Hike'n Sail Türkiye

Sail Turkey’s gulet coastlines and hike lesser-known trails with licensed guides, boutique stays, and a Travelife-led sustainability focus.

OUR EXPERIENCES

Hike'n Sail Türkiye offers small-group active adventures including hiking, sailing on gulets, sea-kayaking, biking, and culinary tours across Turkey's pristine scenery and historical sites. Emphasizing personal, meaningful vacations without mass tourism, itineraries minimize bus time and incorporate authentic meals and accommodations. Features 23 GTA-certified Good Travel Experiences in Istanbul (city walks, community immersion, hands-on workshops, nature hikes, unspoilt neighborhoods), ideal for physically active travelers seeking cultural depth and intellectual challenge.
Good Travel Experiences:

Hiking the Prince Islands: Kınalıada—explore geologically unique hillsides, sparse vegetation, Marmara Sea views, and stories of resource adaptation/resilience in a car-free escape.
Living Streets: Kuzguncuk İcadiye Caddesi—stroll village-scale streets with wooden houses, synagogues, churches, mosques, bookstores, bakeries, revealing multicultural coexistence.
Unspoilt Istanbul: Üsküdar—ferry to waterfront heritage, historic mosques, markets, tasting seasonal specialties reflecting community memory. All GTI-verified for local benefits.
Woodcraft and Urban Memory: walk Balat and the Golden Horn's wooden façades, then carve a simple motif with a local woodcarving artisan.
Aydos Biodiversity Walk: a seasonal winter walk to Aydos Hill to spot the rare endemic Istanbul snowdrop and learn about urban conservation.
Arts & Crafts: shop for authentic, fairly priced crafts at artisan hubs like the Bazaar of Istanbul Arts, TKHV, and the Grand Bazaar.
Üsküdar Sacred Water Experience: ferry to Üsküdar for the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque's vakıf history, a local tasting, and a traditional hammam ritual.
Unspoilt Istanbul – Süleymaniye: explore the Süleymaniye Mosque complex and the workshops, tea houses, and traders that keep the surrounding neighborhood alive.
Great Palace Mosaics Museum: view Byzantine floor mosaics, then learn traditional mosaic techniques in a hands-on workshop with a local artisan.
Unspoilt Istanbul – Eyüp: walk Eyüp Sultan Mosque and its historic cemeteries, then try a hands-on Ebru marbling workshop.
Crafts in Çukurcuma: walk through Tophane and Cihangir's workshops, ending with a hands-on ceramic workshop with a local artisan.
Living Streets -- Kurtuluş Caddesi: walk one of Istanbul's most authentic streets, discovering how Greek, Armenian, Jewish, and Muslim communities shaped its food and architecture.
Walking Tour of Şişli: explore Türkiye's first Green Destinations certified municipality, blending eco-conscious planning with local heritage.
Sinan the Great's Architectural Legacy: a public transport-based tour of Mimar Sinan's mosques, exploring his mastery of light, geometry, and structure.
Belle Époque Architecture Walk: admire late Ottoman Belle Époque apartments in Beyoğlu and the multicultural history behind their design.
Hiking the Prince Islands -- Heybeliada: a car-free hike across pine forests and coastal viewpoints, with Greek Orthodox and maritime heritage along the way.
Hiking the Prince Islands -- Burgazada: a quiet, low-impact hike past wooden houses, small churches, and sea views, tracing the island's literary and minority heritage.
Unspoilt Istanbul – Yeldeğirmeni: ferry to Kadıköy's Yeldeğirmeni district for its Art Nouveau façades, independent studios, and street art.
A Day in Ovacık Village: spend a day among oak forests learning traditional cooking, from pasta making to pickling, alongside village hosts.
Exploring The Golden Horn: walk Balat, Fener, and Eyüp's markets, workshops, and cafés, tracing centuries of multicultural heritage along the waterfront.
Prince Islands Hiking Routes, Büyükada: walk forest trails and tree-lined streets shaped by writers and artists, developed with guides and the municipality to protect the island's biodiversity.
From Manuscript to Water: see Ottoman calligraphy and bindings, then learn traditional ebru marbling with a master artisan in a small-group workshop.
Markets & Trade Routes: a guided food market walk tracing Istanbul's trade route history, with tastings paid directly to small vendors.

ABOUT US

Hike'n Sail Türkiye is the leading adventure travel company in Turkey with over 32 years of experience, certified for excellence in sustainability by GTA and an ATTA member for 15+ years. It designs carefully crafted itineraries combining hiking, sailing charters inspired by Turkish intellectuals, licensed guides, authentic family-run guesthouses/boutique hotels, local flights, and real Turkish cuisine. Focuses on small groups exploring ancient sites, mythology, and off-beaten paths at an enjoyable pace.
This Impact Partner was shared by the Good Travel Institute as one of their Good Travel Experiences. Each Good Travel Experience is evaluated through a clear and recognised framework, ensuring measurable social, cultural, environmental, and economic benefits for local communities.

OUR IMPACT

Promotes sustainable tourism through certifications, carbon emission reduction via Tomorrow’s Air partnership, and climate emergency declaration. Supports local economies with authentic accommodations and food, while minimizing environmental footprint through small groups and efficient itineraries.