Babadag

Overview

Babadag (Father Mt.) is the mountain which sets off the famous scenic beauty of Oludeniz, part of the Taurus range running across southern Turkey. It is rare to find a mountain rising directly from sea level to a summit of 1969m. Hosting a large variety of flora ranging from rare orchids to old cedar trees, along with an ancient road dated to the Lycian period, this route makes an interesting hike. There has been no path from Oludeniz to Babadag designed for mountain walking since it has not been popular in Turkey until a recent date. This is a combination of several paths formed by shepherds and herds, also using a tiny section of the Lycian way. The route is of intermediate level. Babadag has become one of the most popular paragliding sites in the world.

Comprehensive info, detailed photos & maps can be found at Hiking Babadag website.

Getting There

It’s easy to access near the starting point. From Fethiye there is regular public transport to Oludeniz. When you are near the beach you need to walk to the SE (the opposite direction from the Blue Lagoon) where the walkway parallel to the beach ends with a wall. There are stairs up the wall reaching the road going to Kidrak Beach. Follow the road for 200m. to the direction where it makes a sharp S-turn and then becomes parallel to the rocky shore. When the slope flattens out, on the right there is the White Dolphin Restaurant and across the road you’ll see the mobile phone transmitter and the stairs plotted by green marks. The total distance is 13 km. from start to the peak.

Red Tape

No permits are required. Extreme caution should be shown for fire. In summer, the area is vulnerable to forest fire. No fires should be burnt at any time, at any part of the mountain. The path must be kept clean from litter. In general, hikers must show respect to nature and local culture.

When To Climb

The best season for hiking is either between April to June or September to November. In mid-summer it can be very hot and dry. In winter, as snow covers the high altitudes, the last sections of the path may become difficult to be followed.

Camping

Camping is free, but due to the forest fire risk, burning a camp fire is highly discouraged, especially in summer when it's hot and dry. There is a hut at the peak near the fire watch station. It may be an option as a shelter for hikers to stay overnight.

Mountain Conditions

http://www.turguttarhan.com/hikingbabadag/

Paragliding

Babadag offers a wide range of opportunities in paragliding for any level of experience, all year round but preferably from early May to the end of October. Anyone healthy enough to run, can experience tandem flights as a passenger, provided by travel agencies in Oludeniz town. Here are some websites about paragliding at Babadag:
http://www.altitudeaction.com
http://www.skysports-turkey.com
http://www.babadag.com

External Links

• HIKING BABADAG - sea level to 1969m.
  comprehensive info, detailed photos & maps
  

Images

View Babadag Image Gallery - 23 Images