Turkey Holidays - Guided Family Holidays - 10 day tour

Holiday in Antalya District

We at IAH Ltd in conjunction with MITHRA Travel have created the perfect guided holiday especially designed for families. This ten day experience takes you to beautiful turtle beaches, icy cold rivers, ancient mudbaths and a superb Mediterranean valley where on a clear night you can see a 1000 stars.

Itinerary - Day 1 - Arrival, Patara

Transfer from airport and check into your hotel in Patara. This was once the principal port of Lycia, famed for its oracle of Apollo and as the birthplace in the fourth century AD of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, better known as Santa Claus.

Day 2 - Patara

Take a short walk to the impressive white sandy beach famed for being a site where the caretta caretta turtles come to lay their eggs in the sand. At lunch time we take you on a short taxi transfer into Patara where you will lunch at a pancake restaurant. Return to your hotel to relax before dinner in the restaurant.

Day 3 - Canoeing

The Esen river runs slowly through the National Park and today you will canoe along this river stopping off for a mud- bath, drinks and a BBQ lunch. Spend the afternoon at Letoons beach before travelling back to Patara and dinner at your hotel.

Day 4 - Saklikent Gorge

Saklikent (Hidden City) Gorge is the second-largest gorge in Europe. It is a spectacular place, with soaring sculpted walls. During the summer, the canyon is deliciously cool and shady. We have a whole day here for trekking and river rafting. Lunch at the riverside on wooden platforms over the river.

Day 5 - Kabak

Depart for two nights at a superb camp site in the Kabak Valley. One hour boat transfer to Kabak from Oludeniz. At night the sky is clear enough to see the Milky Way. The camp site has a pool, restaurant with freshly baked bread, honey, homemade jam and other local food.

Day 6 - Activities

After lunch we hop onto a small fishing boat and go snorkeling and swimming in the bay. There is also the opportunity to explore caves in the vicinity.

Day 7- Oludeniz to Koycegiz

Return boat transfer to Oludeniz. Leave Oludeniz by bus to Dalyan where we have lunch at the Gozelme pancake restaurant on the river. Visit Kaunos, a Carian foundation of the ninth century BC, where you can see the Lycian rock tombs set into the cliffs. This site is teaming with wild life, including herons and storks in the summer and small terrapins, tortoises, snakes and lizards. Transfer to Koycegiz for overnight in a 3* hostel. Dinner at the hostel.

Day 8 - Toparlar Waterfall

In the morning we take a short walk to the Toparlar waterfall where you can jump into the river and take a refreshing waterfall shower. We then drive to Yuvarlak for a baked trout or lamb lunch. Rest in the typically Turkish lounge, on wooden platforms over the river and under the trees. You can enjoy your apple tea or even try a swim in the breathtakingly cold water pools. Dinner at the restaurant.

Day 9 - Boat trip, Koycegiz

Enjoy a whole day boat trip on this beautiful lake which is a natural paradise for birds. On the way to Sultaniye we stop at the hot springs and mud baths for a swim and you can also watch the fishermen and try your hand at fishing yourselves. Take a dip in the Sultaniye springs and have a mud bath. The waters and the mud are said to aid the treatment of various ailments as well as decreasing stress and increasing energy. Following a BBQ lunch on board the boat we stop off for another swim in the lake and then you can watch the sun go down over the mountains as we dock.

Day 10 - Transfer to Dalaman

Transfer to Dalaman airport or extend your stay in Dalyan.

Accommodation

• Either the Apollon or Ferah Hotel in Patara, each with swimming pool.
• Superior campsite in Kabak with swimming pool.
• Tango Hostel in Koycegiz.