Family Turkey Coastal Active Adventure

Our base for a week of family fun and adventure is Kas, a picturesque port town on the Turkish Riviera. With whitewashed buildings and a backdrop of green hills meeting the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea, it's the perfect spot to unwind. There are no activities today, so you're free to arrive at any time. Our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception on the morning of day two for a welcome meeting - information for this will be left at the front desk. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive at Dalaman International Airport (DLM), a three-hour drive from our hotel. If you arrive earlier in the day, you might like to take a stroll around the town or enjoy a meal at one of the harbour-side restaurants - pide is sure to be a favourite dish (it's basically Turkish pizza). Alternatively, you might like to take a dip in the great hotel pool. Our base for the week will be the Club Phellos Hotel. Situated just a few minutes' walk from the centre of Kas, it's perfectly located for exploring the seaside town. Our hotel has an outdoor swimming pool with sun loungers as well as an open-air terrace for enjoying al-fresco breakfasts. The pool generally opens at the start of May and closes in late October, depending on weather and visitor numbers, and at the start and end of the season will be cold. From November through to May the pool will be empty. The pool slide has been out of action for some years now but has not been removed. Limited Wi-Fi is only available in public areas. All rooms have a balcony with a hillside or a sea view - these are allocated by the hotel. Each one is air-conditioned and has an en-suite bathroom with a toilet, shower and hairdryer. The rooms are simple in nature and have simple, slightly-aged decor.

Starting our week of adventure off right, today will be spent dipping into the inviting waters of the Mediterranean Sea on a boat trip. From our vantage point out on the water, we can take in the beauty of Kas' coastline as well as dive into the calm waters. There'll be plenty of opportunity for swimming and snorkelling as well as a barbecue lunch before we head back to Kas in the afternoon. Kas is a great place to relax, with cafes and restaurants spilling out onto cobbled streets and a network of back alleys to explore.

Today we'll head for the hills to explore the foothills of the Taurus Mountains. Here we'll uncover cedar forests, shady glades and charming villages, where the way of life has remained unchanged for centuries. Our walk will take us from a high pass, descending to a canyon and then up to a mountain village where we'll stop for lunch with a local family in a typical village house. After lunch, we'll take a stroll around the village, hopefully seeing a blacksmith in action, and visit the village Mosque. We'll return to Kas via the silver sand beach of Kaputas - a busy but idyllic spot to swim and cool off after our day in the mountains. Please note, if the weather is particularly hot, we might change our trekking route to a higher altitude walk around the cedar treeline of Mount Bozkaya before driving to the village for lunch.

Today is free to explore at your own pace. For those with a hankering for culture, Kas is built around the remains of ancient Antiphellos and there are ruins of a Hellenistic theatre, the monumental Lion Tomb and some hillside rock tombs scattered in and around the town. Alternatively, you might want to visit the Greek island of Meis. The island is just 2.5 kilometres from the Turkish coast but more than 100 kilometres from Rhodes, its nearest Greek neighbour. Kastellorizo, to give its Turkish name, has an idyllic seafront town with colourful buildings lining the harbour where yachts and fishing boats dock. The surrounding hills are home to typical Greek whitewashed buildings with terracotta-coloured roofs.

This morning starts with a visit to Xanthos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was the capital of ancient Lycia. We'll explore the city, which is brimming with influences from the Persians and Romans, before taking to the water for a canoeing trip down the Xanthos River through the reeds to Patara beach. The kayaking is suitable for beginners and no previous experience is needed. Passing through the tranquil and unspoiled rural backwaters, those with keen eyes might be able to spot colourful kingfishers, egrets, grey and squacco herons and terrapins on the riverbanks. We'll find a spot on the banks for a picnic lunch before continuing to the beach at Patara, where there will be time to relax and swim. With 18 kilometres of golden sand, Patara is one of the longest beaches in Turkey and is also a protected nesting area for giant loggerhead turtles.

For those who believe it's never too early to get into the spirit, this morning there's an optional trip to the Church of St Nicholas at Demre (non-believers can relax at the hotel or discover more Kas). We'll make an early start to visit the church, which is said to be where the 4th-century bishop, Nicholas, anonymously gave money to the poor, spawning the legend of Father Christmas. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of both Greece and Russia and is also the protector of children, merchants, scholars, and sailors - a very busy man, indeed. The origin of Saint Nicholas' gift giving is said to originate from the story of a shopkeeper who was too poor to provide his daughters with doweries. When Saint Nicholas heard of their plight, he threw three bags of coins into the shopkeeper's yard, saving the daughters from a life of hardship. The Church of Saint Nicholas was built after his death and Noel Baba's remains were placed in a rock sarcophagus. A modern statue of Saint Nicholas, complete with beard, bag of toys, and children now stands outside the church in celebration of the man in red. In the afternoon, we'll return to Kas and the rest of the day is free to relax or try snorkelling.

We'll have an early start this morning to have a go at sea kayaking in the protected waters of Kekova. En-route, we'll have a packed breakfast of sandwiches and enjoy a paddle in the waters before they become busy with boats and kayakers. It's one of the most scenic areas of Lycia with picturesque islands, bays and small ancient cities surrounding the famous sunken Kekova. Through the crystal-clear water, you can spot streets and buildings below you that have been submerged by earthquakes. Later, we'll paddle to the whitewashed village of Simena, whose harbour is dotted with ancient tombs and Roman baths. A rock-carved castle clings to the hillside, giving expansive views of the beautiful surroundings. After a visit to the ancient theatre, we'll take to the waters once again, paddling back to Ucagiz, where our transfer will be waiting to take us back to Kas.

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.