Hiking the Lycian Way: Everything You Need to Know

Türkiye’s southern coastline, spotted with sandy beaches and sweeping green cliffs, is a hidden gem beside the Mediterranean sea. Besides its natural beauty, it is an area rich with history – humans have called the jagged shoreline home for centuries, visible in the crumbling ruins nestled along the shores. Luckily for those who want to see it for themselves, this area is also home to one of the world’s best hikes – The Lycian Way.

Despite being a hiking enthusiast, I wasn’t familiar with the Lycian Way until my friend Ruth mentioned it to me in passing – while out on a hike of course! Before we knew it, we were on a plane to Türkiye, bags strategically packed and ready for a week on one of the world’s most extraordinary trails. 

In this article, I’ll be sharing all the practical information you need to plan your own Lycian Way trek, from essential tips to my packing guide. If you’d like a more detailed breakdown of our weeklong trekking itinerary, I encourage you to read this article. 

What is the Lycian Way?

The Lycian Way is a 540 km (335 mile) long-distance hiking trail along the southern coast of Türkiye, in a region known as Lycia. It is the first trail of its kind in Türkiye.

The story of the Lycian Way begins over 2,000 years ago, with the autonomous Lycian Civilization. These seaside dwellers called the southern coast of ancient Türkiye home for centuries until their eventual absorption into the Roman Empire in 546 BCE. To this day, many remnants of the Lycian Civilization still remain – from ancient burial sites to entire cities.

The story continues in the mid-1990s, with a British woman by the name of Kate Clow. After moving to Antalya, Türkiye, Clow found herself fascinated by the history of the Lycian Civilization and with a budding desire to create a long-distance trekking route. Thus, the Lycian Way was born! 

These days, nearly 30,000 people set out on the trek each year. The full route takes approximately 30 days to complete, stretching along the banks of the Mediterranean from Fethiye to Antalya and passing through everything from ancient ruins to hippie beach towns.

Useful Info for Hiking the Lycian Way

I had a lot of questions before setting out on my Lycian Way trek, some of which I learned them the hard way along the trail. Here are a few things to know while planning your own trek of Türkiye’s most beautiful route. 

The Best Time to Hike

The best times to hike the Lycian Way are during the milder months of April-May and September-October, especially if you plan to camp.

Summers can be extremely hot on the trail, with temperatures rising above 40 degree Celcius (100+ Fahrenheit) so best to attempt the trek before the temperatures become scorching. Winters can be extremely chilly at night, so a trek is only possible for those with appropriate gear.

We trekked during late March/early April, and while daily temperatures were pleasant on the trail, evenings could be extremely cold (especially at higher elevation!) We ended up staying in pensions (homestays) to avoid some of the colder nights, but those with appropriate camping gear would be fine. 

Hiking Routes

The entire Lycian Way trail stretches 540km (335 miles) from Fethiye to Antalya and takes around 30 days to complete. While most hikers prefer to go this route (eastbound) some opt to trek from Antalya to Fethiye (westbound)

You do not have to hike the entire Lycian Way, and many hikers opt to do the trail in sections. We personally trekked for one week, seeing how far we could make it from our starting point in Fethiye, hiking about 25 kilometers a day. 

If you only have time for a day hike, here are 4 recommended sections of the trail perfect for trekking in a day. 

Trail Markers on the Lycian Way

The Lycian Way is marked by red and white dashes, which are regularly placed along the trail. Keep an eye out for red X’s marking the wrong  direction and red arrows pointing you towards the right trail. 

However, depending on outside conditions like weather or construction, you may find yourself needing to take an alternate route at points. Many alternate routes are also well-marked with colored dashes, and can be found on the Maps.me offline map (more on Maps.me below!)

Most of the towns along the Lycian Way have official yellow and green signs pointing you towards the next town and providing a kilometer distance. 

Accommodation on the Trail

There are 3 options for accommodation along the Lycian Way: camping, pensions/hotels, or a combo. 

Wild camping is completely legal in Turkey, so trekkers seeking a night in nature are in luck, as you can basically pitch your tent anywhere along the route. There are also a few more formal campsites along the trail that have shared bathrooms and showers – though these usually cost a small fee. 

There is plenty of accommodation along the Lycian Way, ranging from pensions (homestays) to full hotels and AirBnbs in some of the larger towns. Pensions are usually more affordable, and provide a unique opportunity to get to know a local family. Often, you’ll even get a meal or two. 

It’s possible to trek the entire Lycian Way without camping if you commit to around 20-25 km per day between towns. However, camping can cut down on costs and give you more flexibility to take your time between towns.

Food and Water

Food is very accessible along the trail at mini marts and restaurants in the towns you’ll pass through. Local pensions are also often happy to cook trekkers a meal for a small fee. 

However, I highly recommend carrying at least 1 meal with you every day (or more if you plan to camp!) Some stretches between towns can be long, and it’s important to have food on hand to keep you fueled along the route. 

Mini markets in small towns often have essential dry snacks, but finding fresh fruit and veggies can be more of a challenge. I recommend stocking up on these items in the larger towns. 

There are plenty of water fountains along the way where it’s safe to fill up your water bottle. However, there can be long stretches between these fountains, so I recommend carrying 3-4 liters of water per person on the trek. I use an in-backpack water bladder when trekking.

Budget and Money

Trekking the Lycian Way has become more expensive in recent years due to its rising popularity and the inflation of the Turkish Lira. Unfortunately, that means that many of the articles you’ll find online have outdated prices for necessities along the trek. 

The good news – it’s still quite affordable to hike the Lycian Way! During our week-long trek, we spend around $150 each ($300 total). This included all of our costs of staying in pensions and eating at restaurants, but you could certainly spend even less if you camped and cooked for yourself. 

Accommodation costs vary, but are usually around 250-500 TL ($10-$25) per person a night. This usually includes meals (dinner and breakfast). Dinner at most restaurants cost us around 200 TL ($10) for two people.

HOWEVER, ATM’s are not readily available and most places along the trail only take cash, so it’s extremely important to have cash on hand (we learned this the hard way!) I recommend carrying around at least $200 per person between ATM stops (approx every 70km) or taking out around $50/day times the length of your trip. Better safe than sorry!

Safety Concerns

Though we didn’t encounter any, we had a few locals warn us about wild pigs along the trail. If you’re planning to camp regularly and carry a lot of food with you, an airtight container for your food will help keep the pigs away. Stray dogs are also common, though in our experience they were not aggressive (some completely befriended us — read about Eddie, our trail dog!)

If you’re planning to trek during summer or winter, plan accordingly and come prepared with the correct gear to keep you safe. Winters (and even early spring) nights can be extremely cold, so a proper sleeping bag and tent are essential. On the contrary, summers can be blazing hot, so make sure you have adequate water and sun protection. 

Scorpions and snakes exist on the trails but encounters are rare. Remember to shake out your shoes and bags when left outdoors, and be wary when turning over rocks. 

Trekking Difficulty

The Lycian Way is considered a moderate trek because of its changing elevation. While some sections of the trail are flat, others challenge trekkers to long stints of uphill or technical downhill. Relatively fit hikers should be fine to take on the challenge. 

The trail itself varies, sometimes following rocky doney trails and other times passing along paved roads. Good hiking shoes are essential for traversing the changing terrain and hiking poles can help assist on uneven paths. 

I believe the Lycian Way is a great first-time long distance trek for hiking enthusiasts. The route is highly customizable and the changing terrain provides plenty of opportunities to catch your breath. 

Emergency Numbers

If you do encounter an emergency situation while hiking the Lycian Way, call 112 to be connected to all emergency services. 

Alternatively, if you need police assistance on the trail, the number to dial is 115. 

Note that some areas of the trail have limited to no signal, so be aware if you are in a no-internet zone and make sure you know how far you are from the nearest town. 

Essential Hiking Resources

Hands down the most useful resource for hiking the Lycian Way is the Maps.me offline maps app. To say this app saved our butts is an understatement. 

Here’s why Maps.me is an essential for hiking the Lycian Way:

• Maps are downloadable, meaning they’re available completely offline
• The map clearly shows the Lycian Way as well as all variants of the trail in the case of needing to re-route
• Food, lodging, and useful tips are all clearly marked along the way
• You can add your own places along the map for your memories, or share them publicly to assist other hikers

It’s important to remember to download the Antalya Region map BEFORE you set out on the trail, as you need wifi to do so. To download a map in Maps.me, simply Zoom in on the region you plan to visit and click “Download”

You can use Maps.me whether or not you have a local Turkish SIM card. However, I still highly recommend purchasing a Turkish SIM in order to place calls in case of emergency along the trail. Here’s a great article about buying a Turkish SIM in 2023. 

Lycian Way Packing Tips

The key to packing for the Lycian Way is bringing as little as possible. 

If you plan to continue exploring Turkey before or after your trip, I highly recommend leaving some of your belongings at a hotel in Fethiye/Antalya and only bringing what you need on the trail. Trust me, your back will thank you. 

Regardless of the length of your hike, I recommend only carrying about a week’s worth of gear at a time – less if your hike is even shorter! For long distance trekkers, many towns have laundry facilities, and even some pensions will do your laundry for a small fee. 

My Packing List

I consider myself somewhere in the middle on the ultra-light packing scale. I know there might be some who read this and scoff and everything I took along, but I ended up feeling like it was just about the right amount for me. In the end, my bag weighed 13 kg (28 lbs) with all my gear for a 7-day trek (plus a few days in Istanbul!) 

How to Get to the Lycian Way

The start and ends points for the Lycian Way are Fethiye and Antalya respectively. The official trailhead begins in Olüdeniz (about 10km by road) from Fethiye, but most trekkers begin in Fethiye heading eastbound. 

If you are doing a shorter trek (< 2 weeks) I recommend making Fethiye your start and end point. Buses to Fethiye run regularly from many of the towns along the trek, so you’ll always be able to take a bus back to where you started (or where you left your stuff!)

Here’s how to get to the Lycian Way so you can begin your trek:

From Istanbul to Fethiye

Assuming you’re coming from Istanbul, the most time-efficient way is to fly from Istanbul (IST) to Dalaman (DLM) airport. Flights operate daily and cost around ~1000 TL ($50) each way. The total flight time is a little over an hour. 

From the Dalaman airport, there are daily buses to Fethiye available for 60 TL ($3) per person. These buses will drop you at the Fethiye bus station. You can also take a taxi into town for around 500 TL. I recommend spending a night in Fethiye before beginning the trek. Private transport can also be arranged – here’s a highly recommended company that will take you right to your hotel!

From Fethiye to the Lycian Way

From Fethiye, you have two options to officially begin the Lycian Way. First, you can take a dolmus (public minivan) to Olüdeniz to begin at the official start of the Lycian Way. 

However, I HIGHLY recommend beginning the trek in Fethiye if you have the time. The trail begins right behind the Castle of Fethiye, a short walk from the city center. You’ll see a sign indicating that you’re at the start of the Lycian Way, and from here, it’s towards Antalya!

TIP: If you’re really looking to save, daily buses are available from Istanbul to Fethiye. Note that these buses can take upwards of 12+ hours, so decide for yourself if the time is worth the money saved!

My Lycian Way Hiking Route + Map

I spent one week hiking the Lycian Way in March 2023, departing from Fethiye and seeing how far we could make it in our time on the trail. The above map details our route, but for a more detailed breakdown of each day of our trip, I encourage you to visit my 7-Day Lycian Way Itinerary. 

We hiked an average of 22km a day and made it from Fethiye to Kalkan. Our route was as follows.

• Day 1: Fethiye to Olüdeniz: 23km
• Day 2: Olüdeniz to Kabak: 23km
• Day 3: Kabak to Gey: 20.5km
• Day 4: Gey to Patara: 25km
• Day 5: Patara Beach Day
• Day 6: Patara to Kalkan: 22km
• Day 7: Return to Fethiye

Why Hike the Lycian Way?

By the end of hiking the Lycian Way, we’d trekked through pine forests and seaside cliffs, connected with locals and fellow hikers, and drank our weight in Turkish tea. It was one of the most extraordinary adventures of my life, and I hope I someday have the opportunity to complete the trail.  

The Lycian Way has certainly earned its reputation as one of the best long-distance trails in the world, and I believe it’s a perfect trek for newbies and seasoned hikers alike. It’s a route filled with history at every turn, opportunities to connect with local culture and experience the joy of untouched, awe-inspiring nature. 

So whether you have a month to spare or a few days set aside for the trail, you’re bound to have the adventure of a lifetime. Happy trekking!

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