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Lycian Way Itinerary for the Best 5-Day Hike
Do you want to hike the Lycian Way but have no idea where to start? Here is the best itinerary for hiking the Lycian Way from Karaoz to Olympos.
I have written two itineraries for the Lycian Way, an easy hike and a hard hike.
This is the hard hike.
If you’d like to read about the easy itinerary click here.
It’s completely possible to hike this section as a beginner, but I would recommend hiking the easy hike as it will be a lot less stressful and complicated!
This section is for people who want to hike longer and harder, swim in the sea, and visit the ancient pirate city of Olympos.
What is the Best Itinerary for Hiking the Lycian Way: Karaoz to Olympos?
Related Articles:
- The Most Comprehensive Guide for Hiking the Lycian Way
- Why You Should Hike the Lycian Way
- Hiking from Karaoz to Adrasan on the Lycian Way
- Hiking from Adrasan to Olympos on the Lycian Way
- Learn More About how to use the App TrailSmart for the Lycian Way
Table of Contents:
- Map of the Lycian Way from Karaoz to Olympos
- How many days does it take to hike the Lycian Way from Karaoz to Olympos?
- What can I expect on the way from Karaoz to Olympos?
- How do I navigate on the Lycian Way?
- How do I reach Karaoz?
- What is the itinerary for hiking from Karaoz to Olympos?
- Where can I get more information about hiking the Lycian Way from Karaoz to Olympos?
Map of the Lycian Way from Karaoz to Olympos
How many days does it take to hike the Lycian Way from Karaoz to Olympos?
Normally hikers take 3 days to hike from Karaoz to Olympos, but I typically take 4. It really all depends on what time of day you start your hike, and if you’re here to smell the roses or count the miles under your feet. I also will typically come right off the plane and start the hike, instead of staying the night in a hotel and starting first thing in the morning, so typically I will camp somewhere in the middle of the trail.
Wild camping on the Lycian Way is completely legal in Turkey and there are so many beautiful spots to camp.
What can I expect on the way from Karaoz to Olympos?
First, you’ll start your hike in Karaoz, which is a little complicated to get to, more so than my other Lycian Way itinerary. I’ll go over how to get there later.
Karaoz is a cute beach town on the sea with restaurants and cozy hotels. It’s a nice town to book accommodation ahead of time, spend the day and night in Karaoz, then start your hike the next day.
The whole area around here is called Korsan Bay, Pirate Bay. There are so many charming beach resorts here that I haven’t gotten a chance to check out yet. They are secluded with an amazing vibe, so if you have time, check it out and let me know how it is!
The trail starts south from the beach and is relatively easy to find, there’s restaurants and markets on the way so just check in with people around you if you’re headed in the right direction!
About a few hours hike on the trail will take you to the Geladonya lighthouse. This lighthouse is built on historic ground from the ancient civilization of Lycia. This lighthouse is a popular destination for day hikers, but at night it’s only residents are people on the Lycian Way. People often camp here, including me. There’s a platform where you can put your tent, and it’s a nice place to enjoy the sunset and watch the water.
The hike from Gelidonya Lighthouse to the next village, Adrasan, is far and tiring. The elevation changes steeply as the trail winds down through the forest and up again to reveal gorgeous views of the sea. This was one of my favorite sections of the Lycian Way!
Last time, a dog spent the night with us at the lighthouse and then walked all the way to the next village with us, so cute! I made sure to buy him a lot of meat as a thank-you for being our guide.
You will exit the trail into a large camping area, and from here you’ll have a long walk down the road into the village of Adrasan. There are plenty of accommodations and restaurants in Adrasan so you don’t need to camp, but if you want to you are allowed to camp on the beach.
The next day you will hike up Mount Musa. The trail can be difficult to find here so you’ll need to download TrailSmart, an app that will keep you on the Lycian Way.
The hike is steep but rewarding, you’ll be able to see ancient ruins along the way. You can camp along the trail, once you’ve reached the peak of your hike, or continue down to the beach Cirali. I recommend camping if you’ve brought your tent with you, as the hike is long and tiring.
This area is often referred to as Olympos, due to being so near to the ancient ruins, but it’s actual name is Cirali.
Once you reach the city of Olympos you will be greatly rewarded with a beautiful beach, cool ancient pirate city, and a plethora of accommodations and restaurants to choose from.
Olympos is a bohemian sanctuary full of hippie camping and treehouse accommodations, with lots to see and do. I recommend booking a place ahead of time, but normally Olympos has a lot of spots open in the off-season.
The ancient ruins of Olympos are not to miss if you love history. The city is so fun to explore all the ancient structures and natural beauty. This is my favorite ancient ruin in Turkey, and this country has so many!
How do I navigate on the Lycian Way?
The Lycian Way is covered in red and white paint streaks that mark the path of the trail. It often happens that the markers are everywhere and then as soon as you’re in a pinch, you can’t find them.
That’s why I recommend getting the app TrailSmart. I’d say it’s almost a necessity if you don’t want to get lost.
TrailSmart will show you the elevation changes, distances from point A to point B, water sources, hotels, and markets in the area so it’s an absolute game changer.
There’s a free and paid version. Normally I don’t pay for apps, but in this case, it’s definitely worth it because it will allow you to use the map offline. You don’t know when and where you’ll have cell service, so I recommend getting the paid version. It’s less than 5 dollars and worth the money.
Learn more about how to use TrailSmart here.
Check out the people who make the app!
How do I reach Karaoz?
Karaoz can be a little difficult to reach as you’ll have to take a bus and taxi to reach Karaoz.
First, you must fly into Antalya airport.
From the airport you must take a bus to Kumluca. There are buses directly outside of the airport, so you must go an ask for a bus to Kumluca. From here you can take a taxi or a minibus to Karaoz.
When I went, I had a difficult time finding the minibus from Kumluca to Karaoz, so I just took a taxi.
What is the itinerary for hiking from Karaoz to Olympos?
This is what I recommend for the best experience of hiking the Lycian Way from Karaoz to Olympos. Of course, if you want to take longer, you can break up each hiking trail by wild camping somewhere in between. It’s completely legal to wild camp on the Lycian Way in Turkey, and there are so many beautiful places to camp!
I’ve written two itineraries: one for if you’re comfortable walking long distances each day, or one where you want to take your time and wild camp(you must carry a tent for this itinerary)
Counting the kilometers Itinerary
Day 1
- Go to Karaoz
- Stay the night in Karaoz and enjoy the beach and ambience
- Make sure you buy water before you hit the trail
Day 2
- Wake up early and hit the trail to Adrasan, it will be a long day
- Have a snack at the lighthouse
- Stay in at a hotel or camp on the beach in Adrasan!
Day 3
- Wake up early and hit the trail to Olympos, again another long day!
- Explore the mountain top and view
- Stay in a tree-house accommodation in Olympos and head to Cirali Beach
- Make sure you explore the town and ancient ruins of Olympos!
Smelling the Roses Itinerary
*You will need to bring your own tent for this itinerary
Day 1
- Head to Karaoz
- If you make it here by mid-day, you won’t need to spend the night, just hike to the lighthouse-it’s not too far
- Make sure you stock up on water and food in Karaoz-there’s none on the trail!
- Camp at the lighthouse
- Enjoy the beautiful sunset here
Day 2
- Wake up early and hike to Adrasan
- It’s still a far hike!
- Camp on the beach in Adrasan or book an accommodation
Day 3
- Wake up early and head for Olympos
- Camp on the top of the mountain
- At the top of the mountain there are beverages for sale at a commercial camping place!
- You can camp here or wild camp for free somewhere on the trail!
Day 4
- Head down the mountain
- Explore the ancient ruins of Olympos
- Check out the city
- Sunbath on Cirali Beach
- Stay in a treehouse or hippie campgrounds!
To read more about each individual section look here:
Where can I get more information about hiking the Lycian Way from Karaoz to Olympos?
If you’re looking for more information like what to pack or wear: check out my guide on hiking the Lycian Way.
If you have more questions that I didn’t answer, feel free to contact me here!
For more resources check the links below: