Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Turkey: Walking the Lycian Way from Kabak to Çıralı
8 days from Dalaman to Antalya: two nights in Kabak above Butterfly Valley, three in Kaş for the Patara to Kalkan stage and a boat to Aperlai and Kekova, then two in Çıralı for Olympos and the Chimaera flames.
8 days · Dalaman to Antalya · up to 12 guests
A bay on the Kabak coast, seen from the Lycian Way Photo: canonim, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kabak_Vadisi.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Start and end
- Dalaman to Antalya
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 3 h on day 3No drive day is longer than 4 hours.
- Activity level
Active
Four walking days of 3 to 6 hours on feet, on stony Lycian Way trail with steep climbs and descents of up to about 400 m. The longest is day 4, about 14 km from Patara to Kalkan. Altitude stays below about 600 m. Our vehicle carries the luggage every day and meets the group at the end of each stage, so you walk with a daypack only. Every walking day has an easy option by vehicle, and you can sit any stage out.
- Meals included
- 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 2 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 545 (estimated price)
- Season
- April to May and October
Highlights
Why this trip
- The Lycian Way along the cliff edge above Butterfly Valley, then down to Kabak beach
- Two nights in Kabak, a valley of small lodges and terraces above the sea
- The Roman aqueduct pipeline at Delikkemer on the walk from Patara to Kalkan
- A path down to the sunken harbour at Aperlai, then a boat for our group across to Kekova and Simena
- The Chimaera flames burning out of the hillside above Çıralı at dusk
- A morning walk along the beach into the ruins of Olympos, among the plane trees
- Phaselis and its three ancient harbours at opening, on the way to Antalya
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day, and none is longer than 4 hours.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 545 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 3 h, on day 3.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Dalaman, on to Kabak
Dalaman Airport to Fethiye, then Kabak
- Dinner
- Stay in Kabak
- Drive about 2 h
A driver meets you in arrivals at Dalaman Airport (DLM) and your See Sight Tours guide joins the group for the drive east. The first stretch, about 50 minutes, runs over the pine hills above Göcek to Fethiye, a harbour town at the head of a bay of islands, where we stop for a coffee and a stretch on the waterfront. From Fethiye the road climbs past Ölüdeniz and along a ledge cut into the side of Babadağ, with the sea far below, through the village of Faralya and down into Kabak. There are no large hotels in the valley, only small lodges among the pines and terraces.
Afternoon
We arrive in the late afternoon, in time to watch the light go off the sea from the terrace. Your guide gives a short briefing on the walks ahead and checks your shoes and daypack.
Evening
Tonight the group shares a welcome dinner together at the lodge.
Included
- Pick-up at Dalaman Airport (DLM)
- Coffee stop on the Fethiye waterfront
- Welcome briefing and kit check with your guide
- Welcome dinner at the lodge in Kabak
Free time: Free on arrival in Kabak until dinner
Activity: The last 30 km to Kabak are steep and winding. Land at Dalaman by about 2 pm; later arrivals are met and driven straight to Kabak.
Above Butterfly Valley to Kabak
Kabak to Faralya by vehicle, then on foot along the Lycian Way back to Kabak
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Kabak
- Drive about 18 min
The Lycian Way is a waymarked path of more than 500 km from Fethiye to Antalya, and today you walk one of its best-known stretches. The vehicle takes us a few minutes up the road to Faralya and we start walking at about 8:30, while the cliffs are still in shade. The trail follows the rim of Butterfly Valley, a deep cleft whose stream runs out to a beach far below, then contours along the mountainside through pine and scrub with the sea on your left the whole way. It is about 8 km of stony path with a few short climbs.
Afternoon
We reach Kabak village before noon and stop for a sit-down lunch of gözleme, salads and village bread. The afternoon is free: the steep path down to Kabak beach takes about 40 minutes, and the swim at the bottom is the reward.
Evening
Dinner is on your own, at the lodge or a valley restaurant.
Included
- Guided walk on the Lycian Way from Faralya to Kabak, along the rim of Butterfly Valley
- Sit-down lunch in Kabak village
Optional experiences
- Boat from Kabak beach to the Butterfly Valley beach, in season and calm weather (price shown before you book)
Easier option: Walk the first hour along the Butterfly Valley rim to the viewpoint and back, then ride to Kabak for lunch.
More active option: Walk the whole stage, then go on down the path to Kabak beach and back up, about 2 extra hours.
Free time: Afternoon free in Kabak; dinner on your own
Activity: About 8 km and 4 to 5 hours on feet with stops, on stony path with drops beside the trail. The path down into Butterfly Valley itself uses fixed ropes and is not part of the walk.
Patara and on to Kaş
Kabak to Patara, then Kaş
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Kaş
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
A slow morning in Kabak, with time for a last swim or a coffee on the terrace, before we drive back up the valley road and east through Fethiye and the Eşen plain, about two hours in all with a stop on the way. Patara was one of the leading ports of ancient Lycia and the birthplace of St Nicholas.
Afternoon
Before the ruins we sit down to lunch in Gelemiş, the farming village beside the site. Then your guide walks you through Patara: the restored assembly hall where the cities of the Lycian League sent their delegates, the colonnaded street, the theatre half buried in sand and the old lighthouse by the silted harbour. From the ruins a boardwalk crosses the dunes to Patara beach, 18 km of sand, where you can swim. We leave in the late afternoon for the 50 minute drive to Kaş, a white harbour town under the mountains. Settle in for three nights.
Included
- Sit-down lunch in Gelemiş
- Patara with your guide: the assembly hall, the colonnaded street, the theatre and the lighthouse
- Time to swim at Patara beach
Free time: Morning free in Kabak; evening free in Kaş
Activity: Patara is a flat site of about 2 hours on sandy paths with little shade. In the loggerhead turtle nesting season (about May to October) Patara beach closes from dusk to morning, so our swim is in the afternoon and we leave before sunset; nesting areas are marked and stay off limits.
Patara to Kalkan on foot
Kaş to Gelemiş, on foot via the Delikkemer aqueduct to Kalkan, then back to Kaş
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Kaş
- Drive about 2 h
The longest walk of the trip. We leave Kaş at about 6:45 for the hour-long drive west past Kalkan and start from Gelemiş at about 8, before the heat. Early in the walk the path passes the Delikkemer aqueduct, part of the Roman water supply to Patara: a pressure pipeline of carved stone blocks, a largely intact inverted siphon, and your guide stops to show how it worked. The trail climbs on through olive terraces and low scrub, with the Patara dunes and the sea opening out behind you.
Afternoon
We eat a packed lunch in the shade on the way. The later section runs along the hillside above the coast and drops into Kalkan, a small harbour town of whitewashed houses with wooden balconies. Finish with a tea or a cold drink on the harbour while the vehicle comes round; we are back in Kaş, 35 minutes away, by late afternoon.
Evening
The evening is yours.
Included
- Guided walk on the Lycian Way from Gelemiş to Kalkan
- The Delikkemer aqueduct
- Packed lunch on the trail
- Tea on Kalkan harbour
Easier option: Walk the first hour with the group to the Delikkemer aqueduct and back to the vehicle, then ride round to meet everyone in Kalkan, or spend the day in Kaş and meet us for dinner.
More active option: Walk the full stage, about 14 km, at an unhurried pace with a longer stop at the aqueduct.
Free time: Evening free in Kaş
Activity: About 14 km and 5 to 6 hours on feet, with a climb of about 400 m and a long, stony descent into Kalkan. Walking poles help. Carry 2 litres of water.
Aperlai on foot, Kekova by boat
Kaş to the Aperlai trailhead, on foot to Aperlai, then by boat (out from Üçağız) to Kekova and Simena, back to Üçağız and Kaş
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Kaş
- Drive about 1.5 h
After two big walks, a day split between the trail and the water. We drive about 40 minutes east to the trailhead near Boğazcık and walk down through pine and scrub to Aperlai, an ancient Lycian port on a narrow neck of land that is reached only on foot or by sea. Its harbour buildings slid under the water in antiquity, and you can see their walls in the shallows beside the shore. At the cove our boat collects us; it has come out from Üçağız harbour, where anyone taking the easy option boarded with the vehicle.
Afternoon
Lunch is cooked on board as we cross to Kekova Island, where the walls, stairs and house foundations of a sunken town lie along the north shore. Swimming above the ruins is not allowed, so the boat drifts slowly past. At Kaleköy, the old Simena, a short climb leads to a small castle with a view over the bay. The boat returns to Üçağız and we are back in Kaş by late afternoon.
Included
- Guided walk to Aperlai and its sunken harbour
- Boat for our group from Aperlai to Kekova and Kaleköy
- Lunch cooked on board
- The sunken city along Kekova Island, seen from the deck
- Simena castle at Kaleköy
- Swim stops in the coves
Optional experiences
- Sea kayaking along the Kekova coast, away from the protected ruins (price shown before you book)
Easier option: Skip the walk: ride with the vehicle to Üçağız harbour and board the boat there in the morning; it then calls at the Aperlai cove for the walkers before Kekova.
More active option: Explore the Aperlai shore and the path beyond with your guide for an extra hour while the boat waits in the cove.
Free time: Evening free in Kaş
Activity: About 3 to 4 hours on feet in all, mostly downhill to Aperlai on stony path, plus 15 minutes of uneven steps at Simena. Whether a boat may land at the Aperlai cove is an ops check before departures are confirmed; if it may not, the walkers climb back to the trailhead (about 1.5 hours more) and board at Üçağız. If the sea is too rough, we walk around Kaş instead.
Myra, then the Chimaera at dusk
Kaş to Demre (Myra), then Çıralı
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Çıralı
- Drive about 3 h
A rest from walking.
Morning
We leave Kaş mid-morning for Demre, about 50 minutes east, and visit Myra, where the Lycians cut their tombs into the cliff face like the fronts of timber houses, above a Roman theatre carved with theatre masks.
Afternoon
Lunch is sit-down in Demre. Then we follow the coast road through Finike and Kumluca, between the mountains and the greenhouses, and turn down to Çıralı, a village of orange groves and small pensions behind a long pebble beach, about 1 hour 45 minutes to two hours from Demre. There is time to unpack and swim.
Evening
Before sunset we drive a few minutes to the foot of Mount Chimaera and walk up a stepped path, about 25 minutes, to the Chimaera itself: dozens of small flames fed by natural gas burning out of cracks in the rock, as they have since antiquity. They show best as the light fades. Walk down by torchlight; dinner on your own in the village.
Included
- Myra with your guide: the rock tombs and the theatre
- Sit-down lunch in Demre
- The Chimaera flames (Yanartaş) at dusk with your guide
Easier option: Stay in Çıralı for the evening instead of the climb to the flames.
Free time: Afternoon by the beach in Çıralı; dinner on your own
Activity: The Chimaera path is about 1 km of steps and rocky track, climbing about 150 m; bring a torch or headlamp for the walk down. In the loggerhead turtle nesting season (about May to October) Çıralı beach closes at night, so the afternoon swim ends before we leave for the flames, and nesting areas are marked and off limits.
Olympos and a beach afternoon
Çıralı on foot along the beach to Olympos, and back
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Çıralı
We start at about 8:30 and walk south along Çıralı beach, about 3.5 km of pebble and sand, to the mouth of the Olympos valley. The ancient city was a member of the Lycian League and later a base for the pirates that Rome cleared from this coast in the 1st century BC. Its ruins are spread along both banks of a stream under plane trees and oleander: a temple doorway standing on its own in the woods, a theatre, bath houses, Byzantine walls and tombs, some with their inscriptions still sharp. Your guide takes about two hours through the site before we walk back up the beach, or ride back if you prefer.
Afternoon
Lunch is on your own in the village. The afternoon is free for swimming and lying in the shade.
Evening
In the evening the group shares a farewell dinner at a family restaurant in Çıralı, with grilled fish, mezze and the orange groves around you.
Included
- Guided walk along Çıralı beach to Olympos
- Olympos ancient city with your guide
- Farewell dinner in Çıralı
Easier option: Ride to the Olympos entrance and back with the vehicle and walk only through the ruins.
More active option: Before breakfast, climb the Lycian Way from Çıralı towards Ulupınar for a view over the bay, about 2 hours return with your guide.
Free time: Afternoon free in Çıralı; lunch on your own
Activity: About 4 hours on feet, flat apart from short scrambles in the ruins; the beach walk is on pebbles.
Phaselis and Antalya Airport
Çıralı to Phaselis, then Antalya Airport (AYT)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 2 h
Morning
We leave Çıralı after an early breakfast for Phaselis, about 30 minutes north, so we are there at opening and ahead of the day trips from Kemer and Antalya. The town was founded by colonists from Rhodes and grew rich on trade from three harbours. Today a paved main street runs between them under the pines, past the agora, the baths and a small theatre, with the aqueduct arches at one end. Walk to the south harbour, where ruins run down into clear, calm water, and swim if you like. Late morning we drive about 70 km north along the coast past Kemer to Antalya Airport (AYT), about 1 hour 15 minutes. Your guide comes with you to the terminal before saying goodbye. Book a flight leaving after about 3 pm. If you would like to stay on in Antalya, we can drop you in the old town and quote extra nights when you request to book.
Included
- Phaselis with your guide at opening: the main street, the theatre and the harbours
- Drop-off at Antalya Airport (AYT) or in Antalya's old town
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 3 pm.
- Dalamanstart
- Kabak2 nights
- Kaş3 nights
- Çıralı2 nights
- Antalyaend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: April and May bring wildflowers, green hills and a sea warming to swimmable by May; October has a warm sea and cooler walking days. Loggerhead turtles nest on Patara and Çıralı beaches from about May to October, when the beaches close at night and we keep evening swims to daylight. June to September is too hot for long stages on this coast.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Regular walkers who can manage 5 to 6 hours on stony trail with steep descents
- Travellers who want the Lycian Way without carrying a pack or changing beds every night
- Ruins, swimming and walking in the same day
- People who like small, quiet places: Kabak and Çıralı have no big hotels
Not for you if you want
- Step-free access or anyone who struggles on uneven ground and steep steps
- A hut-to-hut trek covering the whole Lycian Way
- June to September heat
- Travellers who want Istanbul or Cappadocia on the same trip (see our other Turkey trips)
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
7 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Kabak2 nights
- Kaş3 nights
- Çıralı2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 7 nights: 2 in Kabak (a small lodge on the valley slope), 3 in Kaş (walkable to the harbour), 2 in Çıralı (a family-run pension or boutique hotel near the beach)
- Private bathroom every night, named when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Dalaman Airport (DLM) on day 1
- Drop-off at Antalya Airport (AYT) or Antalya's old town on day 8
- Our own air-conditioned vehicle and driver for all eight days, moving your luggage while you walk and meeting the group at the end of each stage
- Boat for our group from Aperlai to Kekova, Kaleköy and Üçağız
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide who walks every stage with the group for all 8 days
- Licensed local guides where a site or the law requires one
Activities
- Lycian Way: Faralya to Kabak above Butterfly Valley
- Patara: the ancient city and the beach
- Lycian Way: Gelemiş to Kalkan via the Delikkemer aqueduct
- Aperlai and its sunken harbour
- Kekova: the sunken city from the boat, Simena castle and swim stops
- Demre: Myra rock tombs and theatre
- Çıralı: the Chimaera flames at dusk
- Olympos ancient city
- Phaselis
Meals
- 7 breakfasts
- 5 lunches: Kabak village, Gelemiş, a packed lunch on the Kalkan trail, on the Kekova boat, Demre
- 2 dinners: welcome dinner in Kabak, farewell dinner in Çıralı
Not included
- International flights to Dalaman and from Antalya
- Visa or e-Visa fees, if your passport needs one
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed above
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities: the Butterfly Valley boat and sea kayaking
- Walking poles and personal walking kit
- Sun loungers and umbrellas at beaches
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 545 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Seven nights with private bathrooms, 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 2 dinners, airport transfers at Dalaman and Antalya, our own vehicle and driver moving your luggage every day so you walk with a daypack, a boat for our group to Aperlai and Kekova, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every entry: Patara, Myra, Olympos, the Chimaera and Phaselis. No shopping stops.
How fit do I need to be to walk the Lycian Way with you?
You should be comfortable walking 5 to 6 hours on stony, uneven trail with steep climbs and descents. Four days include walking; the longest is about 14 km from Patara to Kalkan. Each has an easy option by vehicle, and you can sit any stage out and rejoin the group for lunch or dinner.
Is the Lycian Way too hot to walk, and what happens if it rains?
Not in April, May or October, when we run this trip; we start the long stages at 8 to 8:30 to walk in the cool. If a stage is unsafe in heat or heavy rain, your guide shortens it, uses the easy option by vehicle or swaps it with a rest day. If the sea is rough, the Kekova boat is replaced by a walk around Kaş.
How big is the group?
Between 7 and 12 guests, and never more. We do not merge groups, so the number you are told is the number you walk with. Twelve keeps the group together on narrow trail and fits in one boat and around one table.
Who leads the walks?
A See Sight Tours guide walks every stage with you and stays with the group for all eight days, from Dalaman arrivals to Antalya Airport. Licensed local guides join where a site or Turkish law requires one. We name your guide before you travel.
I'm travelling solo. What does a single room cost?
A room of your own is CAD 545 more for the whole trip, shown before you book with no surprise at checkout. Solo travellers are welcome on every departure and join the same walks, meals and boat as everyone else.
When is the best time to walk the Lycian Way?
April, May and October. Spring has wildflowers and cool mornings, and October has a warm sea for swimming after the walks. From June to September the coast is too hot for 5 to 6 hour stages, and winter brings more rain and short days.
How does booking work?
Choose your style and start date and send a request to book. We confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken until then. Your lodge, hotel and pension are named when we confirm your dates.
Can we walk privately or on our own dates?
Yes. The private style is your party only, with your own guide, vehicle and boat, on a date you choose, from CAD 5,750 per person, and the stages are paced to your group. If you would rather walk independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote rooms and luggage transfers.
Do I need a visa for Turkey?
Not for Canadian or US passports on a tourist stay of up to 90 days in any 180, under the current rule. Other nationalities may need an e-Visa bought online before travel. We confirm the rule for your passport when we confirm your trip.
Can we go down into Butterfly Valley?
Not on foot with the group. The path from Faralya into the valley uses fixed ropes on a steep rock face, so we walk the rim and look down instead. In season and calm weather, a small boat runs from Kabak beach to the Butterfly Valley beach as an optional on the free afternoon.
How is this different from your Lycian coast trip?
Our Lycian coast trip is a sightseeing trip from Antalya to Fethiye with one short walk, Termessos, Aspendos and Kayaköy. This one is a walking trip: four Lycian Way days, two nights in Kabak and two in Çıralı, with Olympos and the Chimaera, which the coast trip skips.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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