Efeler Yolu Culture Route

The main purpose of the Efeler Yolu Culture Route is to set off a sustainable and holistic rural development in the locality using protecting and utilizing the natural, cultural, and historic wealth, and thus, to provide socio-economical development in its regional geography.

Founded with this goal, starting from İzmir-Bornova county, the Efeler Yolu Culture Route crosses Mount Nif and Bozdağ Mountain Range, leads to Kiraz Highlands, and over the Aydın Mountain Range comes to an end in Virgin Mary’s House Ephesus-Selçuk, which makes it a 500 kilometres-long, multi-stage and marked hiking trail way. The trail consists of 28 stages that take about 30 days to walk. Varying between 13-26 kilometres the stages are generally at “Hard” difficulty level.

Efeler Yolu Culture Route connects the villages, highlands and hideouts that are important for Efe/Zeybek (Local Swashbucklers) culture, using natural paths still preserved. In this sense the trail way interacts with Bornova, Kemalpaşa, Bayındır, Turgutlu, Ahmetli, Salihli, Ödemiş, Kiraz, Alaşehir, Beydağ, Nazilli, Sultanhisar, Köşk, Tire, İncirliova, Germencik and Selçuk counties of İzmir, Manisa and Aydın provinces where Efe/Zeybek Culture is dominant.

Efeler Yolu Culture Road; It is implemented with the support of İzmir Development Agency, in partnership with İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, İzmir Governorship, Ege University, İzmir Forest Regional Directorate, İzmir Foundation, İzmir Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism and Efeler Yolu Association.

Trail 1: / Kavaklıdere (Bornova) - Nazarköy (Kemalpaşa) /

Trail 2: / Nazarköy (Kemalpaşa) - Yukarıkızılca (Kemalpaşa) /

Trail 3: / Yukarıkızılca (Kemalpaşa) - Bayramlı (Kemalpaşa) /

Trail 4 : / Bayramlı (Kemlapaşa) - Yenikurudere (Kemalpaşa) /

Trail 5: / Yenikurudere (Kemalpaşa) - Ovacık (Kemalpaşa) /

Trail 6: / Ovacık (Kemalpaşa) - Sarıyurt (Bayındır) /

Trail 7: / Sarıyurt (Bayındır) - Kerpiçlik (Ödemiş) /

Trail 8: / Kerpiçlik (Ödemiş) - Lübbey (Ödemiş) /

Trail 9: / Lübbey (Çamyayla) - Gölcük (Ödemiş) /

Trail 10: / Gölcük (Ödemiş) - Birgi (Ödemiş) /

Trail 11: / Birgi (Ödemiş) - Bozdağ (Ödemiş) /

Trail 12: / Bozdağ (Ödemiş) - Karakoyun Yaylası (Çatak-Kiraz) /

Trail 13: / Karakoyun Yaylası (Çatak-Kiraz) - Ovacık (Kiraz) /

Trail 14: / Ovacık (Kiraz) - Küçükibrahimler (Ören-Kiraz) /

Trail 15: / Küçükibrahimler (Kiraz) - Balyeri (Cevizli-Kiraz) /

Trail 16: / Balyeri (Cevizli - Kiraz) - Karabolu (Kiraz) /

Trail 17: / Karabolu (Kiraz) - Palamutçuk (Beydağ) /

Trail 18: / Palamutçuk (Beydağ) - Beyköy (Beydağ) /

Trail 19: / Beyköy (Beydağ) - Ovacık Yaylası (Bıcakçı-Ödemiş) /

Trail 20: / Ovacık Yaylası (Bıçakcı-Ödemiş) - Demirdere (Ödemiş) /

Trail 21: / Demirdere (Ödemiş) - Karaçamur Yaylası (Eğridere-Tire) /

Trail 22: / Karaçamur Yaylası (Eğridere-Tire) - Dallık (Tire) /

Trail 23: / Dallık (Tire) - Kaplan (Tire) /

Trail 24: / Kaplan (Tire) - Akçaşehir (Tire) /

Trail 25: / Akçaşehir (Tire) -Küçükkale (Tire) /

Trail 26: / Küçükkale (Tire) - Şirince (Selçuk) /

Trail 27: / Şirince (Selçuk) - Meryemana (Selçuk) /