Rafting, Zipline, Quad, Buggy and Jeep Combo Tour Alanya

Köprülü Canyon National Park

Köprülü Canyon National Park, created in 1973, protects a deep limestone gorge in the Taurus mountains north of Manavgat. Through it runs the Köprüçay, the river known in antiquity as the Eurymedon, fed by mountain springs that keep its water cold, clear and green even in the height of summer. Pine, cypress and plane trees cling to the cliffs on both sides.

The canyon takes its name from its stone bridges, and the Roman-era Oluk Bridge still spans the gorge upstream of the rafting area. A Köprülü Canyon tour from Alanya takes about two hours each way by road, so the day is long but packed. Is Köprülü Canyon worth visiting? For river adventure and wild scenery close to the coast, it is the best place in the region.

Whitewater Rafting on the Köprüçay River

The rafting route covers a 14-kilometre stretch of the Köprüçay with around ten rapids, ideal for beginners and families while still exciting. Before you start, the guides hand out helmets, life jackets and paddles and give a clear safety briefing; then each raft sets off with a professional rafting guide steering at the back.

Between the rapids the river slows into calm pools, and the guides stop so you can jump in and swim or float with the current in your life jacket, which many call body rafting. The water is refreshingly cold, so the swim is a highlight on hot days. Allow about two to three hours on the water. Alanya rafting trips on this river run from spring to autumn, when the water level is steady.

Zipline across the River

After rafting comes the zipline: you are strapped into a harness on a specially designed seat attached to a steel cable and glide across the river from one bank to the other. Trained staff check the equipment and launch each guest one by one.

The ride is short but thrilling, with the green water below and the canyon walls all around, and it gives you a completely different view of the river you have just rafted. No experience is needed, and most guests from older children to grandparents take part. It is included in every option of this tour, so even the lightest 2-in-1 option gives you both the rapids and the flight over the water.

Quad or Buggy Ride and Jeep Safari

With the 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 options you also choose a quad or buggy ride on dirt trails through the pine forest near the canyon. The tracks are muddy and bumpy, so expect splashes and plenty of laughter; the team gives a short briefing and leads the convoy at a safe pace.

The 4-in-1 option then adds a jeep safari in open off-road vehicles along rocky and muddy mountain paths in the Taurus foothills, with stops for photos of the valleys and villages. It is the most complete way to see the countryside around the canyon. Bring clothes you do not mind getting dirty, and keep a change of clothes for the drive back.

Lunch by the River and the Day's Rhythm

Lunch is served at a riverside restaurant in the canyon, with salad, chicken and rice, in the shade of the trees beside the water. As in most of Türkiye, the meat served is generally halal. Drinks, photos and the tour video are extra.

With hotel transfers the day lasts about ten hours, because all groups leave the canyon together at a fixed time in the afternoon. If you are staying near Manavgat or prefer to drive yourself, the 2-in-1 option without transfers meets at the rafting base in Bozyaka and takes about five hours. The best time to visit Köprülü Canyon is from May to October, when the weather is warm and the cold river is most welcome.