Hiking the Lycian Way

The Lycian Way trail is a long distance hiking trail in Turkey. It runs for over 500 kilometers along the Aegean coast of the southwest of the country. The area of the coast is often called the turquoise coast because of the colour of the sea. The trail was created in the 90s by a British expat called Kate Clow. Since then the Lycian Way has become popular and is a well-maintained and fairly well way marked route. Lycian Way goes through the region of Lycia. This was a flourishing state in the 14th and 15th centuries. All along the Lycian Way you'll find interesting historical ruins and artifacts from that period. The Lycian Way is not an easy walk. We would describe it as an intermediate hiking trail. It's a series of trails many are ancient goat tracks and it has quite mixed terrain. It takes you all along the coast and high up into the mountains. The main challenges that you'll find on the Lycian Way are carrying your backpack especially on hills. Camping, there's a few sections where camping is required. Food and water which does require some planning. Terrain, it can be rocky and there's sometimes boulders and eroded paths and hills. The highest point of the trail is 2,300 meters. The Lycian Way is a really unique walk. The things that make it unique are the fact that it's coastal walking so it's some of the best coastal walking that we've ever experienced. Plus there's loads of chances to take a dip in the secluded and beautiful coves. There are friendly animals. We met so many trail dogs, cats, goats and even chickens along the way. There's mountain sections. Whilst the coastal walking is incredible, the mountain sections offer something totally different. And finally there's loads of historic settlements to explore. When it comes to water on the Lycian Way there's a mix of cisterns and springs en route. We stuck to bottled water but you can drink from the cisterns with a filter and purifying tablets. The food on the Lycian Way was one of the highlights of the trip for us. We loved Turkish food and loved trying local specialities along the route. Finding food is pretty easy but you may need to pack the odd lunch and do some forward planning. Accommodation on the Lycian Way is varied. There are no hostels but guest houses are cozy and inviting. Hotels on the coast can be quite luxury and there are opportunities to camp. There's something for everyone. We stayed in a mix of hotels, mountain cabins and homestay style guest houses. For more about the Lycian Way trail including budgeting and packing advice and a route guide have a look at our blog lotuseaters.travel