The Lycian Way West

Tour Type:

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

Activity Level & Terrain

This walking holiday is graded moderate. On some days there are significant elevation gains and losses and therefore you should be a regular walker and have a good level of fitness to gain full enjoyment from this tour.

It should be noted that the terrain in Turkey is quite rocky and stony. Some trails are smooth, but you may need to negotiate this uneven terrain from time to time, so you will need to be pretty sure-footed and have good balance.  We recommend walking poles for this tour and using walking shoes or booots with good ankle support.

The weather in Turkey is normally hot and sunny for the most part, so it's important to carry plenty of water and to have sun protection and a sun hat with you. Some sections of the route offer very little in the way of shade and water refill points are infrequent at best. 

Those with a fear of heights or moderate-severe vertigo should consider that on day 2 there is a short but steep cliff ascent on stone steps. There is rope for support. This section of the walk is avoidable by using the optional water taxi to return to Kas. Also, on day 6 there are short stretches across scree slopes, where the path is narrow.

Navigation

The Lycian Way is an official long-distance trail and is way-marked with red and white painted signs. On this tour you will be following the Lycian Way for the most part (although you do follow other paths too) and we will provide comprehensive route notes and maps. You will also have access to the Macs Adventure Smartphone App enabling you to follow the route using your phone’s GPS so using this combined with the provided route notes and maps means you should have no problems finding your way.

• Accommodation in en suite rooms in charming hotels and guesthouses on a twin share basis
• Daily breakfast
• 2 dinners
• 2 picnic lunches
• Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
• Dalaman Airport transfers at the start and end of the tour
• Transfers as per itinerary
• Door to door baggage transfers as per your itinerary
• Telephone support from our offices and local partner in the event of a problem
• All your trip documents including a detailed information pack provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”

• Lunches and dinners aside from those that are shown in the inclusions
• Drinks and snacks
• Turkish visa and any applicable visa fees
• Travel insurance (required) and personal equipment
• Any additional transfers or public transport required to shorten the walks or skip a stage

• Additional nights before, during or after the tour
• Room upgrades

When To Go

You can start this trip on any day between April to May and from September to October. As it gets so hot in Turkey during the middle of summer, we do not recommend this walk in June through to August. You should expect a warm Mediterranean climate with usually clear, sunny days from March right through to around September. It cools down a bit in autumn when you can also expect some thunderstorms.

Getting to the Start

Dalaman Airport is the most convenient airport to both the beginning and end points of the tour and is served by low cost and charter airlines from throughout the UK. These include Thomson, Easyjet, Jet2, Monarch and Fly Thomas Cook. This airport is also served by regularly scheduled airlines such as Turkish Airlines. Transfers to and from your first and last night’s accommodations are included. Please provide us with your flight arrival and departure information as soon as possible after booking.

Luggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred between your accommodation as per your itinerary. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20 kg per person.

General Information

The distances and ascents/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all the necessary items, for example, sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Security Information

Whilst Turkey is broadly a safe country, there is unfortunately at present a heightened risk of terrorist attacks in line with many Western countries (including the USA) in the present day. There is also a fairly unstable security environment. Thankfully such instances are extremely rare in rural areas like those in which our tours operate. Attacks in the past have not happened close to the areas in which Macs Adventure operate, other than in Antalya. The FCO do advise against all but essential travel to certain parts of Turkey, including within 10kms of the border with Syria, but this is many miles away from where Macs Adventure tours are. Check Terrorism Threat Levels if you are at all concerned. It is important to read all of the information thoroughly so that you can decide for yourself if you would like to go.

There was an attempted coup in Turkey in 2016, but the situation has since calmed although the security environment remains potentially volatile. Sporadic demonstrations take place in cities across Turkey, some of which have, in the past, become violent. You should avoid all demonstrations and leave the area if one develops.

We keep a close eye on the security and political situations at all times and we do recommend you check the latest advice on the UK FCO or US Travel websites before travelling.

Equipment

Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes and a day pack. Walking poles are recommended as the terrain can be quite rocky. A compass is also recommended. 

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.