Stroll
Lycian Way East - 7 Days
TurkeyLycian Way

Lycian Way East - 7 Days

7 Days
Moderate

Lycian Way East - 7 Days

from £1,310 / person

Overview

The Lycian Way traces the rugged coastline of southern Turkey along a route walked by Romans, ancient Greeks and generations of traders long before it became one of the world's great long-distance trails. This 7-day self-guided itinerary covers the finest section of the eastern Lycian Way, moving between secluded beaches, pine-forested ridgelines and some of the most significant ancient sites on the Mediterranean coast.

The route passes through the Hellenistic ruins of Olympos before ascending Mount Moses for sweeping views across the Adrasan valley. From there, the path leads to the Flames of Chimaira, natural methane vents burning from the hillside that ancient sailors once used for navigation, before continuing along the Gelidonya Peninsula where two historic lighthouses stand above limestone crags and hidden coves in one of the finest stretches of coastal walking in Turkey.

Highlights

  • Walk the best of the walks on the East Lycian Way
  • Authentic Turkish hosts and accommodations away from the tourism circuit
  • Enjoy the spectacular views over pristine blue lagoons and idyllic bays
  • Witness magnificent ancient ruins and timeless Greek historical buildings
  • Experience the breath-taking views over the Mediterranean
  • Immerse yourself in the Turkish culture and stay in small family-run accommodations in Turkish Villages well away from the crowds

Itinerary

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What's Included

Accommodation

Pension House (4 nights), 3-Star Hotel (2 nights)

Meals

6 breakfasts, and 4 dinners

Transfers

  • Luggage Transfers
  • Private Vehicle Transfers
  • Public Bus
  • Taxi Transfer

Guidance & Support

  • Itinerary & Walk Notes
  • Walking App for Navigation
  • 24/7 on-trip support

How We Rate This Walk

3

Stroll Walking Grade

Moderate

Rated by our team — we walk every route before we recommend it.

Expect some hills and longer walking days. A reasonable level of fitness will help you enjoy the experience.

View Fitness Guide

5

Days on the trail

6-17 km

Daily distance range

208-855 m

Daily ascent range

8/10

Trail difficulty

Where You'll Stay

Accommodation throughout this walk is in family-run pensions, guesthouses and hotels, all typical of the Lycian region and well away from the main tourist routes. A Turkish pension is a small, family-run guesthouse with just a handful of rooms and a personal style of hospitality, often run by the same family for generations. Six nights are spent in standard double and twin rooms throughout, with some properties offering swimming pools. The locations sit in the more remote and less visited corners of the Lycian coast, where the warmth of Turkish hospitality is felt from the moment you arrive.

What You'll Eat

Breakfast and dinner are well covered on this tour, with six breakfasts and four fixed-menu dinners included throughout. All dinners are served in-house at your accommodation, and dinner service runs until 20:30 or 21:00, so it is worth keeping that in mind when planning your evenings. Lunch is left open for you to find, and the towns and villages along the Lycian coast are well worth exploring at the table.

Note: Please advise us of any food allergies or intolerances at the time of booking. If you have severe allergies, bringing some of your own snacks is recommended, as specialist ingredients can be harder to source in more remote parts of the route.

More About This Trip

The walk starts and finishes in the Antalya region of Turkey. The most convenient airport is Antalya (AYT), with extensive international connections across Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. A transfer from Antalya Airport to your first accommodation is included on arrival. Those without a direct connection may find it easiest to route through Istanbul, from where frequent domestic flights reach Antalya in around 1 hour.

As the walk returns to the Antalya region, the same connections apply for departure.

This walk is available from 1 February to 30 November, excluding June, July and August when temperatures on the exposed coastal terrain frequently exceed 35°C. Spring brings comfortable temperatures, wildflowers and lush greenery along the trail. February is often warmer and sunnier than March, with very few other walkers on the route. Autumn offers mild, pleasant days and clear skies, with the coastal sections often inviting a refreshing swim after a day on the trail. October and November are particularly fine, with quieter paths throughout.

The terrain throughout Turkey is rocky and stony, with a mix of smooth trails and uneven surfaces. Prolonged ascents and descents feature on some sections, and sure-footedness and good balance are essential. On Day 2, there are some narrow sections with a moderate drop; those who suffer from severe vertigo may find this section uncomfortable. Walking poles and boots with good ankle support are strongly recommended.

Good physical preparation and appropriate gear are important for this trip. Building up to walking around 10 kilometres comfortably, with some hill work incorporated, is a useful starting point.

Daily walk notes, maps, and GPX tracks are provided.

Travel insurance is required for all Stroll walking holidays, covering cancellation costs, loss of luggage and injury. For international trips, your policy must also include medical evacuation coverage. A cancellation fee applies if you cancel after your holiday has been confirmed.

For your safety and well-being, we are unable to accept bookings for solo walkers on our self-guided walking trips in Turkey. The remote nature of some tracks and limited mobile reception mean that walking alone presents a higher risk in case of emergencies.

Each morning it will be up to you to place your luggage at the designated luggage pick-up point within the accommodation by 8.00 a.m. This generally will be at reception or where you pick up your luggage the night before. Please consult your hosts if any details.

Dates & Pricing

Choose Your Start Date

Pick any available date — this is your trip, your schedule

September 2026

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Tue
Wed
Thu
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Available
Limited
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Out of season

Prices shown are per person, twin/double share basis.

Lycian Way reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

For the Lycian Way (both East and West), the walks run February to May and September to October. Summer is simply too hot for coastal walking. For Cappadocia, the trip runs April to November, with spring and autumn the most comfortable windows. Across all three walks, April to May and September to October are the sweet spots.

Your main luggage is transferred between accommodations each day on all three walks. Have it at reception by 8:00am each morning and it will be waiting at your next stop by evening. You walk with just a daypack.

All three walks stay in small, family-run guesthouses and pensions well away from the tourist crowds — this is one of the things that sets these trips apart from a standard Turkey holiday. On the Lycian Way most properties have swimming pools and in-house restaurants. In Cappadocia, you'll sleep in cave hotels carved into the volcanic rock, genuinely unlike anywhere else. The hospitality across all three is warm and the settings are beautiful.

Breakfast is included every morning across all three walks, along with several dinners served as a set menu at your accommodation. Dinner service runs until 20:30–21:00. Lunch is not included — villages along all three routes have cafes and local eateries. Let the team know about any dietary requirements at booking.

A daypack with water, snacks, sun protection and your walk notes. On both Lycian Way walks, the terrain is rocky and uneven, so walking poles and boots with good ankle support are strongly recommended — the East section is particularly mountainous. Cappadocia's trails are gentler and flatter, where good walking shoes with cushioning are sufficient.

It depends on the walk. Both Lycian Way itineraries are graded moderate, with above-average elevation — the East in particular involves more sustained climbing through mountain and forested terrain. Building hill fitness before you go makes a real difference. Cappadocia is graded easy to moderate on flatter terrain and suits a wider range of walkers.

Solo walkers are not accepted on either Lycian Way walk. Some sections are remote with limited mobile coverage, and the safety risk of walking alone in those areas is genuine. The Cappadocia walk does not have the same restriction.

Turkey is a predominantly Muslim country and modest dress is appreciated when visiting mosques and religious sites — shoulders and knees covered. Remove your shoes before entering a mosque. Outside of religious sites the dress code is relaxed, though in the smaller villages conservative dress is respectful. Turks are famously warm and hospitable — a simple greeting in Turkish goes a long way.

Yes, and it's a condition of booking for all three walks. Your policy must cover injury, trip cancellation, luggage loss and medical evacuation. Never pack your passport in your main luggage.

Want to Know More?

The Lycian Way experience

Wonder
Walk the Lycian Way above the brilliant blue Oludeniz lagoon and along the Turquoise Coast
Discover the UNESCO-listed ruins of Xanthos, one of the great cities of the ancient Lycian civilisation
Walk in the footsteps of ancient Greeks and Romans through sites that have stood for over two thousand years
Wellness
Stay in small family-run accommodations in authentic Turkish villages away from the tourist trail
The Western Lycian Way is considered the most scenic section of Turkey's first long-distance trail
Walking pace allows genuine engagement with the coast, the culture, and the communities along the route
Nature
Pine-scented forests, rugged coastal cliffs, and hidden beaches along the Mediterranean Turquoise Coast
The route passes through the Butterfly Valley and above the famous blue lagoon at Oludeniz
The Bay of Oludeniz, enclosed by mountains on three sides, is one of the most photographed bays in the world