The best time to visit Sapadere Canyon

High summer

The busiest and, for most guests, the best. The coast is hot, the gorge is shaded and several degrees cooler, and the spring-fed pools are as cold as ever — the swim is the point of the day. Tours run every day from the Alanya belt and on Wednesdays and Sundays from Side. Expect other groups on the walkway; the guide manages the pace.

Tours run every day from the Alanya belt — the canyon tour — and on Wednesdays and Sundays from Side.

Spring and early summer

Quieter walkways, softer light, more water in the river after the mountain rains. The pools are cold as always and the air can be cool in the gorge, so the swim is for the determined. A good time for photographs and for guests who prefer the canyon without the crowd.

Autumn

The coast stays warm long after the northern summer ends, and the canyon with it. September and October give warm days, thinner crowds and water that has not warmed — it never does. Later in the season the first heavy rains can affect access.

Rain and winter

The canyon is a river gorge. After heavy rain the water rises and access to the walkway and the pools can be limited; in winter conditions the same applies and departures may not run. When a day cannot go ahead, your reservation moves to another date or is cancelled free of charge. The opening hours page explains why no fixed timetable is printed.

Time of day

The tours reach the canyon around the middle of the day, when the sun reaches the floor of the gorge and the pools are lit. Your pickup time depends on your hotel and is confirmed the day before — the hotel pickup page explains how.

Swimming season

There is no warm season for the water; there is a hot season for the air. Swimming is optional, possible when conditions allow, and most enjoyable when the coast is at its hottest. The swimming page has the rest.

Pick your season, then reserve the date — free cancellation up to 24 hours before if the weather has other plans.