Tour Type
Fully guided hotel and bike tour with a support vehicle which follows the group during the entire program
Duration
8 Days / 7 Nights / 6 Cycling Days
Arrival Airport
Milas-Bodrum International (BJV)
Departure Airport
Dalaman International (DLM)
Short Route
256 km in total, daily average 43 km and 505 m elevation
(Grade 2 Moderate)
Long Route
393 km in total, daily average 66 km and 960 m elevation
(Grade 4 Challenging)
This unique bike tour along the Aegean coastline delves into the rich history of the Carian Civilization, homeland of Herodotus. It discovers the ancient cities of Halicarnassus and Kaunos, the Medieval Bodrum Castle, and Hellenistic rock-cut tombs. Our experience starts from Bodrum, a popular holiday destination for the rich and famous with a stunning blue coastline, high-end hotels, lively night-life, and a wealth of luxurious yachts. Our bike routes leave this hot spot behind and discover the hidden gems of the small towns and villages. The quiet rides follow the water’s edge, weaving in and out of small coves along the crystal blue waters of the Aegean Sea. We journey through the rural areas in the highlands offering perfect vista points overlooking deep canyons and the Gulf of Gokova. The last routes are around the unspoiled beauty of the river delta in Dalyan and Lake Koycegiz. The rides through the citrus and pomegranate orchards take us to the lovely setting of the ancient theater in Kaunos overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. En-route we use the best boutique hotels. Lunches and dinners are served mostly in local restaurants. This incredibly rich program combines the ancient Carian history with natural beauty of the Aegean coastline, the legendary Turkish hospitality with the charming boutique hotels on the beach, and the authentic Mediterranean cuisine with farmer markets.
Day-by-Day Tour Program
Print Friendly Itinerary
Day 1 Saturday, Welcome to Turkey
Arrive at Milas-Bodrum Airport and take your private transfer to your hotel by the sea. Upon your arrival, check-in to the hotel and enjoy your rest before strolling through Bodrum town and ancient Halicarnassus of Caria, which is known for its Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Tonight, dinner is on your own in a local restaurant with the night view of the majestic castle.
Meals: No meals
Destinations: Arrival in Milas-Bodrum Airport (BJV) at any time of the day
Accomodation:
Ipek Garden Residence or similar
Day 2 Sunday, East of Bodrum Peninsula
Start the day with your Mediterranean breakfast. After getting fitted to your bike, the ride will take us to the villages of Kizilagac and Camlik with several climbs through forested roads. Stop by Camlik Village for refreshments with home-made lemonade and fruit sherbets prepared by villagers. Cycle further to Etrim village and visit one of the village houses to learn about their globally known traditional hand-woven Milas carpets while having a freshly prepared lunch of local delicacies. The second climb reaches the highest point with a fantastic view of the topography over the villages we have been riding through. Then descend back to the hotel at sea level. After a refreshing swim enjoy your well-deserved rest by the pool. We’ll visit Bodrum Castle built by the Knights of St. John and the Underwater Archeological Museum in the afternoon. Enjoy your free time in Bodrum’s downtown and dinner in a local restaurant. Return to the hotel in the late evening after dinner.
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Yali, Camlik, Etrim, Yali, Bodrum sightseeing in the afternoon
Accomplished
Short Route: 42 km Elevation: +680 m / -680 m, (Grade 2 Moderate)
Long Route: 74 km Elevation: +930 m / -930 m, (Grade 4 Challenging)
Accomodation:
Ipek Garden Residence or similar
Day 3 Monday, Oren – Akyaka
After your breakfast at hotel, we check-out of our hotel and take the transfer to Alatepe for the shorter route. Our bike adventure for the long option starts from Oren. After a warmup ride, climb to the charming villages of Alatepe and Kultak and descend to Akbuk Bay surrounded by steep cliffs and pine forests along the gulf. Stop in a local tea house to taste the fresh bread and local delicacies prepared by the villagers. From there we’ll keep pedaling along the water’s edge, weaving in and out of small coves along the crystal blue waters of the Aegean Sea. After check-in to our new hotel take pleasure in our lunch on the deck over the sea. Free afternoon for a swim from the deck of our hotel and a siesta by the sea. We’ll drive to Akyaka for a walk along the waterfront and river in the afternoon. Enjoy your seafood dinner by the river on your own and return to our hotel.
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch
Destinations: Oren, Alatepe, Kultak, Akbük, and Akyaka
Accomplished
Short Route: 32.5 km Elevation: +420 m / -820 m, (Grade 2 Moderate)
Long Route: 53 km Elevation: +1215 m / -1215 m, (Grade 4 Challenging)
Accomodation:
Baga Hotel or similar
Day 4 Tuesday, Kuyucak – Kiran – Sarnic – Akbuk – Akyaka
Start the morning with a leisurely breakfast before today’s ride. A short transfer brings us to the starting point of the day, away from the coast up the highlands. We’ll follow narrow, car-free roads through small villages of the highlands until our break in traditional tea house of Kiran Village. Sip your Turkish coffee while chatting with hospitable villagers and visit the village mosque. Pedal through pine forests famous for honey producing before descent back to the sea level with a breathtaking vista of the Gulf. Our ride continues along the northern shore of the Gokova Gulf with a ravishing view of crystalline waters. Enjoy your free time for afternoon swim or rest at the beach before dinner on your own and return to hotel.
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch
Destinations: Kuyucak, Kiran, Sarnic, Akbuk
Accomplished
Short Route: 45 km Elevation: +585 m / -1430 m, (Grade 2 Moderate)
Long Route: 54 km Elevation: +725 m / -1585 m, (Grade 3 Active)
Accomodation:
Baga Hotel or similar
Day 5 Wednesday, Akyaka – Ula – Karabogurtlen – Akyaka
A 25-minute transfer takes us to the highlands over the Gulf of Gokova after breakfast. Feel the elevation difference along the route with the minimal traffic among the small towns. Cycle into the rural areas through citrus orchards of the small farming communities. Our first stop is in sleepy Ula town which offers us a genuine experience of a Turkish rural lifestyle with its local economy away from crowds of tourists. We’ll descend with the twisting road down to sea level in Karabogurtlen while saluting the shepherds grazing their goats and sheep along the way. The royal tombs carved into the rock cliffs from 4th century BC and the farmers’ market with fresh fruits, vegetables, and other local products are the surprises of Akyaka at the end of the ride. Then enjoy our lunch break in a local tavern in Akyaka. If you want to extend your ride the roller coaster route towards Akbuk and back to the hotel is the perfect choice along the Aegean Sea. We still have time for an afternoon swim before dinner on the deck over the sea in the tranquility of the Aegean sunset.
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch
Destinations: Kuyucak, Ula, Karabogurtlen, Gokova, Akyaka
Accomplished
Short Route: 58 km Elevation: +420 m / -1280 m, (Grade 2 Moderate)
Long Route: 70 km Elevation: +1295 m / -1295 m, (Grade 4 Challenging)
Accomodation:
Baga Hotel or similar
Day 6 Thursday, Ortaca – Dalaman – Gokbel – Dalyan Delta
After breakfast we check-out of the hotel and take the transfer to Lake Koycegiz (40 min) to avoid the larger highway traffic. Our ride traverses the coastal plain of Dalaman through citrus orchards and farmlands. This fast route climbs to Gokbel pass for a stunning view of the delta opening into the Mediterranean Sea with the renowned Iztuzu beach where loggerhead turtles, known as caretta caretta, lay their eggs for hatching. A Mediterranean breeze accompanies us while descending to the delta towards the charming town of Dalyan by the river. Check-in to the hotel and explore the town for lunch and shopping on your own in the afternoon. The royal tombs carved on the sheer cliff along the Dalyan River provide the most rewarding scenery of Dalyan. We’ll meet for a boat tour in the delta and visit the ancient city of Kaunos in the late afternoon. Explore the ancient ruins with the theater overlooking the lake, the lush green of the river delta, and finally the deep blue of Mediterranean. Depending on the season, an evening dive in the Mediterranean Sea and our dinner by the river is the grand finale of the day.
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner
Destinations: Dalaman Plain, Gokbel, Dalyan Delta, and Dalyan town
Accomplished
Short Route: 44 km Elevation: +290 m / -315 m, (Grade 2 Moderate)
Long Route: 92 km Elevation: +610 m / -640 m, (Grade 4 Challenging)
Accomodation:
Dalyan Resort Hotel or similar
Day 7 Friday, Lake Koycegiz – Dalyan
After breakfast by the river, ride through the town and take the ferry to cross over the river. Pedal the last route through fruit orchards along the emerald-colored Lake Koycegiz. The lush green plain with its evergreen pine forest around the lake is the constant tableau of an unspoiled nature for the entire ride. After a refreshment break in a tea house in the town of Koycegiz we’ll leave the shores of the lake and take a gradual climb to the natural springs where we enjoy our lunch on the shaded platforms over the cold streams. Transfer back to our hotel in the afternoon. Enjoy the free time for shopping in town or swimming in the pool of our hotel before the farewell dinner with the illuminated scenery of the Carian royal tombs.
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Full circle around Lake Koycegiz and Dalyan town
Accomplished
Short Route: 35 km Elevation: +650 m / -650 m, (Grade 2 Moderate)
Long Route: 50 km Elevation: +990 m / -805 m, (Grade 4 Challenging)
Accomodation:
Dalyan Resort Hotel or similar
Day 8 Saturday, Goodbye
After last breakfast (depending on the flight time) transfer to the airport (35min) and say goodbye to our guides. Fly back from the Dalaman airport and see you next time!
Meals: Breakfast
Payment and Cancellation
€350 down payment upon reservation.
31 days prior to the tour departure; full payment.
Cancellation within 40 to 31 days prior to the tour departure; down payment,
Cancellation within 30 to 21 days prior to the tour departure; 50% of tour cost,
Cancellation within 20 to 11 days prior to the tour departure; 75% of tour cost,
Cancellation within 10 to 0 days prior to the tour departure; 100% of tour cost will be charged as the cancellation fee.
info@eontours.com
+90(242)230 3720
