Hike & Gulet Cruise
Book a Private Charter
With Your Hiking Friends

Having travelled from the other side of the world a few years ago, Maria and Danny enjoyed our Hike & Gulet cruise so much they chartered gulet East Meets West and brought a group of friends with them. As if that wasn’t enough enjoyment, they’re bringing another group of friends in 2023.

You also could have sole use of a traditional wooden yacht as you cruise along the coast of the beautiful Turkish Aegean. With its numerous unspoilt bays and secluded coves, approaching by boat is by far the easiest and most dramatic way to explore this incredible coastline.

On board you will be looked after by Anne who will be guiding our walks as well as looking after us on the boat. In charge of the boat will be Captain Adil and his crew including a chef who will prepare the most wonderful Turkish fare for the group.

The itinerary includes walking on 3 or 4 days with plenty of time for swimming, kayaking, reading or simply being at leisure. 

Surely there’s no better way to explore the beautiful beaches and coves of the Turkish Aegean Sea than cruising and hiking with your family and friends.

    

What you need to know

 Type of boat: Cabin with ensuite bathroom on comfort plus gulet  for 7 nights/8 days.
 Full Board: Turkish Breakfast, Cooked Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Biscuits, Cooked Dinner starting with dinner on day 1; finishing with breakfast on day 8.
 Embarkation: Marmaris or Fethiye or Bozburun depending upon actual itinerary
 Disembarkation: Marmaris or Fethiye or Bozburun depending upon actual itinerary
 Optional excursions Turkish Hamam, Dalyan riverboat cruise, Kayakoy and Tlos tour

Availability 2023

For your own private charter email us anne@meridiantravels.com
Deposit £250 pp 
Interim Payment £250 pp
Balance 8 weeks before departure
What's
included
What's not
included
Terms &
Conditions
Flights &
Transfers

Full Board

  • Turkish breakfast: cheeses, eggs, tomatoes, cucumber, jam, honey, bread, tea and coffee. Fruit Juice available as extra
  • Lunch: A healthy packed lunch is provided for walkers although a cooked lunch is often taken onboard.
  • Afternoon tea & biscuits
  • Dinner: includes Mezes, main course, salad and dessert of fruit

Vegetarians are easily catered for. Please advise of any dietary requirements at time of booking.

Drinking Water: water is provided throughout the trip when dispensed into your own refillable water bottle.

Cabin: 7 nights in a twin or double cabin with ensuite private bathroom

Guide: English speaking walking guide

Port Fees: Included

Diesel: 3-4 hours cruising per day

Crew: food and wages

Transfers: If you require a transfer outside the times of the one that’s included we can arrange it for you.

Flights: Both Marmaris and Fethiye use Dalaman airport

Transfer: there will be one group transfer each way between Dalaman airport and the gulet. Times to be confirmed. 

Riverboat Trip: including entrance fees to Kaunos, mudbaths, riverboat hire and Captain. Lunch extra

Drinks: there is a reasonably priced bar onboard stocked with water, soft and alcoholic drinks including beer, wine and spirits. Please do not bring your own drinks onboard.

Tips for the Crew and Guide are discretionary. 

Travel Insurance: please remember to arrange your own travel insurance and provide a copy to the Guide on arrival.

The Headlines!

  1. Meridian Travels & Yachting will process all bookings for your private charter. All payments you make to Meridian Travels & Yachting are non-refundable.
  2. If you cancel for any reason, you will still be liable to pay for your charter, otherwise the others on the trip would need to pay extra to cover the cost of your place.
  3. It is a condition of booking that you have Travel Insurance. You are recommended to book your travel insurance when you have paid your deposit.
  4. For full terms and conditions click here
  5. If you have any questions about the holiday please email 

Flights

You will need to book your own flights to/from Dalaman airport.

If you are island hopping you could take a ferry/catamaran between the Greek island of Rhodes and Marmaris or Fethiye. The journey takes just over an hour but please do not book your seats too early. The actual ports of departure and arrival for your gulet cruise will only be confirmed four weeks before the start of the cruise.

Transfers

Dalaman to/from Marmaris one-way £75
Dalaman to/from Fethiye one-way £60
Price is for the vehicle
Private Transfer (5-14 pax)
Dalaman to/from Marmaris one way £125
Price is for the vehicle
Shuttle service:
Dalaman to/from Marmaris one-way £25 per person

We recommend that travellers book their transfers directly with us because occasionally the start/finish ports can change at the last minute due to weather conditions. If transfers are booked with us it is easy for us to ensure travellers are delivered to the correct port.

 

Itinerary at a glanceAccommodationHiking

Cruising from Marmaris around the Gocek Islands and returning to Marmaris  you will have the opportunity to walk on 4 or 5 days taking in wonderful forest, mountain and sea views. We will visit ancient sites and nomad families staying in remote locations where there still isn’t any road access with plenty of time to swim and simply relax.

Day 1: Arrive in Marmaris. Dinner onboard with opportunity to go to a Turkish Bath.

Day 2 Cruise to Kumlubuk for our first walk in the mountains to the ruins of an abandoned Byzantine church  (2—3 hours)

Day 3 Pretty walk in the mountains from Aga Limani with it’s ancient Roman village before arriving at the ruined Cleopatra’s Bath. (2-3 hours)

Day 4 Today’s hike starts at Cleopatra’s Bath and follows the coast along a limestone path with panoramic views of this dramatic coastline (2 – 3 hours).

Day 5 A rest day off the boat as we explore the ancient city of Tlos and the abandoned village of Kayakoy.

Day 6 We start our day by boarding a river boat which will cruise through the reedbeds of this vast nature reserve, passing Iztuzu beach – nesting ground for loggerhead turtles – and ancient burial tombs carved high in the hillside before taking us to bathe in hot thermal waters. We will return down the river and start our hike by visiting the ancient ruins of Kaunos, call in to say hello to a once nomad family and explore the artefacts in their garden before resuming our hike to Ekincik. (3.5-4 hours)

Day 7 Our final hike at Paradise Island before cruising into Marmaris for the afternoon.

Day 8 Say your goodbyes to the crew and your new friends in Marmaris.

*This itinerary is to give you a flavour of the trip. It could start in Fethiye and finish in Marmaris or Bozburun.
**Any itinerary is subject to change at short notice – this is a rare occurrence but adverse weather conditions occasionally leave us with no choice.

 

 

East Meets West is a traditionally built, handcrafted wooden yacht; she has four double and four twin cabins, all ensuite. She has sails although operates under motor for most of the trip to ensure we can keep to our schedule.

Continued investment during the pandemic resulted in months of new carpentry – you’ll notice the new oak handrails and sidings mean the aft deck is more spacious and comfortable for eating and socialising.

Each cabin has a private en-suite bathroom with home style toilet, shower cubicle and hairdryer. Cabins have a small wardrobe, underbed storage, window and bedside light. Electricity is available in cabins for charging mobile phones and cameras every evening. Cabins are smaller than a hotel room but larger than you’d find on a typical sailing yacht. A bath towel, hand towel and beach towel are provided.

The bar, galley and salon are located in the wheelhouse where there are stunning 360° views. With plenty of sunbeds on the fore and aft decks choose how to relax; sunbathing, reading, chatting or perhaps you’ll even sleep here under the stars. There’s plenty of time to swim and snorkel too.

Meals are taken on the aft deck where you’ll enjoy a different view with every meal.

 

Trip Grading: Low – Moderate. The hikes on this itinerary are along goat trails which are rocky and stony so the terrain is graded at moderate level. However, the walks are too short to be classed as moderate hence our overall grading of Low – Moderate.
How long are the walks? Hikes vary between 4 and 10 km and take between 2 hours and 4.5 hours for the longest walks.
How difficult are the walks? There are some steep sections over loose trails during the walk and such sections require care. The accent is on keeping a comfortable pace with time to stop and take photos. You will need a reasonable level of fitness to participate fully in this adventure.
What to bring?
Essential Hiking
boots (preferably with ankle support). Refillable Water Container or Camelbag. Day Backpack for water, sunscreen, camera etc
Recommended Hiking poles are extremely useful regardless of your level of fitness, particularly for this itinerary. 
You will be provided with a full list with your joining instructions around 5 weeks before departure.

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