Wherever you stay on the Antalya coast, a rafting day leads to the same river: the Köprüçay, which flows through Köprülü Canyon National Park in the Taurus Mountains. What changes from one resort to the next is how early you leave and how long you spend in the minibus. This guide explains how the day runs, how far the canyon is from Belek, Side, Manavgat, Antalya, Alanya and Kemer, who can take part and what to pack.
Köprülü Canyon and the Köprüçay river
The national park lies in the mountains between Serik and Manavgat. The rafting bases are around the villages of Beşkonak and Bozyaka on the banks of the Köprüçay, and the park also protects a historic Roman stone bridge, the Oluk Köprüsü, which crosses the river inside the canyon.
The rafting section is about 14 km long, with class II–III rapids: enough white water for plenty of splashing and shouting, but well within reach of first-timers. You spend roughly 2–2.5 hours on the water, including stops for swimming and photos. Each raft carries 8–12 people plus an instructor, who steers and calls out the paddle commands. Life jackets and helmets are compulsory for everyone on board.
How a rafting day runs
Pickup and return times depend on your resort, but the day itself follows a familiar pattern:
- Hotel pickup: a minibus collects you and heads inland into the mountains.
- Briefing and kit: at the base, usually around 10:30–11:00, you are given a life jacket, a helmet and a paddle. The instructors show you how to sit, how to paddle and what to do if you go overboard.
- On the river: roughly between 11:00 and 14:00, with swim and photo stops along the way.
- Lunch: a buffet-style meal at a riverside restaurant, typically grilled chicken, rice or bulgur, pasta, salads and fruit.
- Back to the hotel: the return transfer leaves from about 15:30.
A few extras are sold at the base and are not part of the tour: shoe rental, wetsuits, waterproof phone pouches, and photos or video of your raft.
Drive times and day length from each resort
This is where your choice of tour really matters. From the closest resort to the farthest:
- Belek: about 45–60 minutes by road, as no resort is closer to the canyon. The Belek Rafting Tour picks you up at around 09:00 and brings you back at about 17:00.
- Manavgat: about an hour. The Manavgat Rafting Tour starts at around 08:30 and returns at about 17:00.
- Side: about 1–1.5 hours. On the Side Rafting Tour you leave at around 09:00 and are back by about 17:30.
- Antalya: about 1.5 hours. The Antalya Rafting Tour runs from around 08:30 to about 17:30.
- Alanya: about 2 hours. Alanya has no regular rafting river of its own, so the Alanya Rafting Tour drives to Köprülü: pickup at around 08:00, return at about 18:00.
- Kemer: about 2 hours each way. The Kemer Rafting Tour is a full day with an early start, from around 07:30 until about 18:00.
Your exact pickup time depends on where your hotel is, and we send it to you after booking.
Who can join
- Age: the minimum age is 7, and anyone under 18 rafts with a parent. Children aged 7–11 have their own ticket.
- Swimming: you don’t need to be able to swim, because the life jacket keeps you afloat, but you should feel comfortable in water.
- Experience and fitness: none needed. The instructor sets the rhythm and the whole raft paddles together.
- Health: rafting is not suitable for pregnant guests. If you have any other condition you are unsure about, ask us before you book.
Travelling with younger children? Our guide to safari tours with kids in Antalya shows which trips work for each age.
What to wear and bring
- A swimsuit under light, quick-drying clothes
- Shoes that stay on in the water, such as water shoes or old trainers; flip-flops come off easily, and shoes can also be rented at the base
- A towel and a complete change of dry clothes for the drive back
- Water-resistant sunscreen, plus a hat and sunglasses for the breaks (a strap keeps glasses on in the raft)
- Some cash for drinks and for the extras sold at the base
Leave jewellery and valuables in the hotel safe. If you want your phone on the water, keep it in a waterproof pouch.
Season, timing and honest trade-offs
The rafting season runs mainly from April to October, with some days in November depending on the water and the weather. In the heat of summer the river is a welcome change from the pool; outside high summer, when the air is cooler, a wetsuit rented at the base makes the day more comfortable.
Be realistic about the transfer. From Kemer and Alanya you spend around four hours of the day on the road, so avoid booking another early start for the following morning. From Belek, Manavgat or Side the drive is short enough to leave you a relaxed evening at the hotel. And if you want more than rafting, a short river zipline can be added from Side, Manavgat, Belek and Antalya, while Alanya has a rafting, buggy and zipline combo; our zipline guide compares the options.
Booking takes a couple of minutes on the tour page or via WhatsApp. Nothing is paid when you book: you pay in cash on the tour day, and you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before the tour. For the other trips that start near your hotel, browse the safari tours from Alanya, Side, Manavgat, Belek, Antalya and Kemer.
