Sufi Trail

The Sufi Trail is an 801-kilometre (498 mi)[1] long-distance footpath in Western Turkey from Istanbul to Konya following the Ottoman Sultans Hajj route. The Sufi Trail connects to the Sultans Trail, a long-distance footpath from Vienna to Istanbul. After Konya Sufi Trail connects with the ancient road to Jerusalem and Mecca via Jerusalem way and Mecca Trail.

Sufi Trail
Mevlana Museum, Konya – end of the walk
Length801 km (498 mi)
LocationWestern Turkey
DesignationLong distance footpath
TrailheadsEyüp, Istanbul
41.055738°N 28.9375843°E / 41.055738; 28.9375843 (Sufi Trail, Eyüp, Istanbul)
Mevlana Museum, Konya
37.8704468°N 32.5041645°E / 37.8704468; 32.5041645 (Sufi Trail, Mevlâna Museum, Konya)
UseHiking
Highest pointEmirdede tepesi, 2,064 m (6,772 ft)
Lowest pointSea level

History

The Sufi trail was first described in the 2018 two-part book Sufi Trail: 40 Days to Dervishhood by Iris Bezuijen and Sedat Çakir. The books describe the route in 40 stages, each of which ends at a settlement with usually some overnight accommodation nearby.

Route of the Sufi Trail

Route

The description in this article is given from west to east. This is the recommended direction since it puts the heaviest climbs at the end of the route.

The trail begins at Bahariye Mevlevihanesi in Istanbul's Eyüp neighborhood. The route passes through Istanbul and then crosses the Sea of Marmara by ferry to Yalova. From there it crosses the provinces of Yalova, Bursa, Bilecik, Eskişehir, Ayonkarahisar and Konya to reach the mausoleum of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi in Mevlana Museum on Mevlava Square in Konya.

Places of interest

Istanbul and Konya, the starting point and end point of the trail are both ancient cities full of historic places of interest.

Besides these the trail passes

References

Additional sources

  • Bezuijen, Iris; Çakir, Sedat (April 2018). Sufi Trail Part 1: 40 Days to Dervishhood. ISBN 978-94-92953-01-8.
  • Bezuijen, Iris; Çakir, Sedat (April 2018). Sufi Trail Part 2: 40 Days to Dervishhood. ISBN 978-94-92953-02-5.
  • Çakir, Sedat (January 2019). Sufi Yolu. ISBN 978-60-58138-57-5.
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