Olympos & Chimaera Tour — Private Tour from Antalya

The tour brings together two of the most atmospheric sights on the Lycian coast. At Olympos you walk through an ancient city scattered through a green river valley, where Lycian and Roman ruins, carved tombs, an old theatre and a temple gateway lie half hidden among trees and reeds. The path leads down to the long pebble-and-sand beach of Olympos and Çıralı, where the ruins meet the sea inside the Beydağları National Park.

The second highlight is the Chimaera, known in Turkish as Yanartaş, the burning stone. On the lower slopes of Mount Olympos, natural flames rise straight from the rocky hillside, fed by gas seeping from the ground and burning day and night.

The ancient flames inspired the legend of the fire-breathing Chimaera defeated by the hero Bellerophon, which makes the short climb feel like stepping into myth as well as nature.

Because this is a private tour, the timing flexes around you rather than a coach schedule. A common rhythm is a relaxed start with hotel pickup, the scenic drive south to Çıralı, then time to explore the ruins of Olympos and enjoy the beach where the river meets the Mediterranean.

Many guests keep the Chimaera flames for late afternoon or dusk, when the fires glow most dramatically against the darkening hillside. The walk up to the flames is a stone path of roughly 20 to 30 minutes, taken at your own pace, with the option to rest along the way.

The order is entirely up to you. If you prefer more beach time, a longer lunch by the sea or an earlier return, just tell your driver. Nothing is rushed and the schedule is yours to shape.

Every Olympos & Chimaera Tour is door to door. Your driver collects you directly from your hotel, villa or apartment anywhere in the Antalya region, from the city centre to Kemer, Belek, Side, Lara or Konyaaltı, so there is no meeting point to find and no transfers between vehicles.

The drive to Çıralı is about 80 km and takes roughly 75 minutes each way, heading south along the coast with the Taurus Mountains on one side and the sea on the other. The same comfortable, air-conditioned car and driver stay with you for the whole day.

Our drivers speak English and can assist in other languages, and they know the region well, so they are happy to suggest photo stops, a good spot for lunch or the best timing for the flames. At the end of the day you are brought straight back to your hotel door.

The Olympos & Chimaera Tour starts from €48 in a sedan car and from €62 in a Vito minivan. This is a private, per-vehicle price for the whole trip, not a per-person charge, so a couple, a family or a small group all share the one fare.

The sedan suits up to about three or four passengers, while the spacious Mercedes Vito minivan is ideal for families or small groups with more luggage or strollers. In both cases the vehicle is yours alone for the day, with no strangers sharing your tour.

There is no crowded group bus and no prepayment required for the tour itself. You simply pay the driver directly on the day, and the quoted price covers the private vehicle, fuel and driver. Entrance fees to the Olympos site and Chimaera, plus food and drinks, are paid separately by you on site.

Wear comfortable shoes and bring water, as both the Olympos ruins and the Chimaera path involve walking on uneven ground, and the climb to the flames is a real, if short, uphill hike. A small torch or phone light is useful if you stay for the flames after dark.

In summer pack swimwear, a towel, sun protection and a hat for the beach, since the Olympos and Çıralı shore is perfect for a swim. Spring and autumn are especially pleasant, with mild weather and fewer people, though the tour runs year round.

Plan on a full day out, often eight to ten hours including travel, depending on how long you linger. The tour is family friendly and works well for children, who tend to love both the beach and the magical flames, just keep an eye on little ones on the rocky path and near the fires.