TΓΌrkiye is a fairly large and diverse country. There are 2 seas, and more than one mountain range, as well as many other interesting places worth visiting. Of course, as in any country, its main content is people. And in Turkey, people are smiling and friendly, which leaves a lot of positive emotions in the soul.
So where can you go hiking in Turkey?
The Lycian Way
The Lycian Way runs along part of the Mediterranean coastline through the Western Taurus mountain range. The entire trail is over 500 km long, so most hikers only cover part of it in one visit.
The popularity of this area came after a young lady named Kate Clow walked through these places and wrote a guidebook.
The trail is interesting because it passes through various beautiful and diverse places – sometimes it goes along the coast with volcanic beaches, sometimes it climbs to its highest point, Mount Takhtaly-Dag (2365 m), passing giant cedars, sometimes it goes through a deep canyon, sometimes it even comes out to a place with fire burning from under the ground. The area sometimes resembles mountainous Crimea, but with more contrasting details – higher mountains, bluer and saltier sea, deeper gorges.
The most favorable months for visiting in terms of weather are March-May, October-December. It is very hot in summer and many water sources dry up. But in winter you can and even should go – a complete absence of people, a warm sea (20-22 degrees), warm weather. However, winter is the rainy season, which at this time of year falls relatively often – 2-4 times a week. However, this did not stop us from going on a New Year’s hike along the western part of the (coastal) Lycian Way and having a lot of fun!
Hiking programs along the Lycian Way from ExtremeGuide:
ΠΠΎΡ ΠΎΠ΄ ΠΏΠΎ ΠΠΈΠΊΠΈΠΉΡΠΊΠΎΠΉ Π’ΡΠΎΠΏΠ΅, ΡΠ³ΠΎ- Π·Π°ΠΏΠ°Π΄Π½Π°Ρ ΡΠ°ΡΡΡ
ΠΠΎΡ ΠΎΠ΄ ΠΏΠΎ ΠΠΈΠΊΠΈΠΉΡΠΊΠΎΠΉ Π’ΡΠΎΠΏΠ΅ + Π₯ΠΈΠΌΠ΅ΡΠ°
Aladaglar
Aladaglar is the highest ridge of Taurus, the heights of the peaks here exceed 3700 m, even in summer there are many snow-capped peaks and passes. The best time to visit is May-June, in August it is already hot and there is no snow at all. Wild, beautiful, and at the same time, a very compact area.
Northern Türkiye, Kaçkar
A rarely visited region located near the border with Georgia, the Kaçkarhighlands, part of the Pontic Mountains, stretch for 40 km from the Black Sea coast.
The highest peak of the massif, Mount Kaçkar, is 3937 m high.
With its many clear lakes, alpine meadows, beautiful valley forests and sharp rocky peaks, Kaçkar is suitable for both easy hikes and challenging mountaineering.
Hiking program from ExtremeGuide
ΠΠΎΡ ΠΎΠ΄ ΠΏΠΎ ΡΠ΅Π²Π΅ΡΠ½ΠΎΠΉ Π’ΡΡΡΠΈΠΈ + Π²ΠΎΡΡ ΠΎΠΆΠ΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ Π½Π° ΠΠ°ΡΠΊΠ°Ρ.
Mount Ararat (5165 m)
Ararat is the highest peak in Turkey, located near the border with Armenia and Iran.
The mountain is accessible to a large circle of people interested, all technical training for working with special equipment can be obtained on site. The mountain is very beautiful, in addition, many legends and historical events are associated with it. This, and much more, attracts climbers from all over the world.
Ararat Climbing Program from ExtremeGuide:
Geykbairi, rock climbing
Not far from Antalya is the largest climbing area of ββTurkey, where more than 700 climbing routes of all levels of difficulty have been prepared. The varied terrain, pleasant climate, which allows climbing all year round (except for summer – it’s hot), attracts climbers from all over the world to this area.
Π‘ΠΊΠ°Π»ΠΎΠ»Π°Π·Π°Π½ΠΈΠ΅ Π² Π’ΡΡΡΠΈΠΈ + ΠΠ½ΡΠ°Π»ΠΈΡ
In addition to the areas discussed, there are many more interesting places in Turkey, and after reading this article, no one should have any questions left – “what to do in Turkey, except lie on the beach?”:)
Tours to Turkey
Travelers planning tours to Turkey should expect from this country an atmosphere of antiquity, filled with secrets and mysteries, as well as many amazing and beautiful masterpieces created not only by the hands of talented craftsmen, but also by nature itself. When going on a trip to Turkey, it is not recommended to plan only a beach holiday, as this ancient country offers a huge number of leisure options – from hiking along incredibly beautiful paths to yachting in the Mediterranean Sea. In addition to a rich history, there is also a diverse nature – from exquisite olive groves of the Aegean Sea to eastern steppes with breathtaking landscapes.
Many programs combine hiking with mountain climbing, so that in one tour you can visit many beautiful places and get the maximum amount of bright emotions and pleasant memories. Turkey offers climbers many options for climbing mountains such as Damavand, Ararat, Chimera and many others. However, rock climbers and other lovers of active recreation will also find several leisure options in this country.
When to visit Turkey: choosing the season
If you are planning a trip to Turkey, it is better not to choose a hot summer for this, unless it is determined by the program. The reason is that in the summer, climbing to altitude is complicated by consistently high temperatures, which, coupled with a heavy backpack, significantly complicates the ascent to mountain peaks.
The most suitable option for tourism in Turkey is the off-season: in spring and autumn the positive temperature does not go beyond 25-32Β° C, and the water in the sea is maximally comfortable for swimming.
In spring, during the May holidays, a popular tour is a hike along the Lycian Way. At this time, the gardens are in bloom and the oranges are ripening on the trees. At the end of May, the sea warms up to its maximum, but it becomes too hot for mountain climbing with a backpack on your back. In autumn, in September and October, the temperature in Turkey is comfortable, and precipitation is quite rare. At this time, swimming in the sea is not only possible, but also necessary, and during hikes you will encounter a large number of ripe oranges and pomegranates. Starting from November, however, the temperature begins to drop rapidly, and at night it is no longer as comfortable as at the beginning of autumn.
The Lazistan Range deserves special attention, as the mountains here are high and the climate corresponds to such conditions. From the end of June until the end of August it is comfortable here, but the rest of the time the weather is so harsh that even the locals prefer not to stay here.
And few people know that Turkey has excellent places for winter holidays. For example, the Erciyes volcano is currently the first place in the plans of winter sports enthusiasts: alpine skiing and snowboarding.
Program selection
Turkey is a very beautiful country, tourism in which is not limited to beaches. Hiking is very popular here, the routes of which are designed in such a way that travelers can visit as many attractions and beautiful places as possible in one program.
There are many ancient cities here, where tour participants are greeted everywhere by ancient palaces, elegant mosques and ancient fortresses. However, travelers and tourists only need to go a little beyond the city to see majestic mountains, rocky gorges, canyons and beautiful dense forests.
TΓΌrkiye offers travelers virtually unlimited options for hikes of any difficulty:
- Lycian Way tours;
- trekking in Cappadocia;
- climbing volcanoes Hasan and Erciyes;
- hiking in exotic places of the Lazistan range and much more.
Climbing Ararat and other mountains
Ararat is the highest volcanic massif of the Armenian Highlands in eastern Turkey. Its height is 5165 meters, and climbing Ararat is one of the most popular leisure activities among mountaineers. For a long time, this mountain was inaccessible, and it was only in the 19th century that it was conquered for the first time.
The mystical aura and avalanche danger were the main factors that prevented travelers from climbing to the top of this mountain. However, today, anyone can climb Ararat, even beginner climbers. The key requirement for participants in the climb is good physical fitness.
Most of the route involves climbing a rocky path, and the main obstacle will be only the top of the mountain – a glacier. You can look at the ascent in a completely different way in winter, when the route can be a challenge even for trained climbers. From December to May, Ararat is almost completely covered with snow, and at an altitude of 2000 m, the negative temperature remains even during the day. Additional difficulty is presented by sudden changes in the weather and a large amount of snow on the slopes.
Climbing other mountains is also available from Turkey:
- Damavand β 5670 m;
- Demirkazik β 3726 m;
- KaΓ§kar β 3937 m.
Hiking in Turkey
The Lycian Way hike is a hiking option that is suitable for travelers of any level of training, as there are no difficult sections on the route and there are no large differences in altitude. During the tour, there are often various small settlements where you can replenish your supplies of food, water, etc.
The route runs along the western part, along the Mediterranean coast. Participants of the program will see rocky bays, ancient monuments, beaches with crystal clear water. This part of the Lycian Way is very beautiful, and the climate is mild.
A popular program among travelers is a hiking trip that includes a visit to Cappadocia. This part of Turkey is known for its unusually shaped mountains – peculiar stone mushrooms formed as a result of volcanic eruptions that were active several million years ago. However, Cappadocia is also famous for its underground cities, created in the first millennium BC. Here you can see about 350 Christian churches and large cave monasteries, which are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Rock climbing
The southern coast of Turkey offers not only landmarks and ancient monuments, but also unique climbing areas that are suitable for both beginners and experienced climbers.
Along the coast, from Antalya to the Datca Peninsula, travelers can expect the following areas:
- Geikbairi;
- Sadibi;
- Akyarlara;
- Olympos.
These places are a great choice for those who have always dreamed of trying rock climbing. The rocks here vary in relief and difficulty, so it will be interesting for both beginners and experienced climbers. For the latter, there are a large number of routes – up to 1000.
The Greek island of Kalymnos, which is located near the Datca Peninsula, deserves special attention. It is a kind of rock climbing mecca for athletes from all over the world and can offer rock climbing enthusiasts unforgettable emotions during a trip to Turkey.
Yachting
For all lovers of active recreation, Turkey offers such a type of leisure as yachting in the Mediterranean Sea. By renting a vessel, travelers will be able to get bright and memorable emotions, enjoy incredible landscapes, and also visit picturesque bays. The opportunity to relax, swim or sunbathe is only a small part of what yachting in the Mediterranean Sea offers.
The program includes a tour of the city of Fethiye, where you can visit various temples, crypts, and also see ancient sarcophagi. Including during yachting, you can linger on the most beautiful beaches of Turkey to relax on the shore and get even more pleasant memories from the trip.
Each participant in the group will be able to acquire basic skills and theoretical foundations of sailing. This means the ability to control a yacht, tie strong and reliable knots, moor and depart from the pier.
Landmarks and beautiful places in Turkey
It is difficult to name all the places that travelers should visit in Turkey, as there are a huge number of monasteries, monuments, ancient cities. For example, Istanbul is one big attraction, and the list of must-see places here is very wide:
- Hagia Sophia;
- Topkapi Palace;
- Blue Mosque;
- Basilica Cistern;
- Suleymaniye Mosque;
- Grand Bazaar;
- Chora Monastery;
- Galata Tower;
- Istanbul Archaeological Museum.
Hikers should definitely take a walk along the Lycian Way, one of the most picturesque and interesting routes in the world. Ancient mountain roads sometimes descend to the Mediterranean Sea, sometimes take travelers back into the depths of the mountain peaks. This trail offers incredibly beautiful landscapes and panoramas of the coast and mountain ranges.
Fans and lovers of archeology and ancient culture should visit Turkey at least for the reason that it is located on the territory of Ancient Byzantium. Here you can find various historical monuments, tombs, sarcophagi and much more.
Tours with ExtremeGuide.Pro
Our guides are professional instructors who ensure safety and comfort for each tour participant. They will be able to find a common language with any member of the group, will tell in detail about the features of local attractions, and, if necessary, will brighten up long hikes with many interesting and funny stories.
We have 11 years of experience, thanks to which any ascents, hikes and other types of active tourism will be as comfortable as possible for each of the program participants. However, we not only conduct tours, but also help participants prepare for the upcoming event. On the site you will find all the necessary information about the required equipment, physical training, and so on.
We promptly provide qualified consultation and support on issues of any complexity at all stages of preparation. Upon completion of the program, all tour participants will receive certificates from ExtremeGuide, as well as souvenir gifts as a reminder of the accomplished feat – a successful ascent, a hike filled with pleasant emotions and many other types of tourism.