All 26 Stages of the Lycian Way

The Lycian Way (Likya Yolu) is a 540 km long-distance hiking trail running along Turkey's southwest coast from Fethiye in the west to Antalya in the east. Walking the full route takes roughly 25–30 days; the trail is divided into 26 stages, numbered 1 to 26, so hikers can plan day-by-day, walk a section, or tackle the whole thing. On top of those, 11 lettered alternative stages (such as 3a, 13b or 21c) give inland, coastal and mountain variants. Number 19 is one of them: there is no main stage 19, only the inland alternative 19a, so the coastal route runs from stage 18 straight to stage 20. For an overview of how the stages connect, see the interactive trail map; for fitness preparation, the 12-week training plan walks you through the build-up.

Each stage page below has its own distance, elevation profile, difficulty grade, terrain notes, water and shade availability, and a description of what you'll see along the way. Tap any stage to read the full guide. Walking weather varies sharply by month — see the best time to hike guide before you book flights.

How the trail is divided

Western coast (stages 1–7): Fethiye to Patara via Ölüdeniz, Faralya, Alınca, and the Patara dunes. Coastal cliffs, pine forest, the Mediterranean lagoon at Butterfly Valley, and the UNESCO twin cities of Xanthos and Letoon. Mostly moderate; sections of mountain.

Central coast and Kekova (stages 8–13): Kalkan, Kaş, the sunken city of Kekova, Aperlae, and Üçağız. The most photogenic section — clifftop paths, rock-cut Lycian tombs, ancient harbours. Generally accessible.

Demre and Olympos (stages 14–18): Demre's Lycian Necropolis, the long Karaöz beach, and into the chimera-flames region above Olympos. Mixed coastal and forest terrain.

Olympos to Antalya mountains (stages 19–26): The rugged eastern section over the Beydağları range, past Mount Tahtalı (2,365 m), and down to the eastern outskirts of Antalya. The hardest stages of the route — exposed ridgelines, long climbs, technical terrain.

Frequently asked questions about the stages