Turquoise Coast, Ephesus & Lycian Way Adventure
- 10 days, Izmir to Antalya
- Max altitude about 800 m (Lycian Way)
- April to October
- 4 to 14 travellers
- Aegean and Lycian coasts, Türkiye
- Four to six hours on trek days
- 10-day itinerary
About this tour
Türkiye's south-west coast is where the mountains of the Taurus run straight into the Mediterranean, and the Lycian Way is the footpath that follows them: more than 500 kilometres of old mule tracks and village paths from Fethiye towards Antalya, past the rock tombs and sarcophagi of the Lycians. This trip walks the best of its western and central sections, and puts them between Ephesus at one end and Antalya at the other.
It starts in Selçuk with a full day at Ephesus, the most complete Greco-Roman city in the eastern Mediterranean: a marble street running downhill past the Library of Celsus to a theatre built for about 25,000 people. Then south to Fethiye and the old Greek town of Kayaköy, abandoned after the population exchange of 1923, and the first walk — over the hill and down to the lagoon at Ölüdeniz.
The trekking is three days of four to six hours, and one shorter one. From Ölüdeniz the path climbs round the flank of Babadağ to the village of Faralya, high above Butterfly Valley; from there it follows the cliffs to Kabak. Further east, beyond Kaş, it crosses rough limestone past the half-sunken harbour of Aperlae to Üçağız. The paths are waymarked but rocky, and loose underfoot in places. Your luggage goes ahead by road; you carry water, lunch and a layer.
The last two days are on and by the water. A wooden gulet takes you round Kekova, over the ruins of a Lycian town that slid into the sea in an earthquake, to Kaleköy below the castle of Simena, where Lycian sarcophagi stand in the shallows. Then east to Antalya, the walled old town of Kaleiçi, and the Düden river falling off the cliffs into the sea.
The season runs April to October, but be clear about midsummer: July and August regularly pass 35°C on the coast, and the trail is exposed. On departures in those months we start walking at first light and shorten the hottest sections. If you can choose, come in spring or autumn. This is a new departure on our programme for 2027, and the inclusions that depend on others are marked below.
Trip highlights
The Greco-Roman city of Ephesus and the Library of Celsus
A full morning on the marble streets of Ephesus, from the upper agora down past the two-storey façade of the Library of Celsus, built in the early second century AD, to the Great Theatre. Afternoon in the hill village of Şirince.
Guided coastal trekking on the Lycian Way
Three days of four to six hours on Türkiye's best-known long-distance path: Ölüdeniz to Faralya, Faralya to Kabak along the cliffs, and Aperlae to Üçağız across rough limestone above the sea.
Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon and Kayaköy ghost village
Kayaköy is the stone shell of the Greek town of Levissi, empty since 1923. The path from it crosses the hill and drops to the lagoon at Ölüdeniz, a protected nature park, for the afternoon in the water.
A day on a traditional wooden gulet around Kekova
A day cruise from Üçağız over the sunken ruins off Kekova island — seen from the boat, as swimming over them is prohibited — to Kaleköy and the castle of Simena, with stops to swim in the bays.
Antalya old town (Kaleiçi) and the Düden Waterfalls
The walled harbour quarter of Antalya, with Hadrian's Gate and Ottoman houses on narrow lanes, and the lower Düden falls, where the river drops off the cliffs straight into the Mediterranean.
Route
- 1 Start
- 2 Stop in order
- 14 Finish
- Route travelled
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At a glance
- 10 days, Izmir to AntalyaFly into Izmir, fly home from Antalya.
- Max altitude about 800 m (Lycian Way)The high ground is on the trail above Ölüdeniz and Faralya. Altitude plays no part.
- April to OctoberSpring and autumn for walking; July and August are very hot.
- 4 to 14 travellersVillage pensions on the trail set the limit.
- Aegean and Lycian coasts, TürkiyeSelçuk, Fethiye, Kaş, Kekova and Antalya.
- Four to six hours on trek daysRocky coastal path, luggage moved by road.
Day by day
Day 1Arrive Izmir, transfer to Selçuk
Met at Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport and driven south to Selçuk, about an hour. Evening walk through the town to the Byzantine aqueduct and the single standing column of the Temple of Artemis. Overnight Selçuk.
Day 2Ephesus and Şirince
Into Ephesus at opening time, before the heat and the cruise coaches: the upper agora, Curetes Street, the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre, three to four hours on foot over marble and uneven stone. Afternoon in the hill village of Şirince, twenty minutes away. Overnight Selçuk.
Day 3Selçuk to Ölüdeniz
About 300 km south, four and a half to five hours with a lunch stop, through the hills of Caria to Fethiye on the coast. Afternoon free to swim at Ölüdeniz. Overnight Ölüdeniz.
Day 4Kayaköy ghost village and the path to the Blue Lagoon
Morning among the roofless stone houses and churches of Kayaköy, a Greek Orthodox town emptied in the population exchange of 1923. Then the first walk: over the hill on an old path and down to Ölüdeniz, about two and a half to three hours, with the lagoon below you for the last stretch. Afternoon in the water. Overnight Ölüdeniz.
Day 5Lycian Way: Ölüdeniz to Faralya
The first full day on the Lycian Way, five to six hours. The path climbs steadily out of Ölüdeniz round the flank of Babadağ, through pine and across open rocky slopes with the coast below, then contours to Faralya, a village perched above Butterfly Valley. Overnight in a village pension, dinner included.
Day 6Lycian Way: Faralya to Kabak
A shorter day of three to four hours along the cliffs, on narrow, rocky path with long drops to the sea in places, ending above the bay at Kabak. The afternoon is for the walk down to Kabak beach and a swim. Overnight in a pension at Kabak, dinner included.
Day 7Kabak to Kaş, via Patara
About two and a half hours by road with a stop at Patara: the ruins of a Lycian port city, its restored assembly hall, and an eighteen-kilometre beach behind dunes where loggerhead turtles nest. On to Kaş, a harbour town facing the Greek island of Kastellorizo. Overnight Kaş.
Day 8Lycian Way: past Aperlae to Üçağız
A transfer of about forty minutes to the trailhead, then the hardest walking of the trip: five to six hours on sharp limestone and scrub, past the sunken harbour walls of Aperlae, which can be reached only on foot or by boat, to the fishing village of Üçağız. Little shade, so an early start. Overnight in a pension at Üçağız, dinner included.
Day 9Kekova by gulet, then Antalya
Morning on a wooden gulet over the sunken town off Kekova island, then to Kaleköy for the short climb to Simena castle and its tiny rock-cut theatre, with swimming stops on the way back. After lunch, about three hours by road along the coast to Antalya. Evening in the old town. Overnight Antalya Kaleiçi.
Day 10Kaleiçi, the Düden falls and depart Antalya
A morning walk through Kaleiçi — Hadrian's Gate, the old harbour and the Yivli Minaret — then the lower Düden falls, where the river drops off the cliff into the sea. Transfer to Antalya Airport, about twenty minutes from the falls. Book flights leaving after about 3pm.
What’s included
- Nine nights twin share with breakfast: two in Selçuk, two at Ölüdeniz, one each in village pensions at Faralya and Kabak, one in Kaş, one in Üçağız and one in Antalya's old town
- Dinner on the three trail nights at Faralya, Kabak and Üçağız
- A licensed English-speaking guide for the whole trip, who walks every trek day with the group
- Luggage moved by road between overnight stops on walking days
- CONFIRM — A day cruise around Kekova on a shared wooden gulet from Üçağız, with lunch on board
- CONFIRM — Entrance fees for the sites named in the itinerary: Ephesus, Kayaköy, the Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon nature park, Patara, Simena castle and the Düden falls
- Airport transfers, trailhead transfers and all ground transport in a private air-conditioned vehicle with driver
Not included
- Flights to Izmir and home from Antalya
- Turkish visa or e-Visa, where your passport needs one
- Travel insurance, which should cover hiking
- Lunches, and dinners other than on the three trail nights
- The Terrace Houses ticket at Ephesus, paragliding from Babadağ and other optional activities
- Drinks and personal spending
- Tips for the guide, driver and boat crew
- Single room supplement
Good to know
Heat, and when to come
The season runs April to October, and in the middle of it the coast is hot: July and August regularly pass 35°C, and the Lycian Way is mostly exposed rock with little shade and few water sources between villages. People do walk it in summer, but it is a different trip. On midsummer departures we start at first light, finish by early afternoon and shorten or drop the hottest sections — the Aperlae day in particular.
The best months are April to early June, when the hillsides are green and flowering, and mid-September to October, when the sea is at its warmest and the days have cooled. Ephesus in July is the hottest morning of the trip; that is why we go in at opening time.
What moderate means on the Lycian Way
The walking days are four to six hours, with climbs of several hundred metres. The path is waymarked in red and white but it is rarely smooth: loose stones, polished limestone, roots, and some narrow cliff sections with drops beside the path. Good walking boots or sturdy trail shoes with grip are essential, and walking poles help on the descents. You carry a day pack with two to three litres of water, lunch, sun cream and a layer; your luggage goes by road.
If you walk regularly in hills at home, you will be fine. If you do not, a few long walks on rough ground before you come will make the trip much more enjoyable.
Where you sleep
Comfortable mid-range hotels in Selçuk, Ölüdeniz, Kaş and Antalya's old town. On the trail at Faralya, Kabak and Üçağız the accommodation is in family-run village pensions: simple, clean rooms, mostly with their own bathroom, and dinner cooked by the family because there is often nowhere else to eat. Room standards vary from one pension to the next.
Visas and entry
The rules depend on your passport. Many European nationalities, and others including British citizens, can visit visa-free for up to 90 days; others apply online for an e-Visa at the official government site before travel. Pakistani passport holders generally need a visa from a Turkish mission, or may qualify for an e-Visa if they hold a valid US, UK, Schengen or Irish visa or residence permit. Check the current rules for your passport before booking flights.
The trip begins in Izmir and ends in Antalya, so book an open-jaw ticket, or a domestic flight via Istanbul at either end.
Money and connectivity
The Turkish lira changes value often. Cards are accepted in towns and most restaurants, but carry some cash in lira for the village pensions, small shops and boat-side cafés, where cards are not always taken. ATMs are in Selçuk, Fethiye, Kaş and Antalya. Mobile coverage is good along most of the coast and patchy on some trail sections; a local SIM or an eSIM is cheap.
Kekova and the sunken city
The ruins off Kekova island are in a protected area: swimming, snorkelling and diving over them are prohibited, and boats pass slowly over the clear water instead. Swimming stops are made elsewhere in the bays. The gulet is a shared day boat, not an overnight cruise.
Questions about this trip
How hard is the trekking on this trip?
Moderate. There are three days of four to six hours on the Lycian Way and one shorter walk, on rocky, uneven path with climbs and descents of several hundred metres and some narrow cliff sections. There is no altitude to worry about and your luggage goes by road. The heat is what makes it harder than it looks, especially outside spring and autumn.
Can I do this trip in July or August?
You can, but it is a hotter and harder trip. Temperatures regularly pass 35°C on the coast and the trail has little shade, so on midsummer departures we walk from first light, finish by early afternoon and shorten the hottest sections. If your dates are flexible, April to early June or mid-September to October are much better for walking.
What is the Lycian Way?
A waymarked long-distance footpath of more than 500 kilometres along Türkiye's south-west coast, between Fethiye and the Antalya area, following old mule tracks and village paths past Lycian tombs and ruined cities. Walking it all takes about a month. This trip walks some of its best sections — Ölüdeniz to Faralya, Faralya to Kabak, and Aperlae to Üçağız — as day walks between comfortable nights.
Do I need to carry my own luggage?
No. Your main bag goes ahead by road to each night's hotel or pension. You carry a day pack with water — two to three litres on the long days — lunch, sun cream and a light layer.
Where do we start and finish?
The trip starts at Izmir airport and finishes at Antalya airport, so book an open-jaw international ticket or connect through Istanbul at either end. On the last day, book a flight leaving after about 3pm so there is time for Kaleiçi and the Düden falls.
Do I need a visa for Türkiye?
It depends on your passport. Many nationalities are visa-free for up to 90 days, others apply online for an e-Visa before travel, and Pakistani passport holders generally need a visa from a Turkish mission unless they qualify for an e-Visa through a valid US, UK, Schengen or Irish visa or residence permit. Check the current rules before you book flights.
Can this be combined with Istanbul and Cappadocia?
Yes, and it pairs naturally with our Wonders of Türkiye tour — Istanbul, Cappadocia and Pamukkale, the last of which is about three hours by road from Selçuk. We can join the two into one private itinerary. See all our Turkey tours.
Is it suitable for single travellers?
Yes. Single travellers can share a twin room with another traveller of the same sex where possible, or pay a supplement for a single room. Single rooms in the village pensions are limited, so ask early if you want one.
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Photographs: Alexey Komarov (CC BY-SA 4.0); Benh LIEU SONG (CC BY-SA 3.0); Bjørn Christian Tørrissen (CC BY-SA 4.0); Ivankazaryan (CC BY-SA 4.0); MusikAnimal (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
Enquire about this trip
Tell us who is travelling and roughly when. A trip planner — not a call centre — replies within three hours between 9am and 11pm Pakistan time with a day-by-day itinerary and the full price, per person, with nothing hidden underneath it.
- Every itinerary written from scratch around your dates.
- Licensed operator, running these routes since 2020.
- A full costing up front — no deposit to see one.
- +92 310 5344471
- info@elhamasia.com
- 9am – 11pm PKT, seven days a week
- Office No. 227, Rohtas Road, G-9/1, Islamabad, Pakistan
