Activities

Rafting and Canyoning

From a family float in the Köprülü Canyon to Class IV whitewater in the Fırtına Valley: rafting in Turkey is cheap, close to the resorts and seriously good.

Best months: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Köprülü Canyon: the classic for everyone

The Köprüçay flows through the Köprülü National Park north of Antalya, between limestone walls up to 400 metres high and under the Roman bridge at Oluk. The rafting stretch is 12 to 14 kilometres long, takes two to three hours and is Class I to II, with a few easy rapids and long calm sections for swimming. The water is cold even in summer, about 12 degrees, which is welcome at 35 degrees air temperature. Dozens of operators work here; the day tour from Antalya, Side, Belek or Alanya costs CHF 25 to 50 (about EUR 27 to 54) including transfer, equipment, guide and lunch by the river. Prices through hotels are often higher than online. Photos and videos cost CHF 10 to 20 extra. Bring water shoes or old trainers; you will lose flip-flops. The basic problem: in high season there are over a thousand people on the river on some days. Start early or come in the shoulder season.

Dalaman River: the whitewater near Fethiye

The Dalaman Çayı rises in the Taurus and flows into the sea at Dalaman. The rafting stretch in the upper reaches between Akköprü and the reservoir is Class II to IV depending on water level, making it the most demanding rafting river in the south west. The valley is narrow and lonely, without roads or restaurants; the river is fast and cold. Tours start from Fethiye, Dalyan and Marmaris, take a full day with transfers and cost CHF 40 to 70 (about EUR 43 to 75) including lunch. The season is shorter than at Köprülü: April to June with meltwater offers the best conditions; in high summer the river tames down at low water, and from September it becomes unpredictable depending on the dam regime. The Dalaman is not suitable for children under 12 or non-swimmers. There are fewer operators, the groups are smaller and the guides experienced. If you found Köprülü too tame, this is the place.

Fırtına Valley: rafting on the Black Sea

The Fırtına Deresi, literally the storm river, flows out of the Kaçkar Mountains near Rize through a narrow, green valley with Ottoman stone bridges and tea plantations. The river is Class III to IV especially in May and June with meltwater and is considered the best rafting river in the country for experienced paddlers. Tours start in Çamlıhemşin or Ayder, last two to three hours on the water and cost CHF 30 to 50 (about EUR 32 to 54), transfers from Rize or Trabzon extra. The water is ice cold; wetsuits are mandatory and provided. The landscape is the opposite of the Riviera: fog, rain, forests, mountains up to 3900 metres. In high summer the level drops and the tours get easier, and then families go too. From September it gets too cold again. The region is popular with Turkish tourists; as a European you are usually alone on the boat. Rafting in the Fırtına Valley is the most sensible activity before or after a Kaçkar trek.

Canyoning: Saklıkent, Alanya and Köprülü

The Saklıkent Gorge near Fethiye is 18 kilometres long, up to 300 metres deep and in places only two metres wide. You wade the first few kilometres on your own in the cold river; entrance is a few francs, water shoe rental CHF 3 to 5 (about EUR 3 to 5). Further in, only guided canyoning with helmet, wetsuit and rope protection goes on: tours with jumps, slides and abseils cost CHF 50 to 90 and take half a day. Near Alanya there are several canyons in the Taurus (Sapadere, for instance, which can also be walked on a boardwalk) with canyoning tours from CHF 60. In the Köprülü National Park some operators offer rafting and canyoning combined for CHF 50 to 80. For canyoning you need to be able to swim, have a head for heights and a certain basic fitness; the jumps can usually be bypassed, the abseils cannot. As with rafting: after heavy rain or with a thunderstorm warning you stay out of the gorge, as flash floods are the real risk.

Safety, booking and typical mistakes

Rafting in Turkey is organised for the mass market and standardised accordingly: life vest, helmet and a guide in the boat are standard. The differences lie in group size, the experience of the guides and the condition of the boats. Good operators have small groups, safety kayaks on the river and explain the commands before setting off. Bad ones pack ten people into a boat and let the tent sellers on the bank do the briefing. Book online with reviews or through your hotel, not with the beach seller offering the lowest price. Tipping the guide is customary, CHF 5 (about EUR 5) per person. Bring: swimwear under your clothes, a change of clothes, water shoes, sunscreen, and no phone without a waterproof case. Typical mistakes: starting at Köprülü without water shoes, booking the Dalaman with small children, getting into a boat in the Fırtına Valley in May without experience, and underestimating the three-hour drive each way on the transfer from Alanya.

Tours worth booking

Rafting in the Köprülü Canyon from Antalya

Full-day tour with transfer, 12 to 14 kilometres of Class I to II rafting, lunch by the river and swim breaks. For families and beginners, no experience needed.

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Rafting and zipline Köprülü from Side or Belek

Rafting plus a zipline across the river or a quad tour in the national park as a combined day. Transfer from Side, Belek or Manavgat included, lunch included.

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Whitewater rafting on the Dalaman River from Fethiye

Rafting on the Dalaman at Class II to IV, small groups, experienced guides, transfer and lunch included. For active adults who want real whitewater.

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Rafting in the Fırtına Valley from Ayder or Çamlıhemşin

Two to three hours on the storm river with wetsuit, helmet and guide, difficulty Class II to IV depending on water level. Transfer from Rize or Trabzon bookable.

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Saklıkent Gorge and canyoning from Fethiye

Day trip to the gorge with a river wade, slides and jumps in the guided section, lunch on the river platform. Can be combined with Tlos or Patara.

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Canyoning Sapadere or Taurus from Alanya

Half-day canyoning in the gorges behind Alanya with abseils, jumps and natural pools, equipment provided. For swimmers with a bit of fitness.

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If you book through these links we earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

Where

Flights approx. 268 EUR

Mediterranean

Antalya

Direct flights from Zurich, turquoise water, a 2,000-year-old old town, and far more than the all-inclusive resort most people book.

Flights approx. 332 EUR

Mediterranean

Fethiye

Turquoise lagoons, ancient Lycian rock tombs and one of the wildest gorges in Turkey: Fethiye is more than the most famous paragliding spot in the country.

Flights approx. 321 EUR

Mediterranean

Alanya

What a week in Alanya really costs, why the castle and the Dim River are more than a resort add-on and how to combine all-inclusive and city cleverly.

Flights approx. 321 EUR

Mediterranean

Side

What a week in Side costs, how to combine antiquity and beach in a single day and which excursions from the resort are really worth it.

Flights approx. 375 EUR

Black Sea

Trabzon

What a week on the Black Sea really costs, why you should not visit Uzungöl in August and which experiences around Trabzon are worth your time.

Flights approx. 385 EUR

Black Sea

Rize

What a week between tea plantations and high pastures costs, when Ayder is empty and how to experience the Fırtına valley without a tour bus.

Frequently asked questions

Is rafting in the Köprülü Canyon suitable for children?

Yes, from about 6 years, and also for non-swimmers with a life vest. The river is Class I to II with long calm sections. Smaller children sit in the middle of the boat. The Dalaman and the Fırtına Valley are not suitable for children.

What does rafting cost?

Köprülü Canyon CHF 25 to 50 (about EUR 27 to 54) including transfer and lunch. Dalaman CHF 40 to 70. Fırtına Valley CHF 30 to 50 without transfer. Canyoning in Saklıkent or Alanya CHF 50 to 90. Photos cost extra.

When is the best time?

Köprülü April to October, most pleasant in May, June and September. Dalaman and Fırtına April to June for whitewater, July and August for easier runs. Tours are cancelled after heavy rain.

Do I need to be able to swim?

Not at Köprülü; the life vest carries you and the guides pull you out. On the Dalaman, in the Fırtına Valley and for canyoning, yes. You only need a head for heights for the abseils in canyoning.

How long does a rafting day from Antalya or Side take?

Pick-up usually between 7 and 9 am, return around 5 to 7 pm. You are on the water for two to three hours; the rest is driving, briefing and lunch. From Alanya the transfer takes around three hours each way.