Our home base for a week of adventure is Ucagiz/Demre, a charming port town on the Turkish Riviera. The city boasts whitewashed buildings, and the beautiful green hills meet the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea, making it the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy the scenery.

There are no set activities on the first day of the tour, so you are free to arrive at any time. On the morning of day two, our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception for a welcome meeting. Everything you need to know about the day will be left at the front desk. If you want airport transfer services, you must arrive at either Dalaman International Airport (DLM) or Antalya International Airport (AYT), as our hotel is a three-hour drive from both airports.

If you arrive early in the day, you might like to stroll around the town or enjoy a meal at one of the many harbour-side restaurants.

Our hotel for the week will be the Ekin Hotel in Ucagiz. It is just a few minutes walk from the town centre and is ideally located for exploring the town of the seaside. WiFi is available throughout the hotel.

All rooms feature a balcony with either a hillside or sea view. The hotel assigns the rooms; each one is air-conditioned and has an en-suite bathroom with a toilet, shower, and hairdryer. The rooms are basic and have simple, slightly aged decor.

Today, we’ll be checking out Xanthos, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and used to be the ancient capital of Lycia. We’ll get to explore the city, which has been influenced by the Persians and Romans. Then we’ll hit the water and go on a canoeing trip down the Xanthos River to Patara beach. The trip will take around 4 hours and even if you’ve never canoed before, don’t sweat it – it’s perfect for beginners.

As we move through the calm and untouched rural backwaters, you might be lucky enough to spot some colourful kingfishers, egrets, grey and squacco herons, and terrapins hanging out on the riverbanks. After we stop on the banks for a barbeque lunch, we’ll continue towards Patara beach. Once we get there, we’ll have plenty of time to kick back and swim. Patara is one of Turkey’s longest beaches, with 18 kilometers of golden sand, and it’s also a safe haven for giant loggerhead turtles.

Today, we’re going on a short drive inland to start our trek. We’ll start from Kuruouva and pass through some villages and farmsteads on the way. We’ll take a quick break at a local teahouse for a drink. From there, we’ll start to climb up, and the trees will change from pine to oak, and eventually to ancient juniper and cedar forests. As we continue on the forest tracks, we will reach the summit of Mount Bozkaya (Grey Rock) after a picnic lunch. The summit is at 2,050 meters (6,725 feet), and it has fantastic views of the surrounding peaks and valleys.

After a good rest, we’ll start to come down through high pastures, and we might bump into some nomadic shepherd families on the way. We’re going to cover a distance of 12 kilometers/7.5 miles today, and it will take us around four to six hours to complete the trek, with some rest stops in between. The terrain is mostly on smooth tracks, but it might get a bit stony at some places.

Please note that our route may change depending on weather conditions. Once we’re done, we’ll take a short drive back to Ucagiz, where you can explore more or just relax for the rest of the afternoon.

We will start early today by enjoying a day of sea kayaking in the tranquil and protected bays of Kekova. This is one of the most scenic areas in Lycia, with picturesque islands, bays, and small ancient cities. Even though we’ll have to wake up early, we’ll forget about it once we start kayaking out onto the calm waters. The pace is relaxed, and no previous experience is necessary; we can enjoy the scenery as we paddle through narrow channels.

Before starting the Kekova Kayak tour, we’ll have a safety briefing and paddle instruction to ensure we’re all set for a fun day! We will enter the water at 09:00 and start our first paddling session from Üçağiz to get accustomed to the kayak and practice proper navigation.

We’ll depart Ucagiz at 09:20 a.m. with a motorized support vessel to escort us, and we’ll paddle southwest down the coast towards Kekova Island. We’ll arrive at Tersane Bay at 10:15 a.m., followed by a swimming break.

From there, we’ll slowly paddle over the ancient Lycian Sunken City of Kekova. Swimming is not permitted here as this is a protected area. However, kayaking alongside the ruins will allow us to capture unforgettable photos and uniquely explore the Sunken City.

After an exciting adventure, we’ll head to Simena Castle and arrive at 11:30 a.m. We’ll park in Kaleköy (ancient Simena Castle) for 45 minutes, giving us time to visit this small authentic village, home to castle ruins and a necropolis. If we hike up the hillside, we’ll be rewarded with magnificent views of the Kekova region. If we’d prefer to admire Simena Castle from down below, we can use our remaining time to take another dip in the gorgeous blue waters.

In the afternoon, we’ll return to Theimussa for an up-close view of more impressive Lycian sarcophagi and return to our Kayak base.

We’ll head out for a day trip to Meis (Kastellorizo) and discover some fantastic Greek Island vibes. We’ll jump on a ferry from Kas and have a blast exploring the history and heritage of this unique spot. Meis (Kastellorizo) is off the Dodecanese coast of Greece and has many cool things to check out—tax-free shopping, museums, castles, fine-dining restaurants, Aya Georgio Beach, and Blue Cave.

We’ll take our time and have a leisurely day seeing the sights and enjoying the slow-paced island lifestyle before returning to the ferry. And guess what? You’ll even save on all your favourite brands of wine, beer, spirits, beauty products, fragrances, gadgets, and gifts.

We’ll have up to 5 hours to kick back and relax ashore. The ferry leaves daily from Kas between 08:45 a.m. and 09:00 a.m. and arrives at Meis (Kastellorizo) port around 09:20 a.m. The return trip leaves in the early evening at 16:00 a.m., so we’ll have plenty of time to do our thing and explore the island.

After a leisurely start this morning, we walk down to the harbour to board a private wooden boat for a ride along Turkey’s Turquoise Coast and a day of pure relaxation.

The boat has a spacious, partly shaded foredeck and comfortable indoor and outdoor lounge areas. Cruising through the calm bays around Kekova, we’ll stop to swim and snorkel in the clear, warm waters of the pleasant bays and rocky coves. While snorkelling, look out for ancient amphora (vases) lying on the seabed and marine life. The crew cooks up a delicious barbecue lunch in the early afternoon before we cruise back to Ucagiz.

Upon docking back in Ucagiz, we’ll have some free time before sharing a last meal together in one of the local restaurants.

Get ready for an amazing day exploring the St. Nicholas Museum, the Ancient Myra Theatre, and the Museum of Lycian Civilizations. We’ll start our tour at the Demre port, where we’ll meet our guide and head out to see the city’s highlights.

Myra is a famous ancient town located on the Mediterranean coast of Anatolia. We’ll explore the ruins and see some of the famous Lycian monuments, including two groups of rock-hewn tombs that were once beautifully painted in red, yellow, and blue. It’s incredible to see them on the cliff face, one above the theatre and the other in the River Necropolis.

After Myra, we’ll head to the Church of St. Nicholas, a Byzantine church with the tomb of the 5th-century Bishop of Myra, Nicholas. He was famous for his healing powers and is now known as Santa Claus. This church dates back to the 9th century, but an early church was built in the 6th century over the tomb of St. Nicholas. The current structure was renovated in 1042, and a monastery was added before Czar Alexander II purchased and restored the church in 1863. Don’t forget to check out the wall paintings that were carefully restored during the early 2000s.

Finally, we’ll walk past the Andriake ruins to the Museum of Lycian Civilizations, a 2nd-century granary that has been transformed into a museum. Here, you’ll see some fantastic artefacts excavated from nearby Lycian cities and learn about the region’s fascinating history.

There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart at any time. If your flight leaves later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like a hotel transfer, you’ll need to depart from Dalaman Airport (DLM) or Antalya Airport (AYT) , around a three-hour drive from the hotel.