TREKKING THROUGH HISTORY AND CULTURE

This week trekking program offers glorious views of the LATMOS mountains dotted with picturesque villages.
You will accommodate in village environments, far from the city noise, in clean rooms and eat our organic meals, prepared by the women of our family on our guided trek from Labranda to Heraclia. During the trekking: you will walk at lake view, within history, in the flora of the Latmos Mountains among huge metamorphic rocks. And then you ll have daily routes which you can explore yourself.
By Bafa Lake in Heraclia folds a 11 km long and 8 km wide rock landscape beyond the Besparmak mountains. Here you can explore in late antiquity and the Byzantine Empire and see the rock tombs, cave paintings, Zeus shrines and enjoy a magnificent view from the top of the mountain.City walls 6500 metres long and walking up to the watch tower of the ancient Herakleia town for breath-taking view.
Stylos Monastery that was built by St. Paulos in 10.th century decorated with beautiful frescoes, continue by walking up to King's Road and Seven Brothers Monastery.
In Antiquity, Labraunda (alternatively Labranda ) in the mountains near the coast of Caria in Asia Minor was held sacred by Carians and Mysians alike. The site amid its sacred plane trees was enriched in the Hellenistic style by the Hecatomnid dynasty of Mausolus, satrap of Persia (c. 377-352 BC), for whom it was the ancestral sacred shrine. The prosperity of a rapidly hellenised Caria occurred in the fourth century BC]. Remains of Hellenistic houses and streets can still be traced, and there are numerous inscriptions. The cult icon here was a local Zeus Labraundos, a standing Zeus with the tall lotus-tipped scepter upright in his left hand and the double-headed axe, the labrys, over his right shoulder. The cult statue was the gift of the founder of the dynasty, Hecatomnus himself, recorded in a surviving inscription.In the third century BC, with the fall of the Hecatomnids, Labraunda passed into the control of Mylasa. The site was later occupied without discontinuity until the mid Byzantines period.
Comakdag lies on the eastern slopes of the Latmos mountains.
A totally separate world covered with greenery, It has successfully preserved its culture with its artistic houses vibrating with history and wedding feasts lasting for days. Fabulous silk weavings decorate the people and the stores all around. In wandering around the village, the houses are works of art. They each have a different handwork and a distinct architecture. These houses reflect a history, and astonishing beauty, of 400 years with the handwork on the doors, windows and cupboards.
According to the villagers, the stone houses were built generally as a single room. However, some villagers who wanted to increase the number of rooms in their houses built two or three rooms. The walls keep the interior of the houses warm during the winter and cool in summer.
Forest trails along the mountain range Karacam is surrounded by vistas of mountains, towns and minarets, accompanied by the scent of wild herbs and pine trees leads past small villages musty and ends in a path to the cozy blanket village Etrim. Or experience Pedesa fort and a 360 degree panoramic view of Bodrum, before visiting St. Peter's castle in the city center. End your hiking trip with a view over the town in ruins Sandima, a climb to the top of Cheese Rock (Partipanaz Rock) and a dip in the sea at Yalikavak Beach while walking boots pausing. Be aware that there are few marked trails in Turkey.

Included are:

• 5 nights accomodation staying at villagers houses. Depending on the amount of guests, rooms can be occupied up to 6 persons. Primitive but clean.
• 2 nights accommodation hotel Diamond of Bodrum or Scanway Bayview
• 7 days of walking
• breakfast and dinner
• sandwiches will be prepared for lunch
• transfers to the starting and ending points
• maps and route descriptions
• a cell phone for emergencies
• a Tour Rep to oversee your tour
• Airport transfers

Not included are:

• Lunch and Drinks

Accomodation: WINTER 2010/2011 till 15 Apr

Diamond of Bodrum ***** is close to the center and only 20 minutes walking to the city center.
It has one the best views in town overseeing the castle. Has its own beach and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. There is also a fitness center available.