Dalyan tour from Fethiye is a 10-hour excursion for nature lovers to discover the famous Turtle beach, King’s tombs and Sultaniye mud baths.
A tour to Dalyan from Fethiye is a unique opportunity to explore the beauty and secrets of these amazing places.
The spectacular beaches, the network of canals, the rocky tombs of the Lycian kings, the junction of the river with the sea, the place where the blue waters meet the green waters of the Dalyan River, the home of the Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta), the mud baths and thermal springs – all this and much more can be seen on this tour. Dalyan is so unique that many Europeans have chosen it as their permanent home.
In the morning our driver will pick you up from your hotel and you will drive to these beautiful places. A comfortable minibus will take you to the town of Dalyan, where you will start your voyage. A traditional boat (tekne) will take you downriver to the famous sandy beaches of Dalyan. You will undoubtedly have time for a swim in the gentle sea (about an hour). Swimming here is suitable even for toddlers because the sea here is shallow. Numerous nests of Caretta tortoises are fenced in, as this species is in danger of extinction.
If you are lucky enough, you can feed the turtles with crab meat from the boats. You’ll take mud baths and relax in the warm sulphur springs. Twice you’ll pass the famous Lycian tombs, which are high up on sheer cliffs so you can only see them from the water. A professional English-speaking guide will explain the local sights and history of the area to you.
After swimming and rest you will go back up the river to Dalyan. After lunch at one of the local restaurants, you will head back to Fethiye. Your driver will be waiting there and you will return to your hotel around 18:30.
Guided tour, lunch, insurance, transfers and boat trips are included in the tour price.
Between the towns of Dalyan and Ortaca, a little way across beautiful pine forests and villages, you will arrive at Sultaniye Hot Springs. Here you can indulge in the mud baths and the hot springs, relaxing in the healing waters. The baths are located alongside Koycegiz Lake, a freshwater lake where the waters head down towards the sea via many river paths.
You can journey through the town of Dalyan itself, where the ancient rock tombs of kings still guard the area. A little further and the fresh water and the sea water meet on stunning Dalyan Beach, where the Caretta Caretta turtles lay their eggs. From the ancient Sultaniye Springs to the nature reserve of Iztuzu Beach, this may be the most unforgettable journey you ever undertake.
The waters of the hot springs are said to have healing properties. You will be able to read the compound of minerals and elements for yourself on site and they are said to heal skin complaints as well as some liver and stomach ailments. Once you forgive the sulphurous smell, you may find the waters (an outdoor pool from ancient times) help. It is said that 10 minutes in the healing waters (approximately 36 degrees in temperature) and you begin to feel invigorated. Many people come to the Spa for several days at a time to maximise this feeling. Interestingly Sultaniye village is said to be home to people who have lived and are living to a very great age. Coincidence? The mud pool also has similar invigorating effects. In fact it is great fun to cover yourself from head to toe and then bake ‘lizard style’ on the side before you jump into the lake or take a shower to wash it off.
A BBQ lunch served on a boat alongside the lake is an awesome experience in itself, followed by the tour of the waterways, across what once was an ancient Lycian city, now engulfed beneath the waters, you will catch glimpses of the higher walls along the shore, that once dominated that ancient place. You will float down through the waterways that appear like rivers and your final destination of Iztuzu Beach which is a 3 kilometre stretch of glorious white sand, flanked by an open coastline. It is maybe one of the most romantic of beaches ever!
Some areas will be roped off in order to protect the Caretta Caretta’s eggs. This is after all a nature reserve and must be treated respectfully at all times. But with 3 kilometres of beach there is plenty of room for swimming and sunbathing too.
| 📅 Tour Days: | Every day |
| ⏱️ Tour Hours: | 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM |
| ✔️ Includes: | Transfer, entrance tickets, boat tour, lunch, guiding |
| 📌 Highlights: | Mud bath, king’s tombs, turtle beach |
In 2024, price of Fethiye Dalyan Tour is 35 € for adults, 25 € for children between age 7 and 12, free for children under 6 years old.
| Type | Age | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 13 years and older | €35 |
| Child | 7 — 12 years old | €25 |
| Infant | 0 — 6 years old | Free |
Firstly you will be picked up from your hotel in Fethiye, by air conditioned, comfortable coach, and driven to Koycegiz Lake, where a boat will be waiting to take you across the waters to the Springs in Sultaniye. Pick up times are between 08:15 and 08:55 depending upon your location and will be confirmed upon booking.
On arrival at the Springs you may partake of the mud baths or the thermal springs, there is even an undercover spa for the wet or cold weather in winter, indicating how popular the spa is among local people. When you have rinsed off the mud, enjoyed your spa time or even had a dip in the lake, a light lunch will be served to you on a boat moored at the lakeside.
From there you will cross the lake sailing along the waters of ancient Caunos, through the town of Dalyan and down to the waterways and Iztuzu beach for some free time. As you pass through Dalyan town your guide will inform you about the ancient rock tombs dominating the river and town, the burial places of Lycian kings, from a time 2000 years ago, when this part of Turkey was once ancient Greece.
At the designated time you will rejoin your boat and return through the waterways back to Koycegiz Lake and your waiting coach. You will arrive back at your hotel at approximately 18:15 feeling younger and healthier and ready to enjoy the rest of your holiday.
