Global Adventure - Trek Turkey's Lycian Way

Continue on to this adventure from the Istanbul-Carian Way trekking adventure, or fly into Dalaman Turkey via Istanbul.  Arrive no later than Sunday April 19, 2020, and transfer to our hotel in the pastoral village of Kayakoy.  We’ll end our trek in Antalya on April 29, spend the next day touring the ruins of Termessos and a Neolithic cave nearby, then fly out of Antalya on March 2, 2020.

Itinerary Highlights:   Most people think of Turkey for its mosques, ancient ruins and fantastic joining of eastern and western cultures.  What many may not know is that Turkey is also a growing trekking destination, with well-marked historic trails, great services and no crowds!  The Lycian Way is the oldest and best of Turkey's long historical trekking trails.

Our 11-day sampling of the Lycian Way will include the best 96 miles, starting at the western end at Oludeniz (above the famous Blue Lagoon), and ending with an optional non-technical climb to the top of Mt Olympos and descent into the seaside town of Antalya to the east.  Our route spends much of its time climbing and descending between white-sand coves and cliffs and bluffs covered with wildflowers and offering panoramic views across the aqua blue Mediterranean to islands off the coast.  We’ll pass through villages where the same pastoral lifestyle persists from centuries ago.  We’ll wander by old Roman cisterns and follow the 10-mile course of a Roman acqueduct that remains water-tight today.  And scattered all along the route, among the fields, trees and wild flowers, are the tumbled remains of Lycian civilization including ornately carved sarcophagi with their lids resting in the flowers.  We’ll board a boat and cruise for two hours over the sunken ruins of Kekova, taking a swim in the warm waters along the way, and ending the day  in the hillside town of Simena with a castle on top built by the Knights of Rhodes.  We’ll visit the ruins of a 10^th century church now surrounded by grazing sheep and a nomadic herders camp.  We’ll see stunning frescoes in a 6^th century church dedicated to St Nicholas.  And there’s so much more!

Our route ascends to the top of coastal ridges and bluffs and descends to the seacoast multiple times along the way – approx. 16,000’ total elevation gain and loss, on exceptionally rough and rocky trails. Trekking days will range from 6 to 12 miles with 250’ to over 3000’ daily gain.  Minibus transport will connect the various trail segments, and our luggage will be transported for us and food prepared for us along the way, so that we only need to carry a light daypack. Along the way we’ll stay in simple village hotels and homes, eat tasty local foods simply prepared, and enjoy the warm hospitality of the Turkish people. 

A note about personal security and insurance:  The US Department of State has had a level 3 advisory in place for Turkey since July of 2018 based on civil unrest, periodic terrorist attacks (sometimes targeting Western tourists) and occasional detentions of citizens and tourists for alleged affiliations with terrorist organizations based on scant or secret evidence and grounds that appear to be politically motivated. U.S. citizens have also been subject to travel bans that prevent them from departing Turkey.   However, Istanbul and the tourist areas of the southwest coast have been given a green light by the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and US travel agencies are continuing or even expanding their trips into these areas.  Tourism in the region is booming!   However, some elevated risk of civil unrest or terrorist acts affecting our itinerary is there.  We will be watchful and avoid getting in the way of demonstrations or developing unrest, and if the situation becomes dangerous we will change our itinerary or, in an extreme case, cancel the trip.  Each prospective participant must weigh their sense of the risk in their decision, as well as being prepared in case something happens.  Most travel insurance policies do not cover cancellation of a trip due to civil unrest UNLESS you buy their ‘Cancel for Any Reason’ coverage, which must be purchased within the first two weeks after your first payment and must cover all non-refundable trip expenses.  Even then you will get only 50-75% of your trip expenses back (nothing if you cancel after 48 hours before your scheduled departure or during your trip) and the Mountaineers won’t be able to refund any expenses that can’t be refunded to us by our outfitters and lodgings.  See  https://www.tripsavvy.com/travel-insurance-in-time-of-war-or-civil-unrest-2973077 for more guidance.

Time of Year:   We’ll travel during April-May, when wildflowers are at their peak, snow is melting from the peaks, and weather is warm but not hot and crowds haven’t yet begun to swarm. 

Lodging:   Basic village homes and hotels, plus nice 3-star hotels in larger towns (double occupancy). Bathroom facilities may be shared and could be quite basic in some places.

Food:   We’ll enjoy simple traditional Turkish meals along our route, mostly prepared for us in our lodgings.  Turkish food is an addictive mix of sun-ripened vegetables with olive oil, spices and roasted meats, a fusion of Asian, Ottoman and Western.  Vegetarian diets can easily be accommodated but other special diets may be more challenging. 

Leader’s Experience:   Cheryl Talbert has led many Mountaineers hikes and several Mountaineers and private backpacks, treks and cultural trips around the U.S. west and worldwide, including a group trip to Istanbul, the Aegean, along the Lycian Way and to Cappadocia in 2015.

Strenuousness or Difficulty rating:   This itinerary is rated moderate-to-strenuous, less because of sheer distance and gain and more because of the very rugged and rocky trails that are common across the southwest coast of Turkey.   

Limit:   Maximum of 12, minimum of ten, including the leader.

Participant Requirements:   Must be a current Mountaineers member with an up-to-date waiver on file. This outing includes hiking for up to 9 hours a day on rugged terrain for multiple successive days.  For these reasons, participants need to be in good cardiovascular condition with good balance and sound joints.  Recent experience with multi-day strenuous backpacking, scrambling or hiking, plus a positive attitude and a demonstrated ability to get along well with groups under demanding conditions, will be very important.   NOTE:  Your leader makes most of the arrangements and provides logistics support during the trip, but is NOT a tour guide!  As a Mountaineers group we will operate as interdependent, capable travelers making our way together and helping one another succeed and be safe. 

Trip Price Detail:   $2400 including all lodging, transportation, guide and most meals (this is a small increase from 2020 to cover the possibility that our price will go up.  As the date gets closer we may be able to refine and adjust the final payment)..  Your airfare (~$1500), travel insurance ($75-350), tips (~$100-150 per person) and a few meals in town (<$100) are not included.   NOTE:  For those who are moving their registration ahead from 2020, we may be able to apply some or all of your 2020 deposit to 2021 - you need not pay anything up front to transfer across but the leader will email you if any additional deposit is needed.

Registration Instructions:    If you are not transferring across from the 2020 roster, please submit the application form which will automatically be sent to the leader.   After the leader’s approval, go to the trip listing and click the REGISTER button to pay the 50% deposit and hold your space on the roster. Registration will close on September 1, 2020 or whenever the roster fills. A place on the roster can only be held with payment of the deposit.   The final payment due date will be announced by the leader as the outfitter’s payment schedule is finalized.

application         trip agreement        release

Cancellation Policy:   If you cancel because of an emergency, you may receive a refund less any non-refundable expenses incurred and a $100 administrative fee.  If no replacement can be found for you, we will endeavor to refund you as much as we can but the amount of refund you can receive will be dependent on the amount that can be refunded to the Mountaineers less admin fees, and your full refund may not be available until after the trip goes.