REVIEW · ANTALYA
Phaselis, Ulupinar, Khimera, Çirali, Olympos Beach Tour
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Pine forests and ruins, all in one loop. I like how this day stitches together Phaselis and the Çıralı turtle coast without feeling like you’re rushing through checkboxes. You’ll get ancient stones shaded by pine and cedar, then shift gears to sea-level scenery in Olympos Beydağları National Park. The one drawback is simple: the pace is active, so plan on stairs, uneven paths, and decent travel time between stops.
You also start with hotel pickup and an air-conditioned minivan, which helps a lot in Antalya’s heat and traffic. One more thing to consider: an English guide is not included, so your experience will be best if you’re comfortable reading on-site info or you upgrade for an English guide during the day.
In This Review
- Key highlights worth showing up for
- How This Day Flows: Ruins to Waterfalls to the Turtle Coast
- Price and Logistics: Pickup, Air-Conditioned Comfort, and Admissions
- Phaselis Kemer and Phaselis Koyu: Ancient Port in the Pines
- Ulupinar: Lunch Views, Waterfall Country, and Animal-Friendly Stops
- Khimera/Çıralı: A 3-Kilometer Beach Built for Caretta caretta
- Olympos Archaeological Site and the Coastline Walk
- Should You Book This Tour for Your Antalya Trip?
- FAQ
- How long is the Phaselis, Ulupinar, Khimera, Çirali, Olympos Beach Tour?
- What’s included in the tour price?
- Is lunch included?
- Are admission fees included?
- Is an English guide included?
- Where are pickup locations?
- Is the tour private?
- Can I cancel for a full refund?
Key highlights worth showing up for
- Phaselis in pine and cedar: Greek and Roman ruins set in a forested park area, not a bare-city walk.
- Protected sea turtle setting at Çıralı: you’re visiting the coastline area tied to Caretta caretta breeding.
- Ulupinar’s nature break: a lunch stop geared toward views, a waterfall-style moment, and easy animal sightings.
- Coastline time at Olympos Beach: a walk where the scenery is the point, not a rushed photo stop.
- Admissions mostly included: multiple stops have entry included, which makes the day feel more “worth it.”
- Private-group feel: your group goes together, without mixing with random strangers.
How This Day Flows: Ruins to Waterfalls to the Turtle Coast
This tour is built for a classic south-coast pattern: start with ruins, shift to forest-and-water scenery, then end with beach and coastline. You’re not stuck on one kind of view all day. Instead, you’ll keep changing settings—stones to trees to sand—so the day stays interesting even when you’re out in the sun.
The route makes sense geographically. Phaselis sits near the Kemer area, then you work through Ulupinar, head toward the Çıralı/Olympos coastline zone in the national park, and finish around the Olympos archaeological area and beach. Expect the day to feel like a scenic drive with short, satisfying landings at each stop.
For me, the best part is that the nature stops aren’t just “look at a waterfall, then go.” Ulupinar is framed as a lunch-and-views break, with added time for water/animal moments. And Çıralı is presented in a very specific way: as a protected breeding area along a long sandy shoreline. That means the beach is not just pretty—it has a purpose, and that usually changes how you pay attention while you’re there.
The main thing you should manage is energy. You’ll be walking at several sites, plus there’s transfer time. If you like relaxed sightseeing with long rests, this might feel busy. If you like an organized day where you still get real time outside, you’ll probably enjoy the rhythm.
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Price and Logistics: Pickup, Air-Conditioned Comfort, and Admissions

At $163.21 per person for a 7–8 hour day, you’re paying for a lot of moving parts: hotel pickup and drop-off, transport in an air-conditioned minivan, and multiple admissions folded into the itinerary. That matters because in Turkey, entrance fees and transport add up fast when you self-plan.
Here’s how the included costs shape the value. Some stops list admission as included (and at least one is free), while transport is always included. Lunch and drinks are not included, and an English guide also costs extra if you want one. So the math is pretty straightforward: the tour price covers access to several main sites plus getting you there comfortably; you cover meals and beverages.
Pickup is offered across several Antalya-area areas—Lara, Kundu, Belek, Kemer, Tekirova, Beldibi, and the city center. If you’re staying along the coast in that zone, pickup usually saves you from figuring out timing and local transport.
A practical note: since the tour is private for your group, you can expect less friction than a mixed group day. Still, it’s not a slow private car tour with unlimited stops. You’re on a schedule built around five key stops, so bring patience and comfortable shoes.
Phaselis Kemer and Phaselis Koyu: Ancient Port in the Pines
Phaselis is one of those places where the setting does half the job for you. It’s an ancient Greek and Roman city located in the Olympos Beydağları National Park zone, surrounded by pine and cedar. That matters because you’re not just looking at ruins—you’re walking through a natural environment that cools your whole experience.
Phaselis is listed as being 16 km west of Kemer, reached via the Antalya–Kumluca highway. On the ground, that translates to a day that feels close enough to the coast to enjoy the scenery, but forested enough to feel calmer than you might expect from a busy Turkish seaside region.
You’ll likely spend about an hour at the Phaselis portion tied to Phaselis Koyu, with admission included. An hour is not long, so focus on what you’re there for: the layout of the ruins and the way the site sits inside this pine-and-cedar landscape. I’d also plan to take breaks when you can. The “ruins in the forest” experience is great, but the sun can still get to you in the afternoon.
What I like most about this Phaselis pairing is that it complements the rest of the day. Later you’ll be on sand and near sea turtles. If you only ever saw one type of place, the day could feel repetitive. With Phaselis first, the ruins set a context: you’re seeing the coastline region as a living zone with layers of past and present.
Possible drawback: because the time is limited, you won’t get a slow, museum-style read. If you want deep explanations, that’s where an English guide would help (and it’s an add-on cost).
Ulupinar: Lunch Views, Waterfall Country, and Animal-Friendly Stops
Ulupinar is built around a simple promise: nature plus a lunch break. The itinerary frames this as lunch on site, plus time for a waterfall-style stop and animals. Even if you don’t go expecting a full animal safari, Ulupinar is exactly the kind of stop where small sightings and a cooler atmosphere make the day feel less like an “only ruins” day.
The time here is about 2 hours, and admission is listed as free for this stop. That makes Ulupinar a smart use of time: it’s part of the tour schedule, but it doesn’t add extra ticket stress.
What you’ll be looking for during this block is the shift in scenery. After Phaselis, you’re trading sunlit stones for a more shaded, lush-feeling break. The value is in the pause. You eat, you reset, you step into a different microclimate.
As for food: lunch is not listed as included in the tour’s overall inclusions, even though the schedule calls out lunch time. So plan on paying for your own meal and drinks. If you’re the type who likes to control costs, choose a simple set meal or a local plate, then save your energy for the afternoon coastline walk.
One more practical consideration: this part of the day can be cooler than the open-sun areas, but paths can still be uneven. Treat it like a short nature walk, not a flat stroll.
Khimera/Çıralı: A 3-Kilometer Beach Built for Caretta caretta
Çıralı is the star stop if you care about wildlife and protected nature. The tour description points to it as being within Olympos Beydağları National Park, and it highlights a very specific ecological role: it’s the breeding area for protected sea turtles (Caretta caretta).
You’re visiting a coastline described as formed by three kilometers of beach, with a gentle slope rising from the sea. The beach ends are bordered by cliffs, and the sand is described as fine-grained. There’s also a note about seasonal water: a stream bed in the north flows only in winter. In the south, a stream reaches the sea after running through the ancient city area of Olympos.
That detail changes how you should approach your walk. This isn’t just a beach for photos; it’s a protected zone tied to nesting behavior. Keep your expectations respectful. Move carefully along the shoreline, don’t disturb anything you see, and keep noise low if you notice wildlife activity. In a place like this, the best experience is usually the calm one where you’re observant, not the one where you rush.
The itinerary gives about 2 hours here, with admission included. For most people, that’s enough time to walk the beach edges, check out the coastline views, and soak in the idea of being in a protected breeding landscape.
Where this stop shines is the mix of sea-level beauty and a reason for paying attention beyond scenery. If you’ve had beach days that feel generic, Çıralı often feels different because the tour frames it as conservation country.
Possible drawback: if you want a more structured, explanation-heavy wildlife experience, note that an English guide is not included by default. You’ll still get the setting and time, but your understanding will depend on what’s available on-site or whether you add an English guide.
Olympos Archaeological Site and the Coastline Walk
After Çıralı, the tour heads to the Olympos archaeological area, described as a valley with ancient ruins and also a holiday resort. This is a great pairing because it brings you back to the theme of coastal history—just in a different way than Phaselis.
You’ll spend about 2 hours at this stop, with admission included. The “valley” setting matters. It often feels less like wandering through a single fenced-in monument and more like exploring an area where ruins and resort life overlap. That can be a good thing if you want to see how people actually live near ancient sites today.
And then there’s the beach piece. The overall tour highlights a walk along Olympos Beach, taking in coastline views. Even if the archaeological portion is the main ticketed site, the day is designed so you leave with that ocean-scenery feeling at the end, not just ruins on your mind.
This is also where you’ll notice the day’s pacing most. You’ve done Phaselis, Ulupinar, and Çıralı, so by the Olympos portion you’re probably thinking in terms of posture, shade, and water. The upside is that Olympos is a fitting finish: a place where you can slow down slightly, look out to the water, and end with a scenic memory.
Practical advice: bring water and plan for drinks purchase on the ground, because drinks are not included. Also, expect sandy or coastal conditions around the beach walk, even if the archaeological area itself has mixed terrain.
Should You Book This Tour for Your Antalya Trip?
I’d book this tour if you want one organized day that covers ancient ruins, a forest-and-water break, and a protected turtle coastline—without spending your whole vacation trying to line up bus routes and ticket counters. It’s especially strong if you like variety: not just museums, not just beaches, but all of it in one loop.
Skip it (or at least consider an alternative) if you need a slower pace, hate moving between stops, or you strongly prefer an included English guide. Since English guidance costs extra, you’ll either want to add it or be comfortable learning from on-site information.
One last decision tip: this tour is priced like an all-in transport-and-entry day. If you’d otherwise pay separate entry tickets and hire transport for multiple stops, it often makes financial sense. If you already planned to visit only one site and take the rest of the day at your own beach, you may not get as much value.
If your idea of a great Antalya day is pine forests, ancient ports, and a coastline with a real conservation purpose, this one is a very solid bet.
FAQ
How long is the Phaselis, Ulupinar, Khimera, Çirali, Olympos Beach Tour?
It runs about 7 to 8 hours.
What’s included in the tour price?
Hotel pickup and drop-off, plus transport by air-conditioned minivan.
Is lunch included?
Lunch is not included. The itinerary includes a lunch break in Ulupinar, but you’ll pay for what you order.
Are admission fees included?
Admissions are included for several stops in the itinerary, while Ulupinar is listed as free for admission. Olympos and the other featured sites show admission included as well.
Is an English guide included?
English guide service is not included. It’s offered as an add-on (listed as 100 Euro per day).
Where are pickup locations?
Pickup is offered from Lara, Kundu, Beldibi, Antalya city center, Belek, Kemer, and Tekirova.
Is the tour private?
Yes. It’s private for your group only.
Can I cancel for a full refund?
Yes. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.




























