Aphrodisias, Labranda, and Pamukkale
Aphrodisias Mid-Trip Extension
Overview
On this mid-trip extension, hike to a Byzantine monastery and to neolithic caves, walk around Pamukkale's famous travertine pools and sacred spring, visit the archaeological site of Labranda, and discover the beauty of ancient Aphrodisias, a World Heritage Site famed for its art sculpted from marble quarries.
Arrive: Bodrum, Turkey
Depart: Denizil, Turkey
Highlights
- Hike to a Byzantine monastery, visit Pamukkale's travertine pools
- Explore Labranda, with its sanctuary of Zeus, discover the Hellenistic city of Aphrodisias
Itinerary
Days 1-5 follow the Discover Turkey Private Journey itinerary...Meals on your own
Setting out from Bodrum, visit Herakleia en route to Lake Bafa, set in the peaceful valley of the Meander River surrounded by pine forests and olives groves. Here you'll explore the unspoiled lakeside village of Kapikiri, then enjoy a two-hour hike that brings you to the great Byzantine monastery at Herakleia and to neolithic caves with fascinating pictographs. After lunch in the village, visit the charming Carian site of Labranda, with its fascinating sanctuary of Zeus perched in a lovely setting overlooking the plains. Besides the four different androns (“men's sanctuaries”) set into the hill at Labranda, there is an ancient sacred trail here that leads to the town of Milas. You may want to walk a little way on this ancient trail to stretch your legs and enjoy the beautiful countryside. Overnight in the village of Kapikiri on Lake Bafa at the Agora Pansiyon Hotel...BLD
This morning enjoy a drive to Aphrodisias, a marvelous World Heritage Site set in a mountain-ringed valley watered by the River Dandalaz. The city is crafted almost entirely of white marble and has a theater, a stadium capable of seating up to 30,000 people, a charming concert hall, two large agoras, two baths, and the huge Temple of Aphrodite, which was converted into a Byzantine church in the 6th century. From the acropolis hill behind the Aphrodisias theater, archaeologists have unearthed stone and bronze idols dating as far back as 3,000 BC, making Aphrodisias one of the earliest settlements in Asia Minor dedicated to the Megalo-Mater, the great mother. Continue in the afternoon on a drive of about 1.5 hours to Pamukkale, visiting the great ruined city of Hierapolis en route. The 1,000-foot-high Pamukkale plateau is covered in white travertine terraces filled with spring water. Some are shaped like shells, others like water lilies. The terraces are the result of ages of dissolved calcium bubbling up out of an ancient spring atop the plateau and are truly an extraordinary sight, especially at sunset, when instead of gleaming white, they reflect shades of pink, purple, and ochre. Enjoy a walk around Pamukkale's famous travertine pools and sacred spring, which once fed the Roman bath at Hierapolis. The spring has been converted into a large warm-water pool with a floor decorated by submerged marble pillars dating to the Roman era. A dip in this pool is an unforgettable experience. Overnight at hotel in Pamukkale...BLD
Driving Time: Approximately 5.5 hours
Driving Time: Approximately 5.5 hours
Early morning transfer to the airport at Denizil for the flight to Kayseri via Istanbul, then drive to the picturesque citadel town of Urgup and continue with Day 6 of the regular Discover Turkey Private Journey itinerary...BLD
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.