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Pack your bags for a spectacular
journey to the Turquoise Coast of Turkey, so named for its jewel-colored
waters. At the marina of Gocek you'll board your traditional
Turkish gulet, a beautifully handcrafted motor yacht which
will be your floating home for the next 7 days as you cruise
along the coast. During your cruise, you'll have ample time to
swim, snorkel and sunbathe in the secluded bays of the Mediterranean
and sample delicious Turkish cuisine. Pulling ashore in quiet
bays and coves, you'll hike through unspoiled countryside to
medieval castles and meet local farmers harvesting sage and oregano
in the fields. In the haunting Lycian cities of Myra you'll see
the famous cliff side tombs from 6th century BCE. The ending
point of your journey is the ancient harbor called Andriake,
where you'll bid farewell to the crew and continue your Turkish
odyssey with optional visits to Cappadocia, Istanbul or Ephesus.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Day 1-Gocek: Your trip will start in Gocek
which is a nice village with a couple of boutiques run by artists
removed from the crowds of Istanbul. Board onto your gulet which
will be your home for the next 7 days. You will be met by the
friendly crew of your boat in Gocek marina and served welcome
drinks. Crew consists of captain, cook, first mate, and barman.
You'll cruise (20 min) to a secluded bay to swim and snorkel
in the turquoise waters of Mediterranean. Dinner and overnight
on the boat.
Day 2-Fethiye: After breakfast you will cruise
to Fethiye to visit the old quarter of the town and hike to the
monumental tomb of King Amintas. The tomb is carved into the
hillside and from the site you can have a view of Fethiye and
the gulf. After lunch on the boat, you'll cruise to a secluded
bay where you'll spend the rest of the day. On the way you'll
see some small islands and hopefully some dolphins.
Day 3-Lydae: After breakfast you'll cruise
along the coast for half an hour to visit Cleopatra's Bath also
known as the "Sunken Bath" where you'll enjoy swimming
among the ruins. After having lunch on the boat you'll cruise
to Agalimani, which is another secluded bay where you can swim
in the calm waters of Mediterranean, sunbathe or just rest. In
the afternoon you can have a hike to the ancient site of Lydea
to explore the remains of the temple and uncovered theatre. The
path is very easy to follow and you can hike with the kids, too.
This hike will be on an ancient path to some secluded farms high
above the sea. There are still some nomads living around Lydae
during the summer months. You'll hike back to the boat where
you'll have dinner and spend the night.
Day 4- Gemiler Island: You'll have an early departure
around 6 AM and cruise about 2 hours to Cold Bay, where you'll
anchor beneath the cliffs. Here you can enjoy water skiing and
other water sports. Also you can hike to Kayakoy, an abandoned
Greek town (1,200' elevation gain). The inhabitants left the
town in the 1920s, but the roofless houses and cobbled paths
seem as ancient as any site on your voyage. In the early summer,
wildflowers grow profusely in the village streets and inside
the exposed rooms of the vacant houses. If you want to do this
hike we can provide details of the path later. Cruise to Ship
Island in the late afternoon. Here you take a steep hike up to
the summit of this small island and explore the ruins of a Byzantine
Monastery from the 7th to 9th centuries. Old churches, monks'
cells and graves are scattered all over the island. It's advisable
to hike there to watch the sunset.
Day 5-Kalkan: A 3-hour cruise will bring you
to Kalkan, which is a charming Mediterranean town. In Kalkan
you'll have time to sit at a local café and enjoy shopping
at boutiques selling hand woven local clothes. After having lunch
on the boat you'll cruise to Firnazlar Bay to spend the rest
of the day. It's a nice secluded bay where you can hike to the
top of the hill to see an ancient aqueduct. Water skiing and
para sailing are also available in Kalkan.
Day 6-Kas: After breakfast you'll cruise (1
hour) to Kas, another charming town where you can visit the famous
Lycian tomb in the middle of the street and the Greek theatre
overlooking the Mediterranean. Lunch on the boat, then you'll
cruise to Bayindir Bay, which is a nice secluded bay where you'll
spend the rest of the day relaxing and swimming.
Day 7-Aperlea-Simena: Early morning cruise to Aperlea,
a sunken city from 6th century BCE where you'll snorkel and swim
over the Hellenistic ruins. After visiting Aperlea ancient site
you'll cruise for 45 minutes to Kekova Island where you'll see
sunken ruins from Lycian and Byzantine times. After lunch you'll
have free time to wander through Simena village and shop for
some traditional Turkish scarves made by the local women. You
can hike up to the medieval castle that dominates the skyline
above the village of Simena, reached only by foot. Next to the
castle you'll see Lycian Sarcophagi-tombs- overlooking the Mediterranean.
You'll overnight at a secluded bay near Simena.
Day 8-Simena-Andriake: After breakfast you'll cruise
to Andriake-Cayagzi port where you'll farewell to your crew and
leave the boat. From here a minibus can meet you and take you
to Myra to visit the ancient site and the Church of St.Nicholas.
Then you can continue to Antalya or Olympos.
ABOUT THE BOAT
A gulet is a traditional
Turkish coastal motor-sailer modified to accommodate passengers.
Our boats are usually about 80 feet long and 18 feet wide, with
eight double cabins. Each double cabin has a bathroom with a
shower. There is one double bed in each cabin. A limited number
of cabins can be modified to accommodate two twins (an upper
bunk is inserted). Some of the boats are not air-conditioned,
and trip members frequently sleep on the ample decks. There's
a large cabin with a kitchen and bar towards the back of the
vessel, and meals are served in a large open area on the stern.
Canvas and sailcloth awnings cover the dining area and a portion
of the foredeck to provide shade. Gulets are picturesque, but
the sails are rarely used for power and they use the motor most
of the time. Our boats are quiet, and the captains will use the
sails when possible.
TRIP PRICE
To be arranged (price depends
on the number of participants, the caliber of boat and the hotels
we use, high/low season etc.)
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