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This blog is to tell you about the extension of the Lycian Way 2 days to the north. The route now finishes at Geyikbayırı – Antalya’s famous climbing centre.

Instead of taking a bus from Hisarçandır to Antalya, you can walk north for 2 days. Day 1 takes you across the Çandır river to the village of Çitdibi, where there will soon be a new climbing wall and a climbers’ hostel. It passes a fort perched high above the river. Day 2 climbs Roman road through cedar forest to the pass of Karabel then descends to Geyikbayırı. It passes the ruins of Typalia (on a pass) and Trebenna (just above Geyikbayırı).

From the former end of the Lycian Way at Hisarçandır mosque, walk on the main road towards Antalya; just before a bend over a riverbed, turn L on unsurfaced road (250m). After a çeşme, fork R/downhill on forestry road then continue NW/straight on unused track to a pile of rocks (1km). Follow a footpath downhill to meet a forest road and turn L over a gully (600m).

Turn R off the forest road and wind through scrubby ground to an open area (100m).

To the R are ruins of Hisarçandır castle. The castle is built on a rock overlooking the Çandır River, and you have to scramble up the rock to reach it. From the castle, you can see the route ahead.

Return to the path; with the castle on the R, follow a path through forest to meet another dirt road (400m). Turn R and follow this to a dam on the river (600m).

Only 50m below the dam, cross the river and find a path rising from behind a huge boulder. Climb up a bank to a higher level and continue with a drop to a side-stream on the R. The path descends to cross the side-stream and climbs the far bank (600m). Go round an orchard to the dirt road and follow this up to meet the asphalt (1.5km).

Çitdibi is on the L; there is a visitor house and the climbing walls are on the far side of the village. We will tell you when the new climbing centre opens.

Cross the road and through a small boulder field to the start of a wide, clear path rising diagonally NE/up the hill towards the saddle. It runs firstly through pines then across scrubby hillside and meets a forest road half-way up the hill (1km).

Turn L, walk around a R bend and follow the forest road N until it ends just below the ruins of Typalia. Turn L onto a stony path to the dip between the necropolis and the old city. There are tombs around you (800m).

A narrow path leads down slippery slopes to a streambed lined with plane trees (1). Cross the stream, turn R/SE and climb a wider path through one clearing to a second open area where a shepherd/farmer called Halil grows beans and young walnut trees (1.5km). Climb past his house to a dirt road.

Turn R/uphill around a R bend into woodland. Turn L onto footpath running N and after 500m turn L and cross the stream to an open area. Turn R/NNE past some huts, through woodland then uphill to a forest road at the pass of Karabel (2.7km). Cross the first forest track, then a second and continue downhill to cross the track again. Go downhill to an open area; crossed a ditch and bear R to another track. Turn R and follow it to its end.

An old road zigzags NE steeply down, passing a field, following zigzags to a forest track. Turn R, continue to a plane tree with a spring beneath it (1.7km) then scramble through broken rocks to a forest road below. Turn R/NE and walk for 800m to a firepool (1.5km).

Turn L/down a footpath to the asphalt road; turn L /NW, then R on a wide downhill path, which soon meets a Roman road; keep R and descend zigzags to the forest track below (1.1km). Turn R and walk 300m to the ruins of Trebenna.

From Trebenna go SE to a junction with a narrow dirt road; turn L into a wooded valley and after 200 m bear L/N/down towards a streambed then a horizontal forest road. Walk 200m R/SE on the road then turn L/down a continuation of the path going NW towards the river and cliffs in the valley. At a sidestream, turn R towards the main stream and descend a steep bank to a wide, shallow ford. (600m)

Cross the river and walk 200m to the campsites – the village road is beyond.

 

This route is all waymarked except for the parts underlined. Find out about rockclimbing in Geyikbayırı, the josito campsite or the facebook climbing page.

  1. January 3, 2016

    Hi,

    I am planning the second part of the lycian way. Can you please advise the distance from Hisarchandir to Çitdibi and from there to Geyikbayri? I cannot find this information anywhere…
    Thank you

    Dirk

    • January 25, 2016

      Hi Dirk,
      Hisarçandır to Çitdibi is about 3 hrs walk, but allow extra time to look at the castle. It’s better (if you are camping) to make camp at Elmayanı and do the section from there to Çitdibi in one day, rather than stopping at Hisarçandır. Çitdibi to Geyikbayırı about 6-6.3 hrs, and a good climb over the pass, but again allow time to explore Trebenna, which has great views down to Antalya. Good accommodation at several pensions in Geyikbayırı. I haven’t measured the distance – I never do – it can be very misleading as the terrain makes such a difference.

  2. December 1, 2019

    Hi, planning on hiking the complete Lycian Way in 2021. Can someone tell me if accommodation is available every night, I will no be camping. Thanks Brian

  3. June 24, 2023

    Hi, are there plans to extend the route any further? Heard someone say it would be extended to the St Pauls way…

    John

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