Western Lycia Gulet cruise in Turkey
| country: | Turkey |
| location: | Lycian Coast |
| departures: | 2010: 25 Sep |
| price: | From £1445 - £1545 (8 days) excluding flights. Price depends on departure date. Includes full board accommodation on boat, all road transfers, all crew service on boat, entrance fees & tips on land, archaeological excursions. Single supplement £375 |
| more info: | 2010 price: £1745 |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This cultural tour and sailing holiday explores a beautiful stretch of coastline behind which an extraordinary culture and a fiercely independent people developed.
Once a day we visit one of the antique cities that adorn this timeless coast. We stroll along ancient roads lined with wild herbs, or through olive trees strewn with rock tombs. We also have the chance to snorkel over sunken harbours, and climb rocky fastnesses for unrivalled vistas. From mighty theatres to churches floored with mosaics, each site is an archaeological adventure, part of a historical puzzle that reveals a remarkable story of human civilisation.
Every day there are plenty of opportunities to swim in the crystal waters of the Turquoise coast, or to windsurf, kayak, or go for a hike. Highlights include Xanthus, the great capital of ancient Lycia, whose great treasures caused an extraordinary stir when they were brought to the British Museum. Clinging to Gemiler island is a small town that shone only in Byzantine times, resplendent with an avenue of churches. It’s just one highpoint in this fascinating gulet cruise.
Featured activities:
Sailing Swimming Snorkelling Visits to archaeological sites Trips to museums
Once a day we visit one of the antique cities that adorn this timeless coast. We stroll along ancient roads lined with wild herbs, or through olive trees strewn with rock tombs. We also have the chance to snorkel over sunken harbours, and climb rocky fastnesses for unrivalled vistas. From mighty theatres to churches floored with mosaics, each site is an archaeological adventure, part of a historical puzzle that reveals a remarkable story of human civilisation.
Every day there are plenty of opportunities to swim in the crystal waters of the Turquoise coast, or to windsurf, kayak, or go for a hike. Highlights include Xanthus, the great capital of ancient Lycia, whose great treasures caused an extraordinary stir when they were brought to the British Museum. Clinging to Gemiler island is a small town that shone only in Byzantine times, resplendent with an avenue of churches. It’s just one highpoint in this fascinating gulet cruise.
Featured activities:
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Our gulet is about 30 minutes from Dalaman airport at Göcek, a pretty harbour beneath mountains at the head of the Bay of Fethiye. Welcome dinner on board. |
| Day 2: | We sail east to the island of Gemiler, with its superb Byzantine churches, pilgrimage centre for St Nicholas. The area is perfect for swimming and snorkelling. |
| Day 3: | We sail on to Kas, a beautiful village of white-washed houses covered with purple bougainvillea. Ancient Antiphellos lies littered in amongst the modern town: stunning sarcophagi and a theatre with a magnificent sea view. |
| Day 4: | East to the spectacular village of Ucagiz, old Teimiussa, one of the most evocative of all Lycian burial sites. |
| Day 5: | West to fascinating Kale, site of ancient Simena, perched beneath a melee of Lycian tombs and an Ottoman fort. One of the most romantic settings of the holiday. |
| Day 6: | We set off west for pretty Kalkan. Inland to Xanthus, the great capital of ancient Lycia, where excavations are uncovering a vast monumental city. |
| Day 7: | A last dip before sailing into Fethiye. A visit to Telmessus’ massive cliff face tombs and a final chance to shop. A fitting end to this inspirational holiday. |
| Day 8: | Transfer from our gulet back to Dalaman airport. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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Environment
To help protect the environment, if we discover litter and detritus on a beach, path, etc. we pick it up, and then dispose of it properly. We regularly organise litter picking parties to tidy up a beach we are moored by and so help keep the coasts of Turkey and Greece and the Mediterranean beautiful, free from detritus, and safer for native animals. Since we are travelling by boat, the amount of water available is limited and needs to be used sparingly. Only showers are provided, not baths, and we advise customers to reduce their use of water by taking short showers, and avoiding leaving the tap running for long periods. As a result the amount of water used during our cruises is significantly less than if travellers were staying in a typical large resort hotel. We have been using the same gulet for the majority of our trips ever since we started organising tours in Turkey. We charter the gulet for almost the entire season, providing important employment and income to the boat’s crew and owner. Community On this trip, we visit small villages along the coast, some of which are only accessible by sea, such as Kale which has no road access. We provide much needed business to local cafes and shops in these places, thereby supporting local families, artisans, and village crafts. We dine in a family run local restaurant, that sources food locally, providing income to a family living in a rural area. Throughout this tour we employ local guides and location managers. We also use local drivers and vehicles to visit sites, which are often owner operated or run by a local cooperative. This ensures that money goes directly into the pockets of local people, so it is the local community that benefits. We travel in a small group (maximum 14 guests) to minimize our impact on the environment. We believe that escorted small group tours is the best way to organise sustainable tourism, allowing travellers to discover the ancient heritage and modern culture of Turkey, while at the same time keeping our impact as low as possible. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |