Walking With Nomads

Meet, Work and Walk with Turkey’s

Nomadic Yörük People

Award Winning Cultural Tour

Our thoughts and feelings about a nomadic way of life lie deep in the sub-conscious cortex of our brains. Despite the rapid development of modern life there is still a vestigial part of our minds and our souls that still ties us to our nomadic ancestry. You may think that the huge commercial enterprises of Knorr and Maggi were the inventors of packet soups, but for centuries sun-dried produce has been packed and carried by the nomadic Yörük, to produce a soup that is a staple of their diet. Our award winning tour takes a small group on a journey into their ancestral past. We will meet, eat, work, walk and play with the Yörük people of the hinterland of Lycia. Walking on ancient migration paths we will witness life on the Yayla (high pastures) of the Toros Mountains. Try your hand at traditional skills such as making syrups from grapes and carob, making tahini, baking bread from your own ground flour. These are not cute mock-ups done for tourists, these are the day-to-day skills that support the life of the Yörük today. This is not a walking holiday this is a cultural tour that takes you deep into a vanishing lifestyle. The Yörük are a relaxed and ultra hospitable people with warm hearts and a ready smile. They are fiercely proud and protective of their values and culture and you will make many new friends on our journey. We will experience traditional food prepared from wonderfully fresh local incredients and be inspired by the the awesome scenery and surroundings of the Yayla and the coastal villages of Lycia. This is an area steeped in ancient history with many turbulent periods. Today the Yörük face many new challenges to their traditional lifestyle and we will learn how their resillience and inventive spirit are combining to protect their culture and lifestyle, whilst adopting new skills and techniques. The Yörük are a nomadic people but many have settled on the coast in fishing villages and on agricultural land near to the coast, where many now live semi-nomadic lives. Their culture is maintained in these areas and is celebrated at Nomad Festivals. Colourful affairs featuring parades and exhibitions of livestock are the order of the day. The prowess of camels is also celebrated with camel wrestling events in many parts of Turkey. Click the Link Below Detailed Itinerary