Köprülü Canyon Rafting, Quad or Buggy and Zipline Combo Tour Antalya

Köprülü Canyon National Park and the Base Camp

Köprülü Canyon National Park was created in 1973 to protect a deep limestone gorge cut by the Köprüçay River, the ancient Eurymedon, in the Taurus Mountains of Manavgat district. The park shelters one of the largest natural cypress forests in the Mediterranean, and high above the river lie the ruins of the ancient city of Selge. The water is fed by mountain springs, so it stays clear and cold even in midsummer.

How do you get to Köprülü Canyon? With the default option our air-conditioned vehicle collects you from your hotel and drives about 1.5 hours to the base camp beside the river. On arrival you meet the instructors, receive helmets, life jackets and harnesses, and join a safety briefing of about 45 minutes covering the vehicles, the raft and the zipline. Changing rooms and showers are available throughout the day.

Quad or Buggy Safari in the Taurus Mountains

The first adventure is an off-road safari of about 45 minutes. You choose between a single-seat quad bike or a double-seat buggy, which is ideal for couples or a parent with a child, and follow the guide along forest tracks, muddy paths and dry river valleys in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains.

Expect dust in summer and mud after rain, so wear clothes you do not mind getting dirty and keep a bandana or scarf handy. The vehicles are shared within the group activity, and the guide sets a steady pace with stops for photos of the mountains. Many guests search for a buggy safari and rafting in Antalya on the same day; this combo does exactly that without changing location, since the trails start from the base camp.

Rafting 12 km down the Köprüçay River

The heart of the day is a 12 km rafting trip down the Köprüçay River, about two hours on the water through the canyon. The rapids are mostly gentle to moderate, which makes Köprülü Canyon rafting one of the best introductions to the sport in Turkey: thrilling enough for teenagers, safe enough for families under the guidance of an instructor in every boat.

Between the rapids the river widens into calm stretches where the instructors stop for swim breaks, and the turquoise water, steep canyon walls and cypress-covered slopes give some of the best scenery of the Antalya region. Near the start of the canyon the river passes the Oluk Bridge, a single-arched Roman bridge still in use after nearly two thousand years. Expect to get completely wet.

Zipline across Köprülü Canyon

For the zipline, you are clipped into a harness and glide along a steel cable high above the rushing river, with a bird's-eye view of the canyon, the rafts below and the mountains around. It takes only a few minutes, but it is the moment many guests remember most, especially those who have never tried a zipline before.

The instructors check every harness and explain how to sit and hold the line, so no experience is needed. A zipline over Köprülü Canyon is also the easiest way to see the shape of the gorge from above before or after you raft through it. Photos and videos of all three activities are taken by the camp's photographers and can be bought at the end of the day.

Riverside Lunch and Rest

After the activities, a local lunch is served at the riverside restaurant, a welcome reward after the river. Typical Turkish dishes are served at shaded tables a few steps from the water; drinks are ordered and paid separately. There is time to shower, change into dry clothes and rest by the riverbank while the afternoon light falls across the canyon.

This is Antalya rafting with lunch at its most relaxed: no hurry, just the sound of the river and the stories of the day. Then our driver takes you back to your hotel in Antalya, Kemer, Belek, Serik, Side or Alanya, about 10 hours after pickup. Guests who drive themselves can book the option without transfer and meet at the base camp at 10:00.