St Paul Trail

The St Paul Trail is a newer, way-marked footpath leading from Perge, 10 km east of Antalya, to Yalvaç, NE of Lake Egirdir. There is a second branch starting at Aspendos, 40km east of Antalya and joining the first route at the Roman site of Adada.

St Paul Trail by Hollywood_2B

The route totals about 500km.This project partly follows the route walked by St Paul on his first missionary journey in Asia Minor.It starts at sea level and climbs up to 2200m, with two optional peaks at around 2800m. Although the St Paul Trail is slightly wilder than the Lycian Way, it is also higher and cooler in summer. The trip has varied and enjoyable walking days, some of which take you to ridge and peak tops, while others pass through forests, fields and ancient villages. The town of Sutculer, around which you will spend two days in the first part of our walk, was an important administrative centre during Ottoman times. There is an old mosque from that period in the town centre and ruins from the Roman times on a nearby hill. Ancient pilgrimage routes ran through the adjacent gorges, and the area was known as Bavul, after St Paul. The second part of the walk takes you over the shoulder of Mt Davras (2635m), and across the Isparta plain for two days trekking in the Barla mountains with an optional climb of Gelincik Dagi (2799m) and Mt. Kaymaz (2250m). Stay in Barla before moving on to the lakeside town of Eğirdir for an ascent of Sivri Dagi, with time to take a Turkish Bath or swim in the lake.

 Highlights of the St. Paul Trail are:

• The Aksu river crossing and the waterfalls at Ucansu
• The huge pines and firs on the route above Oren.
• The views from the route above the Candir canyon.
• The Roman road at Adada
• Staying on the island in Lake Egirdir & crossing the lake by fishing boat
• The medieval paved road around Sarp peak
• The beautiful village of Beydili
• Following a Roman aqueduct into Yalvac.