St Paul trail
Tour Code TRE 05
Highlights
- Hiking through beautiful Koprulu canyon national park
- Ancient roman paths & authentic villages
- Beautiful Lake Egirdir
- Aspendos & the best-preserved theatre of antiquity
- Ancient city of Selge
- Sagalassos, one of the best-preserved ancient sites in the country
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Jan - Feb - Mar - Apr - May - Jun - Jul - Aug - Sep - Oct - Nov - Dec
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8 days / 7 nights
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B (medium) - hiking the St Paul trail through Koprulu national park (4 routes on 4 days)
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7 nights at the Hotel, family run pensions & guest houses
Itinerary
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DAY 1
Arrival AntalyaMeet at the Antalya airport with Demavend Travels representative and drive to the hotel located in the old city centre, known as Kaleici. It is uncertain when the site of the current city was first inhabited. Attalos II, king of Pergamon, was believed to have founded the city around 150 BC, but excavations have uncovered remains dating to the 3rd century BC, suggesting that the city was founded earlier than previously supposed. The city grew and prospered during the ancient roman period and today includes sites with traces of Lycian, Pamphylian, Hellenistic -but mainly Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman-architecture and cultures.Transfer time: 20 min.; transfer distance: 15 km (Antalya airport - Antalya Kaleici)ON: in Antalya city centre at the hotelMeals: - / - / D -
DAY 2
Antalya to Beskonak (Koprulu national park) via ancient AspendosAfter breakfast we leave Antalya and drive to Beskonak, on our way we visit Aspendos, known for having the best-preserved theatre of antiquity. Nearby stand the remains of a basilica, agora, nymphaeum (a monument) and 15 kilometres of a Roman aqueduct.We also visit the Roman Eurymedon Bridge, reconstructed in the 13th century, which is also in the vicinity. In the late afternoon we arrive in the village of Beskonak where we spend the night at a nice pension.Transfer time: 1 h; transfer distance: 90 km (Antalya – Beskonak via Aspendos)ON: in Beskonak village at the pensionMeals: B / L / D -
DAY 3
Via Beskonak to ancient SelgeThe Koprulu national park covers an area of around 366 km2 and its canyon is 400m deep in some places and stretches for 14 km along the Kopru River. The valley is rich of wild beauty in flora and fauna, including red pine, black pine, cedar, fir, oak varieties and wild olives. The Roman Oluklu Bridge (Olukluköprü) over the canyon and the Bugrum Bridge over the Kocadere stream were engineering feats of their time.Today a fantastic hike awaits us as we climb up on walking paths and gravel roads up to ancient site of Selge, an important city in Pisidia on the southern slope of Mount Taurus. The remains of the city consist mainly of parts of the encircling wall and of the acropolis. Other important ruins are the gymnasium, the stoa, the stadium and a basilica. There are also the outlines of two temples, but the best conserved monument is the theatre.In the late afternoon we drive back to our over overnight accommodation in Beskonak village.Walking time: 5 - 6 h; walking distance: 10 km; ascent: 742m; descent: 66mON: in Beskonak village at the pensionMeals: B / L / D -
DAY 4
Hike to CaltepeToday we drive back to Selge, where 5 minutes later we come to the start of today’s trek, which follow a mixture of tracks, dirt roads and old roman roads. The area is today part of the Koprulu national park as well and famous for his mature forests. We pass the small villages Ören, Delisarnic and Kestanelik (Kestane means chestnuts). The last part of the way we walk on small shepherd’s paths. It is only during the summertime possible to meet some shepherds grazing their animals. At the end of our trek we reach the village of Caltepe and spend the night here in a small family run guest house.Walking time: 7 - 8 h; walking distance: 13 km; ascent: 215m; descent: 675mON: in Caltepe village at a family run guest houseMeals: B / L / D -
DAY 5
Caltepe to Kasimlar via KesmeA short transfer takes us to our starting point close to Kesme village. We drive on asphalted mountain roads through the national park offering beautiful views down to Koprulu River, used for wild water rafting during summertime.In Kesme village we start our hike following fields and pastures and walk on tractor roads until we reach a small pass at Belsarnic. From the pass we walk down to Kasimlar village where we spend the night in a small village pension.Walking time: 6 h; walking distance: 11 km; ascent: 253m; descent: 582mTransfer time: 1 h; transfer distance: 40 km (Caltepe - Kesme)ON: in Kasimlar village at the pensionMeals: B / L / D -
DAY 6
Kasimlar to Lake Egirdir via Tota yaylasi, Yenikoy and AdadaAfter a short transfer we start our final trek on dirt tractor roads leading us to Tota yaylasi forest park. Afterward the route continues around the end of the Sarp Dagi to a spring on a large yayla. From here we follow stabilized old village roads and walking paths to Yenikoy village where our vehicle is already waiting to drive us to the ruins of Adada, called by the locals also as Baulo or Karabaulo, supposed to be named by St. Paul. The main attractions are the remains of an acropolis, the Hellenistic towers, the basilica and a theatre.Via Adada we follow a dry riverbed and later a spectacular bit of old roman road, a great way to finish the hiking part of the holiday. Just below the village of Sagrak we meet the main road where our vehicle is waiting and drive to Egirdir town near Egirdir Lake where we spend the night in a small pension.Walking time: 8 h; walking distance: 15 km; ascent: 104m; descent: 374mTransfer time: 20 min.; transfer distance: 10 km (Kasimlar – Tota Yaylasi)Transfer time: 10 min. (Yenikoy – Adada)Transfer time: 1 h; transfer distance: 45 km (Adada - Egirdir)ON: in Egirdir at the pensionMeals: B / L / D -
DAY 7
Via ancient Sagalassos to AntalyaWe leave Egirdir after breakfast and drive back to Antalya, on the way take time for a stop at ancient Sagalassos, in Roman Imperial times known as the 'first city of Pisidia'. Sagalassos excavations started in 1990 and a large number of buildings, monuments and other archaeological remains have been exposed, documenting the monumental aspect of the Hellenistic, Roman and early Byzantine history of this town. Today the site is known as one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the country, featuring a huge Roman bath complex, a library, an urban mansion with more than 80 rooms and a theatre with seating for up to 9000 people, as well as other fantastic monuments from the city’s 1000 year history.In the late afternoon we arrive in Antalya where it is possible to walk through the old city centre (Kaleici); with its narrow cobbled streets of historic Ottoman era houses; with streets and buildings still bear the marks of Antalya’s history. The old city centre has been restored to retain much of its historical character; most famous the Hadrian’s gate, the clock tower, Yivli Minare and Hidirlik tower.Transfer time: 3 h; transfer distance: 180 km (Egirdir – Antalya via Sagalassos)ON: in Antalya at the hotelMeals: B / L / D -
DAY 8
Trip concludes at Antalya airportAfter breakfast; transfer to Antalya airport where the trip concludes.Transfer time: 20 min.; Transfer distance: 15 km (Antalya Kaleici – Antalya airport)Meals: B / - / -
Inclusions
- All transfers and transportations with private vehicles to the places stated in the itinerary
Days 1 & 8: one/one way arrival/departure transfer from/to Antalya airport/hotel in the city centre - Demavend Travel English speaking tour leader
- Hotel, pension & guest/family house accommodations, in standard rooms on double/twin & multi share base,
Service: half board (HB) / Important: HB dinner service available until 20:30/21:00 h - 7 x breakfast / 6 x lunch (lunch packages & local restaurants where available) / 7 x dinner
- All international and domestic flights
- Travel insurance
- All kind of extra transports & transfers other than stated in the itinerary / extra arrival/departure transfers
- All kind of entrance fees for historical and natural sites
- All kind of optional activities
- Meals other than stated the itinerary
- All kind of soft and alcoholic drinks, bottled water, tea & coffee
- All kind of personal expenses
- Extra nights & single supplements / accommodation upgrades
- Personal equipment
- Tips