Picture the first ten minutes of a good walk. Your boots find their rhythm on a dusty path, pine resin hangs warm in the air, and somewhere below you the sea is flashing like a coin through the trees. Your lungs open. Your phone goes quiet in your pocket. The only schedule left is the sun. That is what walking in Türkiye feels like, and it is far bigger than most people expect: ancient roads that ran before Rome, coastal paths strung between turquoise coves, alpine granite and misty highland pastures. If you have been wondering what to do with a flight to Türkiye besides the usual city break, lace up and read on.
We have grouped the best routes by region, from the Turquoise Coast to the roof of the country, and added what to eat and how to get there, because a good hike deserves a good dinner. Whether you start with cheap flights to Istanbul and carry on, or fly straight to the trailhead, fuel up on the way with Pegasus Café’s pre-order menu. Don’t forget you can order your meal up to 24 hours before the flight! Want the short list first? Our Türkiye’s Top 7 Treks is the perfect overview.
The Turquoise Coast: Cliffs, Tombs and the Lycian Way
This is the classic. The Lycian Way runs for roughly 540 kilometers along the Mediterranean, threading through pine forest, over limestone ridges and past cliff-carved tombs that were old when the Romans arrived. You wake in a village with the smell of woodsmoke and fresh bread, climb through the morning and drop to a hidden cove by the afternoon, where the water is so clear it looks edited. Our full Lycian Way guide breaks down the stages. Inland from Antalya, the St. Paul Trail climbs from sea level toward the Anatolian plateau, following the footsteps of the apostle, for a quieter and more rugged alternative.
- Highlights: Ölüdeniz and its paragliders, Kabak Bay, the long sands and ruins of Patara, and the old town of Kaş. For the old town and day trips, read The Best Places in Kaş, Türkiye.
- Sleep under the stars: Campsites at Kabak Valley and Olympos make a lovely pause between stages, as covered in Best Camping and Glamping Spots in Türkiye.
- What to eat: Bring an appetite for grilled fish, olive oil dishes and fresh figs, and a table at a harbor restaurant after a long walk. Fethiye’s tombs, bays and Butterfly Valley are covered in Hidden Bays and Ancient Ruins Along the Entire Muğla Shoreline.
- Getting there: Fly to Dalaman with cheap flights to Dalaman for the western end near Fethiye, or to Antalya with cheap flights to Antalya for the eastern end. The Pegasus route map shows both airports and how to connect them.
The Aegean Backroads: Ancient Cities and Olive Groves
If the Lycian Way is the postcard, the Carian Trail is the secret. At about 850 kilometers it is Türkiye’s longest marked walking route, winding through villages that have never heard of a tour bus. You pass the pillars of Knidos at the tip of a peninsula, follow a quiet bay toward Akyaka, row across Lake Bafa to Byzantine monasteries and finally walk into the theater of Stratonikeia. Read the section-by-section route in Walking Through History: The Carian Trail. Spring and autumn are best, because summer sun on these slopes is serious. Afterward, soak in the thermal springs and mud baths of Dalyan, in the same province, covered in Wellness Weekends: Thermal Springs and Tranquil Villages in Türkiye.
- Highlights: Selimiye’s boat yards, Akyaka’s wooden houses, the Datça Peninsula and its bays. Akyaka and Old Datça are both celebrated in The Most Beautiful Villages in Türkiye, and you can pair the walk with the beaches of The South Aegean Experience Route.
- Go further: Up north, the Kaz Mountains (Mount Ida) rise to 1,776 meters through oak, chestnut and pine, with myth-soaked peaks that feature in the Iliad. See Kaz Mountains (Mount Ida): Places to Visit. For quieter days in the same corner of the country, try Offline Routes for Quiet Travel and Digital Detox in Türkiye.
- What to eat: Village kitchens serve olive oil, wild greens, goat cheese and honey. Learn about the producers in Harvesting Local Flavors: Agritourism and Slow Food in Türkiye, and note that this is Turkish cuisine at its most local.
- Getting there: Fly to Bodrum with cheap flights to Bodrum for the eastern sections, or Dalaman for the western ones. İzmir connects the trail to the north, and our Izmir travel guide covers the city, with cheap flights to Izmir from many cities.
The Black Sea Highlands: Granite Peaks and Cloud-Soaked Pastures
Now swap the sun for mist. In the Kaçkar Mountains the world turns green and vertical: glacial lakes sit like mirrors under granite peaks, wooden chalets perch on steep pastures and cloud rolls through the valley below your feet. The trek to the summit of Kaçkar Peak, at 3,937 meters, is a true alpine adventure, and the season is short, from about July to September. Easier days await on the yaylas (highland pastures), where you can wander between wooden cabins and cow bells. Our guide to Türkiye’s Hidden Highlands covers Ayder, Pokut, Gito and Uzungöl. With such a short season, our guide on how to find cheap flights helps you lock in a good fare early, and the baggage allowance page tells you what boots, poles and layers you can bring.
- Highlights: Ayder and its hot springs, Çamlıhemşin’s waterfalls and the cliffside Sümela Monastery, one of several covered in Monasteries in the Mountains. For more quiet corners, see Silent Travel: 8 Quiet Turkish Destinations.
- What to eat: Dig into kuymak (a molten cornmeal and cheese dish), hamsili pilav (anchovy rice) and kaygana (a savory pancake), all described in Most Popular Traditional Foods in the Black Sea Region.
- Getting there: Fly to Trabzon with cheap flights to Trabzon and use the Trabzon travel guide and Everything You Need to Know About Trabzon to plan the road into the mountains.
Central Anatolia: Fairy Chimneys, Phrygian Roads and Soft Volcanic Valleys
Not every route is a slog. In Cappadocia you can walk for an afternoon among rock towers the color of peaches, slip into a cave church and be back for tea. The valleys around Göreme are gentle and all ages, and in the hush after sunrise, with balloons drifting overhead, they feel unreal. If you want more history underfoot, the Phrygian Way heads out from Ankara across a quiet plateau of volcanic cliffs and ancient monuments, including the Midas monument at Yazılıkaya. Start with the Cappadocia travel guide and the Best Cappadocia Holiday Guide.
- Highlights: Rose Valley and Love Valley at golden hour, the cave churches of Göreme and, for the full experience, a balloon flight at dawn, planned with help from Above the Fairy Chimneys.
- What to eat: Crack open a testi kebab (clay pot kebab) in the village after your walk.
- Getting there: Fly to Nevşehir with cheap flights to Nevşehir, or to Ankara with cheap flights to Ankara for the Phrygian Way. Pair it with the Ankara travel guide.
The Roof of Türkiye: Ararat and the Wild East
Few views will ever stop you in your tracks like Mount Ararat. It rises to 5,137 meters over the eastern plains, snow-capped even in summer, and climbing it is a serious expedition that requires a licensed guide and a permit. If a summit is more than you want, simply stand in its shadow: the east is huge, wild and empty, and the villages, lakes and ruins feel like another world. Cross Lake Van to the church on Akdamar Island, or rise before dawn on Mount Nemrut to watch the sun warm the giant stone heads. Our Snowy Peaks and Icy Lakes shows the same region in winter.
- Highlights: Ararat’s slopes, Akdamar Island, Mount Nemrut at sunrise and, for peace and quiet, the quiet lakes and ruins around Van and Kars.
- What to eat: Van is known for its hearty breakfast spread, with honey, clotted cream and herbed cheese.
- Getting there: Fly to Ağrı with cheap flights to Ağrı, to Van with cheap flights to Van, or to Adıyaman with cheap flights to Adıyaman for Nemrut. The east is a long way from most places, so the upgrade package is worth a look for extra comfort.
Picking Your Season and Packing Your Bag
Timing is everything on a trail. Spring and autumn are the sweet spots for the coast and the Aegean, when the air is cool and the wildflowers or the golden light are at their best. The high mountains of the Black Sea want the summer. See our guides to Best Places to Visit in Türkiye in May and The Best Places to Visit in October in Türkiye for ideas, and for more adrenaline, extreme sports has options beyond the trail.
A cheap flight ticket to Türkiye is easy to find in shoulder season, which also happens to be the best time to walk. So lace up, pick a trail and go.
