The Lycian Way is a popular hiking trail along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts of Turkey. I dreamed about it for a long time, and finally, the day came when I packed my backpack and went to discover the Lycian in the fall of 2020.
Why go hiking on the Lycian Way?
It’s not very difficult, there’s a lot of sun, the sea, beautiful scenery, and many ancient sites along the way. Turkey is a wonderful country for travel, with friendly people, delicious cuisine, and affordable prices.
When to hike the Lycian Way
The best time to hike the Lycian Way is autumn and spring.
Spring – from late March to late May.
Pros: already warm, no rainfall, everything is blooming.
Cons: the sea is still cold for swimming.
Autumn – end of September to mid-November.
Pros: lots of fruit – pomegranates are ripening, you can pick them from trees and eat as you go. Even better, buy pomegranate juice from the locals.
The sea is warm – +25 ℃, swimming is a pleasure. The temperature is up to +25–30 ℃. A great time for hiking along the Turkish coast.
Cons: some springs dry out over the summer, so there may be problems with water.
In summer on the Lycian Way it is very hot – the temperature rises above 40 degrees.
In winter – frequent rains, there may be snow in the mountains.
Lycian Way Routes
The Lycian Way stretches from Antalya to Fethiye – its length is 540 km. The trail passes by sea beaches and bays, through mountains and canyons, over flat valleys with greenhouses where Turkish tomatoes are grown.
Because of the length of the route, it is quite problematic to complete it in one go. It takes 25–30 days. Some people lack strength, some time and money for such a long route. Therefore, most often the Lycian Way is divided into two parts, and you can start either from the east or from the west of the trail.
Start from the east – from Goynuk National Park (located near Kemer), which includes the canyon of the same name. Here, the mountains are quite high and the trail winds among pine forests and steep cliffs. There is also a radial branch up to the summit of Tahtali Mountain (2365 m). Then through Cirali and Adrasan, finishing at Cape Gelidonya.
Or you can start from the west – from Fethiye or Oludeniz, where the trail also runs along the sea and through mountains, periodically passing through villages and descending to beautiful beaches. Here you can see the Butterfly Valley, Kabak Beach and Paradise Beach, hike the mountains to the largest sandy beach, Patara. Then through the prettiest towns, Kalkan and Kas, to Cape Gelidonya.
The section from Demre to Finike – 40 km is most often traveled by bus or hitchhiking. There is little infrastructure here, the scenery is uninteresting.
Both routes – western and eastern – take up to 10 days, but you can reduce it to a week if you travel part of the way by bus. Many people do this to avoid trudging through the dull valleys of endless greenhouses.
I walked about 60 km on the western route of the Lycian Way. I will tell about my solo travel experience in the Turkish mountains separately.
Infrastructure on the Lycian Way
There are markings on the Lycian Way – these are white and red stripes painted on stones, poles, and fences. They are there, but not everywhere – there’s a chance you might go the wrong way. Therefore, it’s worth downloading the route map to your smartphone and checking it from time to time.
Along the trail there are settlements, small villages, and towns where you can find accommodation if you’re tired of the tent and want to wash up and do laundry. But again, accommodation is not everywhere, so a tent is necessary.
Accommodation on the Lycian Way
Most tourists walk the Lycian Way with tents. Why? First, not everywhere has affordable accommodation. Sometimes there is a pension, but the price is high (50 euros or more).
Second, it’s a mountain hike and, despite recommended stages and suggested overnight spots, not everyone can complete those stages before dark. Everyone has their own pace, endurance, and budget for hiking.
Campsites on the Lycian Way – this could be a full-fledged campsite with toilet, shower, and electricity. Or just a flat spot for tents with a bathroom in the bushes (I don’t like that, so I try to use roadside café bathrooms – sorry for the details).
You can pitch your tent on the Lycian trail just in the forest or on an open slope. Even if it’s someone’s goat pasture, most likely no one will say anything. On the contrary, the owners will try to find you a better place, show you where the water is, maybe treat you to something. In the forest, there’s no problem at all – no permits are needed.
Pensions and small hotels, beach bungalows, hotels – all of these can be found in some sections of the Lycian Way.
Some of them are listed on Booking. But you should book early – they might be full with groups, and in Turkey Booking only works via VPN.
How to walk Western Lycian without a tent – list of hotels on this route
For those who want to hike the Lycian Way without a tent, I have compiled a list of inexpensive hotels and campsites where you can spend the night with all the amenities.
Fethiye:
El Camino Hostel & Pub – a hostel in the Fethiye Marina area with private rooms.
Oludeniz:
CC’s Butik Hotel – a clean and simple hotel for an overnight stay on the route and not far from the beach.
Faralya:
Faralya Misafir Evi – family hotel above Butterfly Valley, next to the highway, cafes, and restaurants.
Keyif Motel – hotel on the trail from Faralya to Kabak, with a pool and small single rooms.
Kabak:
Reflections Camp – a campsite where you can pitch your own tent or stay in a ready-made tent.
Alinca:
Türkdomes Glamping – glamping dome with excellent sea and star views, glamping with all amenities.
Karadere (before Patara beach):
Likya Inn – clean rooms with sea view. Friendly staff. Breakfast and dinner available on site. Convenient to stay when crossing from Bel toward Patara beach.
Gelemiş (Patara beach):
Golden Lighthouse Hotel – quiet, inexpensive guesthouse close to Patara beach on the way to Kalkan
Kalkan:
Lizo Hotel – one of the cheapest and coziest hotels in resort Kalkan.
Water on the Lycian Way
Water – springs are marked on the map (drop icon), but there are nuances. First, in autumn not all springs have water – they dry up. Second, some springs are technical water – wells with stagnant water, only suitable for boiling. You can’t always get it – there’s no bucket with rope, wells without wheels. There are campsites on the beach with no water – you’ll need to carry water for 2 days if you’re hiking with a tent and through wild areas.
But in general, if you carry a daily supply of water (1.5 liters was enough for me), it is enough for one stage. On average, the stages are designed for a day’s hike of 10 to 20 km. Some people walk fast and do 2–3 stages per day.
Food and meals on the Lycian Way
There are places along the way to eat tasty and inexpensive food. What do local cafes offer? Most often it’s Turkish pancakes with filling – gözleme. It’s a very thin dough, like lavash, with cheese, potatoes, sometimes meat inside. They wrap it up and bake this on an iron sheet over the fire.
Gözleme, the portion is huge, I split it – ate some, wrapped the rest and ate it for the next meal. You can always have some tea straight away. A full Turkish breakfast is often included in the price of accommodation, if you stay in a pension.
Is the Lycian Way difficult?
If I compare it to my previous solo routes – Camino de Santiago and Rota Vicentina – the Lycian Way is a bit tougher. There are constant ascents and descents, sometimes long both up and down.
If you compare it with the Alps and Himalayas, it was harder there. In the Himalayas, with constant ascents and descents, there was not enough oxygen. On the Lycian, with oxygen, it’s fine.
In the Alps, it was also harder – there were snowfields, scree, and climbing around the Matterhorn. There’s none of that on the Lycian – just tiredness from mountain hiking with a backpack.
Let’s put it this way – for the Lycian Way, a moderate level of fitness is enough. Basically – not harder than our Carpathians, but there are nuances.
There are sections where a rather steep ascent may be accompanied by scree, a narrow trail, and cliffs. Here you need to be extra careful; if you know you’re afraid of heights or may get dizzy, it’s better to avoid such places.
There are sections with long ascents, for example from Oludeniz the trail immediately leads steeply uphill. But what scares me more are the long descents, after which your toes hurt and your knees shake. There are plenty of those as well.
There are roads in the mountains, but not everywhere. On many sections, you have the option to skip a difficult part by hitchhiking or taxi.
There are sections you can easily cover by transport. For example, through valleys with continuous greenhouses for many kilometers where you always have to walk on the road.
What to take on the Lycian Way
Because my journey was short—my route took only four days—the contents of my backpack may not be very informative for those preparing for a week-long hike on the Lycian Way. Still, I’ll write my perspective on what to take, and what might not be needed.
Equipment
This list is for those going on a Lycian hike with a tent. If you plan to stay in pensions/hostels, obviously you need a smaller backpack and won’t need a tent or sleeping bag.
- Backpack – 40–45 liters. Mine was 30 liters and I barely fit everything necessary. I didn’t carry food—I ate only at cafés, and had fruit, granola bars, and Snickers with me. If you plan to carry food—like freeze-dried meals—you’ll need a stove, gas, and a cup. So, consider your backpack volume for food and the cooking setup.
- 1.5-liter plastic bottle for water. I always refilled it when I could—at springs, cafés, accommodation, and stores.
- Tent – my 2-person Husky weighs 1.5 kg with pegs. It takes up little space in the backpack and is easy to set up alone.
- Sleeping bag – in autumn a warm sleeping bag isn’t needed unless you’re staying high in the mountains, then aim for comfort at 0°C. Down below it’s +10°C. My sleeping bag is rated for –10°C comfort, it’s down-filled, but very light—700g, and compact. That’s why I use it in the warm months. I’d rather unzip than carry something bulky and heavy.
- Mat – I bought an accordion foam mat, to attach outside my backpack. It turned out to be convenient, better than my previous roll-up mats. It compresses less, easily attaches outside with elastic and a carabiner. Some people go with seatpads, which are more comfortable for sitting on rocks.
- Most tourists hike the Lycian Way with trekking poles. And that’s right—it reduces the load on joints, and there’s something to lean on in tricky places. I walk without poles because they bother me, I climb using my hands—it feels more natural, but that’s not the right approach!
Footwear and clothing
- Footwear – many people walk in hiking boots that support the ankle. But! They’re hot and heavy. That’s why I chose trekking sneakers—breathable with Vibram soles. My favorites are Merrell—not expensive, but comfortable and nothing pinches (Salomon doesn’t work for me).
- Take flip-flops, so you have something to change into in the evening and for showers.
- Clothing—in October I wore long shorts and a t-shirt. But it’s better to go in pants to avoid scratching your legs on thorns.
- What I brought: three t-shirts, one with long sleeves for the evening, light wide pants to change into after a shower, a fleece. Three sets of underwear, three pairs of socks—I washed them every evening, they dried in time, special socks for sleeping (the warmer the better). Thermal underwear for nights in the mountains—you probably won’t need it on the coast.
- Bring a swimsuit (or trunks)—the beaches are tempting, the water is so clean you’ll want to swim. I stopped along the way and swam, but chose beaches with fresh water to rinse off salt. Walking with salt on your skin is unpleasant—it can cause chafing.
- You’ll also need a hat or cap—the midday sun is strong. You’ll also need sunscreen and sunglasses.
- Bring your standard first-aid kit, be sure to take plasters—I still got blisters. You can drink magnesium in the morning to relieve muscle pain.
- Hygiene for showering, foot cream or vaseline—apply to your feet every morning to help prevent blisters (though as usual, it didn’t help me).
- Be sure to have a phone with a map of the Lycian Way installed, or an app.
I also carried a camera on my neck—photos on a camera are still much better than on the phone.
Is the Lycian Way safe?
It seems to me that the Lycian coast is one of the safest places I’ve been. People are friendly, give directions, and treat you to fruit and vegetables.
I mostly hiked alone. Of course, I attracted attention—a woman with a backpack and dreadlocks. But, apart from curiosity, I didn’t feel anything else from the locals. Men, women, and children were friendly, sometimes laughing, sometimes curious. It was wonderful!
As for safety in the mountains—you need to be prepared: take what you need, don’t take risks if you’re not sure of your abilities (better to go around or take a bypass), and study the route terrain in advance.
Many people travel in groups—I met groups from two to sixteen people. But solo travelers hike too, including women.
Next time, I’ll probably go on my own again.
How to get to the Lycian Way?
If you plan to start from the west—it’s best to fly to Dalaman. Pegasus flies here with a stopover in Istanbul. Then take a bus to Fethiye, from where the official start of the route begins.
If you plan to start from the east—fly to Antalya. Pegasus flies there from Chisinau as well as many charter airlines. You can book a flight through a tour agency without purchasing accommodation. You could also fly via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, but it’s longer and more expensive.
One flight option for the western route is to fly to Antalya and then take a bus to Fethiye, travel time is 3.5 hours.
Useful links:
Hotel and apartment booking – Booking.com
Route schedules, bus tickets – on InfoBus.ua
Travel insurance online – HotlineFinance
More about hiking in the mountains:
- Hiking in Madeira – best routes
- Via Francigena – my experience of walking from Lucca to Rome
- Yosemite Park in California – how to prepare for a visit to the valley
