Göynük Canyon — Attraction in Kemer

Part 2 detailed review for a solo traveler (how to get here from Antalya).

I feel the subglacial waters of Antarctica's lakes feel ashamed to be called "the coldest", even Oymyakon in January feels like Nigeria or the Sahara in July in comparison with this water in the Göynük Canyon. Sure, nobody accepts credit cards. Only cash. I paid 10€ for canyoning. Oh, don't forget to purchase the waterproof case for your cellphone. So, I got briefly instructed how to get to the restaurant (turn a bit right, and go straight from that information desk... just walk walk walk walk. Walk till the moment you remember the feeling of being a Peking duck. Only then you're gonna see a restaurant), from where I would be taken to the final destination. A pickup truck will take you to the place you need.

There you're gonna be dressed better than those girls on Milan, New York, Paris fashion shows. And off you go. Enjoy your journey.

After the most incredible feelings of your life (yes, it feels better than when she says "yes" to your proposal) don't feel so relaxed. We have to go back to the highway, remember? Here I was as brave as Schwarzenegger in Terminator. Knowing what's waiting for me, I took off my t-shirt and shorts (poor people who had luck to meet me on their way, hope they didn't have to take psychotherapy sessions after this) and was in my bandeau swimming bra and swimming skirt bottom. I was walking and walking.... walking and walking. Cursing my existence and still walking... Trying to remember the temperature of the Sun (10000F or 5600C) and still walking... I understood the feelings of those witches in 1495 – 1531 burned alive and still walking. It was my birthday, remember? When I almost got to the highway, a guy stopped by. He was so happy to see me (don't know why, maybe he was crying) and offered his help. I said I need to get to DURAK (bus stop) to Antalya and that's it. Turns out it was my first hitchhike experience in life. He gave me a ride to Antalya!!!

So, you won't be able to get back except asking someone to give you a ride. I don't know what I was thinking about, but I guess I thought I could stop the same KEMER shuttle bus. I just forgot it's in the middle of nowhere and noone was going to stop there. So, keep this in...

The people working here are very understanding. I bought tickets using the official website, which is outdated, paying more than if I had bought the tickets at the entrance. After a quick discussion, they have refunded me the difference, so that it would be like I bought the tickets at the entrance's value, in the end.

Beside this minor inconvenience that has been properly solved, the experience at Göynük Canyon was wonderful. We went by foot for ~10 minutes towards the zipline, where we got properly equipped (little heavy equipment btw), we experienced for a few seconds of adrenaline one zipline, and then got down the equipment. This entire experience took 20-30 minutes.

After being done with the zipline, we hopped into one of their cars, and went for 5 mins to the boating area. There we got equipped again, with a helmet and a life vest this time, staying barefoot in the inflatable boat, and admired the surroundings while the rower / "driver" man was silently doing his job. This small tour on water took ~15 mins.

After finishing the boat tour, we put on back our shoes, and waited a bit to hop again into one of their cars to bring us back to the zipline area, from where we returned to the entrance.

I recommend those two experiences, the surroundings are astonishing. We didn't try to swim in the water, but I have seen a few persons being equipped with swim costumes given by the staff there.

The prices we found at April 30th 2024:

Zipline: 15 EUR Boat Tour: 25 EUR Combo Zipline + Boat...

Had a wonderful visit to Göynük Canyon! We took a taxi from Antalya and it cost around 1000 lira. The ticket purchase was easy, and the natural scenery all around was simply stunning. We enjoyed a boat ride, and our host, Samba, was incredibly kind, lovely, and provided us with lots of great information. There was plenty of wildlife to spot – we even saw a dormant snake, goats, peacocks, and various fish.

There’s a lovely spot where you can sit with your feet dipped in the cool water and relax – a perfect way to unwind. We also tried the cheeseburger, which was really tasty, and had some fresh orange juice and a cappuccino – both were great!

The only downside was getting back. As it’s a remote area, there were no taxis available when leaving. There's a taxi number posted outside, but we didn't get a response when we called. After walking about a mile, we encountered one taxi driver who tried to charge 1000 lira to take us to Kemer. Thankfully, we managed to haggle the price down to 600 lira with another driver.

Overall, it’s a beautiful place to visit, but plan your return...