Book a tour whose price already includes hotel pickup in the Side region, lunch, the equipment and insurance, and check how many kilometres you actually spend on the river. Our classic rafting day on the Köprüçay river costs €15 per adult and €10 per child aged 3 to 11 in 2026, with pickup from hotels in the Side region, about 14 km on the water and lunch included. It runs from May to mid-November and takes about eight hours door to door. Children from 3 and non-swimmers can join the classic tour.
What to check before you book
- Hotel pickup: is it included, and does it cover your hotel? On our tour pages you choose your hotel under "Check your pickup area" and see its pickup time before you book. If you have a car, the meeting-point option costs less.
- Kilometres on the river: the classic tour, the Eagle Canyon jeep and canyoning combinations and the kayak cover about 14 km. On the rafting, buggy and zip-line combination you raft about 7 km, so the other activities fit into the day.
- Lunch: included on all our rafting tours from Side, usually at a stop halfway down the river.
- What costs extra: water shoes or neoprene if you need them, the photos and video taken on the river, and drinks.
- Cancellation: ours is free up to 24 hours before the tour starts, with a full refund of what you paid.
What the day involves
An air-conditioned bus collects you from your hotel in the morning and drives to Köprülü Canyon National Park, about an hour and a half inland. At the base you get a life vest, a helmet and a paddle and a safety briefing from your instructor; extra gear such as water shoes or neoprene is available there at extra cost. Then you paddle about 14 km down the Köprüçay through grade 2 to 3 rapids, with a lunch break halfway. At the end you can watch the video and see the photos taken on the river, which are for sale, change into dry clothes and ride back to the hotel. How hard the rapids feel and how cold the water is are covered in our article Köprülü Canyon rafting: how hard it really is, and how cold.
Which rafting tour to choose
| Tour | On the river | Also in the day | 2026 price | Who can join |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic rafting, Side hotel pickup | about 14 km | lunch, about 8 h | €15 adult, €10 child 3–11 | from 3 years, non-swimmers too |
| Classic rafting, meeting point | about 14 km | lunch, about 5 h, own transport | €10 adult, €8 child 3–11 | from 3 years, non-swimmers too |
| Rafting, buggy and zip-line (from June) | about 7 km | 45 minutes of buggy driving, zip-line, lunch | €40 adult, €30 child 3–11 | from 3 years; drivers 16+, younger guests ride as co-drivers |
| Rafting and Eagle Canyon (Tazı Canyon) jeep | about 14 km | gözleme on the river, lunch, jeep ride and a walk of about 80 metres to the canyon top | €35 adult, €25 child 3–11 | from 3 years |
| Canyoning, rafting and zip-line | about 14 km | about an hour of canyoning, zip-line, lunch | €40 per person | ages 7 to 70, swimmers only |
| River kayaking | about 14 km | two-seat canoe, lunch | €20 per person | adults 18+, swimmers only, booked for two |
Staying in Alanya? The classic tour also collects from Alanya hotels, for €17 per adult and €12 per child, in about ten hours. The live price for your date is on each tour page, and all of them are listed on our rafting from Side page.
Children and families
Children from 3 years can join the classic rafting tour, the Eagle Canyon jeep combination and the buggy combination. Ages 3 to 11 pay the child price, and from 12 the adult price applies. There is no infant price, because children under 3 cannot take part. Every guest, child or adult, wears a life vest and a helmet. On the buggy combination only guests aged 16 and over may drive; younger guests, including 12- to 15-year-olds who pay the adult price, ride as co-drivers. The canyoning combination is for ages 7 to 70 and the kayak for adults from 18, and both are for swimmers only. The classic tour is not suitable for pregnant women, people with heart problems, people with mobility impairments or wheelchair users; each tour page lists its own restrictions.
Rain, bad weather and refunds
Rafting goes ahead in the rain: you get wet on the river anyway. We call it off for a storm or when the river is not safe, and whenever we cancel a tour, for weather or for operational reasons, we refund everything you paid. If the tour runs and you decide not to go, cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the tour starts, with a full refund of what you paid. For later cancellations and no-shows, and for emergencies such as an accident or injury, see our cancellation and refund page.
When to go
The 2026 season runs from May to mid-November; the buggy and zip-line combination starts in June. On our 2026 bookings, August had the most guests, then July; June and September were quieter, and May, October and November the quietest. If your dates are fixed, book a few days ahead in July and August. The river is fed by mountain springs and stays cold all summer, so early and late in the season neoprene makes the day more comfortable.
What to wear and bring
Swimwear under light clothes, water shoes or sandals with a strap, sunscreen, a towel and dry clothes for the way back. Leave your phone and valuables at the hotel; if you want your own photos on the river, bring a waterproof camera or phone case, at your own risk.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I book Köprülü Canyon rafting from Side with hotel pickup?
Directly with a local operator, on a booking site or at your hotel's tour desk. Booking directly is usually cheapest, because no desk or marketplace adds its margin. On our rafting tour page you book with Seven Tours, a licensed travel agency (TÜRSAB 14576), see the live price for your date and the pickup time for your hotel, and can cancel free up to 24 hours before. How the channels compare: book excursions in Side directly or at your hotel.
Is my hotel in the pickup area, and what time will I be collected?
On the tour page, choose your hotel under "Check your pickup area": it shows whether your hotel is covered and its pickup time. The classic tour collects from hotels in the Side region and, at a higher price, from Alanya; with your own car you can choose the meeting point instead.
How much does rafting from Side cost?
In 2026 the classic tour costs €15 per adult and €10 per child aged 3 to 11 with hotel pickup in the Side region, or €10 and €8 if you come to the meeting point yourself. Rafting with the Eagle Canyon jeep costs €35 per adult and €25 per child, and rafting with a buggy and a zip-line €40 and €30. Canyoning, rafting and zip-line costs €40 per person, and river kayaking €20 per person.
Do I need to be able to swim?
Not for rafting. Everyone wears a life vest and a helmet, there is a safety briefing before you start, and non-swimmers can join the classic tour and the buggy and Eagle Canyon combinations. The canyoning combination, where you swim through the canyon to the raft, and the river kayak are for swimmers only.
Is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. The Köprüçay is a grade 2 to 3 river: lively enough to be fun, but no experience is needed, and an instructor leads each raft.
From what age can children go rafting, and which tour suits a family?
Children from 3 years can join the classic rafting tour, the Eagle Canyon jeep combination and the buggy combination; on these, ages 3 to 11 pay the child price. The canyoning combination is for ages 7 to 70 and river kayaking for adults from 18. Children under 3 cannot join, so there is no infant price.
Does the tour run if it rains?
Yes. Rain alone does not stop rafting. If we cancel, for a storm or an unsafe river, you get back everything you paid.
If I don't want to go because of the weather, do I get my money back?
If you cancel at least 24 hours before the tour starts, yes, in full. Later cancellations and no-shows follow the rules on our cancellation and refund page. If we cancel because of a storm or an unsafe river, you get back everything you paid.
Which months are busiest for rafting?
On our 2026 bookings, August had the most guests, then July. June and September were quieter, and May, October and November the quietest. The season runs from May to mid-November.
How cold is the water?
Cold, even in August: the river comes from mountain springs. You get used to it after the first rapids, and neoprene is available at the base for an extra charge.
Is lunch included?
Yes, on all our rafting tours from Side. On the classic tour it is a break halfway down the river. Drinks are paid separately.
Can I take my phone on the raft?
Better not: there is no dry place for it on the raft, so leave it at the hotel. If you do take it, use a waterproof case, at your own risk. Photos and a video of your group are taken on the river and can be bought at the end of the day.
Rafting or the Green Canyon boat trip?
Rafting is an active day on a fast river; the Green Canyon boat trip is a calm day on a reservoir with swim stops. They are in different valleys, so book them on separate days.
