Dalyan sits on a slow, reed-fringed river in the Mugla region of southwest Turkey, close to Dalaman Airport, and few places on the coast pack so much history and wildlife into such a small area. This four-day package pairs one full guided day on the water with one day in the kitchen. You travel by boat to the Lycian-style rock tombs that look down on the river, wander the ruins of Kaunos, stop at Iztuzu Beach where loggerhead turtles come ashore to nest, and finish the excursion on the shores of Koycegiz Lake. The following day is devoted to Turkish home cooking, so the trip appeals equally to history lovers and to travellers who like to understand a place through its food.
The archaeological side of the tour centres on Kaunos, a city that legend says was founded in the 4th century BC by Kaunos, one of the twin children of Miletos, on the frontier between Caria and Lycia. Its temple-fronted tombs, cut into cliffs that rise almost vertically from the riverbank, were made for kings and noble families and are still the most photographed sight in Dalyan. Iztuzu, a long sandbar between river and sea, is busy with swimmers by day but closed at night so that the Caretta Caretta turtles can lay their eggs undisturbed; nesting runs from May to September, so sightings are only possible in those months. Koycegiz Lake, created by earthquakes around 7,500 years ago and fed by rivers, brooks and warm sulphur springs, gives you roughly an hour of free time at the end of the day.
On the third day a local restaurant hosts your professional cooking lesson. The region is known for vegetable dishes such as okra, peas and spinach, for seafood, above all the blue crab, and for zucchini flowers stuffed with spiced rice, and you eat what you prepare for lunch before some free time and shopping in the town centre. The package covers airport transfers from and to Dalaman, three nights of hotel accommodation in Dalyan with daily breakfast, one lunch, an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned transport and the entrance fees listed in the programme, making it an easy short break on the Turkish Riviera.
| Tour type | Shared small group · multi-day tour |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 Days 3 Nights |
| Price | From €418 per person |
| Departures | Every day |
| Guide | English-speaking licensed guide |
| Stops | 6 |
| Entrance fees | Included |
| Booking | Instant request online, confirmation within 24 hours · TÜRSAB-licensed operator (A-5751) |
Your full program, day by day — click a day to see every stop.
Your holiday begins at Dalaman Airport, where our team meets you in the arrivals hall and drives you the short distance to your hotel in Dalyan. Once you have checked in and received your room key, the rest of the day is free. Many guests use the first afternoon to stroll along the riverside promenade, watch the boats come and go and get a first look at the cliff tombs across the water. There are no organised activities today, so you can rest after your journey and settle in at your own pace. Overnight in Dalyan.
After breakfast you are collected from the hotel and taken to the jetty where the excursion boats wait. The first stop is beneath the rock tombs, carved into cliff faces that slope at around 80 degrees; archaeologists read them as proof of the wealth and power of ancient Kaunos. You then go ashore to explore Kaunos itself, a former coastal city on the Caria–Lycia border. Next comes Iztuzu Beach, a protected nesting ground of the loggerhead turtle, where you may spot turtles between May and September. The cruise ends at Koycegiz Lake, with about an hour of free time by the water before you return to your hotel. Overnight in Dalyan.
Following breakfast you are driven to a local restaurant for a professional, hands-on cooking lesson. Your instructor introduces the dishes that define the local table: vegetable recipes based on okra, peas and spinach, seafood specialities with the famous blue crab, and zucchini flowers filled with rice and spices. You cook step by step and then sit down to enjoy the results as your lunch. In the afternoon you are taken to the town centre for free time and shopping, before being dropped back at your hotel. Overnight in Dalyan.
Enjoy a relaxed final breakfast at the hotel. Depending on your flight time you may have a few free hours for a last walk by the river or some souvenir shopping. At the agreed time you are picked up from your hotel and transferred to Dalaman Airport for your onward or homeward flight, which brings this short Dalyan city and cooking holiday to a close.
Dalaman Airport – Dalyan → Kaunos – Iztuzu Beach – Koycegiz Lake → Dalyan (cooking lesson) → Dalyan – Dalaman Airport
Modern, comfortable and fully-equipped vehicles — the same fleet we use on your tour.
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Extra day tours you can add along your route — Dalaman Airport – Dalyan, Kaunos – Iztuzu Beach – Koycegiz Lake, Dalyan (cooking lesson), Dalyan – Dalaman Airport.
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Real, verified reviews from travellers who explored Turkey with us.
My husband and I chose Inca Tour for our honeymoon and we are so glad we did. The boutique hotel selection was beautiful and the Bosphorus dinner cruise was so romantic. Thank you for making our trip special!
It was important for us to have a guide who spoke Russian, and Ender was wonderful. He explained every detail at Dolmabahce Palace. The Princes Islands day trip was a beautiful break from the busy city.
Our guide Ender was incredibly knowledgeable about Turkish history. The hot-air balloon ride at sunrise in Cappadocia was the highlight of our trip. Everything was perfectly organized — from airport pick-up to the last d...
Ender was our Italian-speaking guide and we felt like family. He took us to local spots tourists never see. The hotel choice in Sultanahmet was perfect for walking everywhere.
10+ years later we still talk about our Cappadocia balloon ride and the Bosphorus sunset cruise. Some memories are timeless. Thank you Inca Tour!