S T E P B Y S T E P LY C I A N W AY

STEP BY STEP
LYCIAN WAY
Translated by Fuat Gören

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S T E P B Y S T E P LY C I A N W AY

LYCIAN WAY
STEP BY STEP

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ALTUĞ ŞENEL
He was born in Kocaeli in 1976. He completed his primary, secondary and
high school education in the city he was born, then undergraduate and
master’s studies at the Mechanical Engineering Faculty of Istanbul Techni-
cal University. He graduated from the Photography and Camerawork Fac-
ulty Of Open University. Still, he works as the Federation Representative in
the Unif of Contest in the Photographic Arts Federation Of Turkey (TFSF).
After he graduated from the Tour Guiding Faculty of Ayvansaray University
in 2019, he started to work as a professional tourist guide. He chose to
keep working as a professional guide and finished his white-collar busi-
ness life, has settled in Marmaris after leaving the metropolitan city. He an-
nounces events, programs, and tour organisations on “OutdoorInTurkey”
and “HikeInTurkey” webpages which he is the founder.
While he shares his trekking and hiking experiences step by step on his
personal page, he still continues to write about his course and track expe-
riences with several written and visual sources.

yuruyenkisi
yuruyenkisi
[email protected]
www.outdoorinturkey.com

FUAT GÖREN
Fuat Gören has been on numerous hiking and outdoor tours since the
early 1990s, including in Tanzania on the Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, in
Corsica on the GR20 and the Mare-a-Mare-Centre, in Canada by canoe
on the Yukon, by motorcycle through 33 US-states, in the Dolomites, as
well as on the Nibelungensteig in Germany’s Odenwald region (a trail
retracing some of the locations of the Nibelungen-Saga).
In 2017, he hiked for two months on the GR10 to write his German hik-
ing-guide “Frankreich: Pyrenäenweg GR 10”. It was published by the Ger-
man publishing house Conrad Stein Verlag in August 2018, ISBN 978-3-
86686-575-4, and is available athttps://shop.autorenwelt.de/products/
frankreich-pyrenaenweg-gr10-von-fuat-goren?variant=425800335366.
He has also written articles about his GR10-hike and other hikes, that have
been published in German and international magazines, and gives public
photo presentations about his hiking adventures.

one_great_earth.de
[email protected]
https://one-great-earth.de

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR .......................................................... 10
FROM THE AUTHOR ........................................................ 12
TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE................................................. 14
FOREWORD BY A FELLOW HIKER ................................. 16
HISTORY OF LYCIA ......................................................... 18
BEFORE SETTING OFF ..................................................... 24
PRE-HIKE PREPARATIONS AND ADVICES ....................... 24
Waymarks and Signposts ............................................. 24
Walking Schedule ........................................................ 25
Maps and GPS ............................................................. 25
Water .......................................................................... 26
Accommodation .......................................................... 27
Food/Provisions ............................................................ 27
Weather and Walking Seasons ..................................... 28
Local Population and Sustainable Tourism .................... 28
Camping .................................................................... 29
Respecting Nature ....................................................... 29
Travel Budget............................................................... 29
Where to Start the Walk? ............................................ 30
Fitness Level ................................................................ 30
Is the Trail Suitable for Bicycles or Motor Vehicles? ....... 30
Mobile Phone .............................................................. 30
Wild Animals ............................................................... 31
Updates ....................................................................... 31
QR Codes .................................................................... 32
Emergency Telephone Numbers ................................... 32
How Did I Determine the Stage Difficulty Levels? ......... 33
Table of Stages’ Difficulty Levels ................................... 34
LISTS OF EQUIPMENT AND CAMPING GEAR ................. 36
List of Basic Equipment and Gear: ................................ 36
List of Additional Equipment and Gear......................... 38
Other Optional Equipment and Gear ........................... 39
PRECAUTIONS AND FIRST AID........................................ 39
FLORA AND FAUNA OF LYCIA ........................................ 43
TREES AND BUSHES..................................................... 45
BIRDS .......................................................................... 50
BUTTERFLIES ................................................................ 52

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FETHİYE-KAYAKÖY-OVACIK ..................................................... 54

OVACIK-KOZAĞAÇ-KİRME-FARALYA ........................................ 62

FARALYA-KABAK ..................................................................... 68

KABAK-ALINCA ...................................................................... 72

ALINCA-BEL ............................................................................ 78

BEL-GAVURAĞILI-PYDNAİ (ÖZLEN) .......................................... 92

PYDNAİ (ÖZLEN)–LETOON (KUMLUOVA)-XANTHOS (KINIK) ..... 98

XANTHOS (KINIK)–ÇAVDIR–ÇAYKÖY–ÜZÜMLÜ ..................... 104

ÜZÜMLÜ-BEZİRGAN .............................................................. 110

ÜZÜMLÜ-AKBEL-DELİKKEMER-PATARA-DELİKKEMER-KALKAN ..... 116

KALKAN-BEZİRGAN .............................................................. 130

BEZİRGAN – SARIBELEN - GÖKÇEÖREN ................................. 136

GÖKÇEÖREN–HACIOĞLAN–PHELLOS-ÇUKURBAĞ ................ 144

ÇUKURBAĞ-KAŞ ................................................................... 152

KAŞ–LİMANAĞZI–UFAKDERE-ÜZÜMLÜ PIER-SISLA ................ 158

ÜZÜMLÜ PIER - BOĞAZCIK ................................................... 166

BOĞAZCIK–KILINÇLI-APERLAİ ............................................... 170

APERLAİ–ÜÇAĞIZ-KALEKÖY (SİMENA) .................................. 176

KALEKÖY (SİMENA)–KAPAKLI-ÇAYAĞZI (ANDRİAKE) ............. 184

ÇAYAĞZI (ANDRİAKE)–KAPAKLI–HOYRAN–DAVAZLAR ........... 192

DAVAZLAR – TRYSA – ÇAKALBAYAT – GÜRSES – MYRA/DEMRE ... 202

DAVAZLAR–TRYSA–DEMRE STREAM–DEMRE ........................ 212

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ÇAYAĞZI (ANDRİAKE)–SURA–GÜRSES–MYRA–DEMRE........... 220

MYRA (DEMRE) – ALAKİLİSE – KIRKMERDİVEN – YATIKARDIÇ – BELOS - FİNİKE .. 228

FİNİKE–MAVİKENT-KARAÖZ .................................................. 242

KARAÖZ-GELİDONYA LIGHTHOUSE-ADRASAN ..................... 246

ADRASAN-MUSA MOUNTAIN–OLYMPOS-ÇIRALI ................... 254

ÇIRALI–ULUPINAR-BEYCİK .................................................... 260

BEYCİK-TAHTALI MOUNTAIN-YAYLA KUZDERE ...................... 266

YAYLA KUZDERE–GEDELME-GÖYNÜK YAYLA ........................ 274

ÇIRALI-MADEN KOYU (BAY)-TEKİROVA .................................. 280

TEKİROVA–PHASELİS–ALACASU-AŞAĞI KUZDERE .................. 286

AŞAĞI KUZDERE-ROMAN BRIDGE (KESME CANYON)-GÖYNÜK YAYLA ... 294

GÖYNÜK YAYLA-GÖYNÜK .................................................... 300

GÖYNÜK–ELMAYANI YAYLASI ............................................... 308

ELMAYANI YAYLASI–HİSARÇANDIR-ÇİTDİBİ ........................... 314

ELMAYANI YAYLASI–GEDELLER–SARISU (KONYAALTI) ............ 326

ÇİTDİBİ–KARABEL-GEYİKBAYIRI ............................................. 338

GEYİKBAYIRI–DOYRAN LAKE–AŞAĞIKARAMAN .................... 348

FACILITIES LIST ...................................................................... 358

REFERENCES ......................................................................... 368

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 S T E P B Y S T E P LY C I A N W AY

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PREFACE
AUTHOR’S

About Walking
 S T E P B Y S T E P LY C I A N W AY
D
on’t consider walking as a branch of competitive sports. Let
“the way” has a meaning of being by yourself, to listening to
your heartbeat and your soul, despite your aches and pains.
Walking is timeless. Once you start walking, there will be mo-
ments you won’t even remember how long you’ve been walking, and
how long it takes to reach your destination.
Walking is freedom. Enjoy your freedom to the fullest. When you
return to the city, don’t long for Lycia, but long for walking freely.
Walking is the loudness of silence. The silence of the Ölüdeniz
scenery is different from the silence of the Gelidonya Lighthouse.
While walking through the vast pine forests of the Beydağları range,
the silence wedges in between the trees. The silence of “the way”
seems crystalline and serene, but waits in the wings.
Walking is different.
Walking is philosophy.
“Walking off and hit the trails” is special to you.

Altuğ ŞENEL
[email protected]

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S T E P B Y S T E P LY C I A N W AY

FROM THE
AUTHOR
Motivation behind this book

W
hen I prepare this book,
aimed at travelers plan-
ning to hit the trails and
at all nature, and sports enthusi-
asts curious about hiking and cul-
ture routes, had the same excite-
ment and enthusiasm that I feel
writing my online articles under
the heading of “Trail Diary”.
At the beginning of the book,
I would like to thank dear Kate
Clow, who put the Lycian Way on
the map of sustainable tourism
in 1999, and the Culture Routes
Association, which strives to intro-
duce new trails to Turkish tourism
today.
Rather than preparing such a
book by myself, I preferred to ask

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the support of friends who are experts in their fields, both editorially

S T E P B Y S T E P LY C I A N W AY
and regarding content. For this reason, I’d like to kindly thank those
who contributed to the contents of the book, namely dear Barış Ka-
pukıran, Dr. Sultan Ot, Başak Bulut, Burak Korukçu, Barış Yılmaz, Öz-
can Yüksek, Hüseyin Çağlar İnce and my hiking companion Mehmet
Koçdemir. Fuat Gören deserves a special thank for his hard work in
translation of this book.
I aim to describe the routes in a language that walkers can read
without getting bored, just like on my website, and help them walk the
trails open-eyed, mindfully, and enjoying them. Since I don’t want to
see hikers holding a book and a map in their hands looking as if hunt-
ing for a treasure, I tried as much as possible to avoid going into details
in this book, except for the critical points along the routes. I had lots of
notes that I could have adopted for each route. But the book’s weight
and dimensions were more important than some details.
Rather than seeing the book at hand as a guidebook, I’d like you
to see it as a “frequently asked questions” book trying to answer the
questions of those planning to hike and those already walking. I tried
to compile the answers to the questions of all who contacted me
so far, where deemed necessary with the help of fellow hikers who
have walked this trail like me, from locals and business owners in the
region, and based on my personal experiences.
Lengthy walks on the trails bring telling and discourse in their
wake. You now have a story to tell your friends and yourself, with
both its good and bad memories. Trail notes, on the other hand, are
a transcript of what you’ve gone through, your experiences, and your
impressions. Starting to do this is more than saying “been there” and
“seen that”. The trail diaries which started as www.likyayolu.org have
grown to become www.outdoorinturkey.com, where the different
routes I’ve walked are assembled, and where every new experience
becomes a new article and is the beginning of new trail friendships.
In addition to the website journals, I also write about my trail experi-
ences in the “Route” section of the monthly Earth magazine Magma.
My aim with this book, which I have prepared to be a reference
that can guide you if need be, is to encourage people to go hiking, as I
point out in each of my articles and presentations. You are only one step
from realizing an unimaginable experience in nature that lasts for days.
Let’s not forget that a clean, unlittered nature is the most natural
legacy we can leave to future generations.
Altuğ ŞENEL
[email protected]

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S T E P B Y S T E P LY C I A N W AY

TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE

T
his book is a translation of the second edition of Altuğ Şenel’s
original Turkish hiking guide about the Lycian Way. I had heard
about the Lycian Way long before our paths crossed, as it’s one
of the most famous hiking trails in Turkey, and wanted to walk on
someday. Then I came across Altuğ’s website and Instagram channel
and found out that he’s an expert on the Lycian Way and other
Turkish trails.
Eventually, we met in Turkey and I suggested translating his
detailed Turkish book into English. Then the Covid-19 pandemic and
its repercussions prevented me from walking the trail with him before
starting the translation, as I live in Germany. So, I decided to translate
his book anyway.
Turkish grammar differs greatly from English grammar. Passive
sentences are much more common in Turkish, as are words with
multiple suffixes. The composition of sentences is most opposite
to that in English. All this and Altuğ’s unique narrative style made
the translation work very challenging, I had to rearrange sentences
sometimes for better comprehension. All the while I tried to stick as
closely as possible to the original, to preserve and convey Altuğ’s style
of writing and storytelling as best as I could.
During the translation work, I realized how little I knew about the
region’s vibrant and exciting past. For thousands of years, Lycia was a
battleground and melting-pot of countless cultures and civilizations.
The Lycians were subjugated by Romans, Greeks, and Byzantines,
to name but a few of the invaders. But the unique Lycian culture,

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 S T E P B Y S T E P LY C I A N W AY
language, and level of civilization are preserved in the archaeological
remnants and ruins along the Lycian Way, and many more await to
be unearthed.
Alas, while I was translating the last few pages, forest fires were
raging across the southwestern coast of Turkey. Therefore, some areas
along the Lycian Way may now differ from their description in the
book. But the warm-hearted people of the region need the support
of sustainable tourism now more than ever.
So don’t wait, pack your backpacks and hike this beautiful region.
You may well run into Altuğ, who is not only a certified hiking-guide
leading hiking groups but also a nice guy and always happy to help
all outdoor enthusiasts.
Fuat GÖREN
https://one-great-earth.de
Instagram: @one_great_earth.de

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S T E P B Y S T E P LY C I A N W AY

FARALYA
KABAK

An easy stage that is even suited for68

one day hikes
STAGE INFO

FA R A LYA - K A B A K
Total distance: 7 km
Paths: %55
Rural roads: %32
Paved roadsl: %13
Faralya-Kabak (beach): 7 km
Total duration of walking: Approx. 2-3 hours incl. short breaks
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation profile:

Water: Since this stage is short, water filled up in Faralya will last until
Kabak. On the point near the middle of the Faralya-Kabak stage, there
is a water source. But since the route is not so long and difficult, it’s
not necessary to carry more water than necessary.
When you reach the village of Kabak, you can fill up water from
the fountain next to the Lycian Way signpost, or from the mosque a
bit higher up.
Food: There are many stores in Kabak where hikers can meet their
camping and food needs. However, it is necessary to ask about price
before getting service from these stores. I recommend making a
habit of first asking the price before getting any service along
the entire Lycian Way.
Near the fountain next to the Lycian Way signpost in Kabak, there
is a grocery store that’s always open. The grocery stores by the beach
are also usually open during the summer and hiking season.
Accommodation: Kabak Bay is where hikers have the most trou-
ble camping since it is a touris location. Lodging owners try to
prevent hikers, who are traveling on a limited budget, from setting

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 tents up on the beach. Therefore, problems may arise between hik-
ers and lodge owners. Hikers who want to avoid any problems
S T E P B Y S T E P LY C I A N W AY

on camping can pitch their tents by the mosque and cemetery

higher above.
You can find affordable accommodation in Kabak Bay. Hikers
choosing to stay in one of the lodgings by the bay will enjoy the calm
atmosphere of Kabak.
Warnings/alerts: A short and easy stage.
Don’t be misled by the yellow-red way-marks of the “Alter-
native Hiking Trails” made by the Fethiye municipality. Indeed,
you can get to Kabak Bay following this alternative trail, too,
that descends to Aktaş and runs along the shore. The Lycian Way,
however, with red and white way-marks, remains higher up.
Since the next stage to Alınca requires a tough climb, I don’t rec-
ommend continuing onto it on the same day as this stage.
Faralya (300 m) – Kabak (0 m): (0.0 - 7.0 km)
Proceed about 1 km on the paved road, in the direction of Kabak.
Where the road makes a U-turn, you’ll see the Lycian Way signpost
on the left side of the street which is directing you to the footpaths,
and after a short while you’ll reach the pathway through the forest.
When you enter the path, a climb in the shade of pine trees
awaits you. The climb ends after about 700 meters. This is also the
highest point (450 m) of this stage.
The easy parts of the stage begin after the ridges of Aktaş (Uzu-
nyurt). You will endlessly enjoy the views during this section of the
path among the pine and carob trees. Those hiking in spring will be
greeted by lush green meadows and broom flowers with their bright
yellow blossoms.
Remember to drink plenty of water from the Belen fountain you
will pass on the way. The fountain is located at the plains of Katranlık
where you can have a short break.
About 1.5 km after the fountain, at a point where the trail makes
a U-turn to the right and descends, you will see the signs and cairns
of the path going down to Kabak. You better not miss the path on
the left in this last section. Otherwise, you have to lengthen the stage
by descending to the asphalt road below. Recently, many hikers have
made this point as prominent as possible with the cairns they built.
Therefore, it’s unlikely that you will miss the path. Shortly after enter-
ing this path, you reach the dirt track above Kabak and then a paved

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 FA R A LYA - K A B A K
Kabak Bay

road. The stage ends here for those who want to continue to Alınca
along the Kabak ridges. Those of you wishing to continue down to
Kabak Bay and then climb up to Alınca from the shore should remem-
ber that they might not be able to find a free campsite by the shore.
Hikers planning to continue to Alınca along the Kabak ridges, can
pitch their tents around the mosque or cemetery in Kabak.
Hikers wanting to continue to Kabak Bay, should cross the road
and go down the dirt road from left side of The Mamma’s Pension.
The dirt road ends in front of a place called Olive Garden. It needs
to pass by the establishment to get to a footpath. You can see the
red and white way-marks of the Lycian Way and metal sticks while
going down the path, enjoying the extraordinary view of Kabak Bay.
Descending steeply on this zigzag way, the path will take you to a dirt
road going down to Kabak Bay. Once you reach the dirt road, turn left
and head towards the beach.
Remember that you can find affordable accommodation inside
the village and in the Kabak Bay.

Note: If you take the “Alternative Hiking Trails” of Fethiye mu-

nicipality, you will reach Kabak not via the Lycian Way but from
the coast (via Aktaş). I’d like to point out that the way-marks’
color of the alternative route is yellow and red. Although the
start and finish points of both variants are the same, the way-
marks of the Lycian Way remain at a higher altitude.

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