Trekking the Lycian Way

Watch out! Here comes another one. We're walking down the boardwalk in Oludeniz, Turkey which also doubles as a paragliding landing zone. It's no wonder people leap from the surrounding mountains and glide down to a soft beach landing, into this bay that's one of the most photographed areas of the Mediterranean coastline.
Oludeniz
Oludeniz means "dead sea" in Turkish. The actual town is named Belcekiz, but if you walk a couple hundred meters down the beach, you reach a peninsula of sand which creates a sheltered lagoon. The still, deep blue water behind this spit of land is the "dead" calm sea.

Campgrounds on the lagoon provide quiet places to relax, with or without the family. Bring your tent or rent a fully equipped caravan or camper trailer. Back in the town of Belcekiz, you can choose from a range of hotels. A clean midrange bungalow in a garden setting with AC, TV, and private bathroom costs around $35 USD a night for two.

Visit Direct Holidays for cheap Turkey holidays and all your travel needs.

Besides the beautiful beach and bay, the reason we came here was to trek along the Lycian Way. It's a meandering trail that follows the contour of Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey. While the 300 km trail itself was opened 1999 it is comprised of paths that are thousands of years old. Take a month and hike the whole trail to Antalya, or pick smaller sections to explore over a few days.

Lycian Way mapOne of the many highlights along the way is Butterfly Valley. This section of the Likya Yolu (in Turkish) is over 300 meters above the water. Start at Faralya and hike the down steep trail about 45 minutes to reach Butterfly Valley on the coast. Vertical cliffs on both sides of the narrow beach define the valley. Hippy expatriates raise over 40 organic foods and try to escape the real world in this mostly self-sufficient Walden. Hold those ropes tightly when climbing back up to the main trail. This side trip is not for the faint of heart.

On the small plateau at Faralya you will be greeted by the sight of George House, a family run inn with bungalows for travelers to stay and communal meals to bring back that hiking energy. Hasan is the host and son of the owner. He is a kind man and his family create a comfortable environment to relax. This is a popular lodge so make reservations if you can.

Finding a place to stay isn't always about reservations. In many villages, families welcome trekkers into their private homes. They'll flag you down along the trail, lead you home, clean up their bedroom, and sleep in the kitchen for the night. Dinner and breakfast are included, which are often delicious, but pale in comparison to the experience. You leave knowing you helped a local family, most of whom are simple farmers living off the land. Roads and electricity have just arrived at some of these villages.

Along the trail are historic towns and ruins like Letoon and Xanthos. Xanthos is a mini version of Ephesus, with an amphitheater where gladiators fought in Roman times. See beautiful tile mosaics and Lycian tombs without jockeying with tourists for a position to take a picture. The Chimaera or eternal flames of Mount Olympos are another popular destination with tree houses overlooking the Mediterranean.
Mediterranean Sea coast
The most stunning part of the Lycian Way are not specific places or ruins but the way you start to get used to life here. It isn't uncommon to spend a few hours with a stranger walking along the trail as they commute home on foot; you are the one visiting after all. The list of stunning views is endless but it's the smaller moments that you remember. A meal shared with a family on the side of the road where conversation is a mix of pantomime and a few shared words. Walking through the olive groves seeing the ripe fruits hanging down on the branches will return to your mind with every olive eaten. Or maybe it's the herds of goats whose ancestors have walked these trails since ancient times.