Excursion tips to the Düden waterfall in Antalya

Is a trip to the Düden waterfall in Antalya worthwhile?

That depends on which one you want to visit.

The 30-kilometer-long Düden River plunges down a waterfall twice on its way out of the Taurus Mountains.

A waterfall is on the coast of Antalya. There the water falls 40 meters into the sea.

The upper Düden waterfall is located 15km north of the coast. It’s located in a small nature park, with a breath-taking cave as its backdrop.

The water of the Düden River arises from the Kirkgözler and Pinarbasi springs in the Taurus Mountains. The two watercourses come from the mountains and meet after a few kilometres to become the actual Düden river.

Shortly afterwards, the water disappears again.

14 kilometres further, it returns to the surface in Antalya’s Kepez district. From there, you will travel only a few kilometres more to reach the upper Düden waterfall.

The upper Düden waterfall in Kepez: picnic area and a cave behind the waterfall

The upper Düden waterfall belongs to Antalya’s Kepez district. This is one of the fastest growing areas in Antalya. Up until a few years ago, there were only a few vegetable fields in the area. In the meantime, many of the unoccupied areas around the waterfall have been built up.

Although a new district is developing around the Düdenbasi Piknick Alani, none of this is noticeable in the park. With its tea gardens overgrown by tall trees, the park is one of the natural hubs in Antalya. That makes the small forest area in the otherwise lively Antalya a real oasis of nature.

In the summer months, the Düdenbasi is a wonderful place to cool off from the hot daytime weather. The trees cast long shadows and the river water cools the area. It is most pleasant in summer to be right in front of the waterfall. There you will feel the spray of the waterfall on your face, which is created by the draft of the falling water.

It is even cooler in the cave behind the waterfall. You can get into it from the top and bottom sides of the waterfall. From above, a spiral staircase leads directly behind the falling water. On the lower side a staircase leads through a small cave to the waterfall.

You should put on non-slip and waterproof shoes. The water dripping from the ceiling makes the cave very humid. That’s why you should also take good care of your camera. As you probably know, humidity is not good for cameras. Nevertheless, I was able to take a few good photos, even though the lens quickly became full of water droplets.

Getting there: Getting to the upper Düden waterfall is easy. There is a dolmus (line 17) from Antalya’s city centre Kaleici to the “Düden Salesi” stop. From Kaleici, the 10-kilometer route takes around 45 minutes.

From Antalya and the surrounding seaside resorts there are guided excursions to the upper Düden waterfall. Inquire about this with your guide, a local tour operator or book the excursion with Get your guide.

The lower Düden waterfall in Muratpasa (Lara): 40-meter-high cliffs

The water of the Düden falls down, exactly on the 40-meter-high cliffs of Antalya by the sea, and for the second time, the water falls down a waterfall. This natural spectacle is one of the top attractions in Antalya. The rush of the falling water and the comparatively small people make the waterfall seem incredibly powerful. The force of the falling water is noticeable in the cool breezes around the waterfall. You can even feel it on the upper side of the cliff.

You can see the lower Düden waterfall from the sea in a boat or from the park on the upper side of the cliffs. There are also a few benches and a restaurant there.

Arrival: The bus line KLO8 runs from Kaleici (e.g. .: Hadrian’s Gate – direction Lara) and from the bus parking lot at the Sera Club hotel in Lara (= terminus) to Düden Park.

Excursion boats to the lower side of the waterfall leave regularly from the marina. You should take your bathing suit with you for this. You can swim in the sea in front of the waterfall. Along the way you will see two smaller waterfalls that plunge into the sea between the cliffs in Kaleici and Lara.

You can book day trips to Antalya and the waterfalls from all the seaside resorts on the Turkish Riviera. (Tour guide, local tour operator or Get your guide)

Did you find the fisherman and the divers in the photos?

Excursion to the waterfalls

The cool river water of the Düden is just like a dream come true. It helps you to relax in the hot, summer months. The cool air that is blown in your face at the waterfalls makes you completely forget that the average air temperature is around 35 °.

I find the upper Düden waterfall far more comfortable to relax in. The 40-meter-high waterfall in Lara is much more impressive. Unfortunately, there are no opportunities to sit comfortably in the shade of the trees in a tea garden.

Arrival: The upper Düden waterfall can be reached by dolmus. Line 17 is currently going there. Stop: Düden Salalesi. The bus line KLO8 takes you from the city centre (stop e.g. next to Hadrian’s Gate) or from Lara (bus parking lot at Club hotel Sera) to the lower Düden waterfall. Stop: Düden Park (you need the Antalyakart for the bus/dolmus!)

Excursion booking: You can book an excursion to the Düden waterfalls with your tour guide, a local tour operator or with Get your guide.

Do you have your own special tips for trips to the Düden waterfalls? Then, by all means, put it in the comment column!