Antalya is the hotspot for white water rafting in Turkey.
More precisely, this means the Köprülü Canyon National Park in the province of Antalya. It is the largest rafting center in Turkey. A look at the offers from GetYourGuide.com is sufficient for this.
This is our complete guide to rafting in Köprülü Canyon, including other possible rafting alternatives in Antalya and neighboring provinces.
We’ll start with the options in Köprülü Canyon National Park.
White water rafting in the Koprulu Canyon in Turkey
There are offers for rafting in the Köprülü Canyon 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 quite a bit. Some include a jeep safari, some go to the new Instagram phenomenon Tazi Canyon or include a hike in the national park.
The right rafting tour therefore depends entirely on your own preferences.
You also often have the option to book additional activities locally, such as a speedboat ride on the river, zip-lining, a quad bike and similar things.
All in all, the offer in the Köprülü Canyon for rafting is the most diverse.
Rafting on the river is also possible almost all year round. Summer is clearly the main season, especially on very hot days with temperatures of more than 35°.
The rubber boats then go down the river every minute. That’s no exaggeration.
It is therefore worth taking a look at the exact description of the rafting tours before booking.
Where else can I go rafting in Antalya?
There are three alternatives to rafting in the Köprülü Canyon, depending on the bathing location and the season.
1. Alara
In spring, rafting is possible on Alara River in Alanya County. You won’t find any offers online for this. You have to book the excursions locally at the hotel or with a local travel agency.
2. Düden River
Rafting is available from 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 will rarely find these rafting tours online so far.
3. 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 white water rafting, tubing on the river in Saklikent is common. Most of the time this is possible from Antalya in combination with a jeep safari to Patara Beach, the ruins of Xanthos and similar sights in Antalya.
What do I need to know about rafting in Antalya?
Whitewater Rafting: For whitewater rafting you have to go to Köprülü Canyon. This is clearly the center of it. The alternatives are only seasonal 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 own 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 noon and brought back to the hotel in time for dinner. The transfer works mostly with minibuses. The big tour operators have coaches for this.
Food and drink: The food is included in the price of rafting trips. Mostly there is a buffet with chicken skewers (Tavuk Sis), a grilled fish and a vegetarian option. In addition, 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 explained in more detail in the description of the excursions.
Valuables: Pack only necessary items. Depending on the excursion, you can store them in the coach, in a locker or in a backpack on the boat. That depends solely on the provider. Usually there is also something in the description of the excursions.
Clothing: It is best to put on your bathing suit underneath and light summer clothing on top. That’s enough for rafting. There are changing rooms on site. If you want to do other things apart from rafting, for example ride a quad, then wear proper shoes and no flip-flops.
Where can I book rafting in Antalya?
Rafting excursions can be found everywhere in Antalya.
Your hotel sells them just like local travel agencies do. The typical meeting with the guide on the first day in Antalya is actually a “coffee ride” selling day trips and of course there are plenty of rafting deals online.
Personally, I recommend booking with a tour operator or online. These are usually the excursions with a good quality, a good program and the food is usually much better.
Reviews of excursions on the Internet also makes 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 with good online reviews than with a local travel agent, but at least you know what you can expect.
You can find deals online using Viator, GetYourGuide, Klook, and many other sites.
Conclusion on rafting in Antalya
Rafting has a special attraction in Antalya, especially in summer with 35° in the sun.
We did rafting in Köprülü Canyon and Saklikent Canyon for the experience. It’s an experience away from the beaches, sunbeds and pools of the big hotels.
Apart from that, it’s fun – also as possible activities with the whole family.
Rafting with jeep safaris in Taurus Mountains, speedboat, zip-lining, quads and more clearly make rafting even more interesting.
If you have any other questions, please let us know in the comments below.
