Beyond Boundaries Travel: Turkish Southern Aegean Bike & Barge

8 days / 7 nights - approx. 280 km (~175 mi.) by bicycle

Highlights: Ephesos, Milet, Didim, Iassos, Knidos and Datca peninsula

Itinerary:

Day 1 Boarding
Arrival at Bodrum Airport. Transfer to ship. Check-in on board of the gulet starts at 2 p.m. Afterwards, we will show you the old town of Kusadasi and its beautiful promenade.

Day 2 Kusadasi - Ephesos (40 km - 28 mi.)
In the morning you cycle to Ephesos: A native guide will explain the background of this well-known archaeological site with ist famous Artemisian temple. All this culture will have to be digested, so we cycle on to Pamucak's sand beach where we have time to to swim and relax before we return to the ship.

Day 3 Kusadasi - Akbük (65 km - 35 mi.)
We sail around the peaks of the Dilek range that tower 1200m (4,000 ft) above us. We leave the boat in a small coastal village and cycle to Milet, an prototypical ancient greek town with a famous gates. We continue across the wide plains of the Menderes river delta to Akbük, where the Clipper receives you for dinner and the night.

Day 4 Akbük - Iassos (40 km - 22 mi.)
Along the coast, through dense pine forest and remote villages we cycle to Iassos, The excavation site of the ancient settlement is our destination. In the afternoon, the quiet Iassos bay offers itself for a swim and a rest.

Day 5 Iassos - Bodrum (70 km - 40 mi.)
Our longest cycling lap on this trip. Mostly calm back roads lead us through quiet villages and peaceful forests to Bodrum, where the Clipper and dinner await us.

Day 6 Bodrum - Körmen - Knidos (40 km - 25 mi.)
The Aegean Clipper takes us to Knidos, located in a beautiful bay at the tip of the Datca peninsula. After lunch, a quiet panoramic road leads to Datca and on to Körmen for the night.

Day 7 Knidos - Bodrum (20 km - 12 mi.)
Transfer from Körmen to the Bodrum peninsula. We cycle to Bodrum, where we can visit the famous fortress by the Order of St. John or take a stroll through the harbour and the bazaar.

Day 8 Departure
After breakfast it's time for the check-out and transfer to the airport.

This trip is conducted in the opposite direction from time to time. Your boarding harbour is stated on your booking confirmation.

Alterations:
We reserve the right to make alterations to the itinerary, depending on wind and weather conditions or organisational requirements.

Requirements (level 2-3):
The bike routes require a basic level of fitness, which you should have acquired by occasional or daily cycling. The roads are mostly asphalted and there is little traffic outside of holiday periods.The daily routes of 50 km on average cover hilly and mountainous terrain and can be completed without time constraints. You will also come across some longer and rather steep climbs, where you may want to push your bike. The tour guides will inform you about the course of the tour in due time. You can always choose to skip a bike tour and spend the time sunbathing on the ship instead.
Furthermore, you always have the option to cycle individually or with other participants, using the maps provided. This would give you time to take photographs, explore flora and fauna or other sites at your leisure.

The Turkish Aegean Ship, "Flash VII"
The two-masted motor yacht "Flash VII" is a new gulet with comfortable interior. She was built in 2002 and has two engines. Her teak deck is 110 ft long and 28 ft wide and houses 10 spacious double cabins with French beds. Six of the cabins offer an additional single bunk. A comfortable interior with bar as well cushion seats and reclining chairs offer ample space for the passengers. Travel speed is 10 knots powered by the engine and 4-6 knots under sails.
The size and shape of the cabins may vary according to the shape of the ship, but all cabins have comfortable, functional equipment, a shower/wc, a porthole and 2 beds side by side or one French bed. There is a small wardrobe or an open shelf. They offer enough space for sleeping and storing a travel bag or sea bag. Allocation of the cabins is the responsibility of the tour organizer and cannot be influenced.
The beds will be made upon your arrival. Please bring your own bathing towels (even though there are towels available for use in the cabin). Please note that there is no room cleaning service during the trip. Please refrain from smoking in the cabins or the saloon.

Arrival by air
Bodrum airport is situated approx. half an hour from Bodrum and 2.5 hours from Kusadasi. Izmir airport is 1.5 hours from Kusadasi and 3.5 hours from Bodrum.

At the airport, you will be received by a person carrying an "Inselhüpfen" panel. We generally organize small buses for the transfer, so please bear with us if we are required to wait for guests from other destinations.
Greece and Turkey are on Eastern European (Summer) time, i.e. GM(S)T + 2 hours

The transfers from and to airport Bodrum are for free. When you are arriving at a different airport (e.g. Izmir) you must pay for the transfers.

Catering:
The cook on board is a member of the crew of four and prepares the breakfast and two warm meals a day. The full board starts with the dinner on the arrival day and ends with the breakfast on the departure day.

Guided tour:
The tour will generally be guided in the German language. One of the guides will translate into English for non-German-speaking participants.

Children:
We believe that only children in a good physical condition and of a minimum age of 10 and previous bicycle tour experience are able to master the bike-tours on their own strength.

Services:
- 8-day-trip on a motor yacht with a crew of four
- 7 nights on a motor yacht in a double cabin with shower
- 7 x half board, 3 x lunch on board
- German and English-speaking tour guide
- 6 guided cycling tours on the different islands
- Transfer from Bodrum airport to the ship and back
- 21-speed rental trekking bicycle

Additional services:
- A 1/2 double cabin can be booked
- Additional nights in Bodrum or Kusadasi
- Transfers from Izmir airport to the ship and back

Additional costs:
- Visitor's tax and local charges (to be paid to the captain)
- Drinks on board (tally sheet)

PRICE : Please call Beyond Boundaries Travel at 1-800-487-1136 for pricing and dates.

Reductions:
If you book a cabin for three persons, get a 50 % price reduction for the third person (regardless of age).

If you combine that tour with the tour "Greek Aegean Central" or "Greek Aegean South", you get a reduction

Minimum: 14 participants
Maximum: 18 participants