Cappadocia and Lycian Way Walking Tour

Meet at Kayseri Airport Airport and drive to a beautiful corner of Cappadocia; Soğanlı valley. Soğanlı valley is not a much-visited area and will give you an idea about the typical Turkish village life. Christian monasteries located on the skirts of hills are unique for their wall paintings among all Cappadocian churches. Driving along the table-top volcanic mountains you’ll arrive at the town of Mustafapaşa (old Sinasos), an ancient Greek town with spectacular houses: very fine examples of late ethnic settlements and architecture. Lunch is in a restored village house with traditional Turkish hospitality.

This tour is an opportunity to break away from the classical trekking routes in the area; it’s for people who like heights. This is one of our favourite day tours as it provides many great views and interesting learning opportunities about the churches carved within the caves. There are only two ways to get a whole view of Cappadocia, either to fly with a hot-air balloon or to do the trekking up to Bozdağ Moutain (1300m).

This morning you’ll depart for Cavusin Village. After a short wander in the village, ascend through the deserted houses to reach the little-known church of John the Baptist, with its unique paintings. Your path continues to the summit of Bozdağ Mountain where a panoramic view of the region awaits, including Uçhisar, Göreme, Cavusin, Avanos, Ortahisar and the Zelve open-air museum. With the spectacular views of Mount Erciyes, follow a smooth path over the plateau and descend for lunch in a small family-run restaurant in the Red valley. You’ll visit the winery and the Grape church and start our afternoon walk in Rose Valley. Afterwards, visit the pigeon houses and the Cross Church en route to the end of your walk-in Göreme.

You’ll have a long day today, full of adventure! Your first stop is at one of the underground cities, one of the true wonders of Cappadocia. The settlement was dug as deep as 5 layers below ground level and was used for hiding for many centuries. You will experience being underground, feel what it was like to live in a city on the earth; saving people from dangers, starvation, cold and enemies.

Then you’ll have a 1-hour drive to get to Ihlara Valley, a 13 km long gorge cut into the volcanic rock. After a short tea break, walk about 3.5 hours on a route to visit some rock-cut churches. The walls in the valley are carved with churches and some have unique paintings inside. It is generally an easy walk, following the river. Willow and poplar trees will decorate your way with the beautiful birds gliding around. After a late lunch, visit a rock-cut mosque and a church next to each other. Continue walking by the river down to Selime town, and the walk ends nearby Selime Monastery. After visiting the monastery, drive to a volcanic crater lake and stop for a quick swim (seasonal opportunity).

Today is spent exploring the well-known sites of the Cappadocia region. The Open-Air Museum of Göreme was a very important monastic settlement in the early Christian ages and has several churches hollowed out of the rocks and painted with wall paintings. Paşabağ is one of the most beautiful corners of the region with hermitages hollowed out of the volcanic tufa.

Looking at the rock formations in Devrent Valley is like looking at the clouds. They seem to take the shape of whatever you imagine about them. Lunch is in a local restaurant in the town of Avanos which has been a pottery-producing center since ancient times.

In the afternoon you’ll have an optional visit to a Turkish bath for a relaxing massage. Transfer to Kayseri airport for a flight to Antalya.

The hotel is located in the historical center of Kaleiçi in Antalya. Dinner this evening is in a local restaurant.

Transfer to Yayla Kuzdere where you’ll start with a steady climb up a stream bed to the pastures of Çukur Yayla, just below Mount Olympos (Tahtalı Dağı). You’ll climb the pass from here (1850m).

Then descend via a mule path to the village of Beycik ( 900m) where you’ll meet the transfer vehicle that takes you to our pension in Çıralı. Dinner and overnight in a pension in Çıralı.

After breakfast, take an optional exploration of the ruins of ancient Olympos (total appr. 6 km along the beach). After lunch, enjoy free time until dinner. You can swim and lie on the beach or do other activities as desired, such s sea kayaking. After dinner take a short night walk to admire the eternal burning flames of Chimaera (natural gas coming from the bowels of the earth in the location called Yanartaş) in the dark.

Dinner and overnight in a pension in Çıralı.

Start directly from the pension in Çıralı and walk through the ancient city of Olympos and up Musa Dağ (650m). After having a picnic lunch near an old hut you’ll descend through the forest, past deserted farmhouses to reach the beautiful bay of Adrasan.

The trek ends on day 7 with a transfer to Antalya airport.