HOW TO GET FROM THE AIRPORT
As of 04/01/2019, the lira exchange rate is 11 rubles.
There are ATMs at the exit from Antalya Airport, about 5 of them. Some issue without a commission, others charge 1.5-2%, which they indicate before issuing. I withdrew from my Tinkoff debit card without any issues.
From the airport to the historical center of Antalya after 01:00 am, it is only possible to get by taxi, they charge by the meter, it cost us as much as 800 rubles.
The most convenient way to get there is by tram, the first and last times are at 7:00 and 0:00. From the airport (Havalimani station) to the city center (Meydan station) it takes 26 minutes, to the final stop (Fatih station) it takes 60 minutes. From the city towards the airport from the final stop (Fatih station), the first and last times are at 6:10 and 22:40, you need a tram with the inscription (Havalimani, this is the airport station), otherwise you can make a mistake and get to (Expo, this is without stopping at the airport, 3 stops further. The fare is 30 rubles, you need to buy a card and replenish the balance, sometimes the ticket offices can be 3-4 minutes away from the stop, sometimes at the station itself. The пропускная system is in front of the platform, not in the tram itself. It goes through the whole city, past the historical center (Muratpasa, Ismetpasa and Dogu Garaji stations) and the bus station (Otogar, from where transport to the Lycian Trail runs). Bus stations throughout Turkey look cool, a large, glass building with a lot of carriers. In Antalya, the bus station consists of 2 buildings, we need the smaller one. There are ATMs and a minimarket. We ask who is going to Gayнюк or Gayikbayiry, depending on where you start, and they will direct you to the right minibus. The fare is 70 rubles, the journey takes a little over an hour, the ticket can be paid to the driver.
If you stay overnight in the city, choose accommodation closer to the tram stop. The city has hostels and apartments with a kitchen, the average cost is 1,500 rubles per night for two.
ANTALYA
The historical center is located near the port of Antalya, from the tram stop Meydan to Muratpas. Most hostels and apartments are located here. If you have time, it's worth taking a walk for a couple of hours. It's better to look for accommodation closer to the tram stops, as the tram can cheaply and quickly take you to the airport or bus station, from where buses to the route depart.
In Antalya, there is a cafe called Tavuk dunyasi in the Park AVM shopping center. It's incredibly delicious, hearty, and cheap! The large shopping center is located next to the tram stop Dokuma. By the way, prices for clothes there are 2-3 times lower than in the Russian Federation.
FIREWOOD, FIRE
There is a lot of dead wood in the region, collecting branches even at popular campsites doesn't take much time. There's no need for an ax or saw. In autumn, the whole ground is covered with a blanket of dry pine needles that catch fire at the slightest spark (Shoigu warns: be vigilant!). It is necessary to thoroughly clear the ground around the fire and line the fire pit with stones, have water nearby. The ground mixed with particles of pine needles can smolder even from extinguished coals and catch fire after your departure. Take care of nature!
Screw gas is sold in Antalya, Fethiye, and Kulumche. Sometimes it may not be in stock, as tourist groups buy it in large quantities. Before going to the store, check the availability by phone or on the website.
Personally checked in Antalya:
Decathlon https://www.decathlon.com.tr/tr/magaza addresses:
1. Erasta Antalya, Dumlupinar Bulvari No. 49 Kepez / Antalya 07090 Kepez, Phone +90 242 502 07 32, opening hours: 10:00 - 22:00.
2. Yesilova Mahallesi Serik Caddesi No. 8 Muratpasa 07200 Antalya Phone +90 242 321 20 82, opening hours: 10:00 - 22:00
Taxi drivers sell gas at the address Turkey, Antalya, Muratpasa, Deniz, 131. Sok., 2.
Not checked - Tekzen https://www.tekzen.com.tr/. Stores in Antalya, Kulumche, Fethiye.
At some gas stations with a blue sign, you can refill a bayonet cylinder.
OVERNIGHT IN A TENT
On the Demre – Finike section in the central part, overnight stay is only possible in a tent! 40 km with a large elevation difference, you can't reach the guest house in a day. If you go without a tent, then take transport for this section.
There are not many places for tents in the eastern part, it's all cut up by cliffs, there are many slopes, and surprisingly, stones stick out of the ground – two per square meter, like the mysterious forest of Gandalf the Turkish. That is, you can't set up a tent at any place you like, ориентироваться on the camps marked in Maps.me: these are flat areas, usually for 1-5 tents, most often a couple of meters from the trail.
Sometimes we managed to find places in the distance. A couple of times I found new places, uprooting stones, clearing the necessary area. In November, there are not many people, two small groups and a lone hiker were walking in the same direction as us, we rarely crossed paths. On the way – the same amount. In a higher season, there may be problems with some campsites for overnight stays.
Friends, I added new camps to Maps.me and other useful information. I call on you, do the common work for all of us and contribute useful information! Let's develop tourism so that there is more and more information, and fewer unforeseen situations due to its lack.
On some beaches, you can't set up a tent so as not to damage the eggs laid by turtles. Officially, I saw such information only in Cirali, there locals can chase you from the beach, but you can still settle in its northern part.
The Booking service does not work in Turkey – the local hotel business lobbied its interests, so book accommodation from home or use TripAdvisor.com and Hostels.com.
When camping at the foot of Mount Babadah (around Kozanacha and Kirmes, western part), a strong wind can blow at night and continue until early morning. Set up camp away from cliffs and secure the tent well.
MAPS
You can study the route on the website https://hiking.waymarkedtrails.org. In the upper right corner, select the pedestrian icon, and in the search, enter «Lycian Trail». There are also a huge number of routes around the world. The trail is most detailed on https://www.openstreetmap.org, here you can see that it's not just one route, but many branches. With some effort, you can build a route for any purpose and desire.
On my hikes, I traditionally use the offline map Maps.me. I always have a Garmin navigator in my backpack with OpenStreetMap maps loaded. If you're going solo, be sure to дублируйте GPS navigation. If you have a partner or a group, then marked routes often require just a few phones with maps and a power bank for the entire route.
You can view and download the GPX or KML track of the Lycian Trail here:
For Garmin navigators, OpenStreetMap maps can be downloaded from the website http://garmin.gis-lab.info/ in the section «Other countries -> Turkey»
For Apple and Android, there are offline maps: Maps.me. Don't forget to download the necessary region for your hike.
Every 100 meters of the path – red and white marks. In some sections, they may be less frequent; if you haven't seen any marks for some time, it's better to go back to the previous one: most likely, you missed an inconspicuous turn. After landslides or in difficult sections, there are pyramids of stones to help with orientation.
In winter and spring, the marks are hidden under the snow, rely only on the navigator.
On the website www.trekkinginturkey.com, you can order official books with information about the trail or paper maps 50,000:1 and 70,000:1, delivery up to 2 weeks. You can also buy them upon arrival at the address: Elmalı Mh. 25. sk No:5/A Muratpaşa Antalya. tel: 0242-244-13-29, working hours: Mon.-Sat. 08:30-20:00, Sun. 10:00-20:00. Publications in English.
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