Video blog about the Lycian Way

In May 2017, our team once again organized a hike along the Lycian Way. Everything was the same as always, except for one fact - this time I undertook not only to lead the group, but also to record a video blog. It seemed to me that the tourists were sympathetic to the instructor who was always chatting with a selfie stick. 8 episodes of the video blog were filmed and edited, plus a special episode about equipment for hiking in Turkey. Thanks to this, you now have the opportunity to take a closer look at what Eastern Lycia is like on May Day and how tourists live along the route. I understand that going on hikes is much more interesting than watching about them on YouTube, but if you still find the strength to watch this series BEFORE the hike, then... you will improve your skills and your backpack will seem light later :)

The blog begins immediately from the 3rd day of the trek - we climb to the pass from the Harmony Canyon (Goynuk) and discuss a sad event - the loss of records about the first two days of the trek. Already at dusk we arrive at the parking lot and cook dinner on the turbo stove.

A long morning of boiling a strategic supply of water smoothly turns into a game of "Danetki". Meanwhile, we are jumping over the stones of the Harmony Canyon, while simultaneously discussing a project to save Africa from thirst. Although in fact our own children suffer from thirst. These eaglets have filled a water bottle with candy and are now quickly becoming dehydrated in the hot Turkish sun. And finally, we creep into the courtyard of the “pomegranate villa”, where our groups traditionally have lunch. After lunch, the backpacks with the children go ahead in the car, and we walk lightly along the trail in Gedelm. In this village we raid a store and buy mountains of bread, cheese and ayran. Poster "village fatigue", trash cans from Kemer and thousand-year-old plane trees. For dinner we prepare fried onions and stew, the guys open a beer...

How to wake up a group on a hike? You can try to lure everyone out of the tents with food. But if these people are ready to sacrifice beer (no matter for what), then there may be problems. We load into a pickup truck and drive up to Yayla-Kuzdera, where it suddenly turns out that aliens have crept into our ranks. Another hour passes and brings us a new surprise - two participants decide that it is better to bypass this mountain and temporarily leave us. Gradually the weather changes and the wild heat is replaced by mountain coolness, fog and rain. We climb Chukur-yayla and hide from bad weather in a shepherd's house. After a bucket of tea, the strength returns to us and makes possible a stunning evening hike to the enchanted cedars of the Chukur plateau. Suddenly the evening gets an extravagant ending - a military patrol comes to visit us and we sign a non-aggression pact...

The harsh ascent to Mount Takhtali tests our strength with non-mountain heat and melted snow. Although for me personally, the biggest challenge was the advent of the Internet. It incredibly slows down the movement along the trail, but we nevertheless break through to the top of the Turkish Olympus (height 2365 meters). On the way back, we pick up our backpacks, have lunch and head to Beychik, where we treat ourselves to gozleme flatbread and Turkish tea. A cloud falls on the forest and it becomes a little damp and very mysterious

There are only a few hours left before the sea. We quickly overcome time and space to finally get to the beach and the laundry. And in the evening we go to meet the fire-breathing Chimera. Unfortunately, we didn’t take any kebabs with us to fry them in the flames of the ancient monster :(

Last day of hiking along the Lycian Way. Before leaving for Antalya, we go for a walk through the ruins of the ancient city of Olympos. This is an absolutely magical place with an atmosphere worthy of Lara Croft and Indiana Jones. Looted sarcophagi, ancient temples and researchers drowning in a swamp (this is about us, by the way).

And now an important point - a video about clothes and equipment for hiking along the Lycian Trail. This time I was on a hike with my son, so there will be especially a lot of equipment in this series.

Conclusion

Many thanks to our friendly group! Guys, thanks to you, our hike (and these videos) became ten times more interesting and fun. I hope we meet again. Our planet is big, the mountains are beautiful, our backpacks are big - let's go hiking!