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What to expect

Boutique Style Hotel

Boutique Style Hotel

Stay in a boutique style hotel set in beautiful gardens

Four Guided Walks

Four Guided Walks

Discover flora, fauna & history in North Cyprus

Panoramic Views

Panoramic Views

Enjoy panoramic views along the North Cyprus coastline

About this trip...

Mountain tracks and crusader trails encompassing stunning sea views of the azure coast, beautiful castles and abbeys, plus delightful, traditional Cypriot villages, makes North Cyprus a walkers' paradise. Our four fantastic guided walks will take us on an incredible journey discovering one of the Mediterranean's unspoilt regions.
 
Save £80 per stay for December 2024 departures if book before 20th December
Activity Level: Activity Level Rating
What's this?

What's included?

  • Airport transfers
  • Twin/Double room for sole use
  • Breakfast & Dinner including a BBQ night
  • Christmas dinner / New Year dinner (December only)
  • 2 glasses of wine with dinner
  • Welcome drink & information meeting
  • 4 guided walks with picnic lunches
  • Accompanying Solos Tour Leader

Passports and visas

  • International flights are not included
  • Travel insurance
  • Tips & drinks
  • Meals when not included in the itinerary
  • Activities when not included in the itinerary

Itinerary

  • Arrive North Cyprus
  • Welcome to North Cyprus
  • Geçitköy Water Reservoir Walk
  • Kalkanli-Akdeniz Walk
  • Day at Leisure
  • Sinai Monastery
  • Lapta-Illgaz or Malatya Walk
  • Depart North Cyprus

What you’ll be doing

Day One: Arrive North Cyprus

Day One: Arrive North Cyprus

After arriving at Larnaca Airport, we will transfer by private coach to Lapta (Girne region) - a picturesque village spread along the mountain side and surrounding forests and mountain peaks. Your home away from home, this family-run hotel awaits you for the next 7 nights.
  • Dinner Included
Day Two: Welcome to North Cyprus

Day Two: Welcome to North Cyprus

After a good night’s sleep and leisurely breakfast, we will meet for a welcome drink with our walking guide and to get to know each other. After, we enjoy a free afternoon to relax and familiarise ourselves with our surroundings.
  • Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day Three: Geçitköy Water Reservoir Walk

Day Three: Geçitköy Water Reservoir Walk

We drive to the Geçitköy Dam water project, which is connecting the island via an 80 km long underwater pipeline with Turkey (Anamur). At the moment the three biggest cities in North Cyprus (Famagusta, Nicosia and Kyrenia) are supplied with water by this project, which will soon extend to the Mesaoria plain farming area as well. This project is calculated to eliminate North Cyprus’s water problem for the next 50 years.

While we are walking around the dam, we will see many different kind of orchids and wild flowers. We may also have a chance to see some wild animals such as foxes and a variety of birds. Picnic lunch included. Approx Walking Time: 5 hours Approx Distance: 14km Approx Ascent: 150m
  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
Day Four: Kalkanli-Akdeniz Walk

Day Four: Kalkanli-Akdeniz Walk

Today we head out toward the West, through one of the most fertile agricultural regions in Cyprus. From the small village of Kalkanli, our walk takes us through the pretty countryside, past many ancient olive trees (up to 850 years old).  We continue our walk and descend towards the coast where we finish by the sea (depending on season - swimming opportunity).

After our walk, we have a short drive to the interesting archaeological site of the Akdeniz Bronze Age Royal Tombs (visit incl.). They were used by the Ancient Greeks between 750 BC and 500 BC. Excavated by a Swedish archaeological team, around 2000 human size statues and artefacts were found here, most of which can be seen in the Museum of Cyprus in Nicosia. Picnic lunch included. Approx Walking Time: 4.5 hours Approx Distance: 14km Approx Ascent: 50m
  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
Day Five: Day at Leisure

Day Five: Day at Leisure

Enjoy a day at leisure, where we have the option to book an additional walk at the village of Hisarköy (area famous for wild flower & orchids when in season), along mountain trails and through pine tree forests. Wonderful panoramic views, fauna and flora await you.

 
Alternatively when we are not walking, we may want to get out and about to explore more of what the area has to offer and take a short drive from our hotel is Kyrenia. Sandwiched between the sea and the Five Finger Mountain range, the town of Kyrenia can trace back its DNA some 6000 years. Today, terraced cafes, beachwear boutiques and local markets stacked with the local catch, vie for your attention next to boats bobbing on the water and the majestic castle. A quiet place to enjoy a cooling drink by day, the harbour atmosphere livens up as the sun sets. There is also a choice of bars along the seafront that play a variety of music to suit everyone.
  • Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day Six: Discover Sinai Monastery's ancient ruins

Day Six: Discover Sinai Monastery's ancient ruins

Starting from the hotel, today we walk towards Lapta Village. After a long forest walk, we reach the ruins of the Sinai Monastery (Coptic). The monastery was built in Byzantine times and active until the 1950s. In 1953, the Greeks were using this monastery as a hiding place against British soldiers and it started to slowly fall into ruins. During this easier walk through forest and open terrain, we experience beautiful scenery and nature, and in March, many orchids. We finish in a small mountain village. Approx Walking Time: 4 hours Approx Distance: 13km Approx Ascent: 400m

  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day Seven: Enjoy panoramic views & forest tracks from Lapta to Illgaz

Day Seven: Enjoy panoramic views & forest tracks from Lapta to Illgaz

Starting from the hotel, we walk through the village of Lapta and go up to 400m into the forest above the villages of Lapta/Alsançak. During this easy walk through pine tree forest, on mostly forest tracks, we pass through the old Greek farming areas. and experience panoramic views upon the Lapta coastal region. We may be able to collect some wild sage and thyme while walking. Our walk will finish at the vineyards with a beautiful winery of the pretty village of Ilgaz, located on a hillside. 

Here you have the opportunity to rest and try some locally produced wine (extra cost) before returning by bus to the hotel. Picnic lunch included. Approx Walking Time: 5 hours Approx Distance: 13km Approx Ascent: 670m
  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
Day Eight: Departure

Day Eight: Departure

Today we say goodbye to North Cyprus and return to the airport for our return flight.

  • Breakfast Included

Accommodation

Lapida Garden Hotel

A small and friendly family-run hotel offering guests peace, tranquillity and good old-fashioned hospitality. Set and located within tranquil and scenic mountain surroundings, just outside the village of Lapta, we will find the Lapida Hotel, a great base for our walking week.

Facilities include

Facilities include large gardens filled with citrus and various fruit trees, together with an immaculate swimming pool, sunbathing and patio areas, and a bar and restaurant offering a wide range of cuisine where local Turkish Cypriot dishes are a speciality. WIFI is available in public all areas.

Room includes

All our comfortable rooms come with shower, air conditioning (please note that this unit can also heat the room), TV, Mini-bar, hair dryer and balcony with a view of the mountains.

Dates & Prices

Departure Return Nights Price from Other Info Regional flights
17 May 2025 24 May 2025 7 $1659.00
1 Oct 2025 8 Oct 2025 7 $1689.00

Essential Information

Transfer Time
The transfer time from Larnaca Airport to Lapida Hotel is approximately 90 minutes.
Walking programme
Four guided walks are included in the programme. Your walking guide will advise you in resort of the daily programme. The walking programme is graded as Easy to Medium and you can expect to walk between approx  13 to 14 km per day, with some ascents/descents, rough underfoot terrain and high altitudes involved. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fit and well enough to take part in your chosen activity holiday. 
 
If you are unsure as to whether the walks are within your capabilities, please contact the office to discuss this matter, thus making sure you appreciate the terrain that you will be walking. You could be walking across uneven ground in some areas and extreme care must be taken, especially if wet. If used to using a pole/stick, it is advisable to bring it. 
 
Please appreciate the route and content of the holiday may change at the time and at the discretion of the guide/organiser, should conditions require. Solos Holidays cannot be held responsible for personal injury, accident or damage to property whilst on these walks other than incidents arising out of the company’s negligence. The guide has the right to refuse to guide a walk with anyone not properly attired.
What to Wear
It is of paramount importance that you have the correct footwear. It is essential to wear walking boots that are comfortable and preferably lightweight, with some ankle support and a good grip. If you already have a pair of boots that you are happy walking in (including during hot/wet weather and on hard ground), then bring these along. However, if you are bringing new footwear, do make sure they are well broken in before you arrive. Experience has shown that wearing 2 pairs of woollen socks adds to comfort. Whilst we would hope for good weather during your holiday, it is of course impossible to guarantee this. We would therefore recommend you travel with clothing suitable for all conditions, and suggest you use the following checklist as a guideline of what to take:
  • Walking boots with good ankle support
  • Waterproofs – jacket and trousers
  • Walking poles – recommended as they provide good support for the knees, particularly on downhill sections of walks and when conditions are wet/slippery
  • Lightweight trousers and shorts with pockets
  • Shirts or t-shirts for walking in
  • Walking socks – several pairs
  • Lightweight fleece or jumper
  • Daysack/rucksack for walking
  • Umbrella – it can be used also for protection from the sun as well as rain
  • Lightweight drinking bottle to carry water whilst walking
  • Small first aid kit – plasters, insect repellant, etc
  • Good, high factor sunscreen, sunhat and sunglasses
More to Explore
There may be optional activities available to you during the course of your holiday, full details of which will be given out at your Information Meeting by your Tour Leader. All tours should be paid for in Turkish Lira. The exact amount will be given at your Information Meeting. Your Tour Leader will help arrange these for you but may not necessarily accompany you.
Currency
Turkish Lira
Gratuities
We suggest a Group Collection to cover transfer drivers, and hotel staff of €25.00 per person. Your Tour Leader will collect this on your behalf and distribute it accordingly, thus relieving you of the burden of who, when and how much to tip. The tipping of housekeeping will be left to your individual discretion (a small amount left in your room on departure should cover this and would be much appreciated). As is customary, ‘the hat’ will be passed around for the driver and guide on all optional excursions. For any meals that are not included in your itinerary, or taxi fares, your Tour Leader can advise of an appropriate percentage on.
Passports and visas

We recommend that you check passport and visa requirements for the country you are visiting at the State Department if you have a U.S. Passport. Most countries require that your passport have at least six months validity when traveling internationally, and many require that you have one to two blank visa pages for either an entry stamp or visa. As a general rule, please check that your passport has six months validity beyond your planned trip, and if not, please renew your passport with plenty of time to provide Solos with your updated passport information by the final payment due date.

Health Requirements

We recommend that you check if vaccinations are required for your destination at the CDC’s recommendations for your visited destination(s). We also recommend you purchase travel protection. A travel protection plan can often assist with medical emergencies and reimburse costs that are covered by the plan. Please verify coverage details with Solos before you travel.

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