Western Lycia without tents

Group gathering at the Fethiye bus station (Türkiye) around noon. The nearest airport is Dalaman (1 hour, $3 by Havaş bus). In addition, you can fly to Antalya, but the journey will be longer (4 hours by bus). If it is more convenient for you to arrive in the evening, then it makes sense to do it the day before and spend the night in Fethiye. This is a resort town and there is a lot to do and see.

We move from Fethiye to Ovacik and check into a hotel. We quickly leave our things in our rooms and go out for our first walk. Our destination is the Greek ghost town of Kayakoy (aka Livissi). We go to it along a forest path or take a minibus. We wander among abandoned houses and temples and then overcome a small pass and begin the descent to the Oludeniz resort. We go straight to the famous lagoon, go around it, and relax on the beach. In the evening we take a minibus back to our hotel in Ovacik.

We go for the whole day to Mount Babadag (1969 m). We'll be back here to spend the night, so we'll leave any extra things at the hotel.

There are several options for hiking to Babadag. We can go up the mountain on foot and go down by bus. You can go up by cable car and go down on foot. You can fly from the top on a paraglider (with an instructor, from $60). Which one we choose will depend on the weather and the preparation of the group. In any case, stunning views open up from Babadag, centuries-old junipers grow on the slopes, and hundreds of paragliders soar over the sea. So it's definitely worth it :)

It can be cool at the top - usually the temperature there is 10-15 degrees lower than on the coast. Bring a windbreaker.

We leave Ovacik (with our things) and finally reach the classic route of the Lycian Way. We pass the “triumphal arch” marking its beginning and begin the ascent to the plateau. The trail gradually gains altitude, showing us new angles of the Blue Lagoon of Oludeniz. In the area of ​​the village of Kozagach, where lunch is planned by the way, we pass a magnificent canyon that splits the western slope of Babadag.

We go down to the village of Faralya, leave our things at the hotel and go out for an evening adventure. A very extreme descent into the Valley of the Butterflies awaits us. This is another grand canyon with vertical walls and an enticing beach at the bottom. If you don’t like thrills, you can stay at the hotel and just relax in the garden.

It will take us about an hour to descend the rocks 280 meters and end up on the beach of the Valley of the Butterflies. We swim and relax, and then return to Faralya (it’s much easier to climb up).

From Faralya we follow an alternative branch of the Lycian Way, along the sea. First, it walks along a huge rocky ledge above the already familiar Butterfly Valley and then smoothly descends to the coastline. We relax on the beach near the picturesque Cape Ak-Tash (White Stone). In the second half of the journey, a new horizon opens up - we are the first to see the stunning mountain range of the Seven Capes (Ediburun).

We arrive in the village Kabak and check into a hotel. Depending on your mood, you can simply go to the beach or go in search of adventure in the local canyon. There is a real jungle, shade, and you can wade through knee-deep water and climb the gorge in search of a cascading waterfall.

The first goal for today is Paradise Bay. There is white sand, azure sea and not a single car. To get there from Kabak, you can follow the mountain path and then we will have gorgeous views of the bays (above). Or we can rent a boat and go by sea and then we will have views of the coastal mountains (from below).

From Paradise Bay we move along the sea to the mysterious ruins in Pirate Bay. In fact, there was a Greek fishing village Calabantia, but you have to admit, pirates sound more interesting. Next we have a long climb ahead (400 m), so it makes sense to take a break in this bay and take a swim on the path.

We climb onto a plateau not far from an ancient domed cistern. Then everything will be much simpler - we go through fields and gardens to the village of Yediburun, where we spend the night.

From Yediburun to Bel (the next village) we follow a path traversing the coastal slope at an altitude of about 450 meters. It’s very beautiful, but we probably won’t go down to the sea just yet :)

Beyond Bel, we climb along a dirt road to an unnamed pass (height 690 m). To one side of our coastal ridge is the endless plain (and endless greenhouses) of the Xanthos River valley. When we pass to the other side, we will be rewarded with an endless sea panorama. A long descent along white limestone slabs. We spend the night at the Gavuragili farm, not far from the sea. The beach here is stone and entry into the water is not the most convenient, but the sunsets are simply magnificent.

We climb along a forest road to an observation deck at an altitude of 250 m in order to appreciate the scale of infinity. From the top you can clearly see all 12 kilometers of sand of the famous Patara Beach. And if you want, we can go through them from edge to edge, crossing the river along the way. Or we can take a minibus and stop by the ruins of ancient Xanthos. It was one of the largest cities of ancient Lycia.

In any case, at the beginning of the journey we will pass through the remains of the Pydney fortress, and at the end we will find ourselves near the majestic Patara. This is another Lycian capital with a well-restored amphitheater, "parliament" and other city buildings. And of course, let’s take another look at the same beach where large sea turtles lay their eggs on dark nights. We spend the night in the village of Gelemish.

The tour is over, you can move towards home or stay at sea. From Gelemish we will take the highway, where someone will go east to Antalya (4-5 hours), and someone will go west towards Dalaman airport (2-3 hours). Transport runs regularly, there will be no problems