What's up guys! We're here in Olympos National Park in Turkey and in this video we're going to
show you the best things to do in the area. And we're really excited because it's kind
of an off-the-beaten-path destination. A lot of backpackers and even some tree
houses you can stay in. So excited for it and hope you enjoy the video.
We are Zac and Ine, full-time digital nomads from the United States and Belgium.
We met while studying abroad in 2018 and have been traveling the world together ever since.
We're here to inspire your next adventure, whether it's hiking in the Canadian Rockies,
a road trip through the US, or backpacking across Africa. On our channel you'll find
unfiltered videos of hiking guides and the best things to do in destinations around the world.
Olympos National Park lies to the west of Antalya and to the southeast of Kumluca. It stretches for
about 90 kilometers, or 56 miles, along the coastal highway. It spans over various towns
such as Kemer, Olympos and Cirali. The area is defined by the Taurus Mountains,
with a geological structure made up of limestone and serpentine rocks. This rugged landscape makes
for mesmerizing canyons and tons of outdoor activities. But on top of that you can also
find a handful of interesting ancient cities, beautiful beaches, and a rich biodiversity here.
In this video we'll highlight six of the best things to do in the area.
The sixth best thing to do in Olympos National Park is to visit the Phaselis ruins.
This ancient city can be found along the coast, about 15 minutes from the resort town of Kemer. It
was once an important Mediterranean trading city thanks to its strategic geographical location.
The ancient settlement thrived off of shipping rose oils and timber from the surrounding forests.
Today, three bays and ruined aqueducts of golden limestone
are the only remainder of this once-prosperous Phaselis city.
So we're in the ancient city of Phaselis right now and it's like these ancient ruins.
It's pretty cool to explore because it's right on the water and there's
like these little bays that you can also explore.
Cirali
is one of the most laid-back and natural beaches in Olympos National Park. It's a place where you
can enjoy the clear Mediterranean waters without huge crowds thanks to its lack of major resorts
and hotels. And besides relaxing on the beach, Cirali is also known for its loggerhead turtles
who lay their eggs each year on the beach. If you time your visit right you may even be
lucky enough to have the opportunity to watch the turtles hatch and make their journey down to the
water. When we visited in November, the turtles had already taken off. But we enjoyed relaxing
on the beach as well as hiking a short path of the long-distance Lycian Way. We've included
that hiking route on the map here so you can see the beach views from above for yourself.
The fourth best thing to do in Olympos National Park is to stay in a treehouse. The town of
Olympos, which is located right near Cirali, is filled with these hippie-style accommodations.
Kadir's treehouse is the original one and was established in the 2000s.
It has attracted backpackers from all over the world ever since it opened.
We stayed in Kadir's Treehouse when visiting Olympos and really enjoyed it.
We're here in Kadir's Treehouse and it's in Olympos National Park. It's quite a known place,
especially among climbers because there's a lot of climbing opportunities, a lot of nature around,
and of course the ruins of Olympos itself. So yeah, we're gonna check it all out.
At number three we have the mesmerizing Göynük Canyon which is located near Kemer.
From magnificent waterfalls to pine forests and deep green pools, Göynük Canyon makes
for a great outdoor destination. Explore this beautiful natural wonder while hiking, canyoning,
or camping. We hiked from the entrance of the canyon which was absolutely gorgeous. Then,
we enjoyed a boat ride through the canyon as the weather didn't allow us to go canyoning. However,
we highly recommend going canyoning if you can. There are areas you simply can't access otherwise.
So we're here in Göynük Canyon in Olympos National Park
and it's a really nice hike up to the top here. And at the end you can do canyoning
or for us we're gonna do a small boat tour into the back, which looks really pretty.
At number two we have Mount Chimaera and its eternal flames.
These fascinating natural flames can be found on the rocky mountain side above Cirali village
and near Olympos. The flames have been burning for centuries thanks to a sort
of methane gas that's been venting from the earth on this mountain. It's said that in
ancient times these flames could be seen from the ocean and served as a landmark for sailors.
So we're here at Chimaera, the eternal flame,
and you can bring some marshmallows and roast them here. Our friend Alexander from Russia
is also hiking and offered us some tea, which you can also brew over this flame.
The best thing to do in Olympos National Park in our opinion is to visit the Olympos ruins. These
are located right on the beach of Olympos, which is a modern village named after the ancient city.
Olympos was once one of the most important cities of the ancient Lycian civilization
and a very important trading place. Today, however, the ruins are largely covered by jungle.
This can make it hard to navigate around the ruins, but also makes for a great adventure.
We really enjoyed uncovering different sites such as the theater and forts. We found some
great vistas of the ocean and mountains this way. Excavations of this site are still ongoing.
So we're exploring around the Olympos ruins, which are really awesome because you kind of
navigate your way through the jungle and then down to the beach. Once you
do get down to the beach, you can take a right and then you come across this
ancient castle overlooking the bay behind you which is an amazing view.
Other activities that are worth checking out include a boat tour to the turquoise waters of
Suluada Island, spending time on the beach of Adrasan and walking to the lighthouse,
hiking the long-distance Lycian Way which goes from Antalya to Fethiye
and passes through the national park, and finally exploring Beldibi cave by boat.
Alright guys, that's it for our video on the best things to do in Olympos National Park.
Which location are you most excited to visit? Let us know in the comments below. Make sure
to like this video if you found it helpful, subscribe to our channel for more Turkey videos,
and download our free giveaway in the description below. Catch you on the next adventure!