Eastern Lycian Way Mediterranean Turkey You can join our epic adventure on Eastern part of Lycian Way. The Lycian Way (Turkish: Likya Yolu) is a marked long-distance trail in southwestern Turkey around part of the coast of ancient Lycia. ‌The whole way is about 540 km. We’ll cover roughly 200 km of the distance or so-called Eastern Lycian Way starting from Kuzdere and around Olympos (Tahtali) mountain passing Ovacik, Gedelme, Beycik, Cirali, Tekirova and Camyuva. ‌We’ll visit one of the Licain cities named Phaselis, Bizanthene castle in Gedelme, 2000-year old trees and caves, breathtaking panoramas of wild bays and rocky forests. We’ll cross Tahtali mountain at 2000m high point and experience 3 climate zones within one day. We offer the full package for 7 or 8 days to discover this famous trekking route on horseback. In some places we will meet local people and tourists, some sections are open for backpackers only. Fun facts: ‌Lycia was a region on the Western Taurus Mountains in Teke Peninsula at southwestern Anatolia on the Mediterranean Sea coast, located in what are today the provinces Muğla and Antalya. According to historians, Lycian people lived in the prehistoric Late Bronze Age. They built city-states along the Mediterranean Sea coast and formed the Lycian League. ‌Thanks to their strategic location, they had best opportunities for sea trade and even piracy. In later times, the region of Lycia was occupied by the Persian Empire, Ancient Greece, and then controlled by Ancient Rome, Byzantine Empire, Seljuk Empire, and finally the Ottoman Empire. Rock-cut tombs on cliff walls and sarcophagi in the region testify to the Lycian civilization. Progressive Ride (no camping) Meeting: Antalya airport Airport: Antalya airport Transfer: Antalya airport Riders: Min 2 riders Max 8 riders Trip Brochure (PDF) Trip Rating

Packages and Options

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Transfer and Other Charges:

Transfer from & to Antalya airport

Day 1: Arrival Day
Transfer from Antalya airport to Kemer, check-in, welcome dinner and rest in the hotel. We’ll accommodate in the oldest ranch of the area conquered by the city and renovated to the hotel but still keeping its atmosphere: jungle, birds, garden and stable converted to modern gym. No riding today.

Day 2: Pre-ride and orientation.
Breakfast, meeting horses, riding and safety brief, brushing and saddling-up.
We’ll ride in the forest around Kuzdere for 2 hours to check group skills and pick up appropriate horses for further trip. We’ll see orange and pomegranate gardens, ruins of ancient village, springs and small palm forest.
Pace: walk, trot, canter.
After the ride we’ll have short brief on the trail with detailed instructions about the rout, things to pack etc.
Lunchtime our guests can relax near the pool or at the beach and pack for trail.
Later we’ll go together for sightseeing tour to Chimera mountain at dawn and Olympos antique city. This is the last day in the hotel.

Day 3: Gedelme village and castle.
Let the trail begin. We start right after breakfast and check-out from the hotel. We’ll meet you at the stable at 11.00. You will prepare your horse, pack saddle bag and pass your trail baggage to safety car before dispatch. You can leave the stuff you don’t need for trail separately; guide will keep it safe until you return. Your stuff for trail will go with safety car, you will have it on every camping stop.
After 1,5-2 hours riding, we arrive to beautiful Kesme Bogazi canyon with mountain river. You can drink clean fresh water, swim and make pictures. This is also our lunch break. After that we start climbing the highest mountain of the region — Tahtali (2365 meters above the sea level). The road goes up and perfect for trot and canter. It will take us about 2.5-3 hours.
First stop is in the village called Gedelme. There we see a byzantine castle and very old platan trees (about 2000 years old) and authentic 150 years old local village house that will shelter us at night.
Dinner will be cooked on fire and served at the terrace. While guides are cooking riders feed and brush horses and prepare tack for the next day.
Pace: walk, trot, canter.

Day 4. Lycian Switzerland [for 7 days program we skip this location]
After breakfast we’ll head to the hidden valley with shepherd’s house close to Ovacik village. We’ll see how highlanders live and run crazy galop on green meadow. This is also perfect place for shooting and capturing your gallops.
After lunch in the valley we’ll head up to our camping place in platan forest.
Totally the ride today will take about 5 hours.
This night we’ll spend in the tents. And traditionally we’ll take care of horses first.
Pace: walk, trot, canter and long fast gallop.

Day 5: Touch the sky.
We start with breakfast and feeding and preparing horses. After that we climb Tahtali mountain again. This day we have our highest point up to 2000m. The weather is changing and we are reaching the territory without the trees covered with clouds you can literally touch. We will have lunch break on the top and let horses eat juicy grass in the highland meadows.
After reaching the highest point we start to move down till we reach Beycik — a village with beautiful mountain and sea view. We make a break there, eat, take care of the horses, take shower and stay in the village for sleeping in the bungalows. Finally, we can enjoy hot shower and internet. The ride will take us around 6 hours.
Pace: walk and trot mostly, short gallops.

Day 6: Secret bays.
The rout is getting down to the sea level. The ride takes 6 hours minimum with lot of walking. The road is surrounded with beautiful bays and untouched nature. You can see sparking rocks full of metal here, underground river coming to surface and flowers growing on the rocks. The forest along the seaside will let you think you are in Tanzania.
After crossing the biggest bay, we arrive to the turtle bay for one night – the bay where baby-turtles are born. This is national park and only backpackers allowed. Sometimes you see no people at all on this day. Tents and food are already prepared there. Riders can swim with/without horse.
Pace: walk and trot on the way, canter on the beach (we’ll make nice pics and videos).

Day 7: Antique Phaselis
Starting our way to the ranch. On the way we cross five bays with marvelous view and an ancient city of Phaselis. The most curious riders can enter the city.
It is possible to make a lunch break there. After lunch we are coming back to the ranch trotting and galloping through the village of Tekirova. The ride takes around 6 hours. There will be some part on town road.
This night we’ll spend in comfortable hotel.
Pace: walk, trot, canter.

Day 8: Departure
Good-bye day. Riders check-out and transferred to the airport. We can buy souvenirs on our way.
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‌NOTE: Program can be adjusted to seasonal weather conditions or riders’ specific requirements to stay longer at best locations.
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The weather at the destination will be like in Kemer, Antalya, Turkey (and can be 5-10 C less in the mountains).

Here is the list of things you need in horse riding tour:

• riding trousers (breeches), boots (better boots+chaps, not high boots), socks
• comfortable long sleeves fit for weather (even when it’s hot better to have long sleeve to protect arms from sun)
• short warm jacket (for late evening / night is a must!)
• helmet (if you want yours), vest (if you use one), riding gloves (recommended), plastic sunglasses (highly recommended to protect your eyes from stones flying from the hooves on canter)
• comfortable clothes for non-riding program / time (jeans, t-short, sweater, thermo pijama etc., especially warm clothes for nights in the mountains)
• sun cream with 20+ SPF
• small bag for ID, phone, pocket money
• hygienic stuff (toothbrush, cosmetics, individual medicines if you use some, towel), flip flops for the beach
• no expensive photo cameras, lenses, selfie-stick etc please. Gopro or phone is enough, huge equipment is impossible to carry on the way and easy to break while riding. You will have to mount and dismount from the ground, sit on your saddle bag while lunch break, carry water. Electronic devices could be easily damaged.
• phone charger, powerbank, small light for camping or you can use the phone
• swimming suit (if you plan to swim in the sea or pool in the hotel)
• backpack or cabin size suitcase to pack your stuff for transfer car for camping days (4 days for 7 days trail package or 5 days for 8 days package). Please note only 1 bag per person is allowed. Stuff that you don’t need while riding should stay at ranch. We are riding in government protected area where the number of car entries and vehicle size is limited. Please take only essential things.
• Sleeping bags, matrasses, tents will be provided. No need to bring yours.
• Last but not the least: good mood, of course!

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Accommodation & food: boutique hotel with breakfast, lunch and dinner included on the first 2 days and the last day of the program, guesthouses/camping on the trail route.

Tack:		functional English saddles and bridles, sometimes rope training bridle
Horses:		Arab and cross-breeds
Pace:		average 5 to 6 hours, some days are shorter with 2 to 3 hours riding; roughly 200 km in total | Walk | Trot | Canter |
Level:		(3 to 4 out of 5)    Intermediate
Age:		Min 12
Weight:		Max 75 kg / 165 lbs
Riders:		Min 2 riders	Max 8 riders

Please mind weight restrictions. This is an expedition trip. Once we are off the ranch we can't change the horse. Weight control will be applied to all riders upon arrival. Riders exceeding weight limit will not be allowed to ride with no refund.

Riders should be experienced and able to canter, and be able to saddle up their own horse.

Emergency cases: if rider does not cope with the program or has health issues on the route or wishes to quit the trail because of personal reason he/she is taken back at his/her own cost. Transfer cost, horse transportation cost, extra days in the hotel should be covered by the rider. In case of horse injury, it will be replaced by trail operator at its own cost.

Passports

Passport valid for at least three months from date of departure from Turkey required by all nationals referred to in the chart, except:

1. nationals of Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Liechtenstein, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland, who can enter with a national ID card (which must have a validity of one year).

Visas

Sticker-type entry visas: Tourists and business visitors from the following countries do require visas and can obtain a sticker-type entry visa at the point of entry for a fee (prices are dependent on nationality):

(a) 2. Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Malta, The Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, the UK* and USA for stays not exceeding three months;

(b) 3. Greek Cypriot Administrative Region, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic for stays not exceeding one month.

Except 4. Nationals of Bulgaria who do not require a visa for stays up to three months, but do require a visa for transit and for entry at certain points in Turkey; check with consulate.

Visa Note

(a) *British National Overseas passport holders should contact the visa section of the consulate general before travelling. (b) Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).

Types of Visa and Cost

British passport holders can obtain tourist visa either at the port of entry in Turkey for £10 or from the consulate general in the UK for £50. Single entry (six months): £74. Single entry (one year): £230. Single transit: £74. Study: £74 (six months) or £230 (one year). Work: £230. These prices are provided by The Consulate General for the Republic of Turkey in London; prices may vary according to nationality.

Validity

Single entry: up to six months or one year. Multiple entry: up to five years. Transit: six months. Work: one year. Study: six months or one year.

Applications to:

Consulate (or consular section at embassy); see Contact Addresses. Applicants must pre-book an appointment with the relevant consulate. An online appointment system is available for The Consulate General for the Republic of Turkey in London (website: www.turkishconsulate.org.uk/en/visa ). Travel agencies can also make visa applications.

Working Days Required

Usually three, but dependent on nationality of applicant and type of visa. Some applications may be referred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara, which may take much longer (minimum six to eight weeks).

 

This information is not being updated on a regular basis. Hidden Trails does not take any responsibility for the accuracy of the above information. Please, consult the embassy or consulate for updated info.