How Long Is the Lycian Way?
The four sections — how the 540 km breaks down
The trail divides naturally into four sections, each walkable as a standalone trip:
| Section | Distance | Stages | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western coast — Fethiye to Patara | ~120 km | 7 | 7–8 |
| Central coast — Patara to Demre | ~95 km | 6 | 6–7 |
| Demre & Olympos — Demre to Çıralı | ~90 km | 5 | 5–6 |
| Eastern mountains — Olympos to Antalya | ~130 km | 9 | 8 |
| Full thru-hike | ~540 km | 27 | 25–30 |
The eastern mountains add ~25 km because of the inland alternative via Mt Tahtalı; the official measured length depends on which variants you walk. More on the four sectional routes.
Distance per stage — full breakdown
| # | Stage | Distance | Walking time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fethiye to Ovacık | 17 km | 5–6 h |
| 2 | Ovacık to Faralya | 11 km | 4–5 h |
| 3 | Faralya to Alınca | 14 km | 5–6 h |
| 4 | Alınca to Gavurağılı | 16 km | 6–7 h |
| 5 | Gavurağılı to Bel | 17 km | 6–7 h |
| 6 | Bel to Letoon → Xanthos | 17 km | 5–6 h |
| 7 | Xanthos to Patara | 11 km | 3–4 h |
| 8 | Patara to Kalkan | 19 km | 6–7 h |
| 9 | Kalkan to Kaş | 18 km | 6–7 h |
| 10 | Kaş to Limanağzı | 9 km | 3–4 h |
| 11 | Limanağzı to Aperlae | 11 km | 4–5 h |
| 12 | Aperlae to Üçağız | 11 km | 4 h |
| 13 | Üçağız to Demre | 19 km | 6–7 h |
| 14 | Demre to Finike | 19 km | 6–7 h |
| 15 | Finike to Karaöz | 17 km | 5–6 h |
| 16 | Karaöz to Adrasan | 22 km | 7–8 h |
| 17 | Adrasan to Olympos | 15 km | 5–6 h |
| 18 | Olympos to Çıralı | 5 km | 2–3 h |
| 19a | Çıralı to Beycik (inland) | 14 km | 5–6 h |
| 19b | Çıralı to Tekirova (coastal) | 18 km | 6–7 h |
| 20 | Tekirova to Phaselis | 7 km | 2–3 h |
| 21 | Beycik to Gedelme via Tahtalı (alt) | 19 km | 8–10 h |
| 22 | Phaselis to Gedelme | 15 km | 5–6 h |
| 23 | Gedelme to Göynük | 19 km | 6–7 h |
| 24 | Göynük to Hisarçandır | 21 km | 7–8 h |
| 25 | Hisarçandır to Geyikbayırı | 12 km | 4–5 h |
| 26 | Geyikbayırı to Antalya | 17 km | 5–6 h |
Click any stage on the stages page for the full guide — elevation profile, water sources, where to sleep, and what you'll see.
How long does it take to walk a stage?
The Lycian Way's rocky limestone surface is slower than most European trails. Realistic walking speeds:
| Terrain | Speed | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Flat coastal track / village road | 3.0–3.5 km/h | Patara beach, Çıralı seafront |
| Rolling Mediterranean path | 2.5 km/h | Most stages on the central coast |
| Steep ascent on limestone | 1.5–2.0 km/h | Climb to Alınca, Tahtalı approach |
| Steep descent | 2.0–2.5 km/h (with poles) | Faralya cliffs, Yanartaş descent |
| Beach or sand | 2.5 km/h | Patara dunes, Karaöz |
Add +10 minutes per hour for breaks to convert pure walking time to clock time. A 6-hour walking-time stage is typically 7–7.5 hours from leaving the pension to arriving at the next.
How long is the Lycian Way in miles?
336 miles total. Stage-by-stage:
| Section | Kilometres | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Western coast (Fethiye → Patara) | ~120 km | ~75 mi |
| Central coast (Patara → Demre) | ~95 km | ~59 mi |
| Demre & Olympos (Demre → Çıralı) | ~90 km | ~56 mi |
| Eastern mountains (Olympos → Antalya) | ~130 km | ~81 mi |
| Full thru-hike | 540 km | 336 mi |
How does the Lycian Way compare to other long-distance trails?
| Trail | Length | Days (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Lycian Way (Turkey) | 540 km | 25–30 |
| Camino Francés (Spain) | 780 km | 30–35 |
| Tour du Mont Blanc (Alps) | 170 km | 10–12 |
| West Highland Way (Scotland) | 154 km | 5–8 |
| Pacific Crest Trail (USA) | 4,265 km | 150–180 |
| Appalachian Trail (USA) | 3,500 km | 150–170 |
| GR20 (Corsica) | 180 km | 15 |
| Camino Portugués (Portugal) | 620 km | 25–30 |
Honest comparison vs the Camino on cost, crowds, terrain and food: Lycian Way vs Camino de Santiago.
Don't have time for the full 540 km? — popular shorter routes
| Trip | Distance | Days | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highlights Trek (guided) | ~80 km | 7 | First-timers, limited time |
| Western route (Fethiye → Kaş) | ~250 km | 12–14 | Classic first multi-day trip |
| Central coast (Patara → Demre) | ~95 km | 6–7 | Best for newer hikers |
| Olympos & Çıralı day-walks | 5–15 km/day | 2–4 | Family base trip |
| Weekend Escape (guided) | ~30 km | 3 | Long weekend |
How is the 540 km measured?
The 540 km figure is the cumulative GPS-traced length of the official waymarked route as maintained by the Culture Routes Society. It includes the official red-and-white waymarked path — not the road shortcuts that some hikers take to skip dry stretches.
Older guidebook editions list the trail at 509 km or 516 km. The current 540 km reflects post-2020 reroutes around new construction (especially around Adrasan and Kaş) and the addition of the inland Beycik alternative. If you walk every variant — coastal Tekirova plus inland Beycik plus Tahtalı summit — you'll log closer to 580 km.
For the actual GPX file used by the offline app, see the interactive map & downloads.
How fit do I need to be for these distances?
The realistic baseline is being able to walk 15–20 km on rolling terrain in a day with a 5 kg pack, and feel fit to walk again the next morning. That's enough for the Highlights Trek and the western route's gentler stages. The full thru-hike with its consecutive 18–22 km days needs a 12-week build-up for most desk-bound adults.
Full preparation plan, with weekly distance targets: how to train for the Lycian Way.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Lycian Way?
540 km / 336 miles, divided into 27 walking stages. The route runs along Turkey's southwest Mediterranean coast from Fethiye in the west to Antalya in the east.
How many days does the Lycian Way take?
25–30 walking days for the full thru-hike, plus 2–4 rest days. Faster hikers do it in 22–25 days; relaxed walkers including longer stops can take 35+. Sectional trips: a week for the Highlights Trek, two weeks for Fethiye → Kaş.
What's the longest single stage?
Karaöz to Adrasan at 22 km is the longest standard stage. The Tahtalı summit alternative (19 km) is the most demanding because of 1,300 m of ascent — most hikers split it across two days or take the Olympos cable car instead.
What's the shortest stage?
Olympos to Çıralı at about 5 km, often walked as a half-day trip with the Chimaera flames in the evening. Tekirova to Phaselis (7 km) and Kaş to Limanağzı (9 km) are also short, often walked on rest days.
How long does it take to walk a stage?
5–8 hours of walking time for most stages. Add ~10 minutes per hour for breaks to get clock time. A 6-hour walking-time stage is typically 7–7.5 hours from leaving the pension to arriving at the next.
How long is the Lycian Way in miles?
336 miles total. Western coast 75 mi, central 59 mi, Demre/Olympos 56 mi, eastern mountains 81 mi.
Is 540 km the same as walking the full coast of Turkey?
No — the Lycian Way covers only the historical Lycian coast, Turkey's southwest. Turkey has nine other long-distance Culture Routes covering different regions (Carian Way, Hittite Trail, St Paul Trail, etc.). The full Mediterranean coast of Turkey is over 1,500 km.
Can I walk just a section?
Most hikers do. The trail is designed to be modular — every stage ends in a village with road access, so you can walk a section, catch a dolmuş back to your start, or chain together any combination. See the routes page for popular shorter trips.