Green Canyon Boat Trip: A Guide to Oymapınar Lake from Antalya, Alanya and Side

Green Canyon (Yeşil Kanyon) is one of the calmest day trips on the Antalya coast. You swap the sea for a long, jade-green lake between steep, pine-covered walls in the Taurus Mountains. Boats cruise slowly through the narrow gorges, stop so you can swim in fresh water, and moor at a lakeside restaurant for lunch.

This guide explains where Green Canyon is, what a boat trip is like, the swimming rules, what is included, and which departure point suits you.

Where Is Green Canyon?

Green Canyon is the reservoir of the Oymapınar Dam, in the mountains north of Manavgat. The dam is a concrete arch dam about 185 m high, completed in 1984. Its lake filled a long, winding river valley, and that valley is the "canyon" you cruise through.

Approximate distances by road:

• Manavgat and Side: about 25–30 km, making them the closest resorts

• Antalya city: about 80 km

• Alanya: about 70 km

The last stretch is a winding mountain road. If you get carsick, sit near the front and take something before you set off.

What Is a Green Canyon Boat Trip Like?

Programmes vary a little by operator, but a typical day goes like this:

1. Hotel pickup and the drive inland.

2. A stop at the dam viewpoint, on some tours, for the view down onto the lake.

3. The cruise: the boat heads slowly up the narrow side canyons, where the water turns deep green and the cliffs rise straight from the lake. Expect roughly 1 to 1.5 hours on the water in the first cruise.

4. A swim: a freshwater swim, only in the spot the crew allows.

5. Lunch at a lakeside restaurant, usually a buffet or set menu.

6. A second, shorter cruise or a quieter cove, then the return to the pier and your hotel.

The whole trip usually takes 5 to 6 hours from pickup to drop-off, depending on where you are staying.

Can You Swim in Green Canyon?

Yes, but only where you are told you can. Tours stop at a designated swimming spot, often by the lakeside restaurant, and swimming elsewhere in the canyon is not allowed. The water is fresh, deep and noticeably cooler than the sea, which is welcome in midsummer.

What Is Included?

On Maxtoria's Green Canyon boat trips, the programme typically includes:

• return hotel transfer

• the boat cruise

• lunch at a lakeside restaurant

• soft drinks on board

Drinks at the restaurant, alcohol, photos and personal spending are usually extra. Some tours from Antalya include an optional stop at a textile outlet on the way back. Check the tour page if you would rather skip shopping stops.

Green Canyon Tours: Which Departure Point?

• From Antalya, Lara, Kundu and Belek: the Green Canyon boat tour from Antalya includes two cruises, lunch and a swim, in about 6 hours. There is also a family boat trip and a premium boat tour. See all Green Canyon tours from Antalya.

• From Alanya: the Green Canyon boat trip with Oymapınar Lake and lunch includes the dam viewpoint, about 1 hour 15 minutes of cruising, a swim and lunch, in about 5 hours. See all Green Canyon tours from Alanya.

• From Side and Manavgat: you are closest to the lake, and Maxtoria's Side trips combine the boat trip with an off-road ride. The jeep safari to Green Canyon and the family jeep safari with Green Canyon boat trip both include about an hour on the lake, a swim and lunch, with pickup from Side and Manavgat hotels. The Green Canyon, zoo and boat trip tour adds a zoo visit and a ride in an open safari truck.

Boat trip or jeep safari? Some tours reach Green Canyon by jeep instead, adding mountain tracks, a waterfall and village stops. See our guide to what you can do on a Green Canyon tour.

What to Bring

• Swimwear and a towel. Wear your swimwear under your clothes.

• Sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses. There is little shade on deck.

• Shoes with good grip, for the pier and the boat.

• Cash for drinks at the restaurant and any extras.

• Travel sickness tablets if you are sensitive to winding roads.

Best Time for a Green Canyon Boat Trip

Boat trips run mainly from spring to autumn. May, June, September and October are the most comfortable months: warm enough to swim, but without the peak heat. In July and August the lake is a welcome break from the heat on the coast, but the boats are busier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Green Canyon?

In the Taurus Mountains north of Manavgat. It is the lake behind the Oymapınar Dam, about 25–30 km from Manavgat and Side.

How long is a Green Canyon boat trip?

Usually 5 to 6 hours in total, including transfers, with about 1 to 1.5 hours of cruising and extra time for a swim and lunch.

Can you swim in Green Canyon?

Yes, but only at the swimming spot the crew designates. Swimming elsewhere in the canyon is not allowed.

Is lunch included?

Yes, on Maxtoria's Green Canyon boat trips, lunch is served at a lakeside restaurant. Drinks at the restaurant are usually extra.

Is Green Canyon suitable for children?

Yes. It is a calm, slow-paced trip, and there are family versions from Antalya and Alanya. Keep children supervised at the swimming stop, because the lake is deep.

Is Green Canyon the same as Köprülü Canyon?

No. Köprülü Canyon, west of Manavgat, is where people go rafting. Green Canyon is a calm lake for boat trips.