This tour starts after lunch and ends after dark. First you swim in the pine-fringed ancient harbours of Phaselis, then you walk through the ruins of Olympos along a stream down to the sea. As the sun sets you climb the hillside above Çıralı to see the Chimaera – flames that have burned out of the rocks on their own for thousands of years.
Swim in the shade of pines at three-harboured Phaselis, walk the stream-side ruins of Olympos and watch the flames of the Chimaera burn at dusk, as they have for thousands of years: a private afternoon tour from Kemer and Antalya. Suggested duration 8 hours; pickup from hotels in Olimpos, Cirali, Tekirova and the rest of the region. Prices start at €440 per vehicle, paid to the driver on the day.
Last updated:
The 40 km of coast between Kemer and Çıralı lie inside Beydağları Coastal National Park. Here the ancient cities blend into forest and sea: at Phaselis you walk off the end of the colonnaded street straight into a cove, and at Olympos sarcophagi stand among laurel and oleander.
The Chimaera (Yanartaş) is natural gas seeping from the rocks on the mountainside and igniting on contact with air. The flames are most impressive as darkness falls, which is why the programme starts at noon and keeps the Chimaera for last. The path climbs for about 20–30 minutes.
The programme lasts about eight hours and is easy from Kemer, Tekirova, Çamyuva and Beldibi. You can also join from central Antalya; you are back around 21:30–22:00. The price is per vehicle, and dinner in Çıralı can be added to it.
Stops are shown in a typical order; your driver waits at every stop.
Founded by settlers from Rhodes in the 7th century BC, Phaselis was a crossroads of trade between Lycia and Pamphylia thanks to its three natural harbours. Baths and the agora line the harbour street, the remains of Hadrian's gate stand at the city entrance and the aqueduct runs through the forest. After the visit you can swim in the cove of the southern harbour in the shade of the pines.
On the way from Phaselis to Olympos the road runs along the foot of Mount Tahtalı (2,365 m). A short stop at the viewpoint lets you photograph the mountain falling to the sea. If you have the time and budget, the Tahtalı cable car can be added in the morning – this needs a longer package.
One of the Lycian League cities with the most votes, Olympos was built on both banks of a stream running into the sea. Along the path, sarcophagi, a Byzantine building with mosaics, a marble temple gate and the remains of a theatre appear among dense trees. The walk ends at the pebble beach at the mouth of the stream.
The 3 km beach from Olympos to Çıralı is a nesting site of loggerhead sea turtles and has therefore stayed free of large hotels. A late-afternoon swim here, or a seat in one of the guesthouse restaurants under the trees, is the calmest moment of the day.
On the slope above Çıralı, natural gas escaping from cracks between the stones has burned on its own for centuries. The number and size of the flames vary with the season. A stone-stepped path climbs for 20–30 minutes; you need a torch or phone light for the way down in the dark. Ancient sailors used these flames as a lighthouse.
On the way down from the Chimaera you can have dinner at one of the restaurants among Çıralı's orange groves. Gözleme, grilled fish and village salad are local classics. If you tick dinner in the form, the per-person price is added to the total.
Times are an example; your driver adapts the day to traffic, season and your wishes.
According to ancient myth, Lycia was tormented by the Chimaera, a fire-breathing monster with a lion's head, a goat's body and a serpent's tail. The hero Bellerophon mounted the winged horse Pegasus, attacked from the sky and killed it. People saw the flames that never went out on the hillside as the breath of the Chimaera still burning underground.
Science explains the source: gas, mostly methane, forms deep in the ophiolite rocks of the area, rises through cracks and ignites on its own when it meets the air. That is why the flames, which do not go out even in the rain, have burned in the same place for thousands of years.
The history of Phaselis is as colourful as the legends. Alexander the Great spent the winter of 334–333 BC here, and in Roman times the city fell for a while into the hands of pirates. Olympos is associated with the cult of Hephaestus, the god of fire – a link often made with the eternal flames nearby.
Prices are per vehicle and include fuel, motorway and bridge tolls, parking and the driver. Guide, meals and hotel are added as options.
| Duration | FirstClass Van (1–6) | Vip Sprinter (1–16) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 hours | €440 | €560 |
| 12 hours | €580 | €780 |
| 24 hours · 1 night | €720 | €820 |
| 36 hours · 1 night | €1060 | €1450 |
| 48 hours · 2 nights | €1560 | €1980 |
| Add-on | Price | How it is charged |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed guide | €200 | Per day, whatever the group size |
| Lunch | €15 | Per person, for each lunch in the package |
| Dinner | €15 | Per person, for each dinner in the package |
| Hotel accommodation | €60 | Per person per night (sharing a double room) |
Example – 2 persons, 8 hours, FirstClass Van: Private vehicle & driver + Lunch = €440 + €30 = €470
Can be added as options: Licensed guide, Lunch, Dinner, Hotel accommodation.
Distances are approximate road kilometres to the main sight (one way). We also pick up from hotels and addresses not listed – just enter yours in the form.
| Area | Distance | Suggested package | Airport transfer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olimpos | ≈ 1 km | 8 hours | Olimpos transfer |
| Cirali | ≈ 4 km | 8 hours | Cirali transfer |
| Tekirova | ≈ 20 km | 8 hours | Tekirova transfer |
| Kemer | ≈ 35 km | 8 hours | Kemer transfer |
| Çamyuva | ≈ 30 km | 8 hours | Çamyuva transfer |
| Beldibi | ≈ 55 km | 8 hours | Beldibi transfer |
| Konyaalti | ≈ 75 km | 8 hours | Konyaalti transfer |
| Lara | ≈ 95 km | 8 hours | Lara transfer |
| Belek | ≈ 120 km | 12 hours | Belek transfer |
Ideal for those who love nature and history together, couples, photographers and anyone who prefers to stay by the hotel pool in the morning and explore in the late afternoon. The Chimaera walk is moderate; a carrier is recommended for small children.
A guide is optional. Without one, your driver takes you to each stop, waits and helps along the way, but does not give tours inside museums and sites. For in-depth explanations, tick the guide in the form.
No other passengers and no waiting for anyone – the car is yours all day.
The order and length of stops are flexible, with no compulsory shopping stops.
The price is fixed at booking and paid to the driver on the day.
Vixride is a TÜRSAB-licensed travel agency (licence 14798); vehicles and drivers are insured.
Travelled with us? Share your experience on Trustpilot.
The path has stone steps and climbs steadily – about 20–30 minutes for someone of normal fitness. The way back is the same path in the dark, so you need a torch and closed shoes. You can skip this part and stay in Çıralı if you prefer.
The Chimaera flames look most impressive as darkness falls. Starting at noon, we see the ancient cities in daylight and end with the flames. You can also start in the morning and add the Tahtalı cable car; that needs the 12-hour package.
Yes. Phaselis is about 60–75 km from Antalya; the eight-hour package is enough and you are back around 22:00. From Belek and Lara the return is later, so we recommend the 12-hour package.
Yes. The path through ancient Olympos leads straight onto Olympos–Çıralı beach, and the ticket includes beach access. Please keep away from turtle nests.
At one of the family restaurants under the orange trees in Çıralı. If you choose dinner in the form, the per-person price is added to the total and the menu is arranged accordingly.
The tour price is per vehicle: the package costs the same whether one or six people travel in the van. Only lunch, dinner and hotel accommodation are charged per person. The guide fee is per day and does not depend on the group size.
Nothing is charged online at booking; you pay the driver on the day of the tour in cash (EUR, USD, GBP, TRY) or by card. Free cancellation and date changes; please let us know at least 24 hours in advance.
Antalya
From Hadrian's Gate to the stone lanes of Kaleiçi, from the Düden waterfall plunging into the sea to one of Turkey's richest museums: discover Antalya in one day, by private car and at your own pace.
Antalya
The colonnaded street of Perge, the world's best-preserved Roman theatre at Aspendos and Side with its Temple of Apollo by the sea: Antalya's three great ancient cities in one day, by private car.
Antalya
The rock-cut Lycian tombs of Myra, the church of St Nicholas – the original Santa Claus – and a boat trip over the sunken city of Kekova: the finest day on the Lycian coast, by private car.
Antalya
Alanya Castle within its Seljuk walls, the Red Tower and shipyard guarding the harbour, Damlataş Cave beside Cleopatra Beach and Dim Cave in the mountains: see Alanya in one day, by private car.
Pamukkale
Walk barefoot on snow-white travertines, see the theatre and vast necropolis of Hierapolis and swim in Cleopatra's Pool if you like: a private day trip to Pamukkale from Antalya, Izmir, Kusadasi, Bodrum or Fethiye.
Cappadocia
From Antalya to Cappadocia by private car: the Mevlana Museum in Konya and the Sultanhanı Caravanserai on the way, sunset over the fairy chimneys, a night in a cave hotel and Göreme, Paşabağ and Uçhisar the next day.
