Sea Kayak and Wild Camp Turkey's Seven Capes
Paddle along Turkey's Aegean Coast, exploring secluded coves and deserted beaches only accessible by sea
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with expert, local, English-speaking kayaking guideGuesthouse & Wild camping
2 nights in a guesthouse, 4 nights wild campingMeals
All breakfasts, lunches and dinnersTransfers
To and from the airport and everything in betweenEquipment
All sea kayaking and camping equipment except sleeping bagsSmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 12 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
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What's it like?
Kayak cape to cape and hop between islands, exploring hidden caves and remote bays all the way to Patara Beach
Follow the Lycian Way Trail from the water, stopping at idyllic white sand beaches – eyes open for sea turtles as you go
Swim and snorkel in the turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea, and wild camp on the shore beneath the stars
Key Information
Day 1
To the ghost village of Kayaköy
Meet your host at Dalaman Airport and transfer to the beautiful valley of Kayaköy in southwestern Turkey, near the harbour town of Fethiye. Check into your guesthouse, relax by the pool then head out to explore the ghostly village and ruined stone buildings clinging to the rocky hillside. Originally known as Levissi, Kayaköy was once a thriving centre which was then forcefully abandoned at the end of the Greco-Turkish War. Wander through this fascinating open-air museum on foot, then head back to your accommodation for the tour briefing with your host followed by a delicious dinner with your fellow travellers and get ready for your kayaking adventure ahead.
Day 2
Island hopping
Kayaking
Enjoy a delicious early breakfast then head to Karaot Beach for a safety briefing and launching. Paddle from island to island, crossing between Tavsan, Sovalye and Kizil Ada, stopping for lunch under a lighthouse. Continue to Aquarium Bay One for a refreshing dip before kayaking to a small secluded beach where you’ll set up your first camp.
Day 3
Paddle the Iblis Peninsula
Kayaking
Wake up early and tuck into a delicious Turkish breakfast, then hop into your kayak and paddle along several secluded coves until you reach the imposing cliffs of Iblis Cape. You’ll then visit a concealed cave and stop for lunch and a bit of snorkelling. Paddle on to Iblis Bay for your second night of wild camping and enjoy a sunset swim before settling under the stars.
Day 4
Explore St. Nicholas Bay
Kayaking
Kayak south towards Aquarium Bay Two where you will stop for refreshments on the ruins of an ancient harbour, then jump into the crystal blue waters for some swimming and snorkelling. Head for refreshments at a nearby remote restaurant before continuing on to Karacaören and St. Nicholas Island. You’ll paddle past secluded coves and the ruins of monasteries dating back to 500 B.C, visit caves and rock hop until you reach your camp spot next to a blue cave.
Day 5
Paradise found
Kayaking
Start your penultimate day kayaking along the world famous Lycian Way trail from the sea. The first stop is Blue Cave. Paddle through one of Turkey's most stunning destinations flanked by beautiful rocky mountains. Visit a secluded cove and take a short hike up to the ruins of the ancient Lycian city of Kalabantia. Later, you’ll cross the first of the Seven Capes and reach your last camping spot of the trip.
Day 6
Cross the Seven Capes
Kayaking
Wake up early and prepare for the most challenging and exciting day of the trip as you cross the remaining six capes one by one. You’ll paddle along the beautiful shores and mountains dropping steeply down to the sea, stopping in hidden caves and secluded bays all the way to Patara, a stunning 12km long sandy beach. The journey will end in the afternoon on the shores of the Karasu River where you'll transfer back to your guesthouse for a post-adventure celebratory meal.
Day 7
Time to head home
Enjoy a well deserved lazy morning by the pool in the peaceful and serene setting of your guesthouse. If you are still feeling energetic, take a short 2km hike to Cold Water Bay for an early morning swim against the scenic backdrop of Kayaköy ghost village, before your host takes you back to the airport for your flight home.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Dalaman Airport
15:00 on Day 1
Ends
Dalaman Airport
12:00 on Day 7
Transfers
Your host will pick you up on arrival and drop you off in time for your departure. Group airport transfers are usually arranged at a set time (see above) but if you arrive or depart at different times and would like a private transfer to/from Kayaköy, this can be arranged with your host. Please see Optional Extras for prices. Book any departing flight that leaves after 14:00.
Travel options
There are regular direct flights to Dalaman Airport from major airports across the UK and Europe.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 5
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 6
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 7
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
In the morning fuel up with a mixture of Turkish and international breakfast including omelette/boiled eggs, various types of cheese, olives, sausages, salami, marmalades and vegetables. Cornflakes and other cereals will also be available. Lunch is usually a Mediterranean salad or you'll be making your own sandwiches or burritos. In the evening you'll be provided with all the cooking equipment and ingredients to prepare your own hot meal and cook as a group at the beach where you wild camp. Dishes are usually soup, pasta or bulgur/rice with roasted meat, tuna fish or vegetables. Desserts, fruit, snacks, tea and coffee are also offered throughout the trip.
Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for - please just request on your passenger info form.
What is the accommodation like?
Kayaköy
Spend the first and final nights of the trip at the comfortable and lovely Ensoinn Hotel, on the outskirts of the famous Kayaköy 'ghost village' which inspired the novel Birds Without Wings. The accommodation is nestled in a lush garden setting with beautiful flowers and trees. You can splash around in the seasonal outdoor pool, grab a bite to eat at the cafe or unwind with a drink at the bar or on the terrace.
Wild Camping
You'll set up camp on remote beaches and sleep in twin-share tents provided by your host. As this is really wild camping there are no facilities available - we advise bringing biodegradable soap to wash in the sea and to be comfortable enough with finding wild toilet spots both on the land and in the sea. Your guide will give you a full briefing on the etiquette and practicalities of outdoor toileting, and will provide the necessary equipment. For more information on this, please see our FAQs below.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room and tent can be booked for an extra charge. See Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
This trip has been rated as Challenging
This trip has been rated as challenging as you can expect 5-6 hours of active paddling each day covering on average 15–20km. Sea conditions can be changeable and certain choppy or windy conditions may make the paddling and distances more challenging. This is a participatory camping trip, so you'll need to muck in with putting up and breaking down camp throughout the trip, as well as the cooking. You will also need to participate with moving the kayaks, paddles and equipment to and from the shoreline. It's all part of the adventure!
You will need good physical fitness levels, stamina and you must be able to swim. The trip is ideal for those who have tried sea kayaking before and want to push their limits but this is not essential as comprehensive instruction is provided by your guide. Nonetheless, we definitely recommend having a few days of sea kayaking experience under your belt before travelling. Day 5 and 6 are the longest days (22km) and will require some endurance. You will be in a single kayak by default. If you would prefer a tandem kayak, this can be requested with your host; these are subject to availability and dependent upon someone else being happy to paddle tandem with you, so please request this on your booking form. Â
Challenging trips generally require committing to some training and preparation in the weeks building up to your trip. Building some arm strength beforehand can also help with sea kayaking. Accompanying cardio and flexibility training will help you be in the best shape possible to enjoy this trip.
Your host will alter the itinerary according to weather and sea conditions to ensure that you have the best possible experience. Turkey has a typically Mediterranean climate and is usually lovely and warm during the summer season. Average maximum temperatures for May–June are 22–26°C (71–79°F), while July and August tend to be hotter (although we don't run trips during this period). Even though Turkey tends to be dry during the summer, some stormy rains can be expected at the end of summer, and in spring and autumn. Sea temperatures in Turkey are perfect for kayaking, swimming and snorkelling. The sea warms up from May–June reaching 19–20°C, rising to 24°C by the hottest months.
Autumn kayaking in Turkey
A trip that was both fun and challenging! Great fun, great scenery and great people to enjoy it with. The weather in late October was perfect! The camp sites got better as the trip progressed with plenty of opportunities for swimming in beautiful clear blue waters of the Mediterranean.
An absolutely wonderful week
The trip was brilliant from start to finish. I added an extra night at the start of the holiday so enjoyed a really chilled sunny day by the pool before we started. From the initial contact to organise sleeping bag hire and through all the help with transfers and connections, Murat & Seda were incredible. Our guides for the trip Verdat and Doga were brilliant. The food was outstanding and every location for eating and camping was stunning. The group was great; everyone was friendly and supportive. This was my 2nd MBA trip and I intend to do more.
Being one with the sea
Prior to this trip, I'd about 1 hour of kayaking experience (obtain on a Primary School trip). This trip has convince me I've been missing out for 20 years! A truly wonderful experience that allows you to be one with the sea, yourself and the small number of like minded adventures around you. Fully recommend to any budding outdoor-er even reading this review!
As we learnt on my trip: Love is sausage!
Much better adventure (than expected)!
Don’t even know where to start with this one…! The kayaking and Turkish coastline were out of this world. I’ve done a number of sea kayaking trips in the UK and Europe in the past, but the crystal clear waters and perfect temperatures made this an altogether different experience. We had all the camp spots to ourselves, and didn’t see another human for the entirety of the trip!
But it was actually everything else about the week that made it one I’ll never forget. From the charisma and professionalism of our guides, to the (genuinely unbelievable) camp food - the trip was run with such an impressive level of organisation whilst still being fun and light hearted.
Most of all though, I made genuine friendships with some amazing people that I’m sure will last well into the future. This was the first trip I’ve done alone for quite some time, and I was a bit apprehensive about group dynamic as a solo traveler. If only I’d known how great and like-minded everyone else on the trip would be (and how much fun we’d have) I’d definitely have booked this a while ago! đŸ˜ƒ
Absolutely amazing
I had such an incredible time on this trip. The route and scenery were brilliant. The organisation and logistics from MBA was brilliant, and our two guides during the expedition were great. Can’t wait for my next trip!
Adventure & fun rolled into one!
The trip was a blast, from the time we were collected until we were dropped off at the airport Murat and his team were great. Their knowledge, passion and friendliness ensured a great trip. The route was well planned yet flexible when we had some testing sea conditions, the kayaks and camping equipment were all in very good condition. The lunch and overnight camping spots were beautiful and we had hours of fun snorkelling and adventuring around the different locations. The scenery was breathtaking. Our group was great and varied in age from mid twenties to early sixties and everyone managed the daily distances comfortably. It's always great to spend time with fun, like-minded people on an adventure. I would do this trip again in a heartbeat!
Just Book It !
WOW ! What an amazing trip, everything was great from day one. We were met at the airport by Seda who always had a smile, is super helpful, and kept everything running seamlessly. Our guides were Murat and Yunus who are both terrific, hard working, knowledgable, professional & friendly. They went out of their way to make the trip even more enjoyable. Every time we stopped for a break they crack on, preparing snacks & coffee. At the end of each day we were presented with amazing food. Thank you Murat & Yunus. I felt very lucky to have such a great group of fellow paddlers. So many great memories and stories. Too many to write about. I highly recommend this trip, it’s just amazing ! I will definitely book through MBA again.
October seven capes trip
Couldn't fault our trip with the team. From pick up, information, getting equipment, organisers friendly and accommodating, 5 days paddling around the coast, beautiful scenery, great food cooked by the guides Murat and Yunis, couldn't ask for better camping foods. Weather apart from a little wind on day 1, was hot, plenty of swimming spots/snorkelling/caves, we did the trip in reverse, which was great as the long stretch was done first and the best bits at the end. Thank you all