Day 1 Arrival
Arriving at Kayseri. Transfer to the hotel, accommodation and dinner. 4 nights in Cappadocia.
Day 2 Cappadocia
Our first hike in the morning begins with the Red Valley and leads to Cavusin. Cavusin is an abandoned old town and a fabulous place to walk through. Afterwards we will drive to Pasabag (easy 6 km, +100 -100m, 3,5-4 h). After a lunch break in a nice restaurant, we will be seeing the Göreme Open Air museum. The museum offers a variety of Byzantine churches with splendid frescoes representing the Byzantine art of the 9.th- 11.th centuries. Then we will have a chance to drive to Ortahisar to get some nice picture shots of the landscape.
Day 3 Cappadocia
In the morning we will drive to the biggest Underground City of Cappadocia: Kaymakli. This was a place, where Christians sought refugee in times of invasions. Sometimes they spent weeks in this, up to eight stories deep subterranean cities. Then we will drive to the dramatic Ihlara Valley, where we will walk along the Melendiz River ( easy, 7 km., 2,5-3 h.).
Day 4 Cappadocia
After breakfast we will stop at a weaving school and production cooperative where you are given an educational and entertaining lecture on Turkish tribal art and weavings. Gain an excellent insight into this Turkish art with hands-on demonstrations. Then we will drive to Uchisar, to enjoy a wonderful scenery of Cappadocia. At the afternoo n we will hike through the “Love Valley”. (easy-moderate, 4,5km, +200m, 2-2,5h)
Day 5 Cappadocia - Konya
We will drive to Konya via Aksaray. St. Paul had been in Konya several times. In the city we will visit the museum of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, dating back to the 13.th century. Mevlana is the famous mystic and poet who founded the Sufi Order of the Whirling Dervishes. We continue to Antalya, where we will spend the night. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 6 Antalya - Fethiye
After an early morning departure, our first stop will be the archaeological and natural site of Termessos (easy, 5 km; +100m -100 m; 3-3,5 h).We will be walking through the site which is concealed by a multitude of wild plants and bounded by dense pine forest. We then drive to Fethiye to spend our first night on our gulet.
Day 7 Fethiye - Gemiler Island
After breakfast, we will set off along the coast of Fethiye Penninsular for a lunch in a secluded bay. Afterwards we start our hike to Kayakoy, the largest Greek ghost-town in Asia Minor. The inhabitants of this 600-home ghost city were also subjects of the mass population exchanges of the 1920s. Today’s unsettled state of the city offers moving flashbacks of a past human drama. Walk along a trail partially shaded by emerald green Aleppo pine forests which provides magnificent views of the lace-like seascapes below. Overnight is spent in front of Gemiler Island, where you can explore the ruins of the Byzantine settlement as the sun sets. (moderate, 6km, -300m +300m, 3,5-4h).
Day 8 Yesilköy - Kas
Today we start the engine early for Yesilkoy and have breakfast and time to swim in the cristal blue waters of this secluded cove, which is surrounded by olive groves and carob trees. Then we will set off for Kas, a small harbor town with a charming bohemian atmosphere with nice shops and cafees. Here we will spend another quite night under the sea of stars.
Day 9 Kekova
A short cruise along the Mediterranean will bring us to Kekova – the Sunken City . Lunch at Tersane Bay where you will see the ruins of a Byzantine church and a roman dockyard on the beach. We will walk to Aperlai where very few excavations have been made (easy, 2,5 km, ± 0 m, 1-1,5h). The site gives us the chance to snorkel over the submerged ruins. Then we will sail on to Gokkaya for the night.
Day 10 Kekova
Make a trip to Myra where St.Paul set sail for his journey to Rome and where the best examples of Lycian rock-cut tombs can be seen. At Demre, where the legend of Santa Claus began, we will visit the Church of St. Nicholas, built over the tomb of the martyred saint who was bishop of Myra. After the visit, we will trek from Gokkaya to the castle of Simena (easy, 4 km; ± 100 m; 2-2,5h). The night is spent in the wide bay surrounded by green hills at nearby Ucagiz.
Day 11 Kekova - Kalkan
After breakfast we will cruise to Kalkan. In the afternoon we will make an excursion to Patara and Xanthos. Both were important lycian cities. Patara is well known for its 12 km. long fine sand beach. We will walk from Yesilköy cove up to the secret aqueduct. (easy, 1 km, +150m, 45min, ). The night will be spend in Yesilköy cove.
Day 12 Kalkan - Fethiye
Today has an early start to Fethiye, with several stops to enjoy a last day swimming in the turquoise blue waters of the Mediterranean. Night will be spent in Fethiye.
Day 13 Departure
After breakfast you bid the crew and your fellow shipmates a fond farewell. Transfer to airport and fly home.
The price includes
* International flights
* Taxes and service charges for the flights
* Transfers mentioned in the itinerary
* All transportation by airconditioned vehicle
* Professional English speaking guide
* Welcomecocktail
* All entrance fees
* 12 nights accommodation with breakfast & dinner
