Dalyan - Between Sea and Lakes

After breakfast you’re taken to our starting place. You’ll be able to get familiar with your horse, your equipment and the ride’s gaits (fast walk, endurance canter and trot for a few macadam sections.)
When the horses get warmed up, you’ll begin to cross a wood of liquidambars, then canter along the orange orchards and follow wooden trails among the olive trees. The Dogusbelen river with its pebbles and gravel bed will be crossed before the place for lunch.
A different scenery for the afternoon : a coniferous forest with garrigue bushes. Long mountain canter trails overlooking Köycegiz lake (pronunciation : Koïdjehiz). Altitude camp in the wild nature.

After a serious breakfast, you’ll saddle your horse and begin to descend through the forest, overlooking a beautiful panorama over the lake and the villages. You’ll reach the hot water springs of Sultaniye.
Traditional lunch. Bath in the springs and the lake (swimming with horses is not possible here).

In the afternoon a quick horse ride will offer incredible views over the Dalyan laguna, probably one of the most remarkable view of the Turkish coast. Way down through the olive tree orchards and the quiet trails to your camp by the seaside. Fine sand beach and superb view on Iztuzu beach. This could be the place for the best photo of your holidays.

A horse ride morning along the lagoon. Canter on trails covered by pine needles. Arrival at the ancient site of Kaunos (paying entry : 6 €).
Resting afternoon for the horses.

You’ll reach the charming town of Dalyan for a fish lunch. The afternoon will be dedicated to a cruise through the beautiful reed chanels of the lagoon.
Night in a guesthouse at Dalyan.

The park of the horses will be reached by boat. They will be charged on a barge in order to cross the Dalyan river. Then in the saddle for a quick ride out of town, through the orange and grenade orchards. You’ll ride at the bottom of a deep sandstone canyon, on an old mule path leading to a wooden plateau. Long canter trails. After crossing the beautiful village of Gokbel, looking like a postcard, the road will lead you to the famous Iztuzu beach.
Lunch. Bathing on the beach. Visit of the center for protection and rehabilitation of Caretta turtles.

Horse riding through a labyrinth of oleanders, on trails surrounded by beehives, to the camp site located in a big clearing.

Way down to the touristic village of Sarigerme through a forest with many species (carob trees, lentiscs etc) to a 5 km-long beach. Fording Dalaman river. (In case of floods the horses will have to cross a bridge upstream : this would take two hours time more)
Picnic on the beach, with a possibility of a bath.

In the afternoon you’ll walk, horse in hand, along a steep path through sweet smelling bay-trees, mint and thyme. A breathtaking panorama waits for you at the top. Again a few canters through olive orchards and abandoned fields. You’ll pass near an astonishing roman cistern and reach the camp in a clearing.
Camp fire in front of Gocek islands.

A long morning with a fast ride on forest tracks overlooking the bay of Gocek. A steep path will need to walk your horse for a few minutes. Splendid panoramas and long canters will lead you to Gocek port, famous for its numerous yachts.
Night in Köycegiz.

After breakfast, departure for the airport two hours before your return flight.