you read about it?) we get to the town of Mira with the Greco-Roman theater. Then we go to a campsite of a German, who makes a wonderful dinner on coals. The highlight of the place - is the view of the sea.
We go to a private yacht and go out to sea. Swimming at the shore, jumping off the ramp. Two hours of rest and comfortable sun on the waves, we enter Kekewa Bay. We slowly sail over the sunken city and the tombs that protrude from the water. By lunchtime, we settle into a swanky campsite that is approached almost every day by large carreta carreta turtles. We swim and walk around the small town nearby.
It will be hard to say "goodbye" to the overnight site today, and many will want to return. The route along the Lician Way by car continues along a winding road along the sea. Soon, will show the beach, which is actively developed, invested in its cleaning and sun loungers. For those who vacation in the hotel and buy a 40 euro trip here, in comparison with the pool, the beach seems wow-wow. And we, tempted by previous places, will compare and add to our rating a place called Kaputas.
Our route fits the previously familiar places, almost made the ring. We stop at the Oludeniz town. On the first day we saw paragliders flying, and it was our turn! We reached almost 2000m. It is the best launching spot and people from all over the world come here for 30 minutes in the air. This is the best point to sum up all the experiences along the way. Tomorrow we go back home, have a party.
Nine days have passed since our start. Those who plan to leave in the afternoon will stay at the campground near the airport, and with the rest of us we hit the dirt roads closer to the reserve and try to hunt blue crab. We hike the long beach, eat delicacies and swim in the Aegean Sea. There are virtually no moves, we stay completely still, getting a perfect tan staying on the beach without people. Departure is possible after 21:00.
If you go to Turkey, then with Kuluar!
Depending on the weather conditions, condition and general wishes of the group, the teamleader has the right to make changes to the route.
Approaches and approaches to the best parts of the Lycian Trail for 500 kilometers. Especially interesting for those who have hiked there. To see what was left unreached on foot. Resort towns from Antalya to Dalaman and their underside, fishing villages, tomato plantations, olive groves.
This is the alternative Turkey that is not shown in the announcements. The emphasis is on coves outside the cities and places little visited by tourists in Vietnamese. A useful skill for a team leader is to improvise professionally. There is a detailed plan and the ability to adjust it flexibly to the mood of the team and the influence of the weather.
During the trip we can drive up to 1100km on good asphalt and about 300km on mixed, sometimes not very good surface - tile and clay. Our cars are sedans, 3 participants and 1 driver, or minibuses 8 + 1 in a comfortable configuration. The driver can be a participant. Group size = seats in the car. Almost always collect four cars or 14 people + 2 team leaders.
In the morning, we wake up at the sea, in our tents. Most of them are campsites with showers and electricity. There will be also places in the pine forest, where we will arrange our own life. In the afternoon we stroll around the ancient cities (ruins), swim in the sea or sleep longer.
In the afternoon, a siesta for the participants in the car seats. The cars are comfortable in the afternoon, when the sun is already burning. There will be interesting tasks for the drivers and a task for navigators - to sort out the maps and guide the crew on dirt roads. Every day we change cars and places by recommendation - there will be no "who jumped in first next to the driver, that's where he goes all day" situation. Passing the farm, again we buy dinner, lots of seasonal fruits, vegetables, fish and exotic foods.
The evening is for the best walks. There will be plenty of mountains. Hikes to the peaks, cliffs or coves. Often right by the cars and in a beautiful spot we will be able to camp. Or, back to the cars, we'll drive out to a new campground. There will be board games, and after dinner we'll sit down to them with new friends!
After the Lycian Trail program by car, we recommend the following routes:
As always, we recommend that you buy your tickets in advance, but only after we confirm your participation in the trip. The cheapest way to fly to Turkey is the low-cost airline Pegasus. They fly from Kharkov, Kiev and Lvov from Ukraine. They do not fly direct, but with a connection in Istanbul. But there is nothing wrong with that. Tickets start at 150 euros each way and you'd better buy them in advance. Allowed luggage: 20 kg + 10 kg of hand luggage.
Another good low-cost airline is Onur Air; it also flies from Odessa and connects with Istanbul. Allowed luggage: 30 kg + 10 kg of hand luggage.
From Kiev and other cities in Ukraine you can also fly with wings of Turkish Airlines. It will be a little more expensive.
Our recommendations for flight selection services can be found in this article
You need good insurance to participate in the program. Please do not neglect this item. For some participants, it saved thousands of dollars. You can find our recommendations for taking out insurance here: "Insurance for Kuluar hikers"
The official money of Turkey - Turkish lira, but almost everywhere you can pay in dollars at the rate similar to the official. However you should have some amount of lira with you (it will be useful in the stores on the route in small villages), and it is better to change it in the exchange office at the bus station. By no means change it directly at the airport - the rate there is simply robbery! Take small currency with you, cab drivers will be happy to accept it. One dollar is about seven Turkish Liras.
Ukrainians and Belarusians need only a valid passport to enter Turkey!
We wake up, open a personal meal, pour coffee and have time to take a dip in the sea. In places close to the cafe, walk around and have a Turkish breakfast kahvaltı (included);
Lunch at delicious kebab and vegetable places. Turkish food is more than affordable. By 20 or even 30% cheaper than most cafes in our cities, and the taste and quality is amazing. We stop by familiar places while driving, perhaps order online or, even better, stop by seasonal vegetable stalls. Everyone chooses their best meal (not included) and form a menu.
Dinners are shared, delicacies from the local market. We cook over charcoal, boil and roast in dishes that are provided in advance by the organizer. Teamleader makes a proposal for a dish, we buy from the common budget, we cook together (not included).
Most of our overnight stays are at equipped sites. These are campgrounds with level sites, electricity, and showers. There will be a few campsites where we can use a washing machine. In the evening we sit down at tables and use the barbecues.
The advantage of the campsites - is the service. But there are beautiful places where you want to pitch a tent for an unforgettable sunset. And it happens, there is no worse than in a camping *, except for shower :) And here our knowledge of the locals helps - before the night camping we will go to their homes, paying +-1$ for the shower. Also, every day after the salty sea we bathe in fresh water.
*+ There is an opportunity to stay in guest houses every day (extra budget).
The total amount of additional expenses not included in the price will be up to 150 € - depending on how to eat in cafes and how many souvenirs to buy. We advise you to change money before you go to exchange offices with a fixed rate. The exchange rate at the airport is not very good. At the café you can eat for about 10-15 €. If you have a sweet tooth you'll probably want to bring home a lot of oriental delicacies.)
To book a place in the group you need to make an advance payment of 100 euros. Methods of payment here. The rest of the hike can be paid by transfer to the card (not later than a week before the start) or handed over to the instructor on the first day of the hike. In case of cancellation of the hike or departure from the route the money is not refundable.
Friends, please attention, that we will not accept 500 euro bills, as they are not accepted in many countries. And when paying with dollars, pick up bills of 2003 or newer. Dollars from the 90's are not accepted in many countries and we sometimes have problems when paying with local partners. Thank you for your understanding and new dollars to all:)
*Please attention: It is not the manager's job to select a separate flight for each participant. The manager gives general recommendations based on his/her experience and shares the flights of other participants, so that you can fly together. It's up to the participant to select and purchase his own convenient airfare. If you want the manager to buy you a ticket, book a hotel or an additional excursion, read the terms and conditions on the page: additional services.
