The Eastern Lycian Way
The eastern half of the Lycian Way (Kaş → Antalya, 314 km over 15–16 days) is the wilder, mountainous half. Mt Tahtalı (2,365 m), Musa Dağı (2,200 m), long waterless ridges, fewer pensions and almost no other walkers. Most hikers take it on after they've done the western half — and many call it the more rewarding of the two.
Why the eastern half is different
- Higher and harder. Three significant summit days versus zero on the western half.
- Less infrastructure. Pensions only at Demre, Olympos, Çıralı and Kemer. Camping needed for several stages.
- Quieter trails. 80% of Lycian Way walkers stop at Kaş — past it you'll often have a stage to yourself.
- Bigger payoffs. Sunken city of Kekova, eternal flames of Yanartaş, the cable car summit of Tahtalı, the ancient Roman city of Phaselis.
- Closer to Antalya. Easier exit logistics — finish at Geyikbayırı or take the bus from Kemer.
Eastern route stages
| Day | Stage | km | Difficulty | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaş → Limanağzı | 4.2 | moderate; short, rope-assisted ledge | Limanağzı (camping) |
| 2 | Limanağzı → Aperlae (via Üzümlü and Boğazcık) | 21.1 | moderate | Boğazcık (pension), 6.6 km before the end of the stage |
| 3 | Aperlae → Üçağız | 10.5 | moderate | Üçağız (pensions, Kekova boats) |
| 4 | Üçağız → Myra (Demre) (via İstlada) | 30.6 | strenuous | Demre (hotels, ancient Myra) |
| 5 | Myra (Demre) → Finike | 40.1 | very strenuous (2,015 m of ascent — usually split) | Finike (small hotels) |
| 6 | Finike → Karaöz | 29.0 | moderate but long and flat-out hot | Karaöz (camping) |
| 7 | Karaöz → Adrasan | 20.7 | strenuous | Adrasan (pensions) |
| 8 | Adrasan → Olympos | 13.7 | strenuous (Musa Dağı) | Olympos (treehouses) |
| 9 | Olympos → Çıralı (rest) | 2.1 | easy | Çıralı (pensions) |
| 10 | Çıralı → Yanartaş → Beycik | 16.7 | strenuous | Beycik (pension) |
| 11 | Beycik → Yaylakuzdere → Gedelme (round Tahtalı) | 32.8 | very strenuous (1,743 m of ascent to Yaylakuzdere, high point about 1,600 m; then 7.5 km of forest route to Gedelme) | Gedelme |
| 12 | Gedelme → Göynük | 24.6 | strenuous | Göynük |
| 13 | Göynük → Hisarçandır | 22.6 | strenuous | Hisarçandır |
| 14 | Hisarçandır → Geyikbayırı | 23.7 | strenuous | Geyikbayırı |
| 15 | Geyikbayırı → Aşağı Karaman (Antalya) | 21.8 | strenuous (long descent) | Aşağı Karaman — waymarks end; bus into Antalya |
The big-three eastern highlights
Yanartaş — the eternal flames of Chimera
Twenty natural-gas vents have burned out of the rock above Çıralı for over 2,500 years — the chimera Homer wrote about. Walk up at dusk, watch the flames glow red as it gets dark, head down with a head torch. Allow 2–3 hours from Çıralı village.
Mt Tahtalı (2,365 m) — the mountain above the trail
The mountain alternative goes round Tahtalı, not over it. Beycik → Yaylakuzdere is 25.4 km with 1,743 m of ascent and takes about 9 hours, on the Lyra Yolu paths round the eastern and northern slopes to a high point of about 1,600 m; the forest route then continues 7.5 km to Gedelme. The summit is not on the trail: for the panorama, ride the cable car (Olympos Teleferik), which climbs some 1,640 m from its valley station at 726 m in about 10 minutes. Snow often lies on the summit into June.
Sunken city of Kekova
At Üçağız (the end of day 3; stage 12), local boats and kayaks run trips out over the underwater ruins of Dolichiste — a Lycian town that slid into the sea in a 2nd-century AD earthquake. Foundations and stairways still visible through clear water. Plan a half-day stop here.
Itinerary options
10 days — eastern highlights only
Skip the long ridges, walk the iconic stages:
- Fly Antalya, transfer to Olympos
- Olympos → Çıralı (Yanartaş that evening)
- Drive south, transfer to Demre
- Demre → Üçağız (with Kekova boat trip)
- Üçağız → Boğazcık → Kaş (or finish here)
- Day in Kaş (diving, ferry to Kastellorizo)
- Transfer back to Olympos area
- Tahtalı cable car day
- Phaselis ruins + beach
- Antalya, fly home
16 days — full eastern traverse
Classic Kaş → Antalya. Camping gear required for days 1 and 6 (the nights at Limanağzı and Karaöz, after stages 10 and 15).
Camping vs pensions
Roughly half the eastern stages have a pension at the end; the other half need a tent. Plan it like this:
- Pension nights: Boğazcık, Üçağız, Demre, Finike, Adrasan, Olympos, Çıralı, Beycik, Gedelme, Göynük, Hisarçandır, Geyikbayırı
- Camping nights: Limanağzı, Karaöz
Carry a 2-person tent (~1.5 kg), sleeping bag rated to +5 °C, and a small stove. Wild camping is tolerated everywhere outside national parks on this section.
Water on the eastern route
Reliable water points: Boğazcık village fountain, Demre, Finike town, Adrasan, Olympos restaurants, Çıralı pensions, Beycik café, Gedelme fountain, Hisarçandır.
When to walk it
The eastern route is best April–early June and October–early November. Mid-summer is too hot on the exposed ridges (35 °C+); mid-winter brings snow on Tahtalı and Musa. Avoid July–August completely.
Getting there and back
Start (Kaş): bus from Antalya airport, 3.5 hours, €10–€14. See Getting there for full options.
Finish (Aşağı Karaman, Konyaaltı): the waymarks stop at Aşağı Karaman, not in Antalya's old town; city bus or taxi to the centre, about 30 minutes. Or finish a day earlier in Kemer for cheaper bus links.
Frequently asked questions
Should I walk east-to-west or west-to-east?
Most guidebooks number stages west to east starting from Fethiye, so walking that direction is easier to navigate from prints. But the eastern half is harder — finishing strong on the easier western half is more rewarding for many walkers. No wrong answer.
Can I do it solo?
Yes, but the eastern route is the one section where pairing up makes real safety sense — the camping-only stages and water-scarce ridges benefit from a buddy. The trail itself is well waymarked and feels safe.
How does the eastern route compare to the western?
Western: easier, more pensions, prettier coast, busier. Eastern: harder, more camping, bigger mountains, much quieter. Most walkers who do both prefer the eastern half for atmosphere — but only after doing the western first to get used to the trail. See the Western Route page for the contrast.