Göynük Canyon draws adventure seekers

ANTALYA

The canyon is located within Beydağları Coastal National Park. (AA photo)

Escaping the summer heat, local and international visitors are flocking to the cool mountain gorges of Göynük Canyon in the Mediterranean province of Antalya’s Kemer district for refreshing waters, scenic views and thrill-seeking adventures.

Located along an important section of the Lycian Way, the canyon offers visitors a chance to escape Antalya’s soaring temperatures while enjoying activities such as canyoning, swimming, boating, ziplining and climbing.

Temperatures in Antalya have at times reached 45 degrees Celsius, while sea temperatures have climbed to 31 degrees and humidity to 99 percent. Seeking to cool off and spend time in nature, visitors are heading to the canyon nestled among the Taurus Mountains.

Visitors travel about 2.5 kilometers by safari vehicles along forest and dirt roads before reaching the canyon, where they can take part in various activities. Those completing the route by boating, swimming, canyoning, rope courses and rock climbing eventually reach a waterfall at the end of the canyon.

The water, with temperatures ranging between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius, provides relief from the heat. Visitors can also observe mountain goats, birds, butterflies and rabbits in their natural habitat.

The canyon also offers a zipline course stretching several meters above the pine trees, allowing visitors to experience the surrounding landscape from a different perspective.

Doğukan Ak, an operator at Göynük Canyon, told Anadolu Agency that the canyon, located about 30 minutes from Antalya’s city center, was formed over approximately 2 million years.

Ak said the canyon is located within Beydağları Coastal National Park, where forests meet the sea and that activities are carried out across an area of about 3,000 decares.

He said the site initially operated only as a hiking trail but was gradually developed for nature tourism, offering visitors a broader experience through various adventure activities.

Ak said they had built a specialized team over 17 years and operated the facility in harmony with nature, offering activities such as canyoning, boat tours and ziplining.

He noted that visitor numbers have increased every year, with about 30 percent of guests being domestic tourists and 70 percent foreign visitors.

Ak said the canyon attracts tourists from Britain, Poland, Russia and several other countries, adding that its cool waters are among its main attractions.

“The water in the canyon is very cold. It seeps through cracks in the rocks, emerges ice-cold and is very clean. Since it is a valley, there is a constant breeze,” he said.

Ak emphasized the importance of diversifying Antalya’s tourism beyond its traditional sea, sand and sun offering and incorporating nature tourism by making better use of the region’s natural heritage.