Walking to the summit of Mt. Olympos (Tahtali Dag)

When arriving in Olympos you can’t help but notice the towering 2365 metre mountain that is Mount Olympos dominating the sky line. It’s so much higher than anything else in the range and looked like a bit of a challenge… so I set about finding how difficult it was. The internet pulled up a few relevant blog posts but nothing about actually ascending this limestone rock. It would also appear no other tourists have the same urge to summit, or even the locals! Therefore, I’ll add some information I would have found useful should anyone stumble across this blog.

View from Olympos - the mountain is the distant peak on the right.

At 8.30am I took a Dolmus from Olympos to the main road - motorway - D400. Due to the fact I didn’t really know where the turn off would be, I walked beside the busy road for 1.15 hours before the obvious left turnoff for Beycik. In the 36 degree heat this paved road with a serious lack of shade was sweat inducing, but not difficult. Beycik is the last place to stock up with food and water.

The route all the way up the road is obvious and well way-marked with red and white paint. Once past Beycik village the mountain comes into view on the right and a well-worn path leads through the forest. 

The forest is visible on the left, this is the point just above Beycik.

Entering the pine forest.

This beautiful forest provided some much welcomed shade all the way to the top of a gulley, taking around 3 hours. I met some fellow walkers on the way down and they planned to walk part of the gulley before turning back as their guide book warned it was dangerous. I couldn’t understand what part could be deemed as dangerous, but maybe in winter season it could be different.

Crossing the rock gulley.

Faint path leads up to the ridge.

Once at the top of the pass you must turn right instead of continuing straight, both directions are way-marked with red and white paint so it could be confusing. After turning right you will see the faint outlines of a path zigzagging up onto the ridge. From here it’s around 2 hours walking to the summit, again the route is very well way-marked and it would be difficult to get lost.

Past the forest there wasn't much in the way of plants, but this thistle lives on.

First view of the cable car and the summit.

More mountains in the distance

Looking West. On a good day you might be able to see as far as Antalya

Looking East towards Olympos on top of Mount Olympos

At the top there is an ugly modern building with an expensive café and more importantly a cable car providing transport down. The cable car ends on the opposite side of the mountain and quite some distance from Olympos but with so many locals treating themselves to this fantastic view, it was no problem hitch-hiking all the way back to Olympos. Made it back by 18:30 for a well-deserved beer. 

Well worth taking a day to climb this rewarding mountain, I just can't understand why more people don't do it!