PATH DETAILS:
Start: 08:20 (starting from Cleopatra Bay, on Lycian Way, 3km. after Tekirova)
Finish: 18:20 (Olympos)
Total distance: 23 km. (Cleopatra Bay - Maden Bay 12 km., Maden Bay – Descent to Cirali Beach 5 km., Cirali Beach - Cirali Centrum 3 km., Cirali Centrum - Olympos 3 km.)
As an additional information, distance from the starting point in Tekirova (tarmac road entrance across the Corinthia Hotel, by the huge security/traffic camera pole) to Cirali beach is 21 km. in total.
Water: For the whole path, water is not a problem at all. Between Tekirova and Maden Bay you walk through marvellous bays and beaches where you come across two water sources. You need to fill up your water bottles here cause between Maden Bay and Çirali there is no water source available. Water is available at Mehmetli Bay (or Tatlısu Beach) where you need to refresh your water. One more water source is available after Mehmetli Bay as well but fill up your bottles as soon as you come across the sources. After refilling bottles at Mehmetli (2 lt. approx), the water would be carrying with you will be enough till Cirali. Same logic applies for the ones walking to opposite direction cause water sources are just at the middle of whole route. No water source is available between Maden Bay and Cirali. There is no settlement or village available on this route.
Accomodation: If you have a tent with you, there are many suitable places to camp. If you’re proposing to accomodate at a pension, too many options available in Olympos, Cirali and Tekirova. No accomodation (pension, settlement or village) available in any part of this route. The ones who want to enjoy walking on Lycian Way, will definetely love this route. Anyone who has a performance issue may take this route longer than they expect. Economical and low-priced accomodation options available in Olympos, ran by local people. Most known and the oldest one is the Kadir's Tree Houses (web link - +90-533-354 99 41). In Cirali there are many alternatives as well but higher in price compared with Olympos. As a low-priced advice Friends Pension (+90-535-208 54 44) can be a valuable preference which is ran by a retired teacher. Friends Pension is very close to Chimaera and one street behind the main coastal road that lead you to Cirali town centre. You are able to see the signpost of the pension when you come across the Tekirova-Cirali Lycian Way signpost.
Difficulty: The main difficulty of this route its length. Although the route contains some steep slopes, route can be considered as “moderate” because of its length. Between Maden Bay and Cirali is a path where it intersects with a tarmac road (between Maden Bay and Tekirova) which was once served for chrome mine. In Maden Bay you walk through the quite mysterious buildings of the abandoned chrome mine closed in the 1960s. After Maden ascending and descending paths, several smaller beaches and panaromic views of Mt.Tahtali take you to Cirali. If you propose to spend more than one day in Cirali, it is possible to arrange daily walks to Maden Bay or Atbuku Beach and spend the whole day at the beach and walk back to Cirali again. We would like to remind you once again that no matter if you’re having a daily or a multi day trek, you need to have durable walking boots.
As the walk goes through the tarmac road between Tekirova and Maden Bay there’s no waymark problem, however, the path between Maden Bay and Cirali is so distinct. Just be careful while leaving the Maden Bay and taking the path, you’ll need to find out the right path hidden by the bushes at the end of the beach though there’re red and white waymarks and “baba” (small stone towers or Steinmann in German) but would be hard to find. If you take the wrong path you’ll be walking almost half a day to Chimera which is not content of this route. This is the most critical point for the ones walking to Cirali direction. You need to pay extra attention while leaving Maden Bay. You’ll be ascending and descending many times to the sea level and climb again, but the beautiful views keep motivating your soul. In general, you’ll definetely enjoy the whole route.
Tekirova and Maden Bay route is a tarmac road which is 15 km. in total. If you get used to walk long distances this path won’t be a problem. As a summary, Tekirova-Cirali route is long, no settlements on your way and no water problem. The water sources are on the tarmac road between Maden Bay and Tekirova.
Path Elevation Graphs and Photos: Please refer to our sister site www.likyayolu.org.
For this path, you can find some detailed information on this LINK. Although site is in Turkish, photos will give you a direction how the paths look like.
Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions. We'll be happy to help.
Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions. We'll be happy to help.