rock climbing
Türkiye is a truly unmatched destination for rock climbers with crags for every season, a variety of available rock-climbing styles, and friendly, hospitable locals.
The country is a paradise for climbers with its popular climbing areas offering a wide range of sports activities. Türkiye’s large mountains and the surrounding nature offer visitors countless opportunities to create their own route and explore to their hearts’ content.
- Geyikbayırı, Antalya
The largest developed rock-climbing area in Türkiye is around Antalya, and more specifically, the sport climbing region of Geyikbayırı, which has over 700 routes of all grades. The crag itself is situated 25 km from Antalya, with the only "tourists" being rock climbers! The main crag is 1.5 km long, plus several other buttresses, providing over 700 routes across all grades. Geyikbayırı has excellent camping areas with unique climatic and geographical features.
Close to Antalya, there are four other rock-climbing areas: Olympos, Çitdibi, Akyarlar, and Karataşlar.
- Aladağlar, Niğde
Situated in the Taurus Mountain range, at the meeting point of the cities of Kayseri, Adana, and Niğde, Aladağlar has some excellent rock-climbing routes on limestone rocks. The majority of the routes are single pitch, though there are some multipitch routes up to 650 m long.
There are over 100 routes here across all grades. Aladağlar National Park is at an altitude of 1,600 m making rock climbing very pleasant from the beginning of June through to the end of September.
In Aladağlar, you’ll also find some endemic species and animal families specific to the region.
- Datça & Bafa Gölü, Muğla
An awesome hard rock-climbing destination on the peninsula that separates the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas! Datça has high-quality granite and gneiss rocks, and amazing landscapes. There are a dozen sectors, but most of the climbing is in and around the Can Baba Cave.
Located 100 km from Bodrum and 60 km from Marmaris and near Lake Bafa, Datça offers some of the most difficult and straight climbing routes of Türkiye. Some experience is necessary for climbing here - but, rest assured, the birdsong will help you!
- Kaynaklar, İzmir
Located in the Buca district of İzmir, near the village of Kaynaklar, Kaynaklar Climbing Garden is an area that can be climbed year-round.
It’s possible to find more than 200 routes of all grades. You can participate in the Kaynaklar Rock Climbing Festival which is held in the spring.
- Ballıkayalar Canyon, Kocaeli
There are around 100 routes in the canyon, where climbing activities started at the 1970s. The canyon offers climbing opportunities for climbers of all levels.
- Harmankaya Canyon, Bilecik
The city of Bilecik is at distance of 2-3 hours by car from İstanbul. In 1299, the Ottoman Empire was founded in the small town of Söğüt, 30 km southeast of Bilecik.
Harmankaya Canyon, near the village of Harman in Bilecik, is four kilometers long with waterfalls, both big and small. The area is not an established rock-climbing destination - you can take your tent with you for camping and you’ll find some natural water springs around the canyon.
- Cilo, Hakkari
The city of Hakkari, which gets quite cold in the winter, is located in the southeast of Türkiye.
Mount Cilo is the country’s second-highest mountain with an altitude of 4,135 meters. It’s called the “Climbing Heaven of Türkiye.” Navy blue glacial lakes, colorful endemic flowers, and breathtaking landscapes await you here. Hakkari is not a tourism center, but Mount Cilo promises to surprise climbing lovers!
- Uzundere, Erzurum
Erzurum is one of the coldest cities in Türkiye so it comes as no surprise that it offers climbing on frozen waterfalls!
Erzurum offers nature lovers huge mountains for skiing and snowboarding, and many climbing routes. In winter, you can climb frozen waterfalls, and in summer, you can climb straight rocks. Don’t forget to join the International Ice Climbing Festival which is held here every January!
- Kaçkarlar, Rize
Located between Kackar Mountains and the Black Sea, Rize is Türkiye’s greenest city! With its streams and forests, Rize offers you great rock-climbing routes of all grades.
During summer, there are excellent camping areas in Rize.
