Difficulty Levels and Scores of Nature Hiking Trails

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Knowing the difficulty level of the trails when hiking is crucial for both your safety and enjoyment. Each level requires different fitness levels, distances, and elevation gains. Below, we've rated the difficulty levels of the hiking trails. You can review this guide to find the one that best suits your level!

Score: 0 – 7 Features:

• Distance and Altitude: Walking time does not exceed 2 hours, ascents do not exceed 100 meters.
• Ground: The paths are wide and comfortable, with few ups and downs.
• Condition: No special condition is required; suitable for anyone with no health problems.

Recommended Tracks: Polonezköy is one of the most preferred routes at this difficulty level.

Score: 8 – 13 Features:

• Distance and Altitude: Includes gentle ascents up to 300 meters in total, walking time does not exceed 3.5 hours.
• Ground: Uneven, requiring passage through some narrow paths.
• Condition: Medium level of fitness is required.

Recommended Trails: Belgrade Forest is quite suitable for those who want to do this level of hiking.

Score: 14 – 18 Features:

• Distance and Altitude: Includes ascent up to 500 meters, with wet and slippery areas, the walk can take up to 5 hours.
• Ground: It consists of scree, narrow paths and dense forest areas.
• Condition: Requires good condition and walking experience.

Recommended Tracks: The İğneada route can be considered a challenging track.

Score: 19 – 23 Features:

• Distance and Altitude: Includes ascent up to 700 meters, total walking time can reach 6.5 hours.
• Ground: The ground is rocky and scree, consisting of bushes and stream crossings.
• Condition: Good condition, appropriate equipment and experience are required.

Recommended Trails: The Lycian Way is a great option for those looking to hike at this level.

Score: 24 – 27 Features:

• Distance and Altitude: Ascents may exceed 1000 meters and walking time may reach 8 hours.
• Terrain: Paths are narrow and rough; in some areas, they pass through bushland.
• Condition: Requires high condition, guide support and special equipment.

Recommended Trails: These trails, which require high fitness, should be preferred especially with expert guides.

Score: 28+ Features:

• Distance and Altitude: Includes ascent up to 1500 meters and more than 8 hours of walking time.
• Ground: Challenging terrain requires navigation; camping and climbing may be necessary.
• Condition: High condition, discipline and experience are required.

Recommended Trails: Extreme routes that only experienced hikers should choose are included at this level.

Distance, altitude, and fitness levels during a hike can vary from hiker to hiker. These difficulty levels are rough estimates, and it's important to remember that factors like backpack weight and weather can affect the difficulty of the hike. At intermediate and advanced levels, an average elevation change of 65-70 meters per kilometer is expected, and the distance increases every 5 kilometers.

Remember: Personal safety and environmental protection are your responsibility in all outdoor activities. Always be kind to nature, don't leave trash behind, and comply with current laws.

For detailed safety information, visit our Safety and Responsibility Guide page. For more information on camping and caravanning, you can also check out our Camping Guide page. We wish you enjoyable and safe outdoor adventures!

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