Autumn is our favourite season in Türkiye. The summer heat eases, the sea keeps its warmth, villages grow quiet again and the light drops lower. But October and November are not alike, and not every region reaches autumn at the same time. Turkish weather-service normals and our programme seasons show where we still walk in November and where we have already stopped. For the whole year, see when to go hiking in Türkiye; for the Lycian coast month by month, Lycian Way by month.
October or November: where to hike in Türkiye?
The short answer: in October, almost everywhere we run trips in Türkiye except the high mountains; in November, mainly on the coast and, with warm clothes, in Cappadocia.
- Lycian coast: excellent in October, good in November with more rain. The Culture Routes Society, which maintains the Lycian Way, recommends September to November.
- Caria and Latmos: very good in October; our Carian trip ends its season with that month.
- Cappadocia: beautiful in October, cool and dry; in November nights approach freezing.
- Taurus (Aladağlar): until October only.
- Svaneti and Ararat: closed in autumn in our programmes.
What about September? On the coast, the first half of the month is still summer: an average high of 31.7 °C in Antalya, almost as much as June. We keep it for short stages, dawn starts and trips that mix walking with boat days. In Cappadocia and the Taurus, by contrast, September is ideal, dry and still long. It is also the last month of our treks in Georgia and on Ararat. In other words, autumn moves: it starts in the mountains in September, reaches Cappadocia in October and only really arrives on the coast at the end of that month. Planning an autumn trip means following that movement rather than picking a date at random.
Autumn in numbers: Antalya, Muğla, Nevşehir
The Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM) publishes 30-year climate normals. Three stations are enough to understand autumn in our regions: Antalya for the Lycian coast, Muğla for inland Caria, Nevşehir for Cappadocia.
| Month | Antalya (Lycian coast) | Muğla (inland Caria) | Nevşehir (Cappadocia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| September | 31.7 °C · 22.0 mm | 30.0 °C · 25.9 mm | 25.3 °C · 13.7 mm |
| October | 27.3 °C · 76.6 mm | 23.8 °C · 72.8 mm | 19.1 °C · 29.4 mm |
| November | 21.6 °C · 152.1 mm | 17.2 °C · 139.2 mm | 11.6 °C · 33.4 mm |
Average daily high and monthly rainfall, MGM normals 1991–2020. The Muğla station is on the inland plateau, not on the coast.
Two things stand out. On the coast, October is still warm at midday and rainfall doubles from one month to the next: from about six rainy days in October to eight or nine in November in Antalya. In Cappadocia, autumn is dry, but the temperature drops: average lows fall from 7.4 °C in October to 2.1 °C in November.
The Lycian coast in October: warm sea, clear trails
October is the month we suggest to people who want to walk and swim. The average high of 27.3 °C in Antalya is still warm on south-facing slopes, but mornings are pleasant, and the sea, at 24.6 °C on average along Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast according to MGM, is the warmest of the whole walking season.
Our Lycian trips have their autumn departures then: the self-guided Lycian Way between Ölüdeniz, Kabak, Alınca, Gey and Patara, and Chimaera, Kekova & Termessos, whose calendar gives April–June and September–October. Swims in the coves of Kabak, Maden or Kekova are part of the programme; in October they are still a pleasure, not a dare.
One thing to know about: forest fire rules. In 2026 the Antalya governorship bans entry to forests until 31 October, except in areas listed in its annex, which include the Geyikbayırı–Çıralı stretch of the Lycian Way and designated trekking routes. To the west, in Muğla province, General Order 2026/1 covers listed forests, including Kayaköy–Ölüdeniz and Faralya–Butterfly Valley, also until 31 October, with permits possible for tourism activities. On our trips we plan the route accordingly. If you walk on your own, check the year’s rules for your stretch.
November in Lycia: short days, returning rain
November is still a good month on the coast, as long as you accept two things.
The first is rain. With 152.1 mm on average in Antalya, November is twice as wet as October. It rarely rains all day; it comes in stormy bursts, sometimes violent, with crystal-clear air in between. Dry stream beds can fill within hours, so do not linger in them when a storm is building.
The second is day length. Türkiye stays on summer time all year (UTC+3), so the sun rises late. In Antalya it rises around 7:20 in early November and sets around 17:50; by the end of the month, around 7:50 and 17:40. A six-hour stage including breaks leaves little margin. We set off as soon as it is light and choose shorter stages.
In return, the sea is still 21.4 °C on average, as warm as late May, the trails are empty and village guesthouses, where they stay open, have time for you. Some beach resorts empty at the end of the season; we check this for every stage.
Caria and the Latmos: the shepherds’ autumn
Our Carian Trail — Latmos & cruise-trek runs in April–May and September–October. It starts in the Latmos mountains (1,367 m) above Lake Bafa: shepherds’ mule paths, stone pines, the rock paintings of Balıktaş, the Yediler monastery. You sleep in guesthouses at Karahayıt and then Kapıkırı, a village built among the ruins of Herakleia under Latmos, on the lakeshore.
In autumn the stone pines yield their pine nuts, part of the livelihood of the village of Bağarcık, and the dry summer heat has left the rocks. The Latmos stages are no stroll: the programme gives 17 km and 1,051 m of descent for Bağarcık–Kapıkırı. In October those long descents come without the heat.
The second part of the trip boards a gulet in Fethiye for five nights: Gemili island, Kayaköy, Lydae, Hamam cove, Tersane. October seas are ideal for days that alternate two to four hours of walking with swimming.
Cappadocia in autumn: low light and cool nights
For many of our walkers this is the best season in Cappadocia. The sky is dry (29.4 mm in October in Nevşehir), the low light brings out the colours of the Rose and Red valleys, and the vines and apricot trees around Mustafapaşa and Çavuşin turn to autumn shades.
You do need to think about temperature swings. An October day reaching 19 °C can start at 7 °C. In November the average high drops to 11.6 °C and the low to 2.1 °C: walk with a light down jacket in your pack and a hat for the mornings, and do not linger on top of the Bozdağ when the wind gets up. The sun sets around 17:40 in Nevşehir in early November.
Trails of Cappadocia and Cappadocia – Istanbul run all year, and autumn suits them particularly well. To walk away from the groups, read Cappadocia on foot, away from the crowds.
Taurus, Georgia, Ararat: where autumn comes too early
The mountains close earlier.
In the Taurus, our Cappadocia & Taurus trip runs from May to October. The Kazıkali, Emli and Cimbar gorges are lovely in early autumn, but by late October nights turn cold in the mountain villages and the first snow can reach the heights. We recommend it more for September and early October. Our Aladağlar trekking guide covers the range.
In Georgia, our Svaneti treks run from mid-June to mid-September; after that, snow can reach the passes, which rise above 2,500 m. The Ararat ascent is scheduled only from July to September. If you dream of these regions, plan them for next summer.
Combining two regions in autumn
Autumn is the only season when you can bring Cappadocia and the coast together without compromise. In spring, Cappadocia is still cool when the coast becomes ideal; in summer the coast is too hot. From September to November, both work.
That is the idea behind Cappadocia & the Lycian Coast (13 days, level 3/5), whose best period runs from April to June and September to November. The first days take in Uzengi, Gomeda, Mazı, Keşlik, Golgoli, Göreme, Uçhisar, the White Valley, Zelve, Paşabağ, the Rose and Red valleys and the Ihlara canyon. Then, via Sultanhanı and Konya, you head down to Antalya for Kaleiçi, Ulupınar, Yanartaş, Maden bay, Aperlai, Kekova and Üçağız.
The road days (about 3 hours to Konya, then about 3 hours to Antalya according to the programme) are the price of that contrast. They happen in daylight, mid-trip, and are part of the discovery: the plains of central Anatolia, then the Taurus that separates the plateau from the sea.
What to pack for October and November
- A properly waterproof jacket, not a windproof: autumn storms are short but strong.
- A light warm layer (fleece or thin down), essential in Cappadocia and on higher stages.
- A headtorch: with sunsets around 17:40–17:50 in November, it belongs in your pack every day.
- Swimwear in October, and even in November for the brave.
- Hat and sun cream: October sun on the coast is still strong.
- Enough water for the stage: even in autumn, some Lycian stages have no water point.
The full list is in our guide what to pack for a trek in Türkiye, and precautions on water, heat and emergencies in water, heat and safety on Turkish trails. For questions about departures, insurance or level, see our FAQ or browse all our hiking trips in Türkiye.
Climate: MGM normals 1991–2020; sea: MGM records 1970–2025. Sunrise and sunset: astronomical calculation for Antalya and Nevşehir, Turkish time (UTC+3). Trip seasons: Aventures Anatoliennes programmes.