Kekova Island Boat Tour / Guide

The Kekova stretch of the Lycian Way: where the trail meets water

Between Aperlai and Üçağız the trail runs into the sea, and neither end has a road. This page explains why that gap is there, which points you can cross between, and how we arrange the crossing.

Why the trail breaks here

The Lycian Way is a 540-kilometre waymarked long-distance path between Fethiye and Antalya — the first and best known trail in Türkiye. It follows the coastline of ancient Lycia, and that is where the problem starts: this coastline is not a straight line but a run of deeply indented peninsulas.

Around Kekova that splits the trail in two. Aperlai, the ancient city, lies to the west; Kaleköy (Simena) to the east; Üçağız sits between them. Neither Aperlai nor Kaleköy has a road — both are reached on foot or by sea. Walking around the water instead means a detour that costs hours.

So here a boat is not a sightseeing trip, it is transport. Walkers are among the groups who write to us most often, and most of them are not asking for an excursion — they want to get across this piece of the trail.

Boarding and landing points

Aperlai	The ancient city on the trail, with remains both on the shore and under the water. No road; reached on foot or by sea.
Üçağız	The village and our home pier. Parking, a shop and the bus stop are here — the one point where you can break the walk and resupply.
Kaleköy (Simena)	The village built below its castle, with no road in. Climb to the castle and the whole strait is in view; entry is charged as a site fee.

We pick up at any of the three and drop at any of the three. It makes no difference which direction you are walking — any combination works.

When to walk it

The classic seasons on the Lycian Way are spring and autumn: March to May and September to November. In summer the coast is exposed and hot, and walking through the middle of a July or August day is hard going. The trail is walkable in winter, but rain and swell make a crossing less predictable. We run all year, every day the weather allows — if the sea is not safe we move the day together.

How the crossing is arranged

Tell us where you expect to be and roughly when, and we will work out what is possible. The time is agreed over WhatsApp. The boat is private and runs no schedule, so booking ahead is needed — you cannot arrive at the pier and join on the spot.

Walking plans slip; we know that. Send your estimate and we will firm it up as the day gets closer.

What can be added to the crossing

The crossing is part of the walk, but it does not have to be only transport. Depending on how much time you have we can stop for a swim, or run slowly past the sunken city — the staircases and foundations lying under the water for two kilometres along the north shore of Kekova island. It is the one thing you cannot see from the trail.

Payment and cancellation

We take no deposit; you pay after the crossing. The price depends on the two points and the size of the group — write to us and we will give you a clear figure in our first reply. If the weather is not right we move the crossing to another day together; with no payment up front there is nothing to refund.