Cycle Turkey

Our cycling tour of southwestern Turkey kicks off in Dalyan. The quaint fishing town is surrounded by natural and ancient beauty - the meandering River Dalyan lead from the town through the marshes to the golden sands of Iztuzu Beach, while above the town, the Lycian rock tombs are cut into the towering cliff face. The ancient city of Caunos is also just a short walk or boat ride away. There are no activities planned for today, so you're free to arrive at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to arrive into Dalaman Airport (DLM), which is a 30-minute drive from Dalyan. For those arriving in time, our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for a welcome meeting and the opportunity to go out for dinner. For those who miss the meeting, our tour leader will catch you up as soon as possible.

Starting out on our bikes for the first ride from Dalyan, we'll cycle to the river, cross via the river taxi and continue our ride to the hot springs of Sultaniye, our first stop. This ancient spot has been used as a source of wellness since Roman times and entrance is included. After our visit, we'll continue our ride along the shore of the lake before arriving through orange groves to the peaceful town of Koycegiz. There, we'll stop for refreshments before hopping on our bus back to Dalyan. For a relaxing end to the day, you could head to the wonderful beach at Iztuzu for a dip and visit the Turtle sanctuary or visit the stunning location of the ancient Lycian port of Caunos. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 35 kilometres/22 miles with a total 300 metres/980 feet accumulated ascent. The undulating ride takes us along pine forested banks of the lake, with one significant ascent of 160 metres/525 feet, before a descent to the flat alluvial plains of pomegranate and orange orchards.

Leaving Dalyan, this morning we'll cycle along country roads following the flood plain around Dalyan and Sulungur Lake. We'll climb over the Gokbel pass (140 metres/460 feet) and descend to the plains of Dalaman. Once the Sultan's hunting ground, after the declaration of the Republic in 1923, this land was granted to the freed Ottoman slaves to be used as farmland and there is still an unusual ethnic mix today. From here, we'll take the thrilling descent to Gocek Bay. We'll continue our journey by private boat, however, where we join the crossing depending on the sea conditions. The crossing time is two hours and takes us across the bay to Fethiye, our base for the night. During the boat ride, there'll be the opportunity to cool off with a swim in the waters. Our total cycling distance today is around 40 kilometres/25 miles with a total accumulated ascent of 350 metres/1,150 feet.

This morning, we'll enjoy a relaxing breakfast before taking a walk around Fethiye to look at the remains of Telmessos and the Amyntas tomb carved into the rocks above the town. Telmessis is situated in a natural harbour and has both Lycian and Carian influences. Equally cursed and blessed, this harbour town has good water supplies and fertile farmland, however frequent and powerful earthquakes periodically wreak havoc; the last major one was in 1953. Later, we'll drive to the village of Gokben, where we'll get on our bikes. Our ride today starts with a descent through charming, terraced lands before the road begins to undulate towards the village of Minare, where we'll enjoy a homemade lunch. After a rest, we'll pedal on, gently descending to the Xanthos Valley. We'll cross the River Xanthos and follow its path to our lodgings at the mouth of the Saklikent Canyon. Later this afternoon there will be the opportunity to visit Saklikent Gorge. Our total cycling distance today is around 33 kilometres/21 miles with a total accumulated ascent of 380 metres/1,250 feet. Tonight, we'll stay the Gorge Club in the protected Saklikent National Park. As the area is heavily protected and no permanent structures are allowed, our accommodation comprises of simple wooden chalets (with private toilets) and tree houses (with shared bathrooms) in and amongst the pine trees. The club has a swimming pool to cool off in and dinner is served by the waters of the river as it exits the Saklikent Canyon.

This morning, we'll drive for 20 minutes to the ancient site of Tlos. Set on a rocky promontory, these largely unexcavated ruins offer great views over the Xanthos Valley. The elevation and cool water gushing down from the mountain, made this an ideal summer retreat for the wealthy way back when - as evidenced by the bathhouses, public squares, and grand stadium. The most famous resident of Tlos was Bellerophon, who tamed the mythical Pegasus and slayed the Chimera, a fire-breathing monster. We'll have the option to explore the site before starting our alpine cycle ride climbing through the slopes of Akdag, the White Mountain. Starting high up at Arsakoy, we'll follow the twisting alpine road, where we'll make use of our low gears, passing apple orchards, snow-melt ravines, cedar forests, and quiet villages. We'll eventually arrive at the market village of Sutlegen, set on the shoulder of Mount Akdag, where we'll spend the night in a village house.? Our total cycling distance today is approximately 29 kilometres/18 miles with a total accumulated ascent of 1,000 metres/3,280 feet. Tonight, we'll be welcomed by our host, Fatima Ucar, into her village house. Our accommodation comprises of rooms with shared bathrooms above Fatima's own home. The rooms are various sizes - there are two rooms with double beds, one room with four beds, one with five beds and one with seven beds. The rooming will be explained by the tour leader and is luck of the draw according to the group make up of singles and couples, males and females. There are two bathrooms that will be shared by the group, both of which have a shower. The highlight of our stay has to be Fatima's cooking, which we'll eat in the garden by the cherry trees. Fatima's husband, Aziz, runs the local off licence, so a warming tipple is also available.

Leaving Sutlegen behind this morning we'll start with a cool descent through the cedar forests before coming to Belmuar. Those who feel up to it can tackle the 230 metre/755 feet pass, those who prefer can hop on the bus and enjoy a tea at the scenic pass instead. We'll eventually generally descend into the lush valley of Islamlar, where we'll stop for lunch at one of the trout farms (dishes other than fish will be available). After lunch, we'll carry on pedalling downhill to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Xanthos. This once proud capital of Lycia stood up to both the Persian and Roman armies and was tragically defeated both times. While the survivors chose to kill themselves rather than be enslaved, Xanthos flourished under the Persians and the Romans and Lycian artwork from the period is on display here in situ and some of the finest examples can be found in the British Museum in London. We'll visit the site before driving to our hotel in Patara, from where we can explore the Roman ruins (which also happens to be the birthplace of Saint Nicholas - better known as Father Christmas) and have time to relax on the golden beach. Our total cycling distance today is around 45 kilometres/28 miles with a total accumulated ascent of 410 metres/1,345 feet.

We'll have a gentle start today, crossing the lowlands of Patara. Then, we'll climb the 250 metre/820 feet ascent to the pass above Kalkan before descending to the rugged coast. We'll ride through agricultural land, passing by the harbour town of Kalkan and finishing off our journey with a scenic coastal ride into Kas. Along the way, we'll stop for a spot of swimming, and we should arrive into the seaside town in time for lunch on the harbour. In the afternoon, there'll be the option to unwind with a massage in a local hammam. Our total cycling distance today is around 42 kilometres/26 miles with a total accumulated ascent of 300 metres/ 980feet.

Our tour ends at our hotel in Kas. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight leaves later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like a hotel transfer, you'll need to depart from Dalaman Airport (DLM), around a three-hour drive from the hotel.