Walking Turkey's Turquoise Coast

Our walking tour of southwestern Turkey starts in the charming seaside town of Kas. Set against a backdrop of forested cliffs at the foothills of the Taurus Mountains and overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Kas is a picturesque base for a week of walking. It's known for its old town, cafes, restaurants, and quaint shops - all within easy walking distance from our hotel. For those arriving in time, our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 7pm for a welcome meeting and the opportunity to go for dinner. If you miss the welcome meeting, our tour leader will catch you up as soon as possible. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to arrive at Dalaman Airport (DLM), around a three-hour drive away.

This morning, we'll get our bearings with a guided orientation walk around Kas's cobbled streets and alleyways, passing some of the Lycian tombs that are scattered across the town. Kas is built around the remains of ancient Antiphellos and just a short walk from the centre, we'll find the horseshoe-shaped Hellenistic theatre. From here, we can climb to the top of the well-preserved theatre for magnificent sea views. We'll pick up picnic supplies and walk to Limanagzi Beach, following the cliff-top path that affords us coastal views. Limanagzi is a beautiful, sheltered bay only accessible on foot. Two rock-hewn Lycian burial chambers can be found in the forest at the edge of the beach. After a chance to relax or swim, we'll head back to Kas, either on foot, following a different route that passes more ancient Lycian tombs cut into the cliffs, or by water taxi across the bay (not included). Today's leisurely 8 kilometre/5 mile walk is expected to take around three hours with 170 metres/560 feet of ascent and descent. Note, the footpath is rocky and requires concentration and awareness at all times to navigate. There is a short, steep scramble descent where you will be required to use hands and feet.

We start the day with a 45-minute drive to the village of Gelemis where our walk starts. After hiking through some old olive groves, we start to see views of the wetlands that were once the site of the great harbour of Patara, now a good spot for birdwatching. Passing the remains of a massive granary built in the times of Hadrian we soon find ourselves walking amid small sand dunes to the impressive, and painstakingly restored, 26 metre/85 foot-high Patara lighthouse, Built in the times of Nero and dedicated to the Roman Emperor, this was considered to be one of the oldest lighthouses in the world and it stood for over a thousand years until it was toppled by a tsunami in 1481. Our walk continues to the pristine 13 km/ 8 mile long sweeping beach of Patara and the rocky promontory at the east end where we climb up the rocks to take in the fine views and fresh sea air. There is some free time to relax at the beach cafe, have a swim and for culture lovers you may like to further explore the vast ancient Lycian city ruins, including colonnaded streets and a theatre. We plan to return to Kas in the early afternoon. Today's leisurely 6 kilometre/3.7 mile walk is expected to take around three hours with 80 metres/250 feet of ascent and descent. Some of the route today involves walking on sand, which can be more tiring than walking on solid ground. In places we pass coastal sand dunes that change frequently and may result in some short but steep ascents and descents.

We'll spend today walking between hidden villages in the hinterland. Walking above the farming community of Gökçeoren, we'll pick up the Lycian Way and trek through tiny settlements. The path ascends to give us magnificent sea views all the way back to Baba Dagi Mountain near Fethiye, past Patara Beach and across to Meis Island. Following the red and white Lycian Way markers, we'll pass ancient Lycian rock tombs and an area of unusual, eroded rock before finally meeting our bus near the village of Saribelen and returning to Kas. A popular holiday destination for Turks, Kas has some great restaurant options for you to try over the course of the week. Some of the liveliest bars and restaurants cluster around the harbourfront square where children play until late at night while the adults can enjoy a raki (the local aniseed spirit) or a beer. More traditional izgara restaurants (where you can watch the meat being cooked over a massive open grill) can be found in the smaller back streets. Today's moderate 11 kilometre/7 mile walk is expected to take around four-and-a-half hours with 450 metres/1,475 feet of ascent and descent. Please be aware that the path is rocky.

Today is free to spend at your leisure. Kas has plenty to offer for those who want to relax and soak up the atmosphere, with its shady cafes, coves for swimming and beautiful local crafts shops and stalls. There are also possibilities for day trips including the option to visit the isolated and ruggedly beautiful Greek island of Meis, just one mile from the Turkish coast. This is dependent on the ferry schedule and may not be possible in low season. Alternatively, you can spend the day at the picturesque bay of Kekova, taking a boat trip or sea-kayaking over the sunken city to the village of Simena where you can hike up to the medieval castle. The scenic setting at Kekova is the result of various earthquakes that have partly submerged the town's streets and buildings, now visible beneath the crystal-clear waters.

Today we'll journey into the mountainous interior, driving up to the 1,580 metre/5,185 feet Kuruova Pass. We'll spend the morning hiking in the shadow of Mount Akdag (3,048m/10,000 feet), following a network of trails and tracks taking us through forests of cedar, pine, and juniper trees. Depending on the weather and the season, we'll walk at a high altitude, far from habitation and with scenic views and fresh mountain air. At the end of the trek, we'll meet our bus and drive on to the village of Sutlegen where we'll have lunch in a local home. Meals served at home in the villages are traditionally eaten from large communal plates whilst sitting on cushions on a floor covered in brightly coloured woven carpets. However, if the weather is fine, we might dine al fresco under the shade of the vines. Turkish meals generally start with hot and cold meze (starters), accompanied by limitless supplies of freshly baked bread. Popular meze includes cacik, a yoghurt and garlic dip, a variety of aubergine dishes and dolma, vine leaves stuffed with flavoured rice. A fresh salad of home-grown tomatoes, cucumber and sweet red onion is generally always served together with other seasonal fresh vegetables. Main course dishes are usually a hearty pulse stew with chickpeas or beans being the most popular, accompanied by bulgar wheat or rice and sometimes fried potatoes. After lunch, there'll be time for a wander in the village and to visit the local mosque before we drive back to the coast by a different route. If time and weather allow, we'll stop for a swim at Kaputas Beach. Today's moderate 7 kilometre/4.3 mile walk is expected to take around three hours with 250 metres/820 feet of ascent and 630 metres/2,065 feet of descent.

Today, we'll walk on another section of the Lycian Way. We'll start by driving to the village of Kapakli where we'll pick up the trail with lovely coastal views. We'll descend to the coast and a cove of sparking white limestone pebbles before approaching the sandy Demre river mouth. Crossing a wooden bridge, we'll walk along the untouched golden beach into the small harbour of Andriake. In early Byzantine times, Andriake was the harbour of Myra and the capital of Lycia, housing the Lycian fleet. We'll have time to visit the remains of the ancient city. Hadrian's Granary, which was built in 129 A.D., has been carefully restored to become the open-air Museum of Lycian Civilizations complete with a reconstructed Roman-era boat and bird-observation platforms. If we're lucky, we might spot some flamingos here, too. Today's leisurely 8 kilometre/5 mile walk is expected to take around three hours with 170 metres/560 feet of ascent and 240 metres/785 feet of descent. Note, the path is rocky.

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.