Jeep Safari

The jeep route into the Xanthos valley

From Fethiye the jeeps leave the coast road and climb into the fertile Xanthos valley, a landscape of greenhouses, orchards and small villages backed by the snow-streaked peaks of the Taurus range. Part of the drive follows forest tracks and dirt roads, so expect bumps, dust and plenty of laughter, with stops for photos at viewpoints along the way.

Your driver-guide knows the back roads and shares stories about rural life and the ancient Lycians who once ruled these valleys. A Fethiye jeep safari is the easiest way to see this inland scenery in one day: everything is organised, the transfers are included, and you only need to bring a sense of adventure and clothes that can get wet.

Tlos ancient city

Tlos is one of the oldest and most important cities of ancient Lycia, perched on a rocky outcrop above the Xanthos valley. Its cliff face is carved with temple-like rock tombs, their stone columns and doorways cut straight into the mountain, and the hilltop is crowned by the walls of a later fortress. Below the acropolis lie the remains of a stadium, baths and a theatre facing the mountains.

The jeep safari stops at Tlos so you can see the rock tombs and the view across the valley while your driver-guide explains the site. If history is your passion, Tlos opening hours run from morning to early evening in summer, and a separate ticket is needed to explore the excavation area in depth on another day.

Yakapark

Yakapark lies near the village of Yaka, where cold springs burst from the mountainside and flow through a network of stone channels, pools and small waterfalls under plane and walnut trees. Wooden platforms sit right above the rushing water, and trout swim in clear pools, making it one of the coolest and greenest spots in the region on a hot summer day.

The park is a refreshing break in the middle of the safari, a place to stretch your legs, dip your feet in the icy water and take photos of the channels. The atmosphere is calm and family-friendly, and the shade is welcome after the dusty jeep tracks. The place is also known for fresh trout from its own pools, and the water stays cold even in August.

Saklıkent Gorge and Gizlikent Waterfall

Saklıkent Gorge is the star of the day: one of the deepest canyons in Türkiye, carved by meltwater from the Taurus Mountains, with sheer rock walls that rise around three hundred metres and in places almost touch overhead. A wooden boardwalk leads along the cliff to the mouth of the canyon, where you step into the knee-deep, ice-cold river and wade upstream as far as you like.

Nearby, Gizlikent, the hidden waterfall, tumbles into a narrow rock cleft reached by a short walk through the water. How to get to Saklıkent Gorge from Fethiye? It is about an hour inland by road, so a jeep safari is a practical way to see it. The best time to visit Saklıkent is from June to September, when the water level is low enough to wade. The gorge entry fee is paid on site.

Mud bath, lunch and the riverside

Before heading back, the safari stops for a mud bath, a playful moment where guests cover themselves in soft natural clay, let it dry in the sun and rinse off in the river. Children and adults alike love it, and it makes for some of the funniest photos of the day. Many say the natural clay leaves the skin soft, but the real reason to join in is the laughter it brings to the whole group.

Lunch is included during the day, served in a relaxed riverside setting; drinks with lunch are extra. If you want more adventure, ringo rafting on the river and a zipline are available as optional extras paid locally. Then the jeeps return to Fethiye, dropping you at your hotel in the late afternoon.