Daily Dalyan City Tour from Mugla – Kaunos, Iztuzu Beach & Koycegiz Lake

Dalyan Day Trip from Mugla – Rock Tombs, Ancient Kaunos and Turtle Beach

This daily Dalyan city tour from Mugla takes you to the delta town of Dalyan on the southwest coast, a place where history and nature meet at every bend of the river. In one guided day tour you cruise to the cliff tombs of Kaunos, explore the ancient city itself, relax on the protected sands of Iztuzu and enjoy free time on the shore of Koycegiz Lake.

• Kaunos Rock Tombs – royal graves carved into cliffs that climb at angles of up to 80 degrees
• Ancient Kaunos – a city on the historic frontier between Caria and Lycia
• Iztuzu Beach – a nesting ground of the loggerhead Caretta Caretta turtle
• Koycegiz Lake – roughly one hour of free time beside a lake formed by earthquakes
• Hotel pickup and return in Mugla with an English-speaking guide

Dalyan sits in the heart of its own river delta and is known above all for the rock tombs of Kaunos. These temple-fronted burial chambers were cut into sheer rock for kings and aristocrats, and experts regard them as a measure of the wealth the city once enjoyed. Legend says Kaunos was founded in the 4th century BC by a twin son of Miletos; in the archaic period it was a coastal port, and the tombs were deliberately placed to overlook the landscape.

Iztuzu Beach is shared between people and wildlife: visitors swim and sunbathe during the day, but at night the beach is closed to give hundreds of nesting turtles the peace they need. Koycegiz Lake came into being around 7,500 years ago after a series of earthquakes; fed by the Namnam and Yuvarlakcay rivers, mountain streams and warm sulphurous springs, it reaches depths of 20 to 60 metres and is rich in fish. This daily excursion is relaxed in pace and suitable for all ages. Entrance fees for the listed sites are included, while lunch is not included – an easy Dalyan day trip from Mugla with transport in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle.