Taurus Mountains
Slow Cycling in the Taurus Mountains
"Pedal along quiet roads through lonely landscapes and time-warped villages"
Alexander Barlow, Conde Nast Traveller
Stretching 500 kms across Turkey, The Taurus Mountains offer a window into lost empires. Cycle through a sprawling, often otherworldly wilderness dotted with historic ruins.
We travel, on foot and by e-bike, through a land of rushing rivers, cedar and cypress forests, apple orchards, rose fields, temples, turquoise pools, ancient cities, gorges and simple rural villages where life has changed little for centuries. We traverse ancient trails on mountains where the black goat hair tents of Yoruk nomads are scattered across hillsides. This is a world away from Turkey's bustling cities and beach towns. We spend nights in simple, charming guest houses, with at least one night in The Slow Cyclist's very own private luxury tented camp.
Journey Highlights
- Cycle and walk through a hidden corner of Turkey that sees little to no tourism, experiencing immense generosity from locals
- Savour farm to table cuisine in the homes, gardens and villages of local people
- Stay in The Slow Cyclist's private luxury tented camp in what we have coined 'The Magic Valley'
- Swim in forest pools and rushing rivers
- Walk in one of our favourite landscapes anywhere in the world: the otherworldly rock formations of Deli Sarnic
- Visit the region's earliest settlements, including the 2nd century Adada which is barely excavated
Itinerary
We recommend landing in Antalya this lunchtime / early afternoon in time to be transferred into the mountains to the western shore of Lake Egirdir. Here we will stay in a comfortable hotel in the centre of this bustling agricultural town, the launch point for our journey beginning the following morning. Dinner will be close to your hotel.
After a short transfer out of Egirdir, we start riding south along quiet roads through rural villages. We’ll cycle towards Adada, a remote and little visited 2nd century city, and will have lunch in Yenikoy on the way. In the afternoon we’ll continue along an ancient road following in the footsteps of St Paul, whose journey from Antalya to Antioch in Pisidia, north of Lake Egirdir, was pivotal in the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire and the Western world. Tonight we will stay in a private village house. Although comfortable, it is not the most charming property. However, it serves a purpose, allowing us to continue our journey without interrupting it too much with long transfers.
After breakfast we will transfer you from Bogazkoy to Adada to begin your cycle. First we cross a high plateau where wild horses roam, before a long descent to lunch near Ibisler. In the afternoon the landscape changes again, with occasional villages punctuating the idyllic surroundings. We call this region the ‘Magic Valley,’ and we think you’ll understand why. The next two nights will be spent at a private luxury tented camp we built just outside the village of Cukurca, high above the Köprüçay river canyon.
The landscapes around our campsite in Cukurca are quite extraordinary and merit further exploration. This morning you will be given the option to walk a beautiful 2.5 hour loop from Kesme, or simply relax back at camp. Lunch will be in or near the village and in the afternoon we will walk down to the Köprüçay river for a swim in its crystal clear waters. This evening will be our second and final night at camp.
This morning begins with a beautiful ride to Caltepe, the location of our last guest house. We will have lunch with its owner, Erdinc, after which you may enjoy a short bike ride and walk to another beautiful swim spot. Erdinc’s wife, Emine, will prepare a feast for us tonight on this, our last spent together.
On our final day we will cycle to the spellbinding rock formations at Deli Sarnic, before leaving our bikes and spending the rest of the morning walking through this magical landscape. Our destination is a peaceful valley just north of Selge, where Shevki and his family will provide us with lunch in their garden. It is the end of our journey. From there we will drive you to Antalya, where we will say goodbye as you continue your onward journey. We will be happy to arrange overnight accommodation and an airport transfer if you intend to return to the UK the next morning.
Dates & Availability
What's Included?
It’s rare in small group travel, but at The Slow Cyclist we include everything from the moment you land in Turkey. We are often told by our guests how great it is to forget about their wallet and focus on the experience.
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Electric Bikes
A premium hybrid electric mountain bike, best suited to the terrain.
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Guides & Hosts
A dedicated Slow Cyclist host to look after you along the way and two local guides who are passionate about this corner of Turkey.
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Transfers
Airport transfers on arrival and departure, and you never need to carry any bags as your luggage is transported ahead each day.
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Accommodation, Food & Drinks
Characterful Turkish guest houses, delicious locally sourced and home-cooked food and all drinks and snacks.
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Activities
All cultural visits and activities, including a visit to the 2nd century city of Adada. And as ever with The Slow Cyclist, plenty of surprises too.
How to book
