Write: Melih Uslu Photos: Cengiz Karlıova / Alternatif

Amid White Foam

Now is the time to leap in to the foamy white waters of Anatolia’s emerald-colored, crystalline waters and clear the waterfalls. Here are five wonderful rafting routes in Anatolia.

KÖPRÜLÜ CANYON
Köprüçay—known also as Köprülü Canyon—is one of Anatolia’s most popular rafting centers. The twelve-kilometer-long route takes two laps to complete. After the first lap, rafters retreat to the riverside for a lunch and break. The height of the ripples you will encounter in the route, which is located fifty-five kilometers from Antalya in Beşkonak, does not exceed half a meter. The route is generally home to risk-free, simple crossings and is therefore well suited especially for beginners. Occasional sharp turns crank up the excitement in Köprüçay, which is classified as an easy route. The water of Köprüçay is clean and cool—even on the hottest days of summer, the temperature of the water can remain under fifteen degrees Celsius. The flow of water is suitable for rafting in every season. The route is located within the boundaries of Köprülü Canyon National Park, which is home to the largest Mediterranean cypress forest in Asia Minor. Oluk Bridge, standing twenty-seven meters tall at the entrance of the canyon, is a Roman bridge that dates from the second century AD. The ancient town of Selge right next to it is also worth seeing. Post-rafting 4x4 safaris and mountain cabin accommodations are among the region’s other draws.

HOW TO GET THERE
Anadolujet runs round-trip flights between Ankara and Antalya every day of the week, with departures from Ankara starting at 9:30 a.m. and ending at 11:55 p.m., and from Antalya at 7:00 a.m. and 8:45 p.m.
www.anadolujet.com

ÇORUH RIVER
Regarded as one of the best rafting routes not just in Anatolia but also worldwide, the Çoruh River pours out of the Mescit Mountains in the North of the Plain of Erzurum, passing over 376 kilometers before emptying into the Black Sea. Starting from Sırakonaklar and ending in Yusufeli, Artvin, the rafting route has a high level of difficulty. Camping programs that extend from four days to a week are recommended to complete the route. Requiring experience and a safety system, the route has narrow crossings and barriers that need powerful maneuvers to overcome. The river flows very powerfully—with a displacement of three hundred meters cubed per second—over rough terrain. Rafters must pass through deep valleys and corridors of rock that even sunlight has difficulty entering. The terrain in this section gets very rough, and one can encounter waves of high and powerful reverse currents. The waters of the Çoruh, which is nourished by peaks that receive heavy rainfall, are almost always murky.

HOW TO GET THERE
Anadolujet runs round-trip flights between Ankara and Batumi/Hopa on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Departures are at 1:30 p.m. in both directions.
www.anadolujet.com

MELEN RIVER
The rafting route in Melen River is located inside the district of Cumayeri in Düzce, two-and-a-half kilometers from Istanbul by car. The roughly fifteen-kilometer-long route starts in Dokuzdeğirmen Village and ends in Beyler Village. It includes three separate difficulty levels. Occasional sharp turns and ebullient waterfalls up the dose of the adrenaline. The roughly fifteen-kilometer-long route sweeps amid forested slopes and takes about three hours to complete on average. The Melen River Rafting Route is known for its proximity to Ankara, and it is favored especially for day trips on weekends. The high flow observed in the spring is very suited for river crossings in specially designed inflatable boats. In Melen, amid the natural environment of the Bolu Mountains studded with lakes glowing like evil eyes amid lush green forests, oxygen-rich plateaus, and splendid waterfalls, you can suck in all the beauties of the spring and have hours packed with excitement.

HOW TO GET THERE
You may reach the rafting center on Melen River by roadways via Istanbul, Ankara, and Kocaeli. Anadolujet runs flights to all three cities.
www.anadolujet.com.

KARANLIK CANYON
Karanlık (“Dark”) Canyon—one of the most exciting rafting routes in Anatolia—is located near the district of Kemaliye in Erzincan. The canyon, which is approximately fifteen kilometers long, sports giant rock walls that tower to heights of up to five hundred meters. Additionally, the forested banks of the river present a rich range of camping options. Kemaliye Valley, surrounded by mountains as high as four thousand meters, presents moments embellished with rarely seen plant and animal species right in the bosom of nature. The 34th Kemaliye (Eğin) Culture and Outdoor Sports Festival to be held June 27–27 this year has acquired international status—subjected to a flood of rafting enthusiasts, athletes, musicians, and photographers from all over the world, the district practically becomes a fairground during the festival.

HOW TO GET THERE
Anadolujet runs round-trip flights between Ankara and Erzincan every day of the week. Departures are at 1:40 p.m. from Ankara and 3:35 p.m. from Erzincan.
www.anadolujet.com

GÖKSU RIVER
Extending from the slopes of Karaman to the coast of Mersin, Göksu River promises a marvelous rafting experience in which you can explore the pristine natural environment of the Taurus Mountains. Streaming out of Geyik and Haydar Mountain, the two branches of the river join in the district of Mut, where they take on the name of Göksu. Approximately 260 kilometers long, the Göksu River creates a delta between Taşucu and Silifke before pouring into the Mediterranean. One can observe more than 330 species of birds in the Göksu Delta, which became a priority area for natural conservation in Anatolia via the International Ramsar Convention. Today, rafting is possible both in the Göksu River and in Ermenek Creek, its tributary. The ninety-one-kilometer-route extending from Mut to Silikfe gains added excitement with canyon crossings. The annual average flow is ninety- to ninety-five meters cubed per second; in the spring, it can go up to 260 meters cubed per second. The rafting routes draw visitors from countries in Europe and the Middle East, and they can be completed in roughly eight hours.

HOW TO GET THERE
You can reach the rafting routes on the Göksu River by roadways via Adana and Konya. Anadolujet runs flights from Ankara to both cities.
www.anadolujet.com