Central AnatoliaModerate4 days · 210 km
The Seljuk Heritage Trail
Konya to Beyşehir
Walk in the footsteps of Rumi through medieval caravanserais, hand-painted mosques, and the serene shores of Beyşehir Lake — Turkey's largest freshwater lake.
ALI KOCAADAM · Turkey Travel Guides
Unique Routes
Across Turkey
Hand-researched paths through Anatolia's valleys, plateaus and ancient towns — built for independent travellers who prefer depth over checklists.
Explore Routes
Based in Konya, Turkey
200+ routes documented across Anatolia
The Person Behind the Routes
Not a travel agency.
Just one curious traveler.
My name is Ali Kocaadam, and I grew up in Konya — a city most visitors pass through on their way to somewhere else. Watching tourists rush by the Mevlana Shrine and leave on the next bus always bothered me. There was so much more: the frost-bitten plateau trails at dawn, the shepherd villages that still bake bread in clay ovens, the unmarked Byzantine roads that disappear into juniper forests.
So I started walking them. Then driving them. Then obsessively documenting every turn, every teahouse, every worthwhile detour. What began as personal notebooks became this site — a place where every route I share is one I have personally walked, driven, or cycled myself.
"Share knowledge freely. Inspire authentic travel."
Everything on this site is free, ad-light, and written without sponsored bias. I believe the best travel advice comes from people who have no stake in where you sleep or what you buy — just a genuine love for the road and respect for the places along it.
200+Routes Documented
12Turkish Regions Covered
7 yrsOn the Road
Hand-Curated RoutesSix Routes Worth
Six Routes Worth
Every Step
Each route is researched on the ground — no aggregated data, no sponsored filler. Just honest, detailed guidance for independent travellers.
Central Anatolia
CappadociaEasy3 days · 85 km
Cappadocia Valley Loop
Göreme · Rose Valley · Uçhisar
Wind through fairy chimneys, cave churches painted in Byzantine frescoes, and lunar valleys that glow amber and rose at sunset.
Aegean & MediterraneanChallenging7 days · 320 km
Turquoise Coast Backroads
Fethiye to Antalya via the Lycian Way
Hug cliff-side tracks above impossibly blue bays, descend into ancient Lycian tombs, and end each day in a coastal fishing village with fresh grilled sea bass.
Central AnatoliaChallenging2 days · 28 km
Mount Hasan Ascent
Aksaray · Hasan Dağı Summit
Scale an ancient volcano whose eruption 8,000 years ago was captured in the world's oldest landscape painting. Summit views stretch from Cappadocia to the Taurus mountains.
CappadociaEasy1 day · 15 km
Ihlara Canyon Walk
Selime to Belisırma
Follow the Melendiz River through a 15-km canyon lined with rock-cut Byzantine churches, willow groves, and small family-run tea houses perched on the canyon floor.
Black SeaModerate5 days · 140 km
Black Sea Highlands Path
Trabzon · Ayder · Kaçkar Plateaus
Traverse emerald yaylalar (high plateaus) where Georgian-Laz culture thrives, waterfalls tumble through mist-wrapped forests, and villagers still herd cattle by hand.
Explore by RegionEvery Corner of Turkey,
Every Corner of Turkey,
Mapped & Curated
Six distinct regions. Thousands of years of history. One guide to navigate them all.
Scroll to explore all regions
Editor's PickRoute Spotlight
Lycia, Mediterranean Coast
M540 km
D29 Days
SOct – Apr
The Lycian Way
Fethiye to Antalya — Long-Distance Coastal Trek
Route Length
540 kmEstimated Days
25–29 DaysBest Season
October – AprilStretching 540 kilometres along Turkey's rugged southwest coast, the Lycian Way is one of the world's great long-distance trails — threading through ancient Lycian tombs, ghost villages, and bays so blue they seem painted rather than real.
Each day brings a new layer of history: crumbled amphitheatres lost in scrubland, sea-level sarcophagi half-submerged by centuries of tremors, and shepherd paths that have been walked since before Rome was a city.
ALI KOCAADAM's curated route guide breaks the journey into manageable stages, names the guesthouses locals actually use, and reveals the three detours that most trekkers miss entirely — turning a long walk into a genuine encounter with another world.
Read the Full Route GuidePart of the Mediterranean Long Walks series
Curated by ALI KOCAADAM✦Updated Spring 2025
Practical KnowledgeTravel Tips &
Travel Tips &
Field Notes
Real advice from the trail — packing lists, transport hacks, seasonal timing, and cultural know-how to make every route count.
Gear & Preparation·
What to Pack for a Turkish Mountain Trek
From layering systems to blister-proof boots, here's exactly what belongs in your pack before hitting the Kaçkar or Taurus ridgelines.
01
Getting Around·
Navigating Rural Anatolia by Bus
The dolmuş and intercity coach network is your gateway to Turkey's most authentic villages — if you know how to use it.
02
Planning·
Best Seasons to Visit Each Region
Turkey's geography spans Mediterranean coasts, alpine plateaus, and semi-arid steppe — and each demands a different travel window.
03
Accommodation·
How to Find Accommodation Off the Beaten Trail
Village guesthouses, monastery stays, and pansiyon networks give you closer access to Turkey's landscapes than any hotel ever could.
04
Food & Culture·
Eating Well on a Trekking Budget in Turkey
From a bowl of mercimek çorbası at a roadside lokanta to fresh gözleme pulled off a village griddle, Turkish trail food is one of travel's great pleasures.
05
Culture & Respect·
Understanding Turkish Trail Etiquette and Local Customs
Small gestures of respect — greeting a village elder, understanding land use norms, dressing appropriately near religious sites — make you a welcome guest on any route.
06
New tips added regularly
More routes, more field knowledge.
Our Philosophy
Why These Routes Are Different
In a world of sponsored content and algorithmic recommendations, ALI KOCAADAM is something stubbornly old-fashioned: a personal, non-commercial guide built on curiosity, care, and a genuine love of this country.
01
Off-the-Beaten-Path Focus
Every route deliberately avoids the tourist conveyor belt. You'll discover villages, valleys, and coastlines that most guidebooks have never indexed.
02
Locally Verified Information
Each route has been walked, driven, or researched with people who actually live there. Distances, timings, and conditions are checked against reality — not copy-pasted from the internet.
03
No Affiliate Links or Paid Placements
There are no hotel commissions, no sponsored gear recommendations, no paid-for rankings. What you read is an honest curation — nothing more, nothing less.
04
Free and Open for All Travelers
No paywalls, no email gates, no premium tiers. Every route, every tip, every map is freely available to anyone with a curious spirit and a desire to explore Turkey honestly.
ALI KOCAADAM is a one-person project. No team, no investors, no agenda — just an ongoing effort to share Turkey's extraordinary landscapes and culture with anyone who wants to see them.
Read the full storyALI KOCAADAM
Discover Turkey's Hidden Paths, One Route at a Time.
Hand-curated travel routes through Turkey's most extraordinary landscapes, ancient ruins, coastal villages, and mountain trails — compiled by a local who's walked every one of them.
Owner: ALI KOCAADAM
Address: Lale Caddesi No:16, 42070 Selçuklu/Konya, Türkiye
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +90 500 123 45 67
Legal
Curated with care since 2019
Based in Konya, exploring all of Türkiye
© 2026 ALI KOCAADAM. All rights reserved. Travel content is for informational purposes only. Always verify local conditions before embarking on any route.
ALI KOCAADAM·Türkiye