Family Turkey Coastal Active Adventure & Cruise

Arrive in Kas, a laid back fishing town on the Turkish Lycian coast with a host of adventurous activities on offer.

Due to the number of evening flights into Dalaman, your Leader plans to do the welcome meeting on the morning on Day 2 and will leave a message in reception with details on timings and everything else that you'll need for the day. For those arriving earlier, there is the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Kas at any time. If you would like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Dalaman International Airport (airport code DLM), which is 150km, around 3 hours from the airport. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your Leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up.

If your flight arrives earlier in the day, perhaps you might choose to take a dip in the hotel pool or head into Kas to sample the wide choice of restaurants. Be sure to sample the hearty Turkish food on offer such as slow cooked lamb, a barbecued meat selection or pide - it's similar to a pizza. Stay: Club Phellos Hotel (Comfortable)

Our first day here is spent on the sea, as we take a boat trip from Kas across the surrounding calm and clear waters. From the sea we can appreciate fully this dramatic and beautiful coastline. There will be ample opportunity for swimming and snorkeling from our boat, and we plan to enjoy a barbecue lunch before returning to Kas later in the afternoon. Kas is a great place to relax, with cafes and restaurants spilling out onto cobbled streets and a network of tiny backalleys to explore. Stay: Club Phellos Hotel (Comfortable) (B/L)

Today we head for the hills to explore where we find cedar forests, streams, shady glades and tiny charming villages where the pattern of life has remained almost untouched for centuries. We plan to walk from a high pass, descend to a canyon and then up to a mountain village and take lunch with a local family in a typical village house. After lunch we will stroll around the village, hopefully seeing the blacksmith in action and visiting the village Mosque, before returning to Kas via the silver sand beach of Kaputas. Located just west of Kas, Kaputas is an idyllic spot for a swim at the end of our day in the mountains. Finally we make our way back to Kas.

If weather is particularly hot or humid, we may change the trekking route to a higher altitude walk around the Cedar treeline of Mt Bozkaya, before driving to the village for lunch. Stay: Club Phellos Hotel (Comfortable) (B/L)

Today is left free for you to do some exploring of your own. For those with a hankering for culture, Kas is built around the remains of a number of ancient sites including; Kas Theatre which was built during the third century BC and is now used for theatrical performances and music concerts, the monumental Lion Tomb and a number of hillside rock tombs. Alternatively you may like to visit the isolated and ruggedly beautiful Greek island of Meis (optional), to give its Turkish name, Kastellorizo. The island is just one mile from the Turkish coast and yet more than 100km from Rhodes, its nearest Greek neighbour. Stay: Club Phellos Hotel (Comfortable) (B)

We visit Xanthos this morning which was the capital of ancient Lycia and at one time was the largest centre of commerce and religion in the region. The town has had a turbulent past, falling to both the Persians and the Romans.

During the Roman civil wars of the 1st century BC, the Lycians sided with Caesar against Pompeius but after Caesar's assassination in Rome, Brutus attacked Xanthos and demolished the acropolis. Marc Antony rebuilt their city and today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We travel down the Xanthos River by canoe in the afternoon heading to the beach at Patara. Passing through tranquil and unspoilt rural backwaters along the way, we stop for a picnic lunch before eventually emerging at Patara Beach which is a protected nesting area for giant loggerhead turtles. We have the opportunity to swim on the return to Kas. Stay: Club Phellos Hotel (Comfortable) (B/L)

There is an opportunity this morning to visit the Church of St Nicholas at Demre (Myra) which is where the 4th century Bishop Nicholas is said to have anonymously given money to the poor thus spawning the legend of Father Christmas. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of two countries; Greece and Russia, and is also the protector of children, merchants, scholars and sailors - a busy man! The origin of Saint Nicholas's gift giving is believed to have arisen from a legend in which a shopkeeper was too poor to supply his daughters with dowries. When Saint Nicholas heard of their plight, he threw three bags of coins into the shopkeeper's yard, saving the daughters from a life of hardship.

The Church of Saint Nicholas was built after his death and Noel Baba's remains were placed in a rock sarcophagus. A modern statue of Saint Nicholas, complete with beard, bag of toys, and children has been placed outside the church. But Myra isn't just the home of Santa. A mile north of the church is the impressive ruins of the ancient town, where dozens of Lycian tombs are carved out of the cliff above a Roman amphitheatre. We plan to make an early start today (to beat the crowds and heat) but on returning to Kas there is a free afternoon either to relax or perhaps try snorkelling. Stay: Club Phellos Hotel (Comfortable)

We depart in the early morning to try our hand at sea kayaking in the calm, protected waters of the bay of Kekova. We'll enjoy a packed sandwich breakfast with coffee en route and enjoy paddling in the tranquil waters before any other boats or kayakers take to the water. It's one of the most scenic areas in Lycia with picturesque islands, bays and small ancient cities surrounding the famous sunken city of Kekova. The results of various earthquakes, there are partly submerged streets and buildings visible in the crystal clear waters and even steps leading down into the depths of the bay.

Later we paddle to the picturesque whitewashed village of Simena, whose harbour is dotted with ancient sarcophagi (tombs), Roman baths, houses that cling to a hillside and a castle where we find an ancient theatre. Carved from the solid rock, it is a wonderful place to sit and soak up the beautiful surroundings. Taking to the waters again, we head back to Ucagiz from where we transfer back to Kas. Stay: Club Phellos Hotel (Comfortable) (B)

Today the Family Turkey Coastal Active Adventure trip ends and we transfer to Fethiye to join the gulet for our Family Cruising the Turquoise Coast trip. This trip starts at Fethiye harbour where we board our gulet and meet the crew and those fellow passengers joining the trip today. Fethiye is a market town that can trace its history back to the ancient Lycian city of Telmessos built around the harbour in the 5th or 6th Century B.C. Reminders of the town's past include Lycian rock tombs on the hillside and a Hellenistic theatre. We spend our first night on board our boat in the harbour.

Our traditional gulet has eight double cabins, all with an en suite toilet and shower. The bed measures 120 x 210cm and cabins will have a bath and beach towel for your use as well as a wardrobe and hair drier. The foredeck and partly shaded aft deck have sun loungers for comfort and there are indoor and outdoor lounge areas. Meals are prepared on board by the boat chef. Please note that the cabins are compact and can get very warm in summer as there is no air-conditioning or fans. In our experience many people find it preferable to sleep above deck, using their cabins mainly for washing, changing, luggage storage and toilet. WiFi is available and there are plug sockets available in the communal areas and cabins, so it is possible to charge cameras and phones. There is some snorkelling equipment available aboard the gulet. If you are a keen snorkeler, you may prefer to bring your own mask and snorkel with you. The gulet moors in a quiet bay near the night stop to minimise disturbances in the evening, especially in large urban areas/ports.

All double cabins are allocated on a twin share basis within your booking. By booking you are accepting that you will be required to share the cabin (one double bed) with another member from your party. In practice we find that almost everyone ends up sleeping on deck in any case. Odd numbers will be allocated a cabin for single use and will not be asked to share the cabin with somebody from outside of your family. Stay: Overnight on Gulet (Simple) (B/D)

After a short transfer to the sleepy village of Dalyan we board our riverboat. We first head upriver to the therapeutic mudbaths of Ilica and then meander downstream, weaving through reed beds rich in bird life. We pass cliffs carved with dramatic Necropolis tombs before coming to the ruins of the ancient seaport of Caunus. Much of the site is overgrown, but the fine Hellenistic theatre is well preserved and the views from the fortified acropolis are breathtaking. Looking south to the Aegean 5 kms away it is hard to imagine that Caunus was once a thriving port, but fell into decline when the harbour silted up.

Continuing by riverboat we reach Iztuzu Beach, a wide spit of white sand lapped on one side by the Aegean and on the other side by the fresh waters of the Koycegiz River. This is one of the few remaining nesting places of Caretta caretta, the loggerhead turtle. Development at Iztuzu has been banned and an overnight curfew is placed on the beach, as this is when the female turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. Having paused to swim we transfer back to Gocek and board our gulet. We enjoy lunch aboard whilst sailing south to our first overnight mooring at the tranquil cove at Yassica Island. Stay: Overnight on Gulet (Simple) (B/L/D)

After a hearty breakfast on board, we set sail across the bay to the tranquil island of Domuz Adasi. There is a silhouette of a seagull engraved on the ground right next to the sea in the bay which gives the bay its name, Seagull Bay.

The food on board is often listed as a highlight of the trip, despite the small galley kitchen our crew manage to produce food which is both plentiful and freshly prepared on board. Typically we offer a Turkish style breakfast with a different egg dish each day, cheese, Turkish sausage (a beef sausage that tastes like pork), olives, fresh fruits, yoghurt, pancakes both sweet (banana and chocolate spread) and traditional savoury pancake filled with spinach and cheese, Turkish bread , different spreads and jams.

Lunch is generally hot regional speciality, normally vegetarian. Options include stuffed peppers, baked aubergines, green beans in tomato sauce, pasta salads, lots of rice, bulgar wheat, amazing tomato and cucumber salads 'cacik' ( yoghurt and garlic dip), aubergine dip, walnut dip and fresh fruits for pudding.

Afternoon tea is served on board with biscuits and homemade cakes.

For dinner we often have a barbecue at the front of the boat and will have either grilled meat such as lamb kebabs or chicken or grilled fish accompanied by a seasonal salad and a traditional appetiser.

Water is included with the meals and there are other drinks available to purchase on board.

We dock against a wooden pier, there is ample time to explore the island, take a swim in the crystal clear water or sunbathe on deck. Overnight on board. Stay: Overnight on Gulet (Simple) (B/L/D)

A shorter sailing day as we navigate to the neighbouring island of Tersane. Dropping anchor, we once again have the chance to venture onshore to discover the beauty of the Lycian Coast. Formerly the site of a prosperous Greek village, Tersane is now uninhabited, except for a restaurant serving snacks and drinks and light meals.

Among the remains is a well preserved watchtower; its possible to take a short walk to the summit of a small hill on the island to get views of the surrounding bay. The harbour here is very sheltered and shallow making it ideal for an afternoon spent swimming, snorkelling and relaxing. Overnight on board. Stay: Overnight on Gulet (Simple) (B/L/D)

Sailing onto Cleopatra Cove, we moor in a cove where Roman era sunken baths are located on the shore line, surrounded by pine trees. According to history, Marc Anthony had the baths built for the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra as a wedding gift for when she visited this part of the Mediterranean coast. The baths used to be fed with thermal hot water from a crater lake high up in the surrounding hills, the healing properties of the waters were highly prized.

There is the option of a gentle walk along flat terrain to explore the site through the forest, taking around two hours round trip and covering a distance of 7km. Overnight on board. Stay: Overnight on Gulet (Simple) (B/L/D)

After breakfast we sail to Gemiler Island, also known as St. Nicolas Island. Byzantine ruins lie tucked amid the pine tree slopes. Heading ashore we can explore these ancient sites which include several churches built between the fourth and sixth centuries AD and a cistern chapel. One of the churches was cut directly from the rock at the island's highest point. We can make our way back to the gulet at our leisure to spend the afternoon relaxing and swimming off the boat. The sunsets around Gemiler Island are particularly spectacular if the skies are clear. Overnight on board. Stay: Overnight on Gulet (Simple) (B/L/D)

Today we cruise at a leisurely pace, returning westwards towards Fethiye. Stopping en route for swimming opportunities, we first make a stop at butterfly valley, where we head ashore for a hour long stroll along the valley floor known for its butterfly population. Our next stop is Oludeniz beach which takes its name from the secluded lagoon at the beach's western end. For those that want to there is the option to talk a walk to visit Kayakoy, the largest Greek ghost town in Asia Minor (2 hour return walk).

Our destination is around an hour from Fethiye in a quiet bay for our final night on board. Stay: Overnight on Gulet (Simple) (B/L/D)

The trip ends after breakfast in Fethiye harbour.

There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Fethiye harbour at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day it will be possible to leave your baggage either on board the boat or at the boat office in Fethiye. Please speak to your Tour Leader or the boat captain to make the necessary arrangements.

If you would like an airport transfer today, you need to depart from Dalaman International Airport (airport code DLM), which is 50km, around 90 minutes from the port. (B)