The Oymapınar Dam on the Manavgat River holds back a long, winding lake of turquoise-green water between steep, wooded slopes in the Taurus Mountains north of Manavgat – and that lake is the Green Canyon. From Alanya the boat pier is roughly 90 minutes away by road, and three of our Alanya tours go there. Each includes hotel pickup, time on a boat and lunch by the lake, yet the three days feel very different. Here is how they compare; for the lake itself in more depth, read our Green Canyon boat tour guide.
The boat tour: a whole day on the water
The Alanya Green Canyon Boat Tour collects you around 09:00 and brings you back around 17:00. After a quick photo stop at the pier, the first cruise follows the open lake beneath forested slopes and pauses for a swim. Lunch is at a restaurant on the shore – meze, salad and meatballs alongside grilled chicken or fish with rice or pasta – and afterwards anyone who fancies it can borrow a rod and try fishing. Then the second cruise threads into the canyon’s narrower arms and returns to the pier.
Soft drinks on the boat are included, while drinks ordered at the restaurant are extra. On board there are changing cabins, showers and a toilet, and non-swimmers get a life jacket. This is the relaxed option for families with small children, couples and anyone who would rather swim and unwind than bump along a track.
Jeep safari and boat: off-road plus an hour on the lake
The Alanya Green Canyon Jeep Safari & Boat Tour runs from about 09:00 to 16:00 and splits the day between off-road vehicles and the water. Heading towards Manavgat, the convoy stops for photos at the Roman aqueducts, then takes to the tracks on the hillsides around the Oymapınar Dam. A small zoo can be visited on the way if you like, with the ticket paid on the spot.
Around midday you swap the jeep for a boat: about an hour of cruising, then roughly 30 minutes to swim. A hilltop viewpoint shows the canyon and the Mediterranean in one view, and lunch is at a lakeshore restaurant, with time for another swim afterwards. A second off-road stretch begins the trip home. Experienced drivers do all the driving, seat belts stay fastened, and the odd water game on the way means your phone needs protecting. Drinks are not included. The tour is not suitable during pregnancy; with back, neck or mobility problems, ask us before booking. Curious about Alanya’s other jeep days? Our Alanya jeep safari guide covers the Dim River, Sapadere and night safari routes.
Cabrio bus safari: sights, music and the lake
The Alanya Waterfall & Green Canyon Cabrio Bus Safari travels in an open-top bus, nicknamed the disco bus, with music playing as the countryside rolls by. The bus collects you around 08:30 and drops you back around 17:00. Along the way it stops at the Roman aqueducts, a traditional Yörük village, an orange garden and a hill with a view over the sea and the Green Canyon. At the lake you board a boat between the wooded slopes; afterwards there is free time for swimming, canoeing or a pedal boat, and lunch is laid out picnic-style by the shore.
The ticket already covers three entrances: Seleukeia Ancient City, the Külliye Mosque and the Green Canyon. The day ends at Manavgat Waterfall, a modest waterfall on the river close to Manavgat town, where the entrance fee is paid on site. Pack something to cover your shoulders and knees for the mosque, and as seats are limited, book a few days ahead in busy weeks. No hiking, driving or paddling is required, which makes this an easy day for mixed-age groups.
Which Green Canyon tour suits you?
- You want plenty of time on the water: the boat tour, with two cruises, a swim stop and soft drinks on board.
- You want variety and some adventure: the jeep safari and boat tour, with off-road tracks, the aqueducts, an hour on the lake and a swim.
- You want to see a lot without effort: the cabrio bus, with a village, an orange garden, a mosque, an ancient city and Manavgat Waterfall around the boat trip.
- You are travelling with a baby or toddler: all three have free tickets for infants aged 0–2 and child tickets for ages 3–11, but the boat tour keeps the day calm and simple.
- You want to be back earlier: the jeep safari and boat tour returns around 16:00.
The small extra costs differ too: drinks at lunch on all three, the optional zoo on the jeep safari and the waterfall entrance on the cabrio bus.
Tips for your Green Canyon day
- Put on swimwear before pickup and bring a towel.
- The lake is a dam reservoir, so you swim in fresh water, not salt water.
- Bring sun cream, a hat and sunglasses: the sun is strong on the water, and the open-top bus has little shade.
- Keep your phone in a waterproof pouch, above all on the jeep safari with its water games.
- Carry some cash for drinks and entrance fees.
- Swimming is weather-dependent, and conditions or the lake’s water level can reshuffle the programme.
All three tours, with their current pickup times, are on the Alanya safari tours page. Nothing is charged in advance; the bill is paid in cash on the day itself, and a change of plan costs nothing if you cancel at least 24 hours ahead.
