Dalyan Tours and Trips

Happily recommend this cycling trip. My first time in this area of Turkey and really enjoyed the scenery, food and hospitality. Thanks again to Paul our tour leader for a fantastic week, kept us very well organised in a very nice manner, his patience whilst cycling was very kind, and his knowledge of history was quite something, and infectious. A varied itinerary which was busy so made the most of the week, but as optional activities were often before dinner this allowed opportunity to opt out if wanted some extra downtime. First couple of nights in the same hotel which was good whilst got into the swing of things - then we moved hotel every following day, with a nice variety of locations and accommodation. The cycling could be tough at times, especially the 'uphill' day, not helped by hot weather (even for us in October) but our whole group managed and the joint sense of achievement was just lovely. Highlights would be enjoying the hospitality of local families (one breakfast, two lunches and a dinner - all just delicious), the trip to mudbath/ hot springs, ferry transfer very relaxing, trip to Haman good fun and quite an experience! Generally food on the trip was great My only tips - perhaps ensure you pack some long trousers for evenings - despite applying insect repellent I succumbed to some mozzie bites in some towns which were a bit of a pest. I had a really fabulous week cycling in Turkey!

Perfect mix of cycling, culture and cuisine. It was a nice group of people. Tour leader, Paul was very friendly and knowledgable about culture and history. Most accommodation had pools - so plenty of opportunities to relax. The afternoon with our own private boat was great fun, and so were the mudbaths and hammam. Hills most days, but scenic descents and great views - always the option of the backup vehicle, if needed a break.

An exquisite cycling holiday which fulfilled all the usual Explore essentials: plenty of variety both in cycling and other activities, beautiful accommodation throughout, rustic village hosts, great food/restaurant selections by the guide Paul, stunning scenery at every turn and plenty of ‘off the beaten track’. Paul has over 2 decades of experience in cycle guiding in Turkey, and it showed in his cycle guiding and knowledge of the language, culture and flora and fauna-I particularly enjoyed his linguistic insights and the visit to the local village mosque. Others in the group who were architecturally inclined enjoyed his love of history too. The bikes couldn’t have been better for the terrain and were very comfortable with plenty of gears. I tend to find Explore holiday bikes are usually not great quality, so this was a pleasant surprise. Turkey has far exceeded our expectations and this has been one of my best ever holidays. If you’re not afraid of a bit of hot weather and undulating terrain and want to get a glimpse into local Turkish life, then I highly recommend you book onto this trip! Thanks again Paul for the fantastic memories you’ve helped us make.

A very good trip. My first ever cycling holiday of any kind and I was very impressed overall. The cycling itinerary was about right given how hot the weather was (30 C). If it had been cooler then I would probably have wanted a few more miles every day.

Even though I am a fit 65 year old, cycle very regularly and go the gym and not overweight, I found that the rating of the trip was more moderate to challenging, rather than moderate. Some of the hills were very long and arduous and were kilometres long with very little respite. Slogging your way up really steep hills just becomes monotonous. An option for e-bikes would transform this trip. The road surface was very uneven and bumpy for most of the cycling and was particularly uncomfortable during the downhills which could be long and very steep. The highlights of the trip were the scenery, learning about Türkiye and the food. Our guide always took us to great restaurants and we also learnt so much about the culture and history of Türkiye from him. Some of the scenery was just breathtaking. I would only recommend this trip to extremely fit individuals who enjoy the challenge of hills. Otherwise, like me and a few others, you’ll spend a lot of time on the bus.

The entire trip was really fantastic. We got to travel to rural areas and experience Turkish cooking and village life. Paul was *the* most patient guide and made sure every box was checked so that we, as the participants, thought everything went perfectly and without a hitch. My only suggestion would be to include something on the itinerary indicating that the elevation for each day is mostly made up of 2-3 significant climbs as opposed to evenly spaced throughout the day.