Torres del Paine - more Pain(e) than we had hoped for

Torres del Paine National Park. The crown jewel of the park system in Chile and a World Biosphere Reserve visited by people from all over the world. National Geographic listed it as #5 of The World's Most Beautiful Places. It has been on the bucket list for a long time to come down to southern Patagonia and trek there. It is a long way from anywhere but once in the area it is not that far from El Chalten and Tierra del Fuego so there are other excellent outdoor places within a days bus ride. January and February are the busiest times at the park with December and March being the shoulder season.  Summer is short this far south.

The Cordillera Paine

Cuernos del Paine    

There are a number of hiking options at the park. By far the most popular option is hiking the “W”. A W shaped walk that basically consists of 3 out-and-backs that visit the most scenic spots on the front side of the park. This takes typically 4 to 5 days which fits most tourist’s schedule. This is not a wilderness experience as you will pass hundreds of people on the trail during peak season. For those with more time there is the “O” which does the “W” and then circles around the entire park. This takes 8 to 9 days and is therefore much less traveled. The other nice thing is that the park service restricts the backside of the park to 80 people a day. We did the “Q” which is basically the “O” with a day and a half approach hike across the windblown steppes south of the park. The “Q” covers almost every trail you are allowed to hike in the park without a guide. We also met people who were doing “Y”'s and “U”'s. For accommodations there is the option of staying and eating in the Refugio huts which means you do not have to carry very much on your back. This will run you between $115 and $150 a day depending on the Refugio. The cheap way to do it is to carry your own tent and food. Camping fees are around $9 a person at the pay sites and there are 4 free campsites run by the park. This is where it gets confusing. There are two private companies and the park service CONAF that run the various campsites. Reservations are possible but are not needed at any of the campsites except for the 2 most popular free campsites. These reservations are a scramble to get. You can try to reserve at the CONAF building in Puerto Natales (the closest big town), at the park entrance, or within the park at specific locations that day. We ended up getting our reservations for those 2 sites (Campamento Italiano and Campamento Torres) at the park entrance. The days we wanted were full so we had to push everything back a day making the first 3 days of our trek very short mileage.

The Q: We started on the tail of the Q which meant that we started about 11 miles away from the mountain range we were going to circumnavigate. We took the bus from town to the last stop and got off at the park headquarters.

Start of Q at Administracion

 

At the park entrance everyone had to stop, pay their 18,000 peso (~$25) entrance fee, and watch a video of the park rules. They are VERY serious about fire. If you get caught making a fire in the park or even cooking outside the designated zones you can be arrested and fined. People that have been caught making fires having even been thrown out of the country for life. In 2011-2012 an Israeli burning toilet paper started a fire that burned 40% of the park. At this latitude the trees take 200 years to mature. We passed through a burned area from 1985 that has made no recovery in the 30 years since. The tail of the Q passed through a combination of open grassy steppes and burnt forest. The wind was ferocious across the plains and knocked us around as we tried to walk against it. Trekking poles were a big help.

Initial grassy wind blown plains            

Areas of burnt forest                              

Transition between burnt and old forest

 

The park is located right next to the Southern Patagonian Icecap which is the 2^nd largest piece of ice outside of Antarctica (Greenland is #1) so this has a huge effect on the weather and wind in the area. The burnt forest was sad but starkly beautiful in a way. We walked a few hours to the first free campsite that was in a small hollow tucked out of the wind along the Rio Grey where ducks splashed in the water. This was the only water in the park we filtered because of all the geese in it. Otherwise the water is completely pure and able to be drunk straight from the stream. There are not many places in the world where this can happen. The next day was another short day to get to the Refugio and campsite at Paine Grande where we joined up with the “W” route.   

Lakes abound in the park                             

This rabbit ate a small hole in the bottom of our tent trying to get at our food bag.  They are European hares (an introduced species) and are a big problem in the park.                                                                                                                                

60mph gusts whipping spray off lake surface

Do not plan on coming to Torres del Paine to have a wilderness experience and this is even truer on the “W”. It is more like a human zoo with a lot of younger tourists that like to party and not respect the other people around them. There were a lot of nights where there would be loud voices, yelling, singing, and general obnoxiousness at wee hours of the morning. We did quickly discover that these same people did not like to get up in the morning. If we got up and were on the trail by 0730 (not an unreasonable time) then we typically would be the first people on the trail. That meant we didn't have to see anyone for at least a couple hours before people would start coming down the trail the other direction. We did not have to do the first out-and-back to Refugio Grey since that was where we would be closing out the “O” route. The first out and back we did was up the French Valley to a lookout called Mirador Britanica. This is a viewpoint that is surrounded by stunning mountains and cliff faces.

Ice avalanche down Glaciar Frances    

Upper French Valley and Rio Frances

 

With our (not so) early start we were the first people up there and had 20 minutes to ourselves before the first other people started to arrive. Then in the hour it took us to get back to our camp we passed around 150 people and those were the early risers. It would get even busier later in the day. In fact we thought that the “W” should be renamed the “O-la” since everyone says Hola (Hello) to each other as they pass.

Sunrise view along the W                

Views from part of the W          

Foxes were often seen at campsites

 

The other out-and-back was up the Rio Ascencio valley to Mirador Torres. It is popular to get to this lookout while it is still dark in the morning and then watch the sun rise on the famous Torres del Paine – the namesakes of the park. These are three monolithic towers of rock and the morning sun shines directly on to them. There was a long line of headlamps heading up to the viewpoint that morning. We took a Nalgene full of coffee and our sleeping bags so we were very comfortable as we laid on large rocks and watched the show. There were no clouds and just a small amount of wind so it was a great morning. It would have made a great time lapse movie.

Sunrise on the Torres del Paine

 

This valley was even more crowded then the French valley and by the end of it we were hating people and ready to head to the backside of the park. The final straw was watching an American trail runner elbowing people out of the way on the trail because for whatever reason he couldn't stop running for a minute to get around people politely. It has been one of the few instances on World Tour where we have seen embarrassing American behavior. Plus he was giving trail runners a bad name so it was a double whammy.

The “O” was the part we had really been waiting for. The trail is limited to 80 people a day and everyone has to go counter-clockwise so we would be seeing far fewer people on the trail. In fact when we went through the checkpoint where we had to show our backside permit only 39 people went through that day. The hiking is more scenic though the mountains are not as dramatic as they had been on the “W”.

Hiking into the backside                     

Lago Paine looking toward Argentina

 

Our first night on the “O” there was a very hard frost that night so most everyone was cold that night. By this time we had met a group of friends that we would hang out with every night. It was quite the international group – 2 Americans, a dual Irish-American, a dual Iranian-Canadian, an Aussie, a Scot, and 2 Brits.  One of the British girls (Abi) had been on the boat to Antarctica with us.

Left to right: American, Scot, Brit, American/Irish, American, Iranian/Canadian, Aussie, Brit.

 

We were all excited about the campsite at Refugio Dickson. It had been built up as the best campsite of the trip but we found it to be very mosquito infested and the guy walking around in a Tyvek suit with a respirator spraying the buildings with pesticide did not inspire confidence. It was prettier down near the lake and the wind there kept the bugs away.

Lago Dickson and campsite         

 

John drank a fair amount of wine that night so did not feel that chipper the next day. John Gardner Pass was the next obstacle in front of us. The wind forecast was worse for the next day so we elected to do a double hike past the Los Perros camp to get to a free campsite on the other side of the pass called Capamento Paso. John was feeling low energy but wanted to get to the free campsite. It rained off and on all day and was even snowing on the top of the pass. It was a damp, cold day and not that much fun. The woods, mountains, grey, and rain actually reminded us a lot of being back in Washington. From the Los Perros camp it was about a 3 hour hike to the top of the pass. About an hour into this was when John's mountain luck ran out. We have been pushing our luck in the mountains for the last several years so it seemed like a matter of time before someone got hurt. It would be nice if there was more adventure and excitement in the story but there isn't. We were traveling through an area that had deep areas of mud. So deep that our trekking poles would not reach the bottom of it. John was trying to cross one of these areas using tree roots to keep from sinking into it when he slipped on the wet muddy wood. In the process of stumbling forward several steps his left ankle rolled and he felt a pop. From then on every time the ankle had any lateral motion there would be a painful pop as the peroneal tendon would flip over the bony protuberance of his ankle (fibular malleolus). There is no search and rescue in the park and horses are not able to get to this part of the trail. Luckily as long as the foot was placed flat and the motion was only forward/backwards then he was able to walk. The closest way out of the park was to continue over the pass so we did. We were slower as John had to be very careful, especially when the terrain was uneven.

Paso John Gardner about an hour after injury

 

On the top of John Gardner Pass the wind was so strong that it was almost impossible to take steps forward without getting knocked down. We would have to wait for brief periods of the wind speed dropping to move forward a few steps. The scenery on the west side of the pass is the best of the entire park. From the pass until Refugio Grey is reached is stunning as you look down on the Glaciar Grey and Southern tip of the Patagonian Icecap. We have only seen ice like that in Alaska and Antarctica before. Row after row of crevasses for as far as the eye could see. 

Pictures couldn't capture the scale

Lago and Glaciar Grey                  

 

The last two days to hike out were about 10km each day with much smoother trail so John was able to continue hiking out though once we reached Refugio Grey we were back on the “W” highway.

The end of the trail took us to Lago Pehoe where we were able to catch a boat across the lake to where the busses would pick us up and take us back to town. Despite getting hurt we were glad to have been able to do this trail. We have discussed coming back some day and running the “O” loop over 2 days. Now John has his ankle immobilized in a splint and we will see if this lets it heal or not. In the meantime we are going to go to Santiago to recuperate. Depending on how the ankle is we will either continue on to northern Chile or worst case have to come home for further treatment.

FidEgan's FastPacks - Episode 10 - Tierra del Fuego - running at el Fin del Mundo

John and Kathleen are currently on a world trip where we plan to pursue our passion of trail running through the various landscapes and environments of the world. As we pass through each country we want to post our top pick for a trail run (or hike) that we did. This does not mean that this is the best trail to run in that country. It just means that it was our favorite that we did. We are both using Ultraspire Epic Fastpacks to carry our gear, hence the name of the column.

Where: Glaciar Vinciguerra, outside town of Ushuaia, Island of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Facilities/Trailhead: No facilities. The trailhead is about 10km outside of Ushuaia at Turbera Valle Andorra. A taxi is the easiest way to get there for about 130 Argentine pesos (~$9). We hitchhiked to get back but this may take walking down the dirt road for a bit. 

Fees: Free besides transportation costs to get there.

Terrain/Trials: This ended up being a combination of a run and a hike. There are very flat and rolling sections good for running and very steep sections that we had to hike.  The trail is marked by orange and blue markers.

Trail markers on trees                           

 

Distance: 13km

Description: We had run in the Tierra del Fuego National Park the day before and enjoyed these trails a lot more. The park is a bit of a scam between the high prices the minivans charge to get there and the park entrance fee. The trails in the mountains north of town are more scenic and free so we would recommend going there. 

This trail starts at the end of the road at Turbera Valle Andorra which is a peat cutting operation. The gate says in Spanish “No entrance” but it is referring to cars. It is permitted to walk across their property, just make sure to close the gate behind you. Follow the road a couple of hundred meters and then go left when a trail/secondary road breaks off. If you reach the buildings you went too far. 

Peat cutting farm in front, glacier in back

 

The first 2 km is along a pretty flat section as you pass through areas of cut bog with a gentle river flowing to your right. The trail is marked by yellow stakes and is obvious as you cut across the fields. This was a great section to run through. This eventually led to a bridge that crossed the river where the climbing began. 

Riverside running                                  

 

There are numerous muddy sections where log boardwalks have been built. Better for twisting an ankle on then running.

Log boardwalk after crossing bridge    

This led up to the first steep hill which was a series of switchbacks that led up to a trail intersection. For an added bonus the right trail goes up to Laguna Encantada which would add another hour or more to the experience. Going to the left continues on to Laguna de la where the trail alternates between runnable traverses across the hillside and steep uphill sections. 

Uphill section                                     

Eventually it leads up to where the Rio de Leche is flowing out of the lake. There is a flat area where beavers have built two dams and a large lodge. 

Beaver flats with snow rainbow       

From this flat section of terrain it then becomes steep glacial moraine up the last section to get to the lake. 

Last climb to the lake                     

Despite being late summer here (the equivalent of August) it was snowing sideways with a bitter wind, while at the same time it was sunny, and behind us a rainbow could be seen lower in the valley. Be prepared for every weather imaginable when hiking/running in Patagonia. 

We had to hold each other to stay warm

 

It was a quick trip back down the hill. The guide books say that the hike should take 5 to 6 hours round trip but with running the parts we could the trip took us just over 3 hours with a quick lunch break. We were also told that from the same trailhead there is a 31 km trail that crosses Paso de la Oveja that would make a great trail run but at the same time they said that camping at the lake near the Pass was really worth it so it might make a good backpack/fastpack also.

The South American Un-plan

6 months at home.  Africa was the beginning of the summer but it seems like years ago.  One of the standout experiences of our trip was living and working in Malawi.  Making friends and being part of a community but a community that was nothing like anything we had ever been a part of.  Then we came home.

     For John the transition back to “normal” life in the states was quicker and easier then it was for Kathleen.  John enjoyed the ease of life in the United States.  Grocery stores overflowing with not just any type of food or vegetable that we would want but multiple choices.  Instead of 3 types of breakfast cereal there would be 3 different types of one kind.  We had not driven in years and suddenly we had cars and the ability to drive around and out of town whenever we wanted.  Electricity was available 24 hours a day.  Clean drinkable water was available out of a tap.  It may have been because of the ease of all of these things that Kathleen had a harder transition back.  Realizing that most of the world does not have the abundance and luxury that America and Europe have bothered her more.  Even harder to understand was how this abundance is just taken for granted here.  Yes, there is hunger and homelessness but in Malawi most of the children we saw had stunted growth from malnutrition.  Protein is not a usual part of their diet.  The main source of nutrition is corn porridge (similar to grits) with a little bit of vegetables mixed in.  Meat is too expensive for most of the people.  Clean water means walking to a town pump to fill jugs.  The difference between “poor” Americans and “normal” sub-Saharan Africans is still a big jump.  This transition back to an American/Western lifestyle took Kathleen longer to adjust back to.

     Then we were back for 6 months.  During that time John worked as an Emergency Veterinarian as much as possible to save up for the next chapter of World Tour.  Kathleen started working as a gear representative for a hydration pack company called Ultraspire where she is also one of their sponsored athletes.  She started reconnecting with friends and trail running a lot.  After a summer and fall of incredible runs and adventures Kathleen felt like she was finally getting back into solid running shape with a group of friends that wanted to run on a regular basis.  6 months was enough time for her to just be getting back into a comfortable routine.  John on the other hand was back in his work routine and missing the days of being a nomad.  Some months he was working more than full time.  During the summer it was fun being back but once the grey, dark, and wet returned to Seattle he was ready to leave.  

     Whatever head space we are in at some level does not matter because we are about to launch into the South America leg of our World Tour.  We fly to Santiago, Chile on 9 January and will be in South America for 6 months.  As usual, we have a rough idea of what we want to do but no definitive plans. Besides the plane ticket there is no set itinerary.  The plan is to initially go and make an attempt on Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Western and Southern Hemispheres.  John summited this mountain in 2001 and Kathleen wants to make an attempt.  We then plan on going to El Chalten to do trail running, trekking, and climbing in the area around Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre.  All these mountains are in Argentina where the peso just collapsed 40% in the last few days making everything on sale if you have American dollars.  We plan on being at the foot of Fitz Roy on 14 February to have a memorial service for our friend Chad Kellogg who tragically died descending that mountain two years ago.  Then it is off to Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America.  We plan on swinging around into Chile (probably early March at this point) to explore Torres del Paine and do some more trekking.  Eventually we will make our way north through the Chilean Archipelago to the Atacama Desert (the driest place on Earth) and then to the salt flats of Bolivia.  Continuing on to Peru we plan to see Machu Pichu (this will be a repeat for Kathleen), hike in the Cordillera Blanca Mountains, and hopefully do some volunteer veterinary work.  Then to Ecuador to climb Chimborozo.  The summit of this mountain is the closest to the sun a person can get while attached to the planet.  The Earth bulges at the equator so this mountain sticks out into space more than any other spot including Mount Everest.  Lastly, we plan on being in Columbia to meet our friend Amanda McNabb and do some bike touring.  We will be back by July 1 as John's hospital had an opening that needed filled.  6 months to explore another corner of the world together which should be just enough time for us to just have readjusted to being on the road again.  Then we will have to readjust back to the US again. 

     We have been fortunate to have been supported on our World Tour by a few sponsors and that continues.  GU Energy Labs gave us a huge amount of gels and chomps that we continue to use on our adventures.  Ultraspire gave us new Epic Fastpacks to use as our day packs and even hired Kathleen as an employee this summer.  Seven Hills Running Shop has continued to help us out over the summer since we tend to burn through running shoes pretty quickly.  Lastly we are psyched to announce that Vasque footwear contacted us this summer and asked if we could be Adventure Travel Ambassadors for them.  Since we already used their products it was a natural fit so now we have new boots and running shoes from them.

     Stay tuned to the blog and Facebook for the continued travels of the FidEgans and Knucklehead Adventure Tours.

FidEgan's Fastpacks - Episode 9 - Reaching the high point of Malawi

John and I are currently on a world trip where we plan to pursue our passion of trail running through the various landscapes and environments of the world.  As we pass through each country we want to post our top pick for a trail run that we did.  This does not mean that this is the best trail to run in that country.  It just means that it was our favorite that we did.  We are both using Ultraspire Fastpacks to carry our gear, hence the name of the column.  On this trip John carried his larger backpack to carry more gear while I used my Fastpack.

Due to an unfortunate error while (attempting to) download our pictures they were accidently deleted. 

Where:  A traverse of the Mount Mulanje massif in southern Malawi right on the Mozambique border.

Mount Mulanje massif (Google images)

 

Facilities/Trailhead:  We started our hike from the Likhubula Forestry Office/Park Entrance.  We hiked out at Fort Listers Gap which was just a small farming village with no park facilities there.  It took a half day of mini-buses to get to the Likhubula Forestry Office from the city of Blantyre.  We were very lucky to have hitched a ride out of Fort Listers Gap.  This village is on a very rough dirt road and is a long way from any public transportation.  Once you reach the town of Phurumbu it is still a half day of mini-buses to get back to Blantyre.

Fees:  The park entrance fee is only 100 Kwacha (22 cents) per person.  A local guide is required in the park and the government set rate is 11,000 Kwacha (~$25) per day.  Porters hire out for 8000 Kwacha (~$18) per day.  There is a choice of using the huts or camping.  Even when camping you are free to use the hut to cook dinner in.  Camping was 500 Kwacha/person/night.  Our experience has been that huts tend to be crowded and noisy so we elected to bring our own tent.  We were glad we did as it provided both privacy and a better barrier against bugs at night. 

Terrain/Trials:  There is a network of trails that intersect between all the huts scattered around the massif with trails that come up from the various villages around the mountain.  A trip from one day to over a week could be arranged depending on how long you would want to hike there.  There are also a number of peaks on the top of the massif that can be climbed.  These range from walk ups to technical rock climbing to get to the top of. 

Distance:  We never saw a map with distances so are not sure about the actual number of kilometers covered.  We did hike 4 hours the first day, 8 hours the second day (5 of those were going up and down Sapitwa Peak), 8 hours the third day, and about 3 hours the last day (though without a ride it could have been many hours more).

Description:  The guide we had found in Blantyre was named Fanuel and he ended up being great.  He was born and grew up at the foot of the mountain and is now very active in the Blantyre Mountain Club.  He often climbs there just for fun and has been up most of the peaks including the technical ones.  He is an orphan and the eldest of all his brothers and sisters.  He is supporting his entire family along with 4 Mozambican orphans (one of which is blind) trying to get them through school.  We highly recommend him as a guide and we hired his brother Victor as a porter.  It is possible to contact him via phone (0999329808) or email (fanueljarson@yahoo.com).  Other guides can also be found in the town of Mulanje.

Our mountain goat guide Fanuel

     There are several trails from the Likhubula Forestry Station to the top of the escarpment.  As usual we chose the shortest but steepest way called the Skyline Trail.  At the base of the mountain are verdant green tea plantations and most of the mountain is steep rock cliffs that go up to the upper plateau.  The lower elevations tend to be hot and the clay soil makes it very slippery if there has been any recent rain.  A variety of birds and vervet monkeys could be seen in the trees.  There were leopard here at one point but none have been seen for many years.  Once on the upper plateau there is an entire new mountain range on the top.  A variety of mountain summits stick up with valleys and ridgelines in between them.  We spent the first night at Chambe Hut and this was the only night where there were other tourists around.  The amount of stars visible at night was stunning. 

Day 2 involved hiking 3 hours to Chisepo Hut.  We left our packs and Victor at the hut while the rest of us hiked to the top of Sapitwa Peak which is the high point of Malawi.  It is not technical to summit but it is steep in places and scrambling across rocks and ledges is required.  Starting early in the morning is recommended as in the afternoon the view is often obscured by clouds.  From the top there are extensive views over the plains into Mozambique.  Some people have been known to camp on this summit.

Day 3 was a long day and we were tired from the previous days effort.  We hiked to Sombani Hut but the nice thing was that there were 2 other huts along the way which provided good places to stop and take a break.  The day consisted of a series of climbing up and over a ridgeline and then across a valley with a river marking the low point of the valley.  Many of these rivers had inviting looking swimming holes in them.  On each day we had come across multiple villagers poaching cedar logs out of the forest but on this day we saw the most. 

One of the many swimming holes (Google images)

Day 4 was a short day of hiking back down the mountain to the plains to a village called Fort Lister Gap.  In 1893 the British built a fort there to try to end the slave trade caravans that were moving between Malawi and Mozambique.  It was a easy and scenic hike.  We were lucky once we hit the rough dirt road in Fort Lister we were able to find someone with a car that gave us a ride.  Without that it would have been a very long road hike or ride on a bike taxi to get to the town of Phurumbu where mini-bus transport can be found back to Blantyre. 

A wide variety of trails are on the mountain.  Day hikes or overnight trips are possible.  With a week or more pretty much the entire upper mountain could be explored.  There are also a number of different mountains that could be climbed of varying difficulty.  It was a beautiful place and the locals could use all the tourist money they can get.  The more tourists that visit places like this, the more likely those places will be protected by both the government and the local villagers. 

FidEgan's FastPacks - Episode 8 - The Lycian Way - Turkish Hiking, History, and Hospitality

John and I are currently on a world trip where we plan to persue our passion of trail running through the various landscapes and environments of the world. As we pass through each country we want to post our top pick for a trail run that we did. This does not mean that this is the best trail to run in that country. It just means that it was our favorite that we did. We are both using Ultraspire Fastpacks to carry our gear, hence the name of the column.

In this case this we did this trail as a backpack. It theoretically could be done as a Fastpack but because we are currently living out of our backpacks, and it's a point to point trail, we elected to carry all of our gear and full camping equipment and take our time as we moved along the coast. It was just easier that way.

One of many incredible sunsets

Where: A hiking trail that follows the southern coast of Turkey between the cities of Fethiye and Antalya. Most people hike this trail in the spring, but fall is another popular time. Summer is too hot and during the winter the upper terrain is covered in snow.

Facilities/Trailhead: The trail ends are in the villages of Ovacik in the west and Geyikbayiri in the east which are close to the towns of Fethiye and Antalya, respectively. There are many towns and villages along the route that have bus and dolmus (minibus) service so shorter sections of the trail can be easily hiked. For the entire length of the trail with the exception of two sections in the eastern mountains there are pensions and hotels you can stay at. Sometimes this means catching a dolmus at the end of the day to get into town but you could do the majority of this trail without camping gear. However, if you have a tent and cooking gear then the variety of camping spots is vast. Water is the only limitation when it comes to camping as this region is very dry. Many of the cisterns and water sources along the trail are less than ideal. If you camp then you absolutely will want a water filter (not just water purification tablets). Camping fuel is also a difficult find. White gas or butane canisters might be able to be found in Fethiye or Antalya, but not easily. A Whisperlite International that burns gasoline would be a good choice. 

Kabak Beach pension    

Camping amongst ruins

Fees: There is no cost involved with hiking the trail itself except for at Chimaera and Guynuk in the eastern end of the trail.  There the trail passes through "park" areas that charge a few dollars for entry.  If you are going east to west there would be a charge to enter Olympos but going the other way you enter the area from the mountains were there is no entry gate.  Staying in pensions ran in the 70 to 120 Turkish Lira range per night (~$30-$55) for two people. Eating in restaurants usually cost about 15-20 Lira ($7-9) for an entree. The food in Turkey is amazing, one of many things we will miss about this country. Word of warning about this trail – the availability of ATMs along it is sparse. Have plenty of cash on hand so that you don't run out in the middle of the trail (like we did) which involves a day of riding buses for hours to get to a money source.

Terrain/Trails: The trails runs the gamut of terrain types. From goat paths, to single track trails, sandy beaches, Lycian and Roman roads that are worn smooth by 3000 years of feet and hooves on them, to dirt and paved roads. Much of the smaller trails are covered with fist size rocks that would probably make running on the terrain (for many) painful. The trails are marked by yellow signs and red/white paint hashmarks. For the most part the trail is well marked and if you go more then 200 meters without seeing a marker then you need to start looking around. Many days we would miss a marker or turn but would quickly realize it. There is some trail rerouting going on Gurses and Demre which is the only area where we really got lost. Part of our problem was that we had an old edition of the guidebook and map. Having the current edition with the latest updates probably would have solved that problem.

Sign trail markers 

Paint trail markers

Distance: The trail runs for over 500km (300+ miles) along the coast and coastal mountains of southern Turkey. The guide books describe hiking the trail over a 30 day period. We took 38 days as we would find a scenic beach or town and not want to leave. It was refreshing not to have to make a deadline as there are some incredible spots along the coast that warrant a longer stay.

Description: This trail has a huge amount of the three things we like best about Turkey – hiking, the history, and the hospitality. The hiking is gorgeous. Sometimes you are at sea level walking along the beach. At other times you are at 5000+ feet with panoramic views. Every corner we went around there was a new sight or perspective to see. The history along the trail is like nowhere else we have ever seen. Layer after layer of history going back 3000 years just lying in the bushes everywhere as we walked along, from the early Lycians who fought against Greece in the Trojan War, to Persia, Alexander the Great, Romans, Byzantine, the Crusades, the Ottoman Empire, and now theTurkish Republic. There are all types of ruins and buildings all along the trail: Lycian tombs, remnants of cities, Roman amphitheaters, baths, and aqueducts, some of the first ever Christian churches, forts built by Christian Crusaders, Ottoman era cisterns, and statues of Ataturk line the path that we hiked. It was a rare day that went by without passing some piece of history. 

Trail is a Roman aqueduct

Roman aqueduct Delikkeer

Statues of Ataturk abound  

After several earthquakes some of the ruins are now under the ocean where you can swim or kayak over them. Turkish hospitality like most Muslim hospitality we have met cannot be beat. Strangers would invite us to stop and have tea, bread, and olives with them. People would pick apples, pomegranates, and grapes and give them to us as we hiked by their homes. The Turks would also be very helpful as we moved along the trail. Many times as we left one village we were told that their friends in the adjacent village would be ready to receive us once we got there; “it is only a phone call away”, they'd say. The one warning we would offer for those considering this trail is to beware if you are allergic to bees or have a fear of snakes, or dogs. This region is known for its honey making, especially in the western part of the trail closer to Fethiye. There were thousands of bee hives that we passed so often you could hear the trees buzzing with them, and some of the water sources are overwhelmed by them. The bees seemed fairly docile, however, so as long as you don't freak out they will not bother you. John did get stung once in the ankle when one got caught between his foot and shoe but that was a freak occurrence. 

Cluster of bee hives

We saw multiple snakes. None of the ones we saw were poisonous, though they do exist here. Most were grass snakes which are harmless as was the Whip Snake we saw. However, the Whip Snake was very large (~6 feet) and moved super fast (faster then we could run) which was a little unnerving. Probably the biggest threat was all the dogs, especially the sheep dogs guarding their flocks. Many were just noisy and were scared to come close but there were a few that were downright aggressive and had to be chased off with our hiking poles. We were warned by several Turks that these dogs can be dangerous, especially at night. 

View over Olu Deniz

Canyon to Alinka

Leto Temple, Letoon

Letoon Amphitheater

Harpy Tomb, Xanthos

Amphitheater, Xanthos

Tombs with Arch of Modestus

Genoese fort, Simena              

Ucagiz Bay                             

Medusa, Myra                        

Tombs in Myra                      

If you enjoy eating excellent food, good hospitality and hiking all day through ancient history then this trail might be for you. There is a reason it was voted on the World's Ten Best Walks.