Alanya has mountains, beaches and canyons, but no regular rafting river. That is why the Alanya Rafting Tour heads west to the Köprüçay, the river that runs through Köprülü Canyon National Park between Serik and Manavgat. From Alanya this means roughly two hours on the road in each direction, with pickup around 08:00 and the return around 18:00. Here is how the long day works, how it compares with the combo, what to pack and who will enjoy it. The river itself, and the drive times from the other resorts, are covered in our Köprülü Canyon rafting guide.
The early start and the drive west
Pickup is around 08:00. Alanya’s hotels are spread along many kilometres of coast, so the minute you are collected depends on where you are staying; we send it after booking. From there the road runs west along the coast and then climbs inland into the Taurus Mountains to the rafting base in the Beşkonak area; depending on your hotel, the transfer takes about one and a half to two hours.
A few habits make the early start easier:
- Dress for the river before you leave the room: swimsuit on, dry clothes in the bag.
- Have something to eat before pickup or take a snack, because lunch only comes after the rafting.
- If winding roads upset your stomach, sit near the front and keep breakfast light.
- Rest on the way. You will want the energy on the river.
At the base and on the river
At the base you collect a helmet, a life jacket and a paddle, practise the commands with the instructors and hear the safety rules before the rafts launch. Ahead lie about 14 km of class II–III rapids: lively enough for a lot of splashing, yet well within reach of first-timers. You spend roughly two to two and a half hours on the water, including stops to swim and take photos. Each raft holds 8–12 people and one instructor, who steers and calls the strokes. The park around you also guards a piece of history: Oluk Köprüsü, an old Roman stone bridge across the river.
Lunch follows on dry land at a riverside restaurant, usually as a buffet – salads, pasta, rice or bulgur and grilled chicken, with fruit to finish. Drinks are not included. In the afternoon the minibus sets off for Alanya, and you are back at the hotel around 18:00.
Rafting tour or the combo?
The same canyon is also the setting for the Alanya Rafting, Buggy & Zipline Combo. Both days end on the same stretch of river, but they feel quite different:
- Timing: the rafting tour runs from about 08:00 to 18:00, the combo from about 08:00 to 17:30.
- Programme: the rafting tour puts the river first and lunch afterwards. The combo opens with a zipline over the Köprüçay and about 25 minutes on a buggy, continues with lunch by the river and a cabrio bus ride up to a canyon viewpoint, and finishes with about 14 km of rafting.
- Photos: on the combo a photo team follows the activities, and you look through the pictures and videos at the end before deciding whether to buy them. On the rafting tour they are sold at the base.
- Age and health: rafting and the zipline start at 7. On the combo, only guests aged 16 or over drive the buggies (16- and 17-year-olds with a parent’s consent), children from 7 ride as passengers, and the zipline and buggies have height and weight limits. Neither tour is suitable for pregnant guests, and the combo is also not suitable for anyone with back, neck or heart problems.
Go for the rafting tour when the river itself is the attraction. Go for the combo when your group would like three activities in one day and everyone meets the age rules.
What to bring for a ten-hour day
- Swimsuit and towel, plus a full set of dry clothes for the two hours back.
- Footwear that grips and won’t come off when wet, such as water shoes or old trainers; you can also rent shoes at the base.
- Water-resistant sun cream, plus a hat and sunglasses for the breaks.
- A plastic bag for wet things, so the rest of your bag stays dry.
- Cash for drinks and the base’s paid extras: shoe rental, wetsuits, waterproof phone pouches, photos and videos.
- Nothing valuable: jewellery belongs in the hotel safe, and a phone goes on the river only in a waterproof pouch.
Who it suits – and when to choose something else
The rafting day works well for active couples, friends travelling together and families whose children are 7 or older; children aged 7–11 have their own ticket, and everyone under 18 rafts with a parent. You can raft as a non-swimmer – the life jacket keeps you on the surface – as long as being in water does not make you anxious. Rafting runs mainly between April and October; in November it depends on the river and the weather, with some days still possible. For the age rules of every tour type, see our guide to safari tours with children in Antalya.
Because the day is long, keep the following morning free of early starts. And if someone in your group is under 7, doesn’t enjoy the water or would prefer a shorter drive, the Alanya Green Canyon Boat Tour is a gentler alternative: about an hour and a half to the turquoise Oymapınar Dam lake, two cruises with a swim stop, lunch by the water and soft drinks on board, with tickets for all ages.
Every tour that picks up in Alanya is on the Alanya safari tours page. Reserve on the tour page or via WhatsApp; no deposit is taken, you pay cash on the day, and free cancellation runs until 24 hours before the tour.
