Cycle Turkey

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.

I have been on 5 cycling holidays, and Explore Turkey cycling rates as one of the best. It is jam-packed not only with cycling but a range of fabulous activities and visits, from a mud bath on the first day which "broke the ice", a stunning trip on a gulet boat to Fethiye, visits to ancient sites, ecological visits, an amazing Turkish Bath (optional but well worth the experience!), not to mention the fabulous, authentic, Turkish food and diverse places that we cycled to. The hills of Turkey are rich with forests, lakes and isolated villages with stunning scenery and although some of the hills are challenging, there is invariably a picnic or tea stop at the top which makes the climb so rewarding. And of course, there is the back-up bus if you feel the climb is too difficult. A special shout-out to Paul the leader, who is extremely knowledgeable on Turkish history and culture and a really excellent cycle leader where nothing was too much trouble. I thoroughly recommend this trip but worth noting the trip notes – you will need a towel for the shower in the family accommodation. Plus, in October it was still hot (no complaints there!) but you will need high protection sun cream plus mosquito spray for the evenings, remembering to put it on which was something I forgot one night and paid the price. All in all a trip that I will remember fondly and so pleased I went.

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.

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.