# Lycian Way, Fethiye > The Lycian Way is Turkey’s long-distance coastal trail, and it officially starts at Ovacık above Ölüdeniz — a short dolmuş ride from Fethiye. It is free and open at all hours, all year. In half a day you can walk the old path from Kayaköy down to Ölüdeniz beach (about 5 km) or the first climb from Ovacık for the lagoon view. Spring and autumn are best. Web page: https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/lycian-way - City: [Fethiye](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye), Turkey - YesGo score: 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 3 h - Opening hours: Open at all times; walk in daylight only - With kids: Better without small kids - Entry: Free — no ticket or permit - Official trailhead: Ovacık (Hisarönü), by the Montana Resort Hotel sign south of the roundabout - Ovacık–Faralya: 12.8–14 km, 765–950 m of ascent depending on the guide, about 5½ hours - Kayaköy–Ölüdeniz: ≈ 5 km, 2–3 hours; starts inside the Kayaköy ruins (paid entry) - Water: None on Kayaköy–Ölüdeniz. From Ovacık ≈ 8 km dry until the Kozağaç fountain - Getting there: Ölüdeniz-bound dolmuş from central Fethiye, get off at the Ovacık roundabout - Season: Spring and autumn; summer afternoons are too hot - Coordinates: 36.56677, 29.13942 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **540 / 760 km** — length: the classic Fethiye–Antalya line, and today’s network with its variants (source: Russian Wikipedia and Wikivoyage — 540 km; Culture Routes Society and Turkish Wikipedia — about 760 km) - **Ovacık** — the official start — Hisarönü (Ovacık), above Ölüdeniz (source: English and Turkish Wikipedia; Wikivoyage) - **Spring & autumn** — best seasons: February–May and September–November; summer is too hot for long walks (source: Culture Routes Society; Turkish and Russian Wikipedia) - **1999** — opened; researched and waymarked by Kate Clow (source: Culture Routes Society; English Wikipedia) - **Red and white** — waymarks on rocks and trees, GR style — white stripe above red (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Red cross** — at a junction means “not this way”; yellow signs point the direction (source: English and Turkish Wikipedia) - **1,811 m** — the trail’s highest point, İncegeriş Hill (source: English and Turkish Wikipedia) - **Geyikbayırı** — the eastern end, in Konyaaltı near Antalya (source: English and Turkish Wikipedia) - **1923** — Kayaköy emptied after the population exchange — the old path to Ölüdeniz starts there (source: English Wikipedia; Wikivoyage) ## Is the Lycian Way worth it from Fethiye? Yes — even if you never planned a trek. A few hours on the trail gives you the classic view of the **Ölüdeniz lagoon** from above, pine forest, a ghost village and a swim at the end, for nothing more than a minibus fare. No other free half day around Fethiye packs in that much. It is not worth it at midday in July or August: the first climb is exposed and dry. And if steep, stony ground is a problem for your knees, take the cable car up [Babadağ](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/babadag) for the same panorama instead. ## Best day hikes on the Lycian Way near Fethiye - **Kayaköy to Ölüdeniz**, ≈ 5 km. The easiest and most popular: a short climb above the ruins of [Kayaköy](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/kayakoy), then a long descent through the pines with the lagoon below. Guides give 2¼ to 3 hours with stops; finish with a swim. - **Ovacık up to the Ölüdeniz viewpoints and back**. The first hour or so of official stage one — steep, but with Belcekız beach and the [Blue Lagoon](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/oludeniz-blue-lagoon) spread out beneath you. Turn round whenever you like. - **Ovacık to Faralya**, 12.8–14 km, about 5½ hours. The whole first stage, 765–950 m of ascent depending on the guide, via Kozağaç and Kirme to the cliff-top village above [Butterfly Valley](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/butterfly-valley). A full day, not a half. - **Fethiye to Kayaköy**, 8–9 km. The old route straight out of town — a steep, shadeless first kilometre, then easier. Handy if you want to walk from your hotel door. > **In summer, start at dawn** The first 8 km of climbing from Ovacık have almost no shade and no water. From June to September set off at first light, be done by noon and carry at least 2–3 litres each, even on a short stretch. Skip the mountain sections in heat, fog or heavy rain. ## How to get to the Lycian Way trailhead from Fethiye 1. In central Fethiye, find a dolmuş (minibus) stop for Ölüdeniz. The town's Muttaş minibuses run frequently — until around 23:00, according to Wikivoyage — and the routes are on the Moovit app. 2. Pay the driver in cash and say where you want to get off: Ovacık or Kayaköy. 3. For the official start, get off at the Ovacık–Hisarönü roundabout, where the road leaves Ovacık for Ölüdeniz. Look for the large Montana Resort Hotel sign — the trail sign is just past it. 4. For the Kayaköy route, take the Kayaköy dolmuş — Wikivoyage says it leaves from stops on Fethiye's main street every 30 minutes — and follow the Ölüdeniz signs from the upper church in the ruins. 5. Back from Ölüdeniz, any Fethiye dolmuş. Faralya is on the Kabak–Ölüdeniz–Fethiye dolmuş line, with a stop at the north end of the village — ask your guesthouse for times or take a taxi. ## Do you need a permit or ticket? No. The Lycian Way is a public footpath: **no fee, no permit, no gate**. You pay for the dolmuş and, on the Kayaköy route, entry to the ruins — the path to Ölüdeniz starts inside them. The paid lagoon beach is optional and not part of the trail. A guide isn't necessary on Kayaköy–Ölüdeniz: waymarks are frequent and walkers pass all day. A guided hike makes sense if you're new to mountain paths, walking alone, or want a longer section with transport to the start and back. ## Kayaköy to Ölüdeniz: the classic walk This is the stretch most visitors mean by “walking the Lycian Way from Fethiye”. Ride the dolmuş to Kayaköy, wander the roofless Greek houses for half an hour, then pick up the red-and-white waymarks by the large upper church and leave the ruins heading south. After a short climb it drops steadily through pine woods, and in the last hour the lagoon is right below your feet. Entry to the ruins is paid. There is no water on the way, so fill up in Kayaköy. The path is rocky with loose gravel and the final descent is steep — wear trainers or hiking shoes with real grip, not flip-flops. You come out by the lagoon and Belcekız beach, ready for a swim, and the Fethiye dolmuş leaves from the main road; out of season, ask the driver when the last one goes. ## When is the best time to hike? **Spring and autumn**: February to May and September to November. Spring brings wildflowers; autumn brings warm sea and cooler climbs. In summer a short section is fine only at sunrise. Mid-December to late January can bring storms, heavy rain and slick rock, and waymarks are harder to spot after winter. Whatever the season, finish in daylight: there is no lighting outside the villages. ## What you see along the way - The Ölüdeniz lagoon and Belcekız beach from above — the best free view of it. - Hundreds of ruined houses in the ghost village of Kayaköy. - Paragliders circling overhead after launching from Babadağ and landing on the beach. - Pine slopes and old stone rainwater cisterns beside the path. - Faralya on its cliff edge and the drop into Butterfly Valley, if you do the whole first stage. ## Before you set off: checklist - [ ] Section chosen and a time to be back - [ ] 2–3 litres of water each, more in summer - [ ] Shoes with a firm, grippy sole - [ ] Hat, sunscreen, light long sleeves - [ ] Cash for the dolmuş and village cafés - [ ] Charged phone with an offline map - [ ] Swimwear if you finish by the sea ## Lycian Way vs Butterfly Valley vs Babadağ | | Lycian Way | Butterfly Valley | Babadağ | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Footpath above the sea | Cove below sheer cliffs | Mountain above Ölüdeniz | | Getting there | Dolmuş to the trailhead | Boat from Ölüdeniz | Cable car | | Effort | Moderate to hard | Easy | Easy | | Time needed | 2–6 hours | Half a day | 1½–2 hours | | Cost | Free | Paid boat | Paid cable car | | Best for | Spring, autumn, mornings | Warm season | A clear day | The trail is for earning the view on foot and paying nothing. If walking is hard or it's too hot, the Babadağ cable car gives you the same panorama. ## Fethiye viewpoints compared Every viewpoint around Fethiye rated by YesGo. - [Lycian Way](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/lycian-way) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free - [Tomb of Amyntas](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/tomb-of-amyntas) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · €3 for foreign visitors, under-8s free - [Kayaköy](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/kayakoy) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · €3 for foreign visitors - [Babadağ](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/babadag) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · 950 TL return, under-7s free - [Tlos](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/tlos) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · €3 for foreign visitors - [Saklıkent Gorge](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/saklikent-gorge) — YesGo score 20/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Entry 85–120 TL, verifying - [Butterfly Valley](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/butterfly-valley) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Boat fare; entry fee unconfirmed ## Walk down to the lagoon in half a day Kayaköy’s ruins in the morning, the pine path down to the sea, a swim in the lagoon and a boat to Butterfly Valley. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Kayaköy](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/kayakoy) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · €3 for foreign visitors 2. [Lycian Way](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/lycian-way) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free 3. [Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/oludeniz-blue-lagoon) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Park 150 TL on foot; Belcekız free 4. [Butterfly Valley](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/butterfly-valley) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Boat fare; entry fee unconfirmed ## Good to know The Culture Routes Society now gives Ölüdeniz as the start; encyclopedias say Ovacık (Hisarönü). They are neighbouring villages and the first climb begins between them. The sections near Kaş, Olympos and Kemer are the same trail, but far from here — not something to do from Fethiye in half a day. ## Tips - Walk downhill — Kayaköy to the sea: short climb, long descent, beach finish. - Download an offline map: after storms or building work, waymarks on quieter stretches can vanish. - A red cross painted on a rock means wrong way — go back to the last red-and-white mark. - In an emergency call 112 and give the coordinates from your phone. - Want the view without the climb? Ride the cable car up Babadağ. - Swim at the end, not halfway: wet shoes slip on the rock. ## Questions ### Where does the Lycian Way start in Fethiye? The official trailhead is at Ovacık (Hisarönü) above Ölüdeniz, by the Montana Resort Hotel sign where the road leaves for Ölüdeniz. Any Ölüdeniz-bound dolmuş from Fethiye passes it. ### Can you walk from Fethiye to Ölüdeniz? Yes. The easiest way is to take the dolmuş to Kayaköy and walk about 5 km of old path down to the beach. From Fethiye itself it is 13–14 km and 5–6 hours. ### How long is the walk from Kayaköy to Ölüdeniz? About 5 km — a climb out of the ruins, then a long descent through pines with a steep final stretch. Guides give 2¼ to 3 hours with stops. ### How long is the Lycian Way? The classic Fethiye–Antalya line is about 540 km. With newer variants the Culture Routes Society puts it at around 760 km and 35 days on foot. ### Do you have to pay to walk the Lycian Way? No — it's free and needs no permit. You pay for transport and food, and on the Kayaköy route for entry to the ruins where the path to Ölüdeniz begins. ### When is the best time to walk the Lycian Way? February–May and September–November. In summer walk only at dawn and only a short section; mid-winter brings storms and slippery rock. ### How much water should I carry? There is no water on Kayaköy–Ölüdeniz, so fill 2–3 litres each in Kayaköy. On the climb from Ovacık there is no source for about 8 km; Wikivoyage advises at least 5 litres. ### Is it safe to hike the Lycian Way alone? Generally yes on the short, well-marked sections near Fethiye. Tell your hotel where you're going, keep your phone charged and don't set out in fog or heavy rain. ### Is the Lycian Way suitable for kids? Only the Kayaköy–Ölüdeniz descent, and only for school-age children used to walking. The Ovacık climb is steep and shadeless — not for little ones. ### Can you hike from Ovacık to Faralya in a day? Yes, it is the whole first stage: 12.8–14 km and about 5½ hours of walking, depending on the guide. Start early, carry plenty of water and return on the Kabak–Fethiye dolmuş or by taxi. ## How we checked Sources give two lengths: about 540 km for the classic line and about 760 km for the network with variants, per the Culture Routes Society — we show both. Encyclopedias put the start at Ovacık (Hisarönü), the Society at Ölüdeniz; they are neighbouring villages. For Ovacık–Faralya Wikivoyage gives 14 km and 950 m of ascent, Trekopedia 12.8 km and 765 m, so we give both. Kayaköy–Ölüdeniz is about 5 km in Wikivoyage and Trekopedia; the time comes from Trekopedia and Turkeys for Life. On seasons the Society says February–May and September–November, Wikivoyage April–June and September–November; we show the first. There is no official minibus timetable — frequencies come from guidebooks, so all transport details are marked “verifying”. We don't quote the Kayaköy ruins fee here; it is on the Kayaköy page. ## Sources - Culture Routes Society (Culture Routes in Turkey): The Lycian Way and Independent trekkers — length, start, seasons, water, safety, 30.10.2026 - English, Russian and Turkish Wikipedia: Lycian Way / Ликийская тропа / Likya Yolu; Wikidata Q1731039 - Wikivoyage: Lycian Way, Fethiye and Kayaköy — stages, water, minibuses to the trailhead - Trekopedia: Kayaköy – Ölüdeniz and Ovacık – Faralya sections, Ovacık page — distance, ascent, water, ruins entry, 30.10.2026 - Turkeys for Life: the Kayaköy to Ölüdeniz walk — time, water, start at the upper church - Turkish emergency number guides — single number 112 - English Wikipedia: Kayaköy --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.