Antalya rafting is the go-to destination for water rafting in Turkey.
This activity is particularly focused on the Köprülü Canyon National Park in Antalya province, which stands as Turkey’s biggest center for rafting.
Below, you’ll find a comprehensive guide to rafting in Köprülü Canyon. This guide will also cover alternative rafting spots in Antalya and surrounding areas.
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Rafting in Köprülü Canyon National Park in Antalya
Offers for rafting in the Köprülü Canyon are available from all seaside resorts between Kemer and Alanya in the province of Antalya.
The hotels, local travel agencies, and tour operators are happy to sell rafting tours to the canyon. Of course, you can also find them online.
The offers vary: some include a jeep safari, going to the new Instagram phenomenon Tazi Canyon, or hiking in the national park.
The right rafting tour therefore depends entirely on your preferences.
You also often have the option to book additional activities on site, such as a speedboat ride on the river, zip-lining, a quad bike, and similar things.
Overall, the Köprülü Canyon offers the most diverse rafting options. Rafting on the river is also possible almost all year round. Summer is the peak season, especially on very hot days with temperatures of more than 35°. The inflatable boats then travel down the river every minute. That’s not an exaggeration.
It is therefore worth taking a look at the exact description of the rafting tours before booking.
Where else can You go rafting in Antalya?
There are three alternatives to rafting in Köprülü Canyon, depending on the resort and the season.
Alara: In spring, rafting is possible on the Alara River in Alanya County. You can find offers for this online.
Düden River: Rafting is possible between the Upper Düden Waterfall to the mouth of the Düden River at the Karpuzkaldrian Waterfall on the cliffs of Antalya. The excursions are mainly in the seaside resorts around Antalya city, for example from Antalya-Lara. You can book rafting tours online.
Saklikent Canyon: Saklikent Canyon National Park is divided between Antalya Province and Mugla Province to the east. The canyon is only an option for travelers with a hotel in Kas County , with nearby beach resorts in Patara and Kalkan. Instead of whitewater rafting, tubing on the river in Saklikent is common. This is usually possible from Antalya in combination with a jeep safari to Patara Beach, the ruins of Xanthos, and similar sights in Antalya .
What do You need to know about rafting in Antalya?
Whitewater rafting: For whitewater rafting, you have to go to Köprülü Canyon. This is the center for this. The alternatives are only available seasonally or with restrictions for the transfer from the hotel to the rafting.
Equipment: Equipment such as wetsuits, helmets, and paddles are included in the price of the excursions. You don’t have to worry about your equipment. This applies to the organized rafting tours throughout the province of Antalya.
Transfer from the hotel: Depending on the tour booked, you will be picked up from your hotel in the morning or around midday and brought back to the hotel in time for dinner. The transfer mostly works with minibusses. The major tour operators have coaches for this purpose.
Food and drink: Food is included in the price of rafting trips. There is usually a buffet with chicken skewers (tavuk sis), grilled fish, and a vegetarian option. There are usually salads, a few small Turkish starters (mezze), and bread. Drinks such as water and Turkish tea (Cay) are often included in the price. You usually have to pay extra for soft drinks. This is stated in more detail in the description of the excursions.
Valuables: Only pack essential items. Depending on the trip, you can store them in the coach, a locker, or a backpack on the boat. That depends solely on the provider. There is usually something about this in the description of the excursions.
Clothing: It’s best to wear your swimwear underneath and light summer clothing on top. That’s completely enough for rafting. There are changing rooms on site. If you want to do other things besides rafting, such as riding a quad, then wear proper shoes and not flip-flops.
Where can You book rafting in Antalya?
Rafting trips are available everywhere in Antalya.
Your hotel sells them, as do local travel agencies. The typical meeting with the tour guide on the first day in Antalya is a “coffee trip” to sell day trips and of course, there are plenty of rafting offers online.
I recommend booking with a tour operator or online. These are usually excursions with good quality and a good program and the food is usually much better.
The reviews of excursions on the Internet also make it easier to compare the countless providers in Antalya with different programs, boats, and additional offers.
You might pay €10 more for a tour with the tour operator or with good online reviews than with a local travel agency, but you save yourself the trip out of the hotel to book.
You can find online offers with Viator, GetYourGuide, Klook, and many other sites.
I recommend GetYourGuide . I always book my excursions with them when I travel.
Conclusion about rafting in Antalya
Rafting is a special attraction in Antalya, especially in summer with temperatures of 35° in the sun.
I did rafting in Köprülü Canyon and Saklikent Canyon for the experience. Rafting is somehow already part of the program for friends on their trips to Antalya. It’s an experience away from the beaches, sunbeds and pools of the big hotels.
Apart from that, it’s fun – also as a possible activity with the whole family.
Rafting with jeep safaris in the Taurus Mountains, speedboats, zip-lining, quads and more make rafting even more interesting.
