For 2027, we are introducing you to a new leisurely walking itinerary with plenty of opportunity to explore the area whilst having time to rest, recuperate and recharge onboard the teak decks of our wooden yacht East Meets West.

With overwhelming memories of spring flowers, the heady perfume of wild sage, thyme and lavender, outstanding hikes, fabulous food and all in the company of interesting women.

The sea is a deep turquoise blue and the walking is on little used paths exploring the lesser known routes following the Lycian coast. You will discover ancient ruins; traditional villages and the most amazing coastal views.

Surely there’s no better way to explore the beautiful beaches and coves of the Turkish Aegean Sea than cruising and hiking.

Cruising from Marmaris around the Gocek Islands to Gemiler Adasi and finishing in Fethiye  you will have the opportunity to walk on 3 or 4 days taking in wonderful forest, mountain and sea views. We will visit ancient sites and nomad families staying in remote locations where there still isn’t any road access with plenty of time to swim and simply relax.

Itinerary (subject to change):

Day 1: Arrive in Marmaris. Dinner onboard with opportunity to go to a Turkish Bath.

Day 2 Today you have chance to settle into boat life as we spend the morning cruising around this forested coastline with distant views of the Greek island of Rhodes. An afternoon of leisure, choose to swim, read, paint, kayak, play Bananagrams or simply relax.

Day 3 We start our day by boarding a river boat which will cruise through the reedbeds of this vast nature reserve, passing Iztuzu beach – nesting ground for loggerhead turtles – and arriving at a wooden jetty alongside ancient Lycian tombs not seen by many tourists. We then have a very pleasant walk on a paved road through a small hamlet noted for an abundance of fruit trees; we often see donkeys, goats and cows grazing amongst the hedgerows. We call in on a once nomadic family who are keen to share stories and their display of artefacts handed down through the ages. Our walk takes us on a broad stony path around the perimeter of the ancient city of Kaunos with significant buildings from the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods. We then rejoin the riverboat for a pleasant afternoon of thermal baths and a wander through the small riverside town of Dalyan before returning back to the gulet by riverboat. Total walk approx 5km

Day 4 Mooring in the bay of Aga Limani in the same way the Romans did, we then follow an ancient Roman path to the ruins of Lydae. After exploring the mausolea thought to have been constructed 2CE and the water cistern built by the Byzantines we return to the boat before cruising around the headland. (approx 3 km)

Day 5 Cruising across the head of the Fethiye Korfezi we anchor alongside Gemiler Adasi. You can wander amongst the ruins of 5 christian churches built between 4 and 6 century CE. (1 hour)

Day 6 This coastline of turquoise and greens and blues of every hue doesn’t disappoint today with beautiful swimming stops in turquoise coves.

Day 7 Your final swims this morning before we head towards Fethiye. After lunch we will visit Kayakoy, the so-called ghost village abandoned after the First World War which became the inspiration for Birds Without Wings written by Louis de Berniere. There’s so much to explore here.

Day 8 Say your goodbyes to the crew and your new friends in Fethiye.

*This itinerary could start in Fethiye and finish in Marmaris.
**The itinerary is subject to change at short notice – this is a rare occurrence but adverse weather conditions occasionally leave us with no choice.

This holiday is operated by Meridian Travels.

• Price
• Accommodation
• Guide
• Grade
• Travel

Single Occupancy Ensuite Cabin £1900 / Twin Shared Ensuite Cabin £300 discount per person Price includes: 7 nights' full board accommodation (excluding 1 lunch) on an exclusive use traditional Turkish gulet; services of an experienced guide; guided walks and sighsteeing; airport trasnfers meeting certain flights (tbc); transport to walks as required Not included: Flight to Dalaman; travel insurance; personal expenses; tips for crew and local guide

East Meets West is a traditionally built, handcrafted wooden yacht; she has four double and four twin cabins, all ensuite. She has sails although operates under motor for most of the trip to ensure we can keep to our schedule. Continued investment during the pandemic resulted in months of new carpentry – you’ll notice the new oak handrails and sidings mean the aft deck is more spacious and comfortable for eating and socialising. Each cabin has a private en-suite bathroom with home style toilet, shower cubicle and hairdryer. Cabins have a small wardrobe, underbed storage, window and bedside light. Electricity is available in cabins for charging mobile phones and cameras every evening. Cabins are smaller than a hotel room but larger than you’d find on a typical sailing yacht. A bath towel, hand towel and beach towel are provided. The bar, galley and salon are located in the wheelhouse where there are stunning 360° views. With plenty of sunbeds on the fore and aft decks choose how to relax; sunbathing, reading, chatting or perhaps you’ll even sleep here under the stars. There’s plenty of time to swim and snorkel too. Meals are taken on the aft deck where you’ll enjoy a different view with every meal. This departure is scheduled to be on East Meets West. We reserve the right – in exceptional circumstances – to change the gulet for an alternative of at least the same standard.

Anne Bektas has lived and worked in Turkey for over 15 years. She designed the Turkish Walking and Gulet cruises discovering new tracks between coves and has now guided them too many times to mention. She runs Meridian Travels with her husband, Adil, who captains the boat.

Trip Grading: Leisurely. Our walks sometimes follow paved roads, but other times we will be walking along rocky stony paths where you will benefit from wearing hiking boots and trekking poles. The hikes are relatively short, with gentle inclines with the exception of Aga Limani with elevation of around 220m. How long are the walks? Hikes are shorter than our usual hiking itinerary, varying between 1 and 6 km and take between 1 and 3 hours (including stops to see interesting things!) How difficult are the walks? Whilst there are some loose rocks on the trails and these sections require some care, we walk together at a comfortable pace to suit all in the group, with time to stop and take photos. You will need to use the staircase at the side of the boat for getting in and out of the water and for getting in and out of the dinghy, so you need a reasonable level of fitness to participate fully in this adventure.

The nearest airport is Dalaman. Certain flights will be met by a private transfer to Marmaris. If you choose a different flight arrival time we can organise a shuttle transfer for you (approx £20). Flight details will be confirmed nearer the time.