Lycia on foot and by boat

Arrival at Dalaman airport, where your guide welcomes you.

You then head towards Fethiye, a port situated at the end of a bay, on the site of the ancient Telmessos, one of the main cities of ancient Lycia.

Upon your arrival at the quays, you are welcomed by the crew of your caïque, traditional schooner of the eastern Mediterranean. You discover your double cabins equipped with shower and toilet facilities, then get to know the captain, the cook and the cabin boy.

You thus prepare yourself to experience your first night at sea.

Depending on your flight schedule, dinner is planned aboard the boat or during the flight.

First gentle sailing towards the Ekincik Cove.

After approximately three hours at sea, you enjoy swimming moments in a natural setting.

Dinner and overnight stay at anchor in a small cove nearby.

After breakfast and a morning swim, a boat takes you across the bay, the starting point of your hiking between coast and hills to the ancient site of Kaunos (Caunos).

You visit this site restored by a team of Turkish archaeologists (entrance: 8 lira), where you also have your picnic.

Hiking time: approximately 3 hours

Total elevation gain: 250 meters

At the foot of the hill, you find your boat and navigate along the Dalyan River until you reach the foot of the cliff facing the village, where you observe the Lycian tombs.

You then sail back down the river through a bird sanctuary bordered by reeds, until you reach Isuzu Beach, a sea turtle nesting site in May.

From the beach, you cross the bay to rejoin your boat.

At this stage, the wind and sea conditions determine how the day unfolds.

If conditions permit, you will sail for approximately four hours to Aga Limani Bay, where you enjoy swimming before dinner and spend the night at anchor in a cove.

If sailing is not feasible, you remain at Ekincik Creek, with swimming moments and a sunset, followed by dinner and the night on board. In this case, the schooner sets sail early in the morning (around 4:30 am) to reach Aga Limani, where you have breakfast upon arrival, around 8:30 am.

You start your hike at 10am, with your picnic, towards Binlik Bay.

Along the way, you discover the ruins of an ancient city founded by Greek colonists, which is believed to have been named Ikarios. Tombs in the shape of temples, Ottoman cisterns and Roman ruins testify to the successive occupations of these hills.

You also cross rural areas dotted with sheepfolds and isolated farms, before descending back to the coast and passing along several coves until you reach your boat's mooring place.

Walking time: approximately 3 hours

Total elevation gain: 250 m

You enjoy a moment of swimming and rest before dinner and your night aboard the boat.

After breakfast and a morning swim, you depart at 9:30 AM by canoe to the shore, then on foot for a hike on the hills offering views over Göcek Bay.

You progress along ridges, cross areas dotted with caves and tombs, then take a picnic break in the shade of a carob tree.

The descent continues through vegetation composed of pines, oaks and Mediterranean species down to the Cleopatra's Baths (Sacred Pool of Hierapolis), where you can enjoy a moment of swimming.

Hiking time: approximately 3 hours

Total elevation gain: 350 m

Your canoe brings you back to the gulet, where you enjoy a moment of relaxation and swimming before resuming navigation towards Fethiye.

You then anchor in Bonjouk Creek, where you dine and spend the night.

Your day's hike takes you, along an ancient Lycian trail, to the abandoned village of Krakatoy, where approximately 1,500 ruined houses compose a unique landscape. This is the former Lycian city of Karmylassos, which became the city of Levissi under the Byzantine Empire.

This stage also allows you to better understand the population exchanges that occurred in the 1920s between Greece and Turquie, during the latter's creation.

You then continue by ascending a pass leading to an Orthodox chapel, before descending through the terrain to the Cold Waters, a spring water resurgence at the water's edge, where your schooner awaits you.

Walking time: approximately 5 hours

Elevation gain: 500 m

A voyage of approximately one and a half hours brings you to the Island of Saint-Nicolas (Gemiler Adası), also called Gemiler Island.

You dock and visit this site where numerous structures, churches, and dwellings are concentrated. A collection of buildings was erected here by the Byzantines between the 4th and 6th centuries, before being occupied by the crusaders of Saint-John of Jerusalem in the 12th century.

From the summit, you can observe the sunset.

Return aboard the boat for dinner and the night.

A short hike concludes your walks in Lycia.

You walk along the cliff overlooking the beach of Ölüdeniz, known for its clear sand and turquoise waters. This stage includes a picnic and swimming time.

Walking time: approximately 2 hours

You return to your boat for your last night on board.

After breakfast, you head towards Dalaman, where you board your return flight.