Hisarçandır

Hisarçandır is a destination for travellers who want to include the Lycian Way, mountain hikes and archaeological traces in their holiday plans. The hiking routes lead through valleys and a yayla settlement, while historical sites and a Yörük cemetery offer further insights into the region. When choosing a holiday destination, you can therefore consider whether you want to focus on longer hikes, a shorter route or cultural history.

The Lycian Way and the landscape

The Lycian Way leads from Hisarçandır past the archaeological settlement of Typella towards the archaeological settlement of Trabenna. Another described section runs between Sarıçınar and Hisarçandır: it passes through a yayla settlement with several houses and reaches Hisarçandır via a paved road. On this section, the trail climbs through a valley towards the summit of Mount Sarıçınar. When planning a hike, you can therefore take into account both the route through a settlement and an uphill section in the valley.

The hiking corridor between Sarıçınar and Göynük Gorge runs within the boundaries of Hisarçandır and Beldibi. A documented ancient road forms part of this corridor. For hiking enthusiasts, the route and the historical traces are two distinct aspects of the area; the road between Sarıçınar and Göynük Gorge is registered as an immovable cultural asset worthy of protection.

Hikes with different specifications

The Hisarçandır–Elmayanı hiking route is described as a one-day hike with a total length of 14 kilometres. It passes through the Elmayanı yayla and then returns to Hisarçandır via the slopes of Mount İnceeriş. The mountain’s elevation is given as 1,635 metres. If you are considering a day hike, you can factor this distance and the described route into your plans.

Another hike leads to Dastaratacağı-Uçurumu. It starts near the Elmayanı yayla in Hisarçandır at an altitude of about 1,300 metres and follows forest tracks and trails. The route is about 7 kilometres long and is rated difficulty level 2 out of 6. Cedar, juniper, black pine, Turkish pine, oak and maquis grow along the way. The stated distance, rating and described types of paths give this hike its own specific profile.

Archaeological traces and local history

An ancient settlement area lies at Gederler in Hisarçandır and is registered as a first-degree archaeological site. There is also a Yörük cemetery in the Gederler cemetery. Alongside the hiking trails, these places give the trip a cultural and historical dimension: if you are interested in settlement history and Yörük traditions, you can include them as distinct themes in your holiday plans. Another historical trace is the ancient road between Sarıçınar and Göynük Gorge, which is registered as an immovable cultural asset worthy of protection.

Hisarçandır’s status as a starting point of the Lycian Way is also relevant when planning a hike: it is designated as an existing official starting point. After the ancient road remains have been marked, the official starting point is to be moved to Akdamlar near Geyikbayırı and the maps updated accordingly. If you are planning a hike, you should take this planned change to the starting point into account.

Weighing up Hisarçandır as a holiday destination

The options described offer concrete points to consider when deciding whether Hisarçandır suits your holiday plans: you can take your cue from the 14-kilometre day hike, the approximately 7-kilometre route to Dastaratacağı-Uçurumu, or the archaeological and historical themes. Families planning outings together can use the stated route lengths and difficulty rating when planning their own day. The holiday apartment that suits you depends on which experiences you want to make the focus of your trip.

Discover more places

You can find more pages about localities under Türkler Belediyesi, Çıralı, Gündoğdu, Kaleücagız, Davazla, Ilıca, Oba Belediyesi and Beykonak Belediyesi.

For the broader travel overview: Antalya.