Essentials
Metrics
Select the tab below corresponding to the direction you plan to walk.
Towards Kalkan:
Towards Gelemiş:
Handy Things to Know
The following notes are gathered from our own experiences and from feedback sent to us by other hikers. Let us know how we can improve these notes – and thanks!
Water
- Limited water is available along this long section and, for safety, it is best to assume none is available (there’s one fountain with multiple positive water reports but we’ve also been advised by locals that the fountain does sometimes run dry, hence the call for caution).
Highlights
- Attractive section with many nice coastline views.
- Passes the impressive Delikkemer Roman aqueduct.
Tips
- Parts of this section (particularly between Delikkimer and Kalkan) can be overgrown with thorny bushes. Also, many of the rocks are quite sharp. Long pants recommended.
- Note that there is limited shade along this stretch. On really hot summer days, it might be better to take the shadier northern path both ways.
- We highly recommend you budget lots of time, go slowly, watch your footing, and stay well-hydrated.
- Very enjoyable section if you are up for the challenge. Very frustrating section if you aren’t!
Route Planning
- The Delikkemer–Kalkan stretch is an atypical portion of the Lycian Way that many people, including experienced wilderness / mountain hikers, find much more challenging than elsewhere along the trail (though there are more difficult stretches on the eastern end of the Lycian Way).
- If you want to avoid the Delikkemer–Kalkan portion, a longer but much easier (albeit less appealing) alternative is to follow the main path connecting D400 with Delikkemer and then follow D400 in / out of Kalkan.
- In recent years there’s been a boom in construction in some places along this section (mainly roughly in the middle portion). Some detours / way-finding may be needed; keep an eye out for new blazes and/or hiker-erected cairns.
Alerts / Hazards
- For the portion between Delikkemer and Kalkan: Stay on-trail and remain alert at all times. We highly recommend regular checks of your position against our GPS tracks. This can be a dangerous stretch if taken lightly and may be unsuitable for those without rugged hiking experience or for anyone during poor weather conditions (especially high winds).
- Likewise, that stretch is not recommended in poor weather conditions or if you are carrying a large pack (such as if you are carrying all the gear needed for wild-camping). If you are an experienced hiker, you’ll likely feel we’ve made this stretch sound more difficult than it turns out to be – and that is OK; a lot of casual hikers do the Lycian Way and we don’t want them caught off-guard by this stretch.
Camping
- There are several good camping spots along this section, including by the aqueduct.
Pretty Pictures
Sometimes nothing beats a good photo. Or even a bad photo! If you’d like to share some or all of your photo collection with the Trekopedia community, contact us at photos@trekopedia.com and we can arrange a transfer of them. And thanks!
All photos are copyright by their respective owners and are used with permission.
How You Can Help
Trail research is never actually done. Here’s some of what we’re looking for:
✅ More photos! Ideally with geo-location information in the metadata. In addition to using some photos on Trekopedia, we add them to our internal reference database which significantly helps us with trail research. The more photos, the better! If you are willing to share your collection with us, we’d be incredibly grateful. Let us know and we’ll arrange a transfer.
✅ Points of interest. Help us identify (and geo-locate) accommodations, attractions, restaurants, markets, trail waypoints, confusing or problematic junctions, difficult or hazardous places, water sources, and so on.
✅ Tips & recommendations. Share your thoughts with other hikers.
✅ Points of interest. Help us identify (and geo-locate) accommodations, attractions, restaurants, markets, trail waypoints, confusing or problematic junctions, difficult or hazardous places, water sources, and so on.
✅ Tips & recommendations. Share your thoughts with other hikers.
In addition to the above, please see this article for information on more general ways you can help. Thanks!