Why this 10-day shape works
Most Lycia trip plans either over-cram (4 destinations in 7 days) or over-extend (one base for two weeks of beach). 10 days is the sweet spot: enough to sample all four pillars, slow enough to actually unwind, structured enough that you don’t spend half of it driving.
The shape: three bases, no backtracking, one rental car. You touch all four pillars (hike, fly, sail, dive), see the two iconic Lycian sights (the sunken city of Kekova, the eternal flame at Olympos), and leave with one major regret to bring you back. Most travellers re-do this same loop in reverse on a second trip — that’s how it works for the people who keep coming back.
Open-jaw flights make this much better — Dalaman in, Antalya out. If your fares only allow round-trip, do this loop counter-clockwise from Antalya: it works just as well.
Day by day
Arrive Dalaman → settle in Fethiye
ArrivalLand at Dalaman (DLM), pick up the rental car (or shuttle, ~€25 to Fethiye, ~€40 to Ölüdeniz), 60–90 minutes to your base. Settle in, walk the harbour, eat at the Fethiye fish market (you pick the fish, they cook it for £8–12) — non-negotiable Fethiye initiation rite.
Read the full Fethiye guide →Babadağ tandem + Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon
From the skyBeachMost-booked day of any Lycia trip. Tandem paragliding from Babadağ (1,957 m) lands you 25–40 minutes later on Belceğiz Beach below. £100–130 for a standard flight, £130–170 for the long flight from the upper launch. Spend the afternoon at the Blue Lagoon (entry €4, sunbeds extra). Dinner back in Fethiye.
Open the Oludeniz paragliding directory →Lycian Way to Kabak Valley (one-way)
On footHike a section of the Lycian Way from Ölüdeniz over the cliffs to Faralya, descend into Kabak. 5–7 hours, moderate. Drop bags at one of the eco-camps (Reflections, Sultan, Olive Garden). Sunset on the cliff at Faralya. Stay 2 nights in Kabak.
Open the Lycian Way platform →Butterfly Valley boat day, return Kabak
BeachOptional yogaBoat from Ölüdeniz harbour to Butterfly Valley (€20–30, ~1 hour each way). Half a day on the beach. Most Kabak camps run a 7am yoga session if you’re into it. Dinner at the camp; communal table, pine smoke, slow.
See yoga & wellness retreats in Kabak →Drive to Kaş, evening at Antiphellos theatre
Travel + ruins3 hours of the most scenic Mediterranean coast drive in Europe. Stop at Saklıkent gorge (€5, 2 hours), lunch at the Yakapark trout farm. Arrive Kaş mid-afternoon. Walk to the ancient Antiphellos theatre (free, hewn into a hillside facing the sea) and watch sunset. Stay 3 nights in Kaş.
Read the full Kaş guide →Kaş diving — Heybeli wreck + Canyon
Under the seaThe standard 2-tank day from Kaş harbour. Heybeli wreck at 22 m (a sunken Greek dredger, intact, swim-through), then Canyon — a swim-through reef wall with gorgonian fans. Lunch on the boat. €80–100 with gear. Visibility 25–40 m most of the season.
Open the Kaş diving directory →Kekova sea-kayak over the sunken city
By seaArchaeologyHalf-day kayak from Üçağız (€40–60 with transport from Kaş, lunch included, 4 hours). Paddle directly above the partially-submerged ruins of the 2nd-century AD city of Simena, swim stops at Kaleköy bay. Most distinctive single sight on the Lycian coast.
Read the full Kekova guide →Drive Kaş → Olympos via Patara
Travel + beach2.5 hours east on the D400. Stop at Patara — the longest beach in Turkey (12 km, sea-turtle nesting), and the ruins of the ancient Lycian capital are right there (€8 entry). Continue to Olympos / Cıralı by mid-afternoon. Settle into a treehouse hostel (Olympos) or boutique pension (Cıralı). Stay 2 nights.
Read the full Olympos guide →Mount Chimaera eternal flame + Cıralı beach
Myth + beachMorning on Cıralı beach (sea-turtle nesting territory, no umbrellas, no music — it’s a national park). Late afternoon drive 7 km up to Yanartaş — the natural methane vents that have been burning continuously for 2,500+ years. Climb 30 minutes from the car park as it gets dark. Watch the Chimaera light the hillside.
Phaselis ruins → Antalya airport
Final ruinsStop at Phaselis on the way out — an ancient Lycian harbour city set in pine woods between three small bays, swimmable, 2 hours easy walk through the ruins (€8 entry). Antalya airport (AYT) is 45 minutes further. Drop the rental, fly out.
What it costs
Per-person estimate, sharing a room, in pounds. Excludes flights to/from Turkey. Add 20–30% for July–August peak.
| Item | Detail | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | 9 nights, mid-tier mix (boutique + eco-camp) | £450–720 |
| Rental car | 10 days, compact, Dalaman → Antalya (open-jaw fee included) | £280–380 |
| Tandem paragliding | 1 standard flight from Babadağ | £100–130 |
| Diving | 2-tank day from Kaş, full gear | £70–90 |
| Kekova kayak | Half-day from Üçağız with transport + lunch | £35–55 |
| Site & museum entries | Patara, Phaselis, Saklıkent, Antiphellos | £25–35 |
| Food | ~£25–35/day across breakfasts, lunches, dinners | £250–350 |
| Petrol + tolls | ~700 km Dalaman → Antalya including detours | £75–95 |
| Misc | Boat transfers, beach entry, dolmuş tickets, snacks | £100–150 |
| Total per person, excluding flights | £1,385–2,005 | |
Round-trip flights London → Dalaman / Antalya add ~£150–350 depending on month and how early you book. EasyJet, Pegasus and Turkish Airlines all run direct. Premium-tier accommodation (Olympos Lodge, larger Kabak villas) lifts the total by another £400–800.
What to pack
Hiking
- Trail shoes (well broken in)
- Lightweight day pack (~20 L)
- Sun hat + UPF buff
- 2 L water capacity
- Trekking poles (optional)
Sea
- Reef-safe sunscreen
- Quick-dry swimwear ×2
- Microfibre towel
- Snorkel mask (rentable too)
- Waterproof phone case
Sky
- Closed-toe shoes for paragliding
- Light layer (windy at 1,957 m)
- GoPro or phone with strap
- Anti-nausea tabs (optional)
Diving
- Cert card (PADI / SSI / CMAS)
- Logbook
- Computer if you have one (rental ~€10)
- Specialist dive insurance — DAN Europe
Evenings
- One smart-casual outfit
- Light sweater (May/Oct)
- Insect repellent (mosquitoes after dusk)
- Power bank
Documents
- Passport (6+ months valid)
- Visa (UK passports: e-visa, ~£20, online)
- Driving licence (international permit only if > 6 months)
- Travel insurance with adventure cover
Variations on this 10 days
If you only have 7 days
Skip Olympos. Drop days 8–9–10 and fly back from Dalaman. You lose the eternal flame and Phaselis but keep the four pillars. Two-airport itineraries are wasted on a 7-day trip.
If you have 14 days
Add 2 nights to Kabak (slow it down — Kabak rewards lingering) and 2 nights to Olympos / Cıralı (do the eternal flame at night separately from the beach day). Use the spare day to either do a 3-night Blue Cruise (Fethiye → Olympos by gulet, replaces the day 8 drive) or hike a longer Lycian Way section (Faralya → Patara, 4 days).
If you're hiking only
Skip the bases — walk the Lycian Way as a through-hike. It’s 540 km, 24 stages, takes 25–30 days at a normal pace. lycianway.co.uk has the routes, accommodation, GPS tracks and the full app.
If you're diving only
Base in Kaş for 6–7 days. PADI Open Water in 4 days then 2–3 days of fun-dives across the rotation (Heybeli wreck, Big Reef, Canyon, Three Anchors archaeological site, Cessna wreck). All under €600 with the course included. See the Kaş dive operator directory →
If you're doing yoga
Base in Kabak for the full 7 nights — most retreat venues run week-long programmes. Day-trip out for paragliding (one day), Butterfly Valley (one day), Lycian Way short stages (most days). See Kabak retreat venues →
Frequently asked
Is 10 days enough to see Lycia?
It’s the sweet spot. 7 days forces you to choose between paragliding and diving; 14 days starts to feel slow unless you’re hiking the full Lycian Way. 10 days lets you base in 3 villages, sample all 4 pillars (hike, fly, sail, dive), and still have a beach afternoon or two.
Should I fly into Dalaman or Antalya?
For this itinerary, fly into Dalaman (DLM) and out of Antalya (AYT). Both are international, both have UK / European seasonal direct flights. Open-jaw saves the 5-hour return drive. If your fares only allow round-trip into one airport, Antalya is the better single-airport choice — more year-round flights.
When is the best time to do this trip?
Late April–early June, or September to mid-October. Sea is warm enough for diving and the Blue Lagoon, hiking is comfortable, paragliding flies almost every day, and prices are 20–30% below July-August peak. October is also Air Games week (third week of October), which packs Oludeniz with paragliders and doubles accommodation prices for that one week — book early or skip the dates.
How much does this 10-day trip cost per person?
Roughly £1,400–£2,200 per person sharing, excluding flights. See the cost table above for the breakdown.
Can I do this itinerary self-drive?
Yes — and arguably should. The coastal D400 from Dalaman to Antalya is one of Europe’s great drives. Rental is €25–45/day from either airport. The alternative is shared shuttles + dolmuş between bases, which costs ~£80 total but ties you to fixed schedules and skips the scenic stops (Saklıkent, Patara, Phaselis). For two adults, the rental car works out cheaper anyway.