From Kemer in the west to Alanya in the east, the Taurus Mountains rise right behind the beaches of Antalya province, and that is where safari tours go: up jeep tracks to mountain villages, along muddy forest trails, down the rapids of Köprülü Canyon and out onto the turquoise lake of Green Canyon. We pick up from hotels in six regions, but the routes differ from resort to resort, and so do the travel times. This guide shows what starts where, so you can choose a day that suits your holiday.
What starts from each resort
Alanya
Alanya has several different jeep days. The classic jeep safari stops for a swim and lunch at the Dim River, the Alanya Sapadere Canyon Jeep Safari heads about 45 km east to a wooden walkway between waterfalls, and the night safari ends with a village dinner and a campfire. Rafting means a drive of about two hours to Köprülü Canyon. Overview: Alanya safari tours.
Side
The Side Jeep Safari climbs into the foothills north of Manavgat for tea and gözleme in a village, the Oymapınar Dam viewpoint and a long lunch with a swim on the shore of the Green Canyon lake. Green Canyon is 45–60 minutes from Side by road and Köprülü Canyon about 1–1.5 hours, so boat trips and rafting are easy day trips. Quads and buggies ride tracks along the Manavgat River. More: Side safari tours.
Manavgat
Manavgat’s jeep route points north-west, towards Köprülü Canyon National Park. The Manavgat Jeep Safari visits the viewing terrace over the narrow Tazı Canyon and the Roman stone bridge over the Köprüçay, with a river swim and lunch at a riverside restaurant. Green Canyon lies in Manavgat district, about 30–45 minutes away. See Manavgat safari tours.
Belek
No resort is closer to Köprülü Canyon: about 45–60 minutes by road, which keeps the Belek Rafting Tour a comparatively short day. The jeep safari drives via Gebiz to Yumaklar village at about 920 metres, with a swim in a waterfall pool, and the quad and buggy park lies in the Kurşunlu countryside, 30–40 minutes from the hotels. Details: Belek safari tours.
Antalya
From Lara, Kundu, Konyaaltı or Kaleiçi, the jeep safari heads north-east via Gebiz to Yumaklar. The off-road park near Kurşunlu is 30–45 minutes from the city, so the Antalya Quad Safari fits into a morning or an afternoon. Köprülü Canyon is about 1.5 hours away, Green Canyon about two. Overview: Antalya safari tours.
Kemer
Here the Beydağları mountains drop straight into the sea, so the jeep safari stays close: the Kesme Boğazı gorge road, the village of Gedelme with its Byzantine castle ruins, a cold mountain river and trout or chicken for lunch. The Kemer Zipline in Göynük Canyon – two lines and a suspension bridge about 40 metres high – has you back by early afternoon. Rafting and Green Canyon are possible too, but they are long days with a 07:30 pickup. All options: Kemer safari tours.
Jeep, quad, buggy, rafting or boat?
- Jeep safari: experienced drivers drive and you ride along with your seat belt on, stopping at villages, viewpoints and swimming spots. A full day of seven to eight hours, lunch included.
- Quad and buggy: you drive yourself, and no licence is needed. Drivers must be at least 16, passengers at least 7, and helmets are compulsory. Expect about 1.5–2 hours of riding in a four-hour trip, with two or three departure groups a day.
- Rafting: about 14 km on the Köprüçay through Köprülü Canyon, class II–III rapids, an instructor in every raft and lunch by the river. Minimum age 7.
- Green Canyon boat tour: a cruise on the Oymapınar Dam lake with one or two swim stops; lunch and soft drinks on the boat are included.
Travel times: the honest part
Rafting and Green Canyon tours pick up from every region, but the drives differ. Approximate road times:
- Köprülü Canyon (rafting): Belek 45–60 minutes, Manavgat about an hour, Side 1–1.5 hours, Antalya about 1.5 hours, Alanya and Kemer about two hours.
- Green Canyon (boat tours): Manavgat 30–45 minutes, Side 45–60 minutes, Antalya about two hours, Kemer about 2–2.5 hours.
A long transfer is no reason to skip a tour, but plan for it: rafting from Alanya or Kemer means an early start and a return around 18:00.
Which tour suits whom?
- Families with young children: jeep safaris and Green Canyon boat tours have child tickets for ages 3–11 and infant tickets for ages 0–2. Rafting and riding as a quad or buggy passenger start at age 7. Our guide to safari tours with children has more detail.
- First-timers: a jeep safari, where someone else drives and you get villages, views and water in one day.
- Adrenaline seekers: quad, buggy, rafting or zipline. Torn between the two vehicles? Read quad or buggy? first. Quad, buggy and rafting are not suitable during pregnancy, and quads and buggies are not for people with back, neck or heart problems.
- Short on time: a four-hour quad or buggy trip in a morning or afternoon group, or the zipline in Göynük Canyon.
Booking, payment and pickup
You can book on the tour page or via WhatsApp, and nothing is paid in advance: you pay in cash on the tour day, in euros, or in US dollars, pounds or Turkish lira at the day’s rate. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the tour, and your QR e-ticket arrives by e-mail once the booking is confirmed. Hotel pickup is included; the time depends on your hotel’s location and is sent after booking. Guides speak Turkish, English, German and Russian.
Not sure yet? Open your resort’s page, compare the tour lengths and decide how much of your holiday you want to spend in the mountains, on the water or at the wheel.
