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Kalkan lies on the Lycian Way,
voted one of the world’s top-ten long distance walks by the Sunday Times.
Running from Fethiye in the west to Antalya in the east, many of the
nicest stretches of the path are within easy reach of Kalkan.
At Abi Travel, we can put together
bespoke walking programmes for groups of any size, led by knowledgeable,
experienced, English-speaking guides, who have walked all of the sections
many times. The walks are equally suitable for families, groups of friends
or members of walking clubs.
Each programme takes into account
the age, ability and fitness of the group, with walks varying in length
from as little as six or seven kilometres to longer day walks of 15 to 20
kilometres, as well as the different levels of gradient and path
conditions.
Typically, walking groups spend
five days walking, with a day off in the middle to laze around on the
beach, catch up on a little shopping or perhaps try their hand at sea
kayaking or paragliding. Some groups spend a week walking, then enjoy a
second, more leisurely week exploring the local area and visiting some of
the countless other nearby places of interest.
The routes cover many different
types of landscape – one day you may be walking the lower slopes of the
Taurus Mountains, the next day following a well-preserved Roman aqueduct,
passing through ancient Roman and Lycian sites on your way to the fabulous
white sandy beach at Patara – the former capital of ancient Lycia. Spring
walkers will enjoy the vista of pastures carpeted with myriad wild
flowers, including poppies, crocus, anemones, daisies and several
varieties of wild orchid. Wildlife lovers are often treated to the
spectacle of falcons, eagles, owls, chameleons red squirrels and
tortoises, as well as lots of other wild animals, insects and birds. On
many of the walks, our groups are invited by local farming families to
join them for tea and gossip – many of them are several miles from the
nearest village with no transport of their own and our visits are often
the highlight of their month
There is a wide choice of
accommodation available, depending on the requirements of each individual
group. This ranges from self-catering villas and apartments – many with
their own pools - to simple pensions and more luxurious hotels. Picnic
lunches can be provided for the daily walks, and other activities can be
arranged separately for any non-walkers in the party, or for days when the
group is not walking. Popular days out include boat trips to Kekova Island
to see the sunken city and to visit the medieval castle at Simena, which
has a Lycian amphitheatre within its walls from a previous age; and to the
famous Saklikent Gorge, where you can enjoy wading in the icy cold,
fast-flowing river, rewarded by a lunch of extremely(!) fresh trout at one
of the little restaurants built on wooden platforms overhanging the water.
We can also arrange for a number
of different local restaurants in Kalkan and the surrounding villages to
provide dinner for your group for some or all of the evenings during your
stay, which helps to maintain the party atmosphere.
The best months of the year to
walk are October, November, March, April and the first half of May.
December to February often enjoy long spells of glorious weather, but
there is generally more chance of rain during that period. From the end of
May until the end of September, the high temperatures make it unsuitable
for walking.
If you would like more information
on designing a walking holiday to suit your family or group, please
contact:
Linda Bestwick
abitravel@abitravel.net |
