Turkey - The Lycian Way

Please Note: The opinions expressed in these reviews are the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unicorn Trails Ltd. These reviews are "directly from the horses mouth" and unedited. Unicorn Trails may make additional comments for clarification clearly identified in red.

Review received from AH of Margaretting on 27/05/2025

There are two trails along the Lycian Way:
Chimera Trail - 200km
Olympos Trail - 150km (Omit DAY 4 of the Chimera Trail for this shorter option)

Chimera Trail:

Day 1
Transfer from Antalya airport to Kemer, settle into your hotel for the night before joining the guides for a welcome dinner. There is no riding on the arrival day.

Day 2
After breakfast, transfer to the stables to meet the horses. After a safety briefing and saddling up, ride for 1.5 - 2 hours through the forest around Kuzdere to get used to the terrain and your new 4 legged friend. Ride past orange and pomegranate gardens, ruins of an ancient village, springs and small palm forests. Return to the hotel to discuss the route ahead and what to pack for the trail.  Enjoy a light lunch before setting of for the tour to Chimera mountain and a visit to Olympos antique city.  During this tour climb through the ruins of Olympos, enjoy the stunning views followed by a refereshing swim in the sea. The head to Chimera mountain to visit the fire breathing mountain. Dinner at a restaurant before returning to the hotel. Overnight in the hotel. Riding hours: 1.5 - 2

Day 3
After breakfast, check out from the hotel and meet at the stables. Luggage will be secured in the safety car, and the horses saddled up. After approx 2 hours riding, arrive at Kesme Bogazi canyon. Here there is the opportunity to paddle in the mountain river or sit on the rocks and have lunch. After lunch, embark on a 3 hour climb of the highest mountain of the region (Tahtali stands at 2365m above sea level), and the perfect opportunity for trots and fast canters. Gedelme is the location of the overnight stay for day 3 providing the ooportunitiy to see a byzantine castle, platan trees over 2000 years old, and authentic 150 year old local village houses.  Overnight and dinner in Geldelme. Riding hours: approx. 4 

Day 4 (NOT INCLUDED IN THE SHORTER OLYMPOS TRAIL)
After breakfast recharge your batteries on the lendary 2000yr old tree before exploring the ruins of the castle and a deep cave.  Then saddle up and head to the hidden valley, close to Ovacik village. See how the highlanders live and gallop around the meadows. After lunch, return to Gedelme for dinner and another overnight stay. Riding hours: 4 - 5

Day 5
After breakfast, saddle the horses and climb the Tahtali mountain (2,000m) where the ride stops for lunch. Following lunch, saddle up and descend until reaching Beycik - a village with both mountain and sea views, where the riders will stay for the night, sleeping in a unique guest house up in the trees and enjoy a freshly cooked meal. Riding hours: 6

Day 6
Today's ride will be slower, and will take around 6 hours to complete. The road is surrounded with bays and nature, underground rivers surfacing and rocks sparkling with metals. Pause for lunch at a beautiful bay, enjoy a quick swim if you desire, while the horses rest, before setting off for the final leg of the day.  After crossing the biggest bay, enjoy one last canter before arriving at turtle bay for the night. This bay is where baby turtles hatch and is protected within the national park.  Camp here for the night and enjoy a delicious meal on the beach before heading to bed. Swimming with the horses is possible at this location, as is cantering along the beach. Riding hours: 6

Day 7
After waking up to the sound of the waves enjoy breakfast and a swim with the horses before setting off for the final leg of the journey.  During the first half of the day, ride the mountain trails around five bays with fantastic views, and past the ancient city of Phaselis. After a breif picknic stop, ride back towards the ranch, crossing several villages on route before entering a beautiful pine woodland.  Lots of opportunities trot and canter/gallop before arriving back at the ranch. Spend the night back at the hotel. Riding hours: 6

Day 8
Depending on flight times, riders may have the opportunity to go to the beach, or shopping in Kemer.

Read about Freya McAllister's Turkish adventure in 'Riding the Lycian Way in Turkey'

Please note: All itineraries are given for your guidance only and it may be altered on the ground and in accordance with the prevailing conditions by the organising team.

The Horses are Arabs and Arab/Anatolian cross breeds (15 - 16.2hh).  The horses are supper fit, sure footed and conditioned to cope with the rocky mountain paths. All the horses are shod and have road nails for grip.

Tack is English multipurpose or jumping saddles (wintec mostly). Riding is at all paces up and down the mountain trails. 

Able to control a horse at all paces, secure seat, able to tack and groom, water your horse.
Strict maximum weight of 80kgs due to steep terrain
Minimum of 16 years and must be accompanied by a riding adult.

The weight limit for this ride is 176 lb/80 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.

Accommodation:

Local hotels on the 1st, 2nd and last day, all with private bathrooms and a swimming pool. 

Guest house/camping whilst on the trail.

Camping - Please not there are no toilet facilities, and showering is using mountain running water or the sea (there is no hot water on this day)

Meals:

All inclusive breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, dinner with water/tea/coffee/1 glass of local wine. Meals are prepared using home-made products from the surrounding villages.

Breakfast includes cheeses, bread, jams, honey, cucumber, tomarto and eggs

Lunches are made up of sandwich rolls and fruits and a chocolate bar

Dinners offer a spread of traditional dishes, such as kebab style meats, chicken salads and breads, grilled fish,  soups and stews. 

Vegetarian or other dietary requirements within reason can be accommodated with advance notice. Please contact Unicorn Trails with requests before booking.

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct documentation in place for your trip.

When visiting Turkey, your passport should be valid for at least 150 days from the date you arrive and there should be a full blank page for the entry and exit stamps. You can find more detail about the requirements for entry into Turkey on the website of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Passport and Visa requirements can change from year to year depending on diplomatic relations. Please request information from the appropriate Consulate in your home country.

Unicorn Trails will assist with any questions you have or supply any necessary supporting documents as required by the consulate should you need a visa.

In the UK the British Foreign Office gives advice: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkey In the US: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Turkey.html

In Canada: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/turkiye

Another useful resource is Sherpa - this summarises any travel and vaccination requirements based on when you are travelling simply by entering your home country followed by your destination country: https://apply.joinsherpa.com/travel-restrictions

The climate here is mild, and generally warm and temperate. The winters are rainier than the summers in Hisarönü. The mean temperature prevailing in the city of Hisarönü is recorded as 18.3 °C | 64.9 °F, according to statistical data. Annually, approximately 1106 mm | 43.5 inch of precipitation descends.
The given location is in the northern hemisphere. Summer begins here at the end of June and ends in September. The months of summer are: June, July, August, September. The most popular months to visit are June, September due to the low rainfall.

COVID: Be sure to check the latest COVID regulations for travelling in any country you visit.

British-issued prescriptions are not accepted in pharmacies in Turkey, although some medicines may be available over the counter. You should always bring any regular prescription drugs you may need with you.

As a precaution against Avian Influenza it is recommended that you avoid being in close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds, and ensure poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked


Please refer to your country’s latest health guideline for travel in Turkey and contact your own GP for up to date advice on vaccinations and prophylaxis prior to travel.

In Turkey the supply voltage is 230V. If the appliance is a single voltage rated appliance, it will need to operate at the same voltage as the supply voltage of the country i.e. 230V. If this is not the case it should be used alongside a voltage transformer or converter to allow the appliance to work safely and properly.

Some places have limited coverage or slow internet. Guest houses and hotel will have charging points and some access to free Wi-Fi. If you require cell coverage throughout the trip we suggest an E-Sim. You will need a power pack for the camp night.
If using a go pro please ensure you have the permission of the group to be filmed.

Pack as you usually would for a holiday, for e.g. sunglasses, sun cream, toiletries, any medicines you need, casual clothes, and then these are your Horse Riding holiday essentials. If you are unsure, please speak with your Travel Consultant:

ESSENTIALS FOR ALL RIDING HOLIDAYS: Please note, only cabin sized luggage (10kg) allow on the trail, larger suitcases can be left at the first nights accommodation and collected at the end of the trip. (luggage can be soft or hard suitcases, but needs to be small for the trail)
- Riding trousers
- Riding hat
- Safety vest (if you use one, can also be borrowed)
- Boots suitable for riding and walking (it is recommended to bring boots and chaps, not high boots),
- trainers or walking boots for the tour on day 2
- Comfortable long sleeved shirt / T shirts (good for protection from the sun)
- Short warm jacket (for late evening / night)
- Warmer layers for evenings up the mountains
- Light weight water proof (essential, can rain over the mountains)
- Riding gloves (recommended),
- Sunglasses (it’s a must to protect your eyes from stones flying from the hooves on the canters)
- Comfortable clothes for non-riding program (no high heels or cocktail dresses required)
- Small bag for ID/copy of passport& insurance, phone, pocket money (no backpacks for riding days)
- Swimming suit and small towel for the beach and camp night
- Power bank and torch for camping
- Bug spray
- foam/ inflatable camping mat if desired
- Personal items and any medication

Provided by the hosts:
- Saddle bags
- Riding hats
- Safety vests
- Water
- All camping equipment including sleeping bags and pillows (but you are welcome to bring your own if you prefer)

8 days / 7 nights / 6 days riding OR 7 days / 6 nights / 5 days riding on set departure dates.

2025: 7nights: 20 Apr (FULL); 10 May (Escorted Date), 18 May; 8 Jun; 7 Sept; 5 Oct (Full); 2 Nov
2025: 6 nights: 27 Apr; 16 Jun; 15 Sep; 13 Oct; 10 Nov
Low Season: Nov - April
High Season: May - October

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For the equestrian traveller who would like to see what is possible on horseback visit www.thelongridersguild.com 

A fantastic place to acquire your equestrian travel books is www.horsetravelbooks.com

Hamman Spa treatment available on request in Kemer on the 1st and last night, time permitting.

The region is home to Eurasian wildlife such as the Eurasian sparrowhawk, golden eagle, eastern imperial eagle, lesser spotted eagle, Caucasian black grouse, red-fronted serin, and wallcreeper. Although you will hear many birds on the trail it is more tricky to spot them in the trees. Other wildlife you are more likely to see on route, tortoises in the forest, wild pigs, lizards.

This south eastern European country is in south western Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria. It has a total area of 780,580 sq km. It has borders with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq and Syria. And has a 8,333 km coastline. The temperature is hot and dry in the summer with mild, wet winters. The terrain is mostly mountainous with narrow coastal plains and high central plateaus. The elevation varies from sea level to the highest point at Mount Ararat 5,166m. Norther Turkey can be prone to earthquakes.

Cappadocia occupies the centre of Turkey, the region between the Black Sea in the north and the Taurus Mountains, between the capital Ankara and the city of Malatya to the east. Famous for its spectacular natural rock formations and valleys, Goreme National Park, as it is known today, is strewn with underground cities, stone chapels, monasteries and dwellings that were hewn out of the weirdly eroded volcanic rock from as long ago as 400 BC.

Thousands of years of wind and rain erosion on a landscape of soft volcanic stone topped with hardened larva caps has created a fascinating landscape of rock cones and pinnacles that are known as ‘fairy chimneys’. The greatest concentration of fairy chimneys can be found within the triangle formed by the three main towns of the region, Avanos, Urgup and the main transport hub of Nevsehir.

Outside the triangle to the south are the remarkable underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli, where layers of tunnels and an intricate system of caves hid generations of settlers and sheltered early Christians fleeing persecution. The Ilhara Canyon is another religious hideaway with more than 100 painted churches and about 4,000 dwellings carved into the rock walls or concealed within the cliffs; its river bed and lush vegetation stand in stark contrast to the dusty, seemingly barren land above.

Cave dwellings, ancient monasteries and painted chapels are well camouflaged, with entranceways that are barely noticeable among a landscape of perforated cliff walls and rock fissures. Houses of volcanic stone blend unobtrusively into the natural surroundings, pigmented in natural shades of ochre and yellow, to pinks, greys and greens, and many people still inhabit the cones and chimney formations. In tourist towns such as Goreme, delightful little hotels and pensions are built partially into the rock or are housed within a rock cone and offer cave-style rooms.