Eastern Lycian Way

Introduction
Mediterranean Turkey You can join our epic adventure on Eastern part of Lycian Way. The Lycian Way (Turkish: Likya Yolu) is a marked long-distance trail in southwestern Turkey around part of the coast of ancient Lycia.
‌The whole way is about 540 km. We’ll cover roughly 200 km of the distance or so-called Eastern Lycian Way starting from Kuzdere and around Olympos (Tahtali) mountain passing Ovacik, Gedelme, Beycik, Cirali, Tekirova and Camyuva. ‌We’ll visit one of the Licain cities named Phaselis, Bizanthene castle in Gedelme, 2000-year old trees and caves, breathtaking panoramas of wild bays and rocky forests. We’ll cross Tahtali mountain at 2000m high point and experience 3 climate zones within one day.

We offer the full package for 7 or 8 days to discover this famous trekking route on horseback. In some places we will meet local people and tourists, some sections are open for backpackers only.

Fun facts:
‌Lycia was a region on the Western Taurus Mountains in Teke Peninsula at southwestern Anatolia on the Mediterranean Sea coast, located in what are today the provinces Muğla and Antalya. According to historians, Lycian people lived in the prehistoric Late Bronze Age. They built city-states along the Mediterranean Sea coast and formed the Lycian League. ‌Thanks to their strategic location, they had best opportunities for sea trade and even piracy. In later times, the region of Lycia was occupied by the Persian Empire, Ancient Greece, and then controlled by Ancient Rome, Byzantine Empire, Seljuk Empire, and finally the Ottoman Empire. Rock-cut tombs on cliff walls and sarcophagi in the region testify to the Lycian civilization.

Accomodation

Accommodation & food: boutique hotel with breakfast, lunch and dinner included on the first 2 days and the last day of the program, guesthouses/camping on the trail route.

Riding

Please mind weight restrictions. This is an expedition trip. Once we are off the ranch we can't change the horse. Weight control will be applied to all riders upon arrival. Riders exceeding weight limit will not be allowed to ride with no refund.

Riders should be experienced and able to canter, and be able to saddle up their own horse.

Emergency cases: if rider does not cope with the program or has health issues on the route or wishes to quit the trail because of personal reason he/she is taken back at his/her own cost. Transfer cost, horse transportation cost, extra days in the hotel should be covered by the rider. In case of horse injury, it will be replaced by trail operator at its own cost.

Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival Day
Transfer from Antalya airport to Kemer, check-in, welcome dinner and rest in the hotel. We’ll accommodate in the oldest ranch of the area conquered by the city and renovated to the hotel but still keeping its atmosphere: jungle, birds, garden and stable converted to modern gym. No riding today.

Day 2: Pre-ride and orientation.
Breakfast, meeting horses, riding and safety brief, brushing and saddling-up.
We’ll ride in the forest around Kuzdere for 2 hours to check group skills and pick up appropriate horses for further trip. We’ll see orange and pomegranate gardens, ruins of ancient village, springs and small palm forest.
Pace: walk, trot, canter.
After the ride we’ll have short brief on the trail with detailed instructions about the rout, things to pack etc.
Lunchtime our guests can relax near the pool or at the beach and pack for trail.
Later we’ll go together for sightseeing tour to Chimera mountain at dawn and Olympos antique city. This is the last day in the hotel.

Day 3: Gedelme village and castle.
Let the trail begin. We start right after breakfast and check-out from the hotel. We’ll meet you at the stable at 11.00. You will prepare your horse, pack saddle bag and pass your trail baggage to safety car before dispatch. You can leave the stuff you don’t need for trail separately; guide will keep it safe until you return. Your stuff for trail will go with safety car, you will have it on every camping stop.
After 1,5-2 hours riding, we arrive to beautiful Kesme Bogazi canyon with mountain river. You can drink clean fresh water, swim and make pictures. This is also our lunch break. After that we start climbing the highest mountain of the region — Tahtali (2365 meters above the sea level). The road goes up and perfect for trot and canter. It will take us about 2.5-3 hours.
First stop is in the village called Gedelme. There we see a byzantine castle and very old platan trees (about 2000 years old) and authentic 150 years old local village house that will shelter us at night.
Dinner will be cooked on fire and served at the terrace. While guides are cooking riders feed and brush horses and prepare tack for the next day.
Pace: walk, trot, canter.

Day 4. Lycian Switzerland [for 7 days program we skip this location]
After breakfast we’ll head to the hidden valley with shepherd’s house close to Ovacik village. We’ll see how highlanders live and run crazy galop on green meadow. This is also perfect place for shooting and capturing your gallops.
After lunch in the valley we’ll head up to our camping place in platan forest.
Totally the ride today will take about 5 hours.
This night we’ll spend in the tents. And traditionally we’ll take care of horses first.
Pace: walk, trot, canter and long fast gallop.

Day 5: Touch the sky.
We start with breakfast and feeding and preparing horses. After that we climb Tahtali mountain again. This day we have our highest point up to 2000m. The weather is changing and we are reaching the territory without the trees covered with clouds you can literally touch. We will have lunch break on the top and let horses eat juicy grass in the highland meadows.
After reaching the highest point we start to move down till we reach Beycik — a village with beautiful mountain and sea view. We make a break there, eat, take care of the horses, take shower and stay in the village for sleeping in the bungalows. Finally, we can enjoy hot shower and internet. The ride will take us around 6 hours.
Pace: walk and trot mostly, short gallops.

Day 6: Secret bays.
The rout is getting down to the sea level. The ride takes 6 hours minimum with lot of walking. The road is surrounded with beautiful bays and untouched nature. You can see sparking rocks full of metal here, underground river coming to surface and flowers growing on the rocks. The forest along the seaside will let you think you are in Tanzania.
After crossing the biggest bay, we arrive to the turtle bay for one night – the bay where baby-turtles are born. This is national park and only backpackers allowed. Sometimes you see no people at all on this day. Tents and food are already prepared there. Riders can swim with/without horse.
Pace: walk and trot on the way, canter on the beach (we’ll make nice pics and videos).

Day 7: Antique Phaselis
Starting our way to the ranch. On the way we cross five bays with marvelous view and an ancient city of Phaselis. The most curious riders can enter the city.
It is possible to make a lunch break there. After lunch we are coming back to the ranch trotting and galloping through the village of Tekirova. The ride takes around 6 hours. There will be some part on town road.
This night we’ll spend in comfortable hotel.
Pace: walk, trot, canter.

Day 8: Departure
Good-bye day. Riders check-out and transferred to the airport. We can buy souvenirs on our way.
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‌NOTE: Program can be adjusted to seasonal weather conditions or riders’ specific requirements to stay longer at best locations.
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Rates and Dates for Eastern Lycian Way

Dates Note: Other dates as private tour upon request. We run the program all year round.
Trails for 8 days can be transformed into 7 days and wise versa — duration of the tour can be set up upon the first reservation.

Other Info
Meeting: Antalya airport
Airport: Antalya airport
Transfer: Antalya airport

Climate: