Epic Travel → Europe → Turkey → Chimaera

Location: Olympos Bey Mountains Coast National Park, South of Antalya

Time Required: 2 – 3 hours (includes the ~2 mile hike up to the flames)

Red Tape/Notes: Admission is 6 Turkish Lira (~$3 US). The site is open 24 hours, allowing night visits to the flames. Additional historical information can be found on Wikipedia and the All About Turkey website has some helpful information on how to get to the site.

What’s Nearby?: Termessos, Phaselis

Spread out over 1.2 acres on the sea-facing slope of Mount Olympus above the town of Çıralı, methane gas seeps through vents in the limestone rock, giving rise to flames which have burned for centuries. Although most places refer to the site as “Chimaera”, it is known as “Yanartas” in Turkey (which means “burning stone”). The flames were reportedly used by ancient sailors as a natural lighthouse, being visible from the sea, and there are various ruins around the hillside which provide additional interest. The flames are reportedly larger during the winter, and vary based on barometric pressure; it’s popular to visit the site at night, for obvious reasons. A nice option might be to hike up late in the afternoon so you can see the ruins of the area and then stay to view the flames in the dark before hiking down (or if you’re majorly motivated or jet-lagged, you could go up before dawn) – the most popular time for visiting is in the evening, with many tours running post-dinner visits, so you may want to avoid them by going later (or earlier). Just don’t forget your headlamp if you’re planning a night visit; you’ll need it for the trail.

Epic Travel → Europe → Turkey → Chimaera