About Us

More and more people these days are demanding personal and meaningful vacations, rejecting large package tours to travel in small groups, with good companions. These discriminating travelers want to be physically active and intellectually challenged, without rushing from one place to another. They want to absorb new environments, not just watch from the bus, take pictures and move on to another hotel. They don't want to spend long boring hours on the road; instead they prefer to focus on special areas and visit them at an enjoyable pace, meeting real people and learning their culture and customs.These travelers are tired of mass-produced food and big concrete hotels with lots of facilities, but no character.They realize that authentic meals and accommodation are important aspects of the travel experience.

Located at the intersection of Europe, the Caucuses, Asia, and the Middle East, and bordered by the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, Turkey is a uniquely appealing destination for travelers like these. Our country has been home to many cultures and civilizations; boasts a diverse landscape with unspoiled flora and wildlife; and has also, of course, developed an outstandingly rich cuisine.

Hike'n Sail in Turkey has accomplished the difficult task of combining all these attractions in an active and memorable trip.

Knowledge and Expertise
Although our programs are not stuffy or academic, our aim is to give our guests an in-depth understanding of Turkish history and culture while they enjoy themselves. For this purpose we always work with a certified trip leader who is both a highly skilled and experienced outdoor person and an intellectual university graduates with extensive training and excellent language skills. They can lead hikes to out-of-the-way locations, communicate with local people, lecture knowledgeably at classical sites, discuss all aspects of Turkish culture, history and politics, and arrange menus that showcase local specialties and suit the tastes of individual guests. Perhaps most important, our guides are also warm, dynamic people with good senses of humor.

Our Unique Charters
An outstanding feature of our programs is the boat charters. On our yachting tours, we emulate the spirit of the great Turkish intellectuals who, in the 1950s, explored Turkey's ancient sites by sailboat. These pioneers, Cevat Sakir Kabaagac, Azra Erhat, and Sabahattin Eyoboglu, enlightened us with their important research on Anatolian civilizations and mythology. Azra Erhat's Dictionary of Mythology is still the standart work on the subject. Cevat Sakir, who is known as " The Fisherman of the Halicarnassus", wrote half a dozen scholarly books as well as two dozen short stories inspired by idyllic ancient sites and trails.These works helped to popularize mythology and archaeology among young people. Our voyages through pristine scenery and less-traveled historical sites honor the work of these pioneers, unlike other cruises that emphasize beer-drinking and sunburn.

Carefully-Crafted Itineraries
The time spent on the bus is always the least desirable part of travelling. The routes we design for our programs, and our use of the boat to reach locations inaccessible by land, allow us to minimize this " down time." By incorporating significant sites and periods of activity into each segment of land travel, we avoid the tedium of long drivers while still covering diverse landscapes and a range of cultural expressions.

Comfortable and Inviting Accommodations
While on land, we choose accomodations where our clients feel specially treated.We emphasize small family-run guesthouses and "boutique" hotels with character and atmosphere. Many are housed in beautiful historic buildings. All are comfortable and convenient, and many boast especially striking locations. We can also arrange accommodations with local families, for guests to experience the warmth and hospitality of Turkish home life.

A Strong Partnership If you are expanding your business and looking for an experienced and reliable business partner in Turkey for highquality hiking, sailing, sea-kayaking and biking adventures, please CONTACT US.

Alper Ertubey & Ali Serkan Comert

Hike'n Sail in Turkey