Kayaking Kayaköy Ghost Town: Meet the Horses

Feed the horses, then ride through a village frozen in time

A carriage ride through Kayaköy, the ghost town on Turkey's Aegean coast, where you meet and feed two horses before ascending into the abandoned village. The journey takes one to two hours with a live guide in English or Turkish. Apples, carrots and all fees are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Carriage ride through Kayaköy Ghost Town

• Meet Bal Kız and Can Kız horses
• Feed horses a small carrot treat
• Board the carriage
• Ascend through historic stone houses
• Experience scents of mastic trees
• Observe lush, emerald landscape
• See historical Lycian monuments
• Explore abandoned houses of ghost town

The experience

You start by meeting Bal Kız and Can Kız. Two horses that will carry your carriage up into Kayaköy. Offering them carrots and apples creates an immediate connection before you board and begin the ascent. The route winds past historic stone houses built into the mountain slopes, many of them abandoned for decades. The air carries the scent of mastic trees as you move at the pace of hooves on the path, a rhythm that stands apart from the usual rush of guided tours.

Kayaköy itself is a Lycian settlement that was inhabited until the early 20th century. The houses remain, but the people are long gone. A live guide in English or Turkish narrates the history and points out the architectural details as you pass through. The landscape stays green even in winter, with the village's stone structures set against the mountain in a way that feels separate from the modern world outside it.

The whole experience runs one to two hours. You get apples and carrots for the horses, and all fees are covered in the price: no surprises at the end. The carriage itself is the transport. There is no walking required beyond boarding and dismounting.

What’s included

• Apples and carrots for the horses.
• live guide in English or Turkish.
• all fees included in the price.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day13 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 21:00

Book up to1h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Turkish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Is this one for you?The one to two hour duration leaves room for other activities in your day, making this a morning or afternoon option rather than a full-day commitment. If you want to explore Kayaköy's history without walking the steep terrain yourself, the carriage does the work while the guide provides the context.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Turkish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What are Bal Kız and Can Kız?

Bal Kız and Can Kız are the two horses that pull your carriage through Kayaköy. You meet them at the start and feed them apples and carrots before the ride begins.

What is Kayaköy and why was it abandoned?

Kayaköy is an ancient Lycian ghost town on Turkey's Aegean coast where stone houses were built into the mountainside. The village was inhabited for centuries but was abandoned in the early 20th century, leaving the structures standing but empty.

How long does the carriage ride take?

The ride lasts one to two hours, including the time you spend meeting the horses and feeding them before boarding the carriage for the ascent through the village.

What is included in the price?

The price covers the carriage ride, apples and carrots for the horses, the live guide in English or Turkish, and all fees. Nothing extra is charged.

Is this suitable for young children or people with mobility concerns?

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and the carriage itself requires only that you board and dismount. No walking through the village is involved. Service animals are allowed.