Active Turkey - Private Tour

Arrive in Kas, your base for a week of active adventures. Located around three hours from Dalaman, Kas is a beautiful port town on the Turkish Riviera, with whitewashed buildings and a backdrop of steep hills meeting the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

You will be met on arrival at Dalaman International Airport (airport code DLM) by a transfer driver, and set off on the approximately three hour journey to your hotel in Kas. There are no activities planned today, so feel free to arrive in Dalaman at any time. For those booking their own flights, you will just need to let us know your flight details no later than two weeks prior to departure, in order to be met on arrival.

There are a large number of evening flights into Dalaman Airport, so depending on your arrival time a local representative in Kas will come and meet you at the hotel either tonight or tomorrow morning, to go through your itinerary in detail and answer any questions you may have. If you arrive in the evening to your hotel, a message will be left for you with information and a meeting time for the next morning.

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

The gulet is hand-built in teak and pine, with a spacious and partly shaded foredeck and comfortable indoor and outdoor lounge areas. Cruising through the calm bays around Kas, stop to swim in the clear, warm waters of the pleasant bays and rocky coves. You may wish to bring some snorkelling gear to look for ancient amphora (vases) lying on the seabed, as well as marine life. In the early afternoon the crew cook up a delicious barbecue lunch before cruising back to Kas.

This boat trip is shared with other passengers, usually between 20-30 people in total.

It's important to note that this itinerary is flexible and can change for operational reasons and weather conditions. For example, if, at the time of your booking, this boat trip on Day 2 has no availability, we will simply make reservations for a different day and shuffle the itinerary around a little. The beauty of staying centrally in Kas for the whole week means that we can make these changes with very little impact to the trip. Our local representative in Kas will go through any of these changes with you upon arrival.

Today you have a choice of three self-guided hikes in the area, with a driver on hand to take you to the start point of your hike and pick you up from the end. Detailed hiking notes will be given to you in country, with paths being easy to follow and taking in a variety of scenery from ancient cities to pretty villages and, of course, epic coastal views.

The first option takes you back to Kas from the ancient city of Phellos, with a taxi transfer taking you to the summit of Mount Felen where the walk begins. Nearby are the Lycian ruins of Phellos with spectacular views to the coast. It's a steady descent to the small village of Cukurbag, where you walk across the plain to the edge of the escarpment and stunning views of Kas. The walk is approximately 11km, with 22m of ascent and 1000m of descent.

Option number two follows the route of the Delikkemer Aqueduct to the ancient city of Patera. Hike across fertile rolling fields and through pine forest, taking in the coastal views before descending to the southern end of Patara Beach for a spot of swimming, or the chance to explore the extensive ruins of ancient Patara, the birthplace of Saint Nicholas. This 10km walk is expected to take around four hours, with 250m ascent and 350m descent.

The final option takes you to Ufukdere, via some of the rugged coastline of one of Turkey's most southerly points. The route offers several opportunities to swim at coves which you will probably have to yourselves (don't forget to bring swimming gear and towel if you want to swim). The route is well marked but there are sections following the sharp rocky coastline where great care is needed. The walk is 10km with 48m Ascent and 380 Descent, and although you will be met at the end and transferred back to Kas, it is possible to shorten the walk to 5km and return to Kas by watertaxi if preferred.

Back in Kas, why not take a traditional Turkish steam bath to soothe the muscles after today's hike.

Get picked up this morning from your hotel and drive around 1.5hrs to the Xanthos Riverbank. You'll be canoeing with a group of other travellers today, all taking to the water for a four hour canoeing trip down the Xanthos River to Patara beach. The kayaking is suitable for beginners and no previous experience is needed.

Passing through the tranquil and unspoilt rural backwaters, those with keen eyes can spot colourful kingfishers, egrets, grey and squacco herons and terrapins on the riverbanks. Your guides will find a spot on the river bank for a barbeque lunch before continuing on to the beach at Patara, where there is time to relax and swim. The 18 kilometres of golden sand is one of the longest beaches in Turkey and is a protected nesting area for giant loggerhead turtles.

Today is left free to explore at your own pace. For those with a hankering for culture, Kas is built around the remains of ancient Antiphellos and there are ruins of a Hellenistic theatre, the monumental Lion Tomb and some hillside rock tombs scattered in and around the town.

For something more active there are options to try horse riding, or take to the water as the sea around Kas is home to excellent diving locations that cater to all levels of experience.

Alternatively, join an excursion to the Greek island of Meis. The island is just 2.5 kilometres from the Turkish coast and yet more than 100 kilometres from Rhodes, its nearest Greek neighbour. Kastellorizo is an idyllic seafront town with colourful buildings lining the harbour where yachts and fishing boats dock. The surrounding hills are home to typical Greek whitewashed building with terracotta coloured roofs.

After some time to relax yesterday, stretch your legs today with a mountain bike ride in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains.

Today's private excursion sees you take to your bikes with an experienced guide, beginning the cycle after driving a short way out of town to Mt Asas. Follow a mix of on and off-road trails through cedar forests and sleepy villages that dot the region which has changed little over the centuries. The pace is relaxed and you'll stop along the way at tiny local coffee shops, and also for a picnic lunch to refuel! To make the most of the ride you need to be confident on a bike, the route is primarily downhill, but there are a few hills to test the legs. The distance covered is around 30 kilometres, which takes around three hours including stops.

On the drive back to Kas, stop for a swim at the famous cliff lined Kaputas Beach, a perfect way to cool off after a great bike ride.

Rise early today to enjoy a day of sea kayaking in the tranquil and protected bay of Kekova. It's one of the most scenic areas in Lycia; a set of picturesque islands, bays and small ancient cities. With a guide and a support boat, kayak out on to the calm water, passing over the sunken city of Kekova. Shifting land caused by earthquakes have partly submerged the streets and buildings, which are now visible in the crystal clear waters and there are even steps leading down into the depths of the bay.

The pace is relaxed and no previous experience is necessary - simply enjoy the scenery as you kayak to the picture-postcard village of Simena, whose harbour is dotted with ancient sarcophagi (tombs) and Roman baths and houses that cling to a hillside beneath a medieval castle. It's possible to leave the kayak for a short walk up to the castle where there's a tiny ancient theatre within its walls. Carved from the solid rock, it is a wonderful place to sit and soak up the serene surroundings.

There's the opportunity to have a tasty lunch of meze and grills at a waterside restaurant, before taking to the waters again, paddling through a labyrinth of rocks, passing the shoreline necropolis of Teimiusa to reach Ucagiz. From here, drive back to Kas where the rest of the afternoon is free to relax.

The kayak trip takes around three hours in the water, with additional time for lunch, and will cover approximately eight kilometres

Your trip ends today, and you will set off on the three hour drive to the airport for your international flight. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Dalaman Airport (DLM) at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel.