Carian Hinterland

Prehistoric cave paintings near the shores of Lake Bafa confirm human settlement dating back over 7000 years. The mystical landscape of boulder fields and umbrella pines rise up to the craggy peaks of the Beş Parmaklar (Five Fingers) mountain range. Fortified islets, Hellenistic temples and secret monasteries tell stories of the moon goddess Selene and her sleeping lover Endymon.

From the Ceramic Gulf the trail rises into to the heart of Caria passing through the carpet weaving villages of Milas to the ancient capital. Passing under the carved ‘labrys’ double headed axe, symbol of Caria, the path ascends to the religious precinct of Labranda worshipping the cult of Zeus Labrandus. The trail continues along stone laid tracks meandering through lush meadows and olive terraces through the foothills of the Latmos Mountains. Aegean culture and tradition characterize the highland villages; the drab colours of the men congregate at the ‘kahve’ tea house are in contrast to the women out in the fields sporting colouful headdress with freshly picked flower.
From the shores of Lake Bafa climbing to the summit of Mount Latmos the trail descends into the pine forests and olive groves of Aydın Provence to the city of Queen Ada, Alinda. Below the sites monumental agora lies above the small town of Karpuzlu, the Carian Trails’ finish line.

  • Routes

    1. Bozalan – Karacahisar 
    2. Karacahisar – Uyku Vadisi – Gökçeler 
    3. Gökçeler – Bahçe – Beçin
    4. Beçin – Milas – Kırcağız 
    5. Kırcağız – Labranda – Kargıcak 
    6. Kargıcak – Ketendere – Çomakdağ 
    7. Çomakdağ – Kayabükü 
    8. Kayabükü – Karahayıt 
    9. Karahayıt – Kapıkırı 
    10. Kapıkırı – Kovanalan 
    11. Kovanalan – Bağarcık 
    12. Bağarcık – Yahşiler 
    13. Yahşiler – Karpuzlu 

  • Coordinates

    Hiking Routes 
    GPX .   KML   Tek Tek

  • Places to Stay

    Gökçeler
    Uyku Vadisi Hotel
    http://www.uykuvadisi.com.tr

    Milas
    Milashan Hotel 
    http://milashanotel.com

    Eldehan Hotel
    http://eldehanotel.com

    Çomakdağ 
    Fatma Kayrak (village house)
    ‭0 (252) 544 80 71‬

    Sakarkaya (village house)
    İbrahim İnce 
    ‭0 (530) 373 73 34‬

    Kapıkırı
    Agora Pansiyon
    ‭0 (252) 543 54 45
    http://www.agorapansiyon.com

    Herakleia Camping
    0537 338 61 45

    Karia Pansiyon
    (0252) 543 54 90

    Selenes Pansiyon
    0542 316 45 50

    Kovanalan Mevkii
    ‭Murat Ali Pınar (place to set up your tent)
    0 (537) 765 14 36‬

    Bağarcık
    İsmail Akarsu (village house)
    ‭0 (256) 781 11 42‬

    Yahşiler
    Muhterem (village house) 
    ‭0 (544) 780 72 57‬