Walking the Lycian Way with Kids
The Lycian Way works brilliantly as a family trip — but not the way it works for adults. Forget the 540 km thru-hike: family trips are about a base in one or two coastal villages, day-walks on the most scenic stages, plenty of swims, ruins to climb on, boat trips, and pension dinners with other families. This page collects what experienced families have learned about doing it well.
Realistic age ranges
| Age | What works | What to skip |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 | Beach base in Çıralı; very short trail walks (under 1 hr); boat trips; ancient ruins to clamber over; one parent day-walks while the other stays | Multi-day section hiking; carrying packs; cliff stages |
| 6–9 | Half-day stages with swims (Kalkan area, Olympos area); Butterfly Valley boat trip; Yanartaş flames; a few miles a day with breaks | Long water-carrying stretches; full mountain stages; more than 8 km/day |
| 10–13 | Single full stages 10–14 km with frequent stops; Kaş kayaks; Mt Tahtalı cable car; Aperlae sunken city; multi-day "central coast" trip with pension hops | The dry stretches (Alınca → Gavurağılı, Limanağzı → Aperlae); Tahtalı summit on foot |
| 14+ | Full Highlights Trek package (7 days); luggage transfer makes this manageable; one or two skip-stage dolmuş hops if energy flags | Solo wild camping; scrambly side-routes |
Best stages for families
Six stages with the best scenery-to-difficulty ratio for kids, ordered roughly easiest to hardest:
Olympos to Çıralı (via the Chimaera) 6+
Walk through the ruined city of Olympos (kids love climbing on the columns), along the beach, then up to the Chimaera flames burning naturally from the rock. Time it for sunset and the fires are dramatic in the dusk. Sleep in Çıralı.
Aperlae to Üçağız 8+
A coastal walk past sunken Lycian walls visible underwater. Take a boat from Üçağız back to a Kekova boat trip — kids see ancient submerged staircases through the glass-bottom boat.
Ovacık to Faralya (Butterfly Valley clifftop) 8+
The iconic Butterfly Valley overlook is the trail's most Instagram-famous shot. Watch out for the steeper sections near Kabak — fine for confident 8-year-olds with parents holding hands on the trickier bits.
Kalkan to Kaş 10+
The signature clifftop section. Swim stops at Kaputaş Beach (mid-walk) and Limanağzı (end-walk) keep kids motivated. Best split into two days with a pension night halfway, especially in warmer weeks.
Patara beach + Patara ancient city All ages
18 km of empty beach + an entire Roman / Hellenistic city to explore (intact theatre, Senate building, lighthouse). Buy your archaeological-park ticket once and you can return all week. Ideal base for under-10s.
Çıralı to the lighthouse All ages
A short walk from Çıralı village to the southern beach lighthouse, past where loggerhead turtles nest in summer. June onwards there are signs marking the nests. Kids love the detective work. Swim back via the beach.
Where to base
Two clear winners for a family trip:
Çıralı (best all-rounder)
A protected beach village with no large hotels, family pensions with bungalows and gardens, the Chimaera flames behind, the Olympos archaeological site next door, and turtle-nesting beach right there. 90 minutes from Antalya airport. The most family-friendly base on the trail.
- Bungalow pensions £45–£90 a night (family of four, half-board)
- 2–3 family-suitable Lycian Way stages within day-walk distance
- Quiet, safe village layout — kids can roam between the pension and the beach
- Multiple boat-trip operators for half-day excursions
Patara / Gelemiş village (best for young kids)
18 km of beach, an entire ancient city to explore, family pensions in the inland village (Gelemiş, 2 km from the beach). 90 minutes from Dalaman airport. Slightly less infrastructure than Çıralı — fewer restaurants, fewer activities — but the beach itself compensates.
Kalkan (best for older kids and a touch of luxury)
White-walled town with the trail's best food scene, self-catering villas with pools, the Kalkan-Kaş clifftop walk on the doorstep, Patara and Xanthos within an hour by car. Pricier than Çıralı — villas £600–£1,800 a week — but a great choice for blended trips with non-walking grandparents.
What to mix in besides the trail
Pure walking with kids is a recipe for sulks by day three. Mix in these (all family-tested):
- Kekova boat trip — half-day from Üçağız, sunken city below the boat, swimming stops, 4-year-olds upwards. £15–£25 per adult, kids half price.
- Olympos / Çıralı boat trip — full-day, three or four swimming bays, lunch on board.
- Mt Tahtalı cable car — Olympos cable car climbs to 2,365 m in 10 minutes. Snow at the top in spring. £18 return per adult, kids cheaper. Vertigo-fine for most kids.
- Patara beach — flat shallow water, dunes to climb, ancient ruins behind. World-class.
- Sea kayaking from Kaş — half-day kayak tours over the sunken city. 8+ recommended.
- Yanartaş flames at dusk — short walk up, eternal fires in pine forest. Magical for any age.
- Saklıkent gorge — a 30-minute drive from Patara/Kalkan; family-friendly walk through a narrow river canyon. Cool, shaded — perfect for hot days.
- Antalya Aquarium and old town — last day of trip; kid-friendly indoor option for a hot afternoon.
Sample 7-day family itinerary (Çıralı base)
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fly Antalya → transfer to Çıralı (1 h 15). Beach + pension dinner. |
| 2 | Walk Olympos to Çıralı via the Chimaera (3 h, late afternoon). Sunset at the flames. |
| 3 | Mt Tahtalı cable car (half day) + Phaselis ruins on the beach (afternoon swim). |
| 4 | Day-walk: Çıralı → lighthouse and back, with picnic. Beach afternoon. |
| 5 | Drive to Üçağız (1 h 30) for Kekova boat trip. Half day, lunch on board, swim stops. |
| 6 | Day-walk: Aperlae section (4 h, easy). Pension lunch in Üçağız on the way back. |
| 7 | Beach morning. Transfer to Antalya for flight. |
Total walking: ~15 km across the week. Total ascent: ~700 m. Realistic for 8+ kids; younger ones can skip the longer day or get carried at the start.
Logistics
Flights
Direct from London / Manchester / Edinburgh / Bristol to Antalya or Dalaman. Antalya is closer to Çıralı; Dalaman is closer to Patara, Kalkan and Fethiye. Family of four shoulder-season return: £600–£1,000. Getting there guide.
Transfers and car hire
Pre-book a private transfer for the airport leg (£60–£120 for a family of four including a child seat). For a base trip, hiring a car for the week (£200–£300) is worth it for boat-trip drop-offs, Saklıkent gorge, and ferry to Patara on the day-trips.
Health
- Sun — UV is brutal. Wide-brimmed hats, SPF 50, reapplied at lunch. Kids burn faster than UK weather conditions you to expect.
- Heat — children dehydrate faster. Carry 1.5 L per child for a half-day walk. Force regular sips before they ask.
- Stings and bites — mosquitoes near brackish lagoons (Patara, Karaöz). DEET works. Sandflies bite at dusk on Patara beach — long sleeves after 5 pm.
- Stomach — pension food is reliable but a different bacterial mix to home. Most British kids adapt by day three. Pack rehydration sachets.
- Pharmacies in every town. Most paediatric medicines available without prescription, but check the active ingredient (paracetamol = Parol, ibuprofen = Brufen).
Travel insurance
Pick a family policy that covers hiking activities. The standard family travel-insurance policies often have an under-2,000 m hiking limit — the Olympos cable car at 2,365 m exceeds it. BMC family cover or True Traveller add-ons are the usual UK choices.
What experienced families wish they'd known
- Two short walks beat one long one. 4 km in the morning, swim, lunch, 3 km in the afternoon — total 7 km — works far better than a single 7 km push.
- Kids set the pace; adults swallow it. The trail will still be there next year.
- Pension half-board is a godsend — no restaurant decisions, kids' meals appear, parents can drink Turkish wine.
- Bring snacks from the UK. Familiar bars / biscuits in a pinch are a sanity tool.
- Stash cash for ice cream. Every village has a fridge. Buy the kids one at the end of every trail walk and they'll cooperate next time.
- Choose pensions with a garden or pool. A 30-minute swim on arrival burns the energy a long transfer built up.
- Don't try to "hike the Lycian Way" with kids. Hike some of it. The trail is a backdrop to a family Mediterranean trip, not a target.
- Sleep arrangements vary. Pensions usually have family rooms (one queen + two singles) for £55–£90; book ahead in May and October.
Cost — family of four, 7 days from the UK
| Flights (4 × £200 shoulder season) | £800 |
| Çıralı bungalow half-board × 6 nights | £540 |
| Car hire 7 days incl child seats | £280 |
| Lunches × 7 days × 4 | £200 |
| Boat trips, cable car, attractions | £280 |
| Travel insurance (family policy with hiking) | £90 |
| Petrol, drinks, snacks, ice cream | £200 |
| Buffer / contingency | £150 |
| Total | £2,540 |
Comparable to a Greek or Spanish villa-and-beach week, with a much more memorable backdrop. Detailed budget breakdowns: cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
What's the youngest age for the Lycian Way?
Realistically 6+ for short day-walks built around beach and pension stays, 10+ for committed multi-day section walking, 14+ for the full Highlights Trek. Younger children (3–5) can join a family-base trip where parents day-walk while a partner or grandparent stays with the kids.
Which stages are best for kids?
Olympos to Çıralı (Chimaera flames, 3 hours, 6+); Aperlae to Üçağız (sunken city, 4 hours, 8+); Ovacık to Faralya (Butterfly Valley view, 4–5 hours, 8+); Kalkan to Kaş (clifftop, 6 hours, 10+). Avoid the dry mountain stretches with kids.
Pensions or hotels?
Pensions in Çıralı and Patara are family-friendly with bungalows and shared meals. Self-catering villas in Kalkan are good if you're slow-traveling. Treehouse hostels in Olympos are not designed for young kids.
Is it safe with kids?
Yes — the same caveats apply as for adults, with heat being the primary additional concern for under-12s. Avoid midsummer (June onwards), carry plenty of water, sunscreen aggressively. Villages and pensions are family-oriented; locals enjoy seeing children about.
Can I bring a pushchair / stroller?
For Çıralı and Patara village streets, yes. For trail walking, no — the limestone paths require carrying. A baby carrier (Ergo, Osprey Poco) is the right choice for under-3s if you want them on a stage.
What about kids who tire easily?
Plan around the dolmuş timetable. If a child is struggling at hour two of a four-hour stage, you can almost always find a shortcut to a road and a £3 dolmuş ride to the next village. The trail's flexibility is a feature.
Are there guided family-friendly tours?
Yes — several agencies on the marketplace run dedicated family departures with adapted distances, kid-friendly rest stops, boat trip days mixed in. Ask for "family-friendly" when booking. See the tour catalogue.
What's the worst-case scenario to plan for?
Heat exhaustion in a child during a midday stage. Mitigation: walk early (before 11), carry electrolyte tablets, recognise the warning signs (lethargy, dark urine, irritability). The water guide has the full picture.