Your chance to
- Enjoy scenic riding on country roads
- Visit UNESCO sites of Ephesus and Pamukkale
- Encounter Turkish hospitality
At a glance
- 7 nights clean and comfortable hotels or pensions with good facilities, including a pool in Dalyan
- 5 days cycling with 100% vehicle support
- 90% tarmac, 10% unsurfaced roads
- Relaxed rides with the opportunity for a few challenging days
What´s included
- All breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners
- All accommodation (see below)
- All transport and listed activities
- Tour leader throughout
- Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)
What´s not included
- Travel insurance
- Bike hire (available locally from GBP85 paid on booking)
- Single accommodation (available on request)
- Visas or vaccinations
Road riding through Turkish countryside
Turkey is more than just sun-drenched beaches and turquoise waters; it is also a fantastic place to get active and explore by bike, with towering peaks, glistening lakes and lush countryside offering a multitude of routes and terrains. We start this guided cycling tour with a ride high in the mountains above the coastal town of Fethiye, and wind our way down to the coast. Dotting our route are some of Turkey’s great lakes, magnificent ruins and quiet country villages, including visits to Ephesus and UNESCO site Pamukkale to make a memorable biking holiday in this fascinating country.Cycling profile / Daily distance in km.
More information:
- Number of days cycling: 5
- Pace: Moderate: 13-16km/8-10miles an hour
- Terrain: Low altitude; 90% tarmac, 10% unsurfaced roads
Day 1
Fly to DalamanFly to Dalaman; transfer to Fethiye.
Day 2
Transfer to Tuzla Beli; ride to Kirazli Yayli, Cameli and Golhisar Lake; transfer to Acipayam.From Fethiye we transfer by vehicle to Tuzla Beli. The start of the ride is largely downhill until we reach Kirazli Yayli, a farming area. Our morning ride is approx. 21 km, and we take lunch at the trout farm at Cameli where we will see our meal in its natural environment. After lunch we cycle mostly uphill and flat roads to Golhisar Lake, before out transfer to Acipayam.
Day 3
Transfer to Salda Lake, cycle to Cardak and visit the Caravansaray; transfer to Pamukkale.Transfer to the shores of Salda Lake from where we cycle to caravanserai in Cardak, passing the dam and Kurag�l Lake. We then have the opportunity to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site, Pamukkale – ‘Cotton Castle’. People have flocked here to bathe in the hot springs for centuries and benefit from their healing properties. The ancient Greek city of Hieropolis was built here for this purpose and today visitors can bathe in pools that still contain Greek and Roman architectural remains. An impressive natural phenomenon, the white outcrop of travertine stands 160m high, with water cascading down the natural terraces of carbonate minerals.
Day 4
Transfer to Bozdag Village, ride downhill to Golcuk Lake and continue to Selcuk.Transfer by vehicle to Bozdag village. This is our longest transfer, and takes approximately 3.5 hours. From here we take a climb of approx. 5 km from where it’s downhill to Golcuk Lake (alt. 1050m) for a lunch of Turkish grilled meatballs. After lunch we carry on downhill all the way to Tire to meet our transfer to Selcuk.
Day 5
Morning visit Ephesus (entry optional); transfer to Soke, ride to Lake Bafa.In the morning there is a visit to the famous site of Ephesus (entrance payable locally) – at its zenith in the 2nd Century, it had a population of 300,000 and was dedicated to the goddess Artemis. Her temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world until an arsonist destroyed it. Unfortunately, excavations at the temple have been prevented by the high local water table. The New Testament gives a stirring account of St. Paul’s attempt to preach Christianity in the theatre here, which seats around 24,000 people and is situated at the head of a main street of Ephesus, known as the ‘Arcadian’. This 550m long and 11m wide street of marble was built in about 400 BC, in honour of Emperor Arcadius, with a colonnade of shops on either side. We then have a short vehicle transfer to Soke where we start our day’s ride. The undulating journey to Lake Bafa is on a generally good asphalt road. There are some uphill stretches which do not exceed 5km.
Day 6
Cycle from Ula to Koycegiz Lake and Sultaniye; boat transfer to Dalyan.We begin with a transfer (2hrs) to Ula, from where we ride to Koyegiz Lake, the route being mixed up and down hill through shaded pine forests, including our biggest climb of 7km, and lunch in a village house. We finish at Sultaniye and may have time for swimming in the Lake, before boarding the boat with our bikes and heading down the Dalyan River to the town of Dalyan. A final ride takes us the last short distance to our hotel.
Day 7
Free day for beach, shopping, swimming and relaxation.Dalyan is perhaps best known for its archaeological remains, such as the ancient city of Kaunos and for Iztuzu Beach, an area protected at certain times of year as it is a breeding ground for giant loggerhead turtles. Today is free for time on the beach, a Turkish bath, taking a boat ride or just relaxing by the pool.
Day 8
Fly to LondonTransfer to Dalaman; fly to London.
Adult Group
This is a small group adult holiday. The group is usually between 4 and 16 in size, with an average of 12 like-minded clients booking individually, in a couple or as friends together.Activity level
You are moderately fit and possess a spirit of adventure. Some previous experience is required for most activity based trips.Accommodation details
Hotel & Pensions
You will spend 7 nights in hotels and pensions. All the accommodation is clean and comfortable with good facilities, including a pool in Dalyan.Limited single accommodation available for a supplement from GBP190.
Essential info
Vaccinations and Visa
Holders of UK, Austrian, Irish, Portuguese, Spanish and US passports require visas. From 10 April 2014 it will no longer be possible to purchase a Turkish visa on arrival. This can now be obtained online at https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/ for approximately US$20. The visa is valid for a stay of up to three months (dependent on passport holder’s nationality). For a longer stay a visa from a Turkish Embassy is required. Visa regulations can change without notice; please check the current regulations in good time to obtain the appropriate visa if required.There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Bilharzia is known to occur in some of the lakes or rivers visited on this itinerary, we therefore advise all to take advice from your guide or leader locally before venturing for a swim. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.You may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice.
Eating & drinking
All hotels are included on a bed and breakfast basis with 5 lunches and 4 dinners also provided. Lunches can be taken in local restaurants, known as lokantas, or organised as a picnic or in a village house. Evening meals are usually taken in lokantas in each town or village or the hotel. Lokantas are widespread throughout Turkey, and the variety, price range and choice is usually quite extensive, but obviously less so in some of the smaller towns and villages. Vegetarians are well catered for.Holiday style
5 days cycling, average 60km/day, 100% vehicle support, some days include challenging climbs and good fitness is required. The trip is a classic road tour with some relaxed rides and the opportunity for a few challenging days. The routes are mainly on tarmac roads with a few excursions onto hard-packed graded roads.The leader will stop the group at varying intervals, giving the chance to regroup and take on fluids.
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