This 8 days walking tour on the St Paul’s Trail follows the Köprülü Canyon from south to north. Walks are on waymarked paths, with spectacular views over the huge canyon, through forest and villages and meadows. In places the route is on Roman road; it passes historical sites at Selge, Asartepe and Adada and natural formations at Delisarnıç. The route ends at the lovely 40 km long lake in Eğirdir.
Highlights
Spectacular views over huge Köprülü canyon
Ever changing scenery
Local food
Ancient Selge and Adada
Natural rock formations at Deliksarnıç
Local Yörük sheperds at their summer camps
Lake Eğirdir fringed by spectacular peaks of the Taurus mountains range to nearly 3000 metres.
Grade: moderate /hard
Distances: 14-20 km per day/ Total 100 km’s
Elevation: 150- 1800 m.
Comfort:
Small pensions, wooden bungalows, family run, Turkish home cooking.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and transfer.
You will be met at Antalya airport and transferred to the pension in Karabük near the Köprülü river ( 1,5 hrs)
Overnight: Karabük, pension with comfortable rooms in wooden bungalows (Halboard and packed lunch)
Day2: (Karabük) Walk Selge to Karabük
After a transfer ( 30 mins), explore the ruins of Selge (the theatre is especially well-preserved), and walk to the edge of the canyon, through rock formations similar to Cappadocia. Take the steep walk down the canyon side and continue to the Roman bridge at the end of the canyon. Walk from the Roman bridge to your pension alongside the river.
Walk: 15,5 km/ 5-6 Hrs/ + 100/- 900 m
Overnight : Karabük; Pension with comfortable rooms in wooden bungalows (HB and packed lunch )
Day 3: (Karabük) Walk Selge to Çaltepe
After you are dropped at the parking in Selge a cross country trek on a mixture of footpaths , dirt roads and old Roman road, often in beautiful mature forest follows. This walk is the hardest but also the most beautiful. The roman road leads you to the village of Deliksarnıç ( meaning well- in– a hole) Here holes between the rock formations have been waterproofed to make almost bottomless wells. Then follow an old paved route , the Sarp yolu to Çaltepe village and pension.
Walk: 19 km/ 5-6 hrs/ + 300/ – 820
Alternative:
Shorter walk, – 6 km is possible. Extra transfer.
Overnight: Pension in Çaltepe ( HB & PL)
Day 4: Walk- Değirmenözü to Çaltepe.
Following a transfer to Değirmenözü, the route takes you across the river and then along the bank of the Köprülü river partly over old walled terraces, partly over limestone hills and slopes to the farming village of Çaltepe village and the pension.
Walk: 18 km/ 6,5- 7,5 hrs/ + 250 m/ – 290 m
Overnight: Pension in Çaltepe (HB & PL)
Day 5: ( Çaltepe) Walk Değirmenözü to Kesme ( Kasımlar)
You are transferred to Değirmenözü where you start following the route to a hill top over the canyon , then down to Cukurca village, with lovely stone houses. After lunch by a spring continue across a tiny gorge past Asartepe, a hill with Roman ruins and climb the Roman road /staircase to Kesme, a large farming village. Transfer to Kasımlar village for overnight.
Walk: 17 km/ 7-8 hrs/ + 1960 m/ -410 m
Alternative:
Possible to shorten the walk and avoid the steep climb from Çukurca to Kesme.( 11,5 km/ 5-6 hrs)
Overnight: Pension in Kasımlar village ( HB and PL)
Day 6: Walk Tota Yaylası to Kasımlar
after breakfast short transfer to Tota Yaylası, a small forest park on the north slopes of the Şarp Dağı, mountain. with several monumental trees. From Tota start following a wide track at the start and then more difficult and steeper through woodland, grassy meadows and finally over dirt roads to Kasımlar village.
Walk: 17 km/ 6 hrs/+ 270m / – 830 m
Overnight: Pension in Kasımlar (HB& PL)
Day 7: Transfer to Sipahilar. Walk Sipahiler to Serpil ( Eğirdir)
After breakfast your pension holder drives you to Adada for a quick look at the Roman ruins and Sipahiler, where your last walk starts. The route runs over a ridge to a yalak, a plain with herds of goats and sheep and ends in Serpil where you are collected and transferred to Eğirdir on the lake.
Walk: 15 km/ 5 uur/ + 335 m/ – 630 m
Overnight: Pension in Eğirdir on the lake (HB)
Day 8 :. Onward travel.
included in the price:
7 nights breakfast and dinner.
6 x packed lunch
(luggage) transfers.
St Paul’s trail guide book, maps, footnotes. An I-phone or Android application is available.
Excluded in the price:
transfer from Eğirdir to Antalya airport or Antalya.
Private transfer to Antalya + € 150
Ticket for Public bus service from Eğirdir to Antalya is included in the price.
What else:
• Visit to Antalya museum and visit Roman ruins of Perge,
• White water rafting on the river Köprülü Çay.
• Extra nights in Eğirdir for more walking or other excursions.
• Visit to Ancient Site Sagalassos.
