What to expect
Four Guided Walks
Discover flora, fauna & history
Halloumi Bread Workshop
Craft Cypriot Halloumi Bread
Boutique Style Hotel
Boutique Garden Hotel Stay
Panoramic Views
Panoramic North Coast Walks
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 £20 per stay for December 2025 departures if booked before July 31st.
Activity Level:
What's this?What's included?
Return flights & transfers-
Airport taxes & charges
Twin/Double room for sole use
Breakfast & Dinner including a BBQ night-
Christmas dinner (December only)
2 glasses of wine with dinner-
Welcome drink & information meeting
4 guided walks with picnic lunches-
Traditional wine tasting experience
-
Halloumi bread making workshop
Accompanying Local Tour Leader
Fully Financially Protected
Passports and visas
- Insurance click here
Itinerary
- Arrive in North Cyprus
- Welcome to North Cyprus
- Geçitköy Water Reservoir Walk
- Kalkanli-Akdeniz Walk
- Day at Leisure
- Sinai Monastery Walk
- Lapta-Illgaz Walk
- Departure
What you’ll be doing
Day One: Arrive in 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
Following a leisurely breakfast, we'll meet for a welcome drink with our walking guide - an opportunity to get to know each other. The afternoon is then ours to unwind and and explore the surroundings.
- Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day Three: Geçitköy Water Reservoir Walk
We drive to the remarkable Geçitköy Dam, connecting the island via an 80 km long underwater pipeline project with Turkey (Anamur). Currently 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.
Our route around the dam winds through fragrant pine forest and along the way you will see an abundance of native orchids and wild flowers. We may also have a chance to see some wild animals such as foxes and a variety of bird species. Picnic lunch included.
Grade: Easy to Medium
Approx Walking Time: 5 hours Approx Distance: 14km Approx Ascent: 150m
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
Day Four: Kalkanli-Akdeniz Walk
Today, we head west through one of the most fertile agricultural regions in Cyprus. From the small village of Kalkanli, our walk takes us through the idyllic countryside, dotted with anicent olive trees (up to 850 years old). We then make a gentle descent towards the coast, where, depending on the time of year, there may be an opportunity for a refreshing swim.
After our walk, we have a short drive to the intriguing archaeological site of the Akdeniz Bronze Age Royal Tombs (entrance incl.). Dating from around 750 BC and 500 BC, these ancient tombs were used by the Ancient Greeks and uncovered by a Swedish archaeological team. Over 2,000 human size statues and artefacts were discovered here, most of which can be seen in the Museum of Cyprus in Nicosia. Picnic lunch included.
Grade: Easy to Medium
Approx Walking Time: 4.5 hours Approx Distance: 14km Approx Ascent: 50m
Back at the hotel, we can relax and enjoy a traditional wine tasting experience. Showcasing distinctive wines grown in Cyprus’s hillside vineyards, accompanied by a guided introduction to local winemaking traditions. The tasting is paired with a selection of traditional Cypriot meze, offering a true taste of the region.
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
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 to 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
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.
Grade: Easy to Medium
Approx Walking Time: 4 hours Approx Distance: 13km Approx Ascent: 400m
Upon returning to the hotel, we will have the chance to take part in a Halloumi Bread Making Workshop. Roll up your sleeves and get hands-on with the process of creating traditional Cypriot Halloumi Bread—from kneading the dough to incorporating the island’s beloved salty cheese.
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
Day Seven: Panoramic views 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. We walk on mostly forest tracks through pine tree forest, passing through old Greek farming areas and enjoying panoramic views of the Lapta coastal region. Depending on the season, we may be able to collect some wild sage and thyme while walking. Our walk finishes 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.
Grade: Easy to Medium
Approx Walking Time: 5 hours Approx Distance: 13km Approx Ascent: 670m
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
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. Wi-Fi is available in all public areas.
Room includes
All our comfortable rooms feature shower, air conditioning (please note that this unit can also heat the room), TV, Mini-bar, hairdryer and balcony with a view of the mountains.
Dates & Prices
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
Euro
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
Passports and visas To enter North Cyprus your passport must meet 2 requirements. It must be:
- less than 10 years old on the day you enter (check the ‘date of issue’)
- valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)
Check both the issue date and the expiry date in your passport. If you renewed your passport early, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. This could affect the requirement for your passport to be less than 10 years old.
A visa is not required by holders of passports endorsed “British Citizen” for stays of upto 90 days in any 180-day period. Please note that stays in other EU countries counts towards this 90 day period.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct visa, a valid passport and any other travel documents for your holiday. All information provided relates to British citizens who hold or are entitled to apply for a British passport. For the most up-to-date visa information please visit; The Turkish Cypriot Embassy
If you are not a British citizen and do not hold a British passport, you must make your own enquiries as to the applicable requirements.
Health Requirements
Compulsory vaccinations: None.
All clients are responsible for acquainting themselves with up to date health information of the countries being visited and where necessary take the required precautions. We recommend that you check with your doctor prior to departure as this information can change.
