Walking & Cruising Lycian Shore Traveller Reviews

Peter Sommer’s Walking and Cruising the Lycian Shore had been on my bucket list for the past five years. Covid postponed it for three years but we finally managed to do it in October 2023. And it was every bit as good, if not better, than I’d imagined it would be. Unfortunately Turkey’s autumn proved to be an extended summer and it was a challenge for us to do the hikes Peter had planned when it was 31-32 degrees C. Still it wasn’t a hardship as our choice to pull out of some of the hikes meant we could stay on our lovely gulet to relax and swim in beautiful waters.

Peter Sommer is an enthusiastic and incredibly knowledgeable archaeologist who took us on a journey through Turkey’s marvellous history in engaging style. Cem, the logistics manager proved to be a marvellous host, eager to share his passion for his homeland and to introduce us to Turkey’s delightful cuisine and wines.

We recently completed a two-week boat-based historical and archeological tour of Southern Turkey (The Lycian coast) with Peter Sommer Travels. We had an excellent experience and have no hesitation recommending this tour to people who are fit (some long walks) and enjoy learning about historical people and places. The tour was exactly as described in promotional material.

Peter Sommers provides a Gulet-based tour of the Turkish coastline. The boat was very professionally managed by a six-man crew who met all our needs. The tour guides (two) were excellent and gave thorough explanations of the history and events that occurred in this part of the world. Logistics were well-managed and food and beverage on the boat exceeded expectations.

Our trip with Peter Sommer Travels was fantastic. The trip itinerary, planning, execution and service level provided were all extraordinary. Peter himself led this tour and he was such a enthusiastic and well prepared host, every detail was well thought out and customer service onboard our gulet was second to none. The idea of hiking daily and coming back to room on a gulet every afternoon was great, antiquities by day and relaxation by night!

Peter Sommer was a fantastic tour guide and host. His knowledge of the area and the subject matter was incredible and his right hand man Cym was another jewel! Between the two of them we had a incredible breadth of knowledge and service. Peter and company did a great job for us and it will be a trip to remember and I will definitely be recommending Peter Sommer Travels to other travellers!

A grand experience Combining history, exercise, and fabulous Food! A must for anyone of any age that an interest in world History seeing what had been accomplished thousands Of years ago was breathtaking! You can read about it but seeing is certainly best! This is our third time with the Peter Sommers group Put this on your ten things to do before you die list!

This time we had Peter himself on board And now I see why everyone we had before Were so good! They learned from the best he is History knowledgeable Smart with hospitality and humility

The trip was an ideal balance of meals and leisure on a gulet, with daytime hiking adventures to ruins and villages, frequently off the beaten path. Our tour guide, Peter Sommer, brought his knowledge and experience in Turkey to lead us through. The “local” (highly educated and professional) guide is a perfect partner with Peter and added more perspective on culture, language and food - and some entertaining stories. The small group size of 10 guests made for super comfortable dynamics around dining, communication, traveling about, etc. Organization was seamless in making a couple of itinerary adjustments due to weather and hiking conditions. Food was fresh and diverse, representing Turkey and Mediterranean diet. Plenty of time planned for swimming in lovely moorages.

Attention to detail is obvious in all aspects of booking and tour conduct. Deep knowledge of and passion for the culture, language and history made the experience an education as well as a vacation. Highly professional, while also casual and comfortable. Our dining table felt like a (good) family gathering every day.

2 weeks of wonder, both in in-depth history and archeology and meeting and making amazing friends.

What a great fortune to have Peter and Gem leading the group. If i can retain 5% of the knowledge and experience of those two, I’ll be happy. So much passion for what they bring to their guests.

It has been a year and my husband and I are STILL going through our photos and talking to our friends and family about our trip with Peter Sommer! The gulet we were on was a perfect size to not only get to know the other guests, but the crew as well. The crew was amazingly attentive, really was passionate about the boat, sailing, cooking, talking to us about Turkish culture, and making us feel right at home!!! Peter and Gem were AMAZING hosts on our first time in Turkey and we are extremely grateful for having them, They are very personable, answered all of our questions, told tons of historical facts and stories along the hikes, and also provided books on the boat for us to read during our travels! We never knew so much Turkish history, and are now reading up about it, and appreciating it all! Plus the food was AMAZING! Everything was made fresh, whether it was fresh fish grilled off the boat or oranges that was juiced in the morning. I still miss those breakfasts and continue to search for those amazing cheeses and recipes that was made for us. Wine was plentiful, but they also are amenable to other beverages like beer or rakki. The hikes we were on were not stressful nor were easy day hikes, which made us appreciate the treks, the stops, and the views. We really appreciated how the long day hikes we either stopped for a pre-made lunch by the cook on the gulet, or stopped at a village restaurant for a meal or for authentic Turkish tea. Thank you so much Peter and Gem for showing us how beautiful and rich in culture that Turkey provides! You can be sure that you will see us on another one of your tours in Europe, if not going back to Turkey!

Peter was a VERY accommodating operator. While my husband and I are very flexible travelers, Peter went above and beyond to make sure our travel was more than we expected! From making sure we get to the boat on time, our food sensitivities (which was none), or even letting us stop the trek to take some pictures with goats and cats! While this was a trip during COVID, he was an excellent group operator, and made us feel safe and healthy every day. This is in addition to regular safety being on a gulet or transferring to a dingy or hiking! He made sure all of us as a group was physically fit for the hike, and if there were incidents, either Gem or Peter would make sure none of us trailed behind. It is also redundant to say that Peter is a ridiculously intelligent man who is a treasure trove of historical information and a very well traveled man in Turkey! Gem, the tour guide made the team great. He always told fun stories of Turkey, Izmir, and his career. After dinner on the gulet, we never wanted to leave for bed because of all the tales, Peter and Gem told us. If you are lucky enough to get Peter and Gem on your trip in Turkey, take advantage of their knowledge, their personality, and their fun they offer on the trip!

Gulet cruise around southern Turkey with day hikes to explore ancient cities.

Peter Sommer Travels did and absolutely amazing job in every aspect of this holiday.

Our trip was unusual in that it was during the covid pandemic and so our group was very small and it was the first trip in some time. This did not diminish the experience at all. The crew and guides were warm and welcoming. We had a wonderful trip from beginning to end. We were well taken care of: from being greeted at the airport and transported to the beautiful gulet, to the amazing meals, the guided hikes, and the more than comfortable accommodations. The gulet crew was top notch . Peter and Cem ( the Turkish guide) were so enthusiastic about each day's journey and genuinely concerned for each guest's experience. Peter has so much knowledge and experience and is able to distill it down to something lay people can appreciate. Each day was so different from the other and we learned so much. No question was silly or stupid and Peter and Cem tried to answer all of them. The hikes were all do-able. Coming back to the gulet each day was so nice where we'd have a swim, a cocktail and wonderful dinner. All the good was fresh and healthy as well as delicious.

Peter Sommers Travel was very responsive as we had many questions regarding the trip itself and the covid situation. We had several phone calls as well as email conversations. The trip itself was very well organized and everything was taken care of. They communicated well with the group so we all knew what to expect and there were no surprises.

Wonderfull time on the boat. Everything from our cabin, to the walking tours, to the food was great. Almost everyday after having a great breakfast on board we would hike to hidden archeological sites. Come back to the boat, swim in the warm Mediterranean Sea, have tea and them have relaxing time before a fabulous dinner.

The operator was excellent. He took care of everything from our accommodations to the meals (which were excellent) to the actual tours. Peter is an excellent archeologist who was able to find hidden treasure and explain in detail what we were seeing and all the history concerning our findings. We hope in the next year to take another of Peter's tours through the Greek islands. .