Walk & Sail the Lycian Way
The Lycian Way follows the same turquoise coast that Turkey's famous “blue cruise” gulets sail. That overlap is an opportunity: you don’t have to choose between walking the trail and seeing it from the water. Walk the headland sections on foot — and let a wooden gulet carry you across the bays in between.
Why walk and sail?
The Lycian Way is a walking route first — 540 km from Fethiye to Antalya — and for most people the walking is the point. But the trail spends long stretches on exposed, road-adjacent, or inland ground where the coast is better experienced afloat. Adding a cruise leg lets you:
- Reach coves the trail can’t. Some of the finest swimming and anchorages on this coast have no path to them at all.
- Take a rest day that still moves you down the coast — you wake up a day’s sail closer to the eastern trailhead.
- Beat the summer heat. In July and August the cliffs are punishing on foot but the sea is at its best.
- See the highlights from their best angle. The Kekova sunken city and Butterfly Valley are both better from the water than from the slope above.
Three ways to walk & sail
There’s no single “right” split. Here are the three combinations walkers ask about most, from a full two-week trip to a single rest day.
| Combination | You walk | You sail | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic west, sail east | Fethiye–Kabak & Kaş (~7 days) | Kaş → Kekova → Olympos (3–4 days) | Seeing the whole coast in two weeks |
| Kaş & Kekova rest leg | Central trail | Day or overnight to Kekova | Shorter trips; a rest that still counts |
| Summer swap | Cool eastern stages, early morning | Hot coastal stages by gulet (3–4 days) | Walking safely in July–August |
1. Classic west, sail east
Walk the spectacular western end on foot — Fethiye over to Ölüdeniz, Faralya and Kabak, then the Kaş coast. From Kaş or Üçağız, board a gulet and sail east past the Kekova sunken city to Olympos, finishing at the eastern trailhead you’d otherwise spend days of road-walking to reach. It’s the fullest way to experience the coast in the time most people have.
2. Kaş & Kekova rest leg
Base yourself in Kaş mid-trail and take a day boat or an overnight cabin cruise out to the half-sunken Lycian city off Kaleköy and the fishing village of Üçağız, then rejoin the path. It’s the easiest way to add the water to a shorter section hike — a rest day that shows you the single best thing on this coast. Day trips are covered on our Kekova guide; for an overnight cabin, MaviSail has shared gulets out of Kaş.
3. Summer swap
High summer makes the exposed coastal cliffs genuinely dangerous to walk in the afternoon sun — see our best-time-to-hike guide for why. The fix: keep your walking to the cooler eastern mountain stages in the early morning, and swap the hottest coastal stages for a blue cruise. Same scenery, shade on deck, and a swim stop whenever you want one.
Cruise options by commitment
You don’t have to commit to a week at sea. The three levels below cover most walkers — from a half-day out and back, to a private gulet for a group.
| Option | Time | Best for | Start here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day boat trip (Kekova, Butterfly Valley) | Half–full day | A rest day mid-trail | Kekova guide |
| Cabin charter (shared gulet) | 3–4 days | Solo hikers & couples | Cabin charters ↗ |
| Private gulet (whole boat) | 3–7 days | Groups & families | Private charters ↗ |
When to walk, when to sail
The two seasons complement each other almost perfectly. The best walking windows are spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October), when the trail is mild and the pensions are open. The cruising season peaks in high summer (June–September), exactly when the coast is too hot to walk comfortably. So a spring or autumn trip leans toward walking with a cruise leg for variety; a July or August trip leans toward sailing, with walking saved for the cool of the morning and the higher eastern stages.
Booking & the MaviSail connection
The cruises linked here are operated by MaviSail, our sister brand. Like the Lycian Way, it’s part of the same company (Pixelo Mobile Ltd), so we point you to it directly rather than to an outside broker — you deal with one group from trail to deck. You book the cruise with MaviSail; we don’t take a booking on this site. For a tailored walk-and-sail itinerary, the quickest start is their charter finder for the Fethiye–Kekova coast.
Frequently asked questions
Can you cruise the Lycian Way?
You can’t sail the trail itself — the Lycian Way is a walking route — but you can cruise the same coastline it follows. Turkey’s blue-cruise gulets sail the exact bays between Fethiye, Kaş, Kekova and Olympos that the trail traces on land, so many walkers combine the two: hike the headland sections and sail the stretches in between.
Do people really combine walking and sailing the Lycian Way?
Yes — it’s one of the most rewarding ways to experience the coast. A typical trip walks the dramatic western headlands (Ölüdeniz, Faralya, Kabak) and the Kaş area on foot, then joins a 3–4 day gulet cruise east to Kekova and Olympos. You cover ground you couldn’t walk in the time, and reach coves that have no trail access.
Which Lycian Way sections are best seen by boat?
The Kekova area — with its half-sunken Lycian city off Kaleköy — is far better from the water than the trail on the slope above it. Butterfly Valley near Ölüdeniz is reachable only by boat or a steep rope descent. And the open bays between Kaş and Olympos are a highlight of any blue cruise.
Can I sail the hot summer sections instead of walking them?
That’s one of the best reasons to combine the two. July and August make the exposed coastal cliffs dangerous to walk in the midday sun, but those months are perfect on the water. Swap the hottest stages for a gulet leg, and keep your walking to the cooler eastern mountains in the early morning.
Who operates the cruises, and how do I book?
The cruises are run by MaviSail, our sister brand — like the Lycian Way, it is part of Pixelo Mobile Ltd. You book directly with MaviSail; the links on this page take you straight to the relevant gulet options for the Fethiye–Kekova coast.