Side rafting days end up on the Köprüçay, the river of Köprülü Canyon National Park, which lies in the Taurus Mountains between Serik and Manavgat. You can spend that day in two ways: on the Side Rafting Tour, where the river is the whole programme, or on Side Zipline & Rafting, which puts a quick ride on a river zipline before or after the rapids. Below you will find the day from hotel to river and back, the differences between the two tours and a packing list.
From Side to the Köprüçay
The road from Side to the canyon takes about 1–1.5 hours, depending on where your hotel is. The rafting tour starts with pickup at 09:00 and the zipline version half an hour earlier, at 08:30; both bring you back to your hotel at about 17:30. Free pickup covers Side, Kumköy, Çolaklı, Sorgun, Titreyengöl, Evrenseki and Gündoğdu, and your hotel’s exact time follows after booking.
The rafting bases lie around the villages of Beşkonak and Bozyaka on the riverbank. Kit and briefing usually come around 10:30–11:00: everyone is handed a life jacket, a helmet and a paddle, then the instructor practises the commands with the group and explains the safety rules. Also inside the park is Oluk Köprüsü, an old Roman bridge built of stone across the same river.
Rafting only, or rafting with a zipline?
The river part is identical on both Side tours. What differs is the extra ride at the base and the earlier start:
- Pick the rafting tour if the river is your main reason to go, if heights are not your thing, or if you prefer the later pickup.
- Choose zipline and rafting if you want a second, quick thrill and a view of the river from above. You clip into a harness and ride a line over or along the Köprüçay with an instructor in charge. The line is a few hundred metres long, depending on the base, and comes before or after the rafting, so there is no extra drive.
Keep expectations realistic: the zipline is a short, fast extra on a river day, not an activity that fills hours. Rafting starts at age 7 and the zipline at about 7; anyone under 18 joins with a parent. Our zipline guide explains how the river lines work and what to wear in a harness.
On the river
Rafts take 8–12 people, and an instructor sits in every one to steer and call the strokes. Over about 14 km the river serves up class II–III rapids – lively enough to soak everyone on board, yet well within reach of beginners who follow the commands. You spend about 2–2.5 hours on the water, roughly between 11:00 and 14:00, including stops to swim and take photos. Life jackets and helmets are compulsory. Swimming is not required – that is the life jacket’s job – but you do need to be comfortable in water.
Lunch and the way back
Once the rafts are pulled out, lunch waits at a riverside restaurant, usually as a buffet: grilled chicken, rice or bulgur, pasta, salads and fruit are typical. Lunch is included on both Side tours, drinks are not, so keep some cash in your bag. The return transfer leaves from about 15:30, which gets you back to the Side coast at about 17:30 – early enough for a shower and a relaxed dinner.
What to bring, and what costs extra
- Swimwear worn under light clothes that dry quickly.
- Shoes that won’t slip off in the river: water shoes or old trainers. Flip-flops are easily lost.
- A towel, plus dry clothes from top to toe for the drive home.
- Sunscreen that resists water, and a hat for the stops.
- Some cash: drinks are not included, and the base sells a few extras.
At the base you can rent shoes and wetsuits and buy waterproof phone pouches or photos and videos of your raft – all of them paid separately. Early and late in the season, a wetsuit makes the water more comfortable. Leave jewellery and valuables in the hotel safe.
Who it suits – and a calmer alternative
Both tours work for groups of friends, couples and families whose children are 7 or older, including people who have never rafted before. Rafting is not suitable for pregnant guests. The season is mainly April to October, plus some days in November when water and weather allow. As both are long days with a morning pickup, plan a quiet morning for the day after rather than another early start.
If someone in your party is under 7, or simply prefers to stay dry, the Side Green Canyon Boat Tour is the gentle counterpart: about 45–60 minutes from Side to the Oymapınar Dam lake, two to three hours afloat between wooded canyon walls with one or two breaks for a swim, and lunch plus soft drinks on the boat. Babies and young children are welcome on board.
Our Köprülü Canyon rafting guide has more background on the river and the park. You book on the tour page or via WhatsApp, pay nothing in advance and settle in cash on the tour day; cancellation is free up to 24 hours before. The full list of tours from Side is on the Side Safari Tours page.
