Turkey Multi-Sport Adventure Cruise

Sail, hike, raft, snorkel, kayak and tour antiquities along Turkey's Aegean Coast

Explore Turkey's timeless Aegean coast by private yacht. Translucent turquoise seas, dramatic pine-forested coasts, ageless seaside villages and a dream world of ancient sites and cities -- Istanbul, Ephesus, and Caunus. Plus lots of stops for hiking, swimming, sightseeing, snorkeling, kayaking, village visits and just plain relaxing!

Days 1-3 Istanbul-Ephesus-Myndus. Begin with a walking tour of the capital of three great empires--Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman--with visits to the Roman Hippodrome and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art. A flight to Izmir leads to the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, the largest Greek temple ever built and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, followed by a visit to the House of the Virgin Mary. Day 3 takes us to Ephesus, considered by many to be the best preserved ancient city in the world. Here Marc Anthony romanced Cleopatra and St. Paul preached the new religion of Christianity. We then board our gulet, a traditionally built wooden yacht from which we explore Turkey's breathtaking "turquoise coast".

Days 4-8 Dalyan Delta-Caunus-Harbor of Nets-Gemiler Island-Fethiye. During our five-day sailing adventure, we kayak in a protected nesting area for loggerhead turtles and take a river boat through the reed beds to the ancient ruins of Caunus. We stop for a relaxing soak in a natural hot sulphur mud bath and snorkel the next day in the beautiful Harbor of Nets. A hike to the ruins of Lydae allows for a visit with a shepherd family and then it's on to Gemiler Island for a hike to the Byzantine ruins spread among the woods of wild olive and oak. The following day it's off to the ghost town of Kayakoy with a walk through fields filled with sage, thyme and lavendar. Our sailing adventure concludes in Fethiye, where we visit local markets and its famous rock tombs.

Days 9-11 Istanbul. A morning flight back to Istanbul allows plenty of time to explore the exquisite Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar. We save the best of Istanbul for last--a visit to the magnificent Haghia Sophia built by Emperor Justinian in 537 A.D. Additional sights include Justinian's Basilica Cistern and Topkapi Palace, home to the Ottoman sultans for over 300 years. We share stories at our farewell dinner of our journey and its unforgettable people and places and transfer to the airport after breakfast the final morning for flights home.