Stroll
Lycian Way West - 7 Days
TurkeyLycian Way

Lycian Way West - 7 Days

7 Days
Moderate

Lycian Way West - 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 western Lycian Way, moving between ancient ruins, forested hillsides and some of the most dramatic coastal scenery on the Mediterranean.

The walk begins in Kayakoy, a UNESCO-listed ghost village emptied when its Greek population was forced out after the First World War, and descends to Oludeniz, one of the top five rated beaches in the world. From there the route follows old shepherd trails over seven capes to the village of Alinca, perched high above the turquoise sea, passing a panoramic lookout over Butterfly Valley along the way.

Highlights

  • Walk the best of the walks on the West Lycian Way
  • Enjoy the spectacular views over pristine blue lagoons and idyllic bays
  • Visit the UNESCO World Friendship and Peace village of Kayakoy, also known to be a ghost village
  • Witness magnificent ancient ruins and timeless Greek historical buildings
  • Experience the breath-taking views over the Mediterranean
  • Explore authentic Greek villages and enjoy delectable local cuisines
  • 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

Village Hotel (2 nights), Pension House (3 nights), Guest House (1 night)

Meals

6 breakfasts, and 4 dinners

Transfers

  • Luggage Transfers
  • Private Vehicle Transfers

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

6-13 km

Daily distance range

229-886 m

Daily ascent range

6/10

Trail difficulty

Where You'll Stay

On this section of the Lycian Way, the accommodation is as carefully considered as the route itself. Six nights are spent in good quality family-run pensions and guesthouses sitting in some of the more remote and less visited corners of the western Lycian coast. A Turkish pension is a small family-run guesthouse, intimate by nature and warm in welcome, often passed down through generations. Standard double and twin rooms are provided throughout, and most properties have swimming pools that are well worth making the most of at the end of a walking day.

What You'll Eat

Each morning begins with an included breakfast, and four fixed-menu dinners are served in-house at your accommodation throughout the trip. Dinner service runs until 20:30 or 21:00, so it is worth planning your evenings accordingly. Lunch is an invitation to eat locally, and the towns and villages along the western Lycian coast have plenty of good options to choose from.

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 Fethiye region of Turkey. The most convenient airport is Dalaman (DLM), with international connections across Europe and beyond. A transfer from Dalaman 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 Dalaman in around 1 hour.

As the walk returns to the Fethiye 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. 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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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