From City of Side: Visit to Ormana Village & Altinbesik Cave

Altinbesik Cave is the star here: Turkey’s largest cave and home to a huge underground lake reached by a 20-minute boat ride. But the day is just as much about mountain villages, old homes, and local life as it is about the cave.

I like the way this tour pairs dramatic nature with culture. You get views over Green Canyon and Green Lake, then see Ormana’s unusual button houses and eat lunch in the village. The slower pace also gives the day a welcome break from the busy coast. The drawback is the length: at nine hours, this is a full day on winding mountain roads, and drinks are not included.

Key points at a glance

• Altinbesik’s underground lake: Take a 20-minute boat trip inside the Golden Cradle Cavern and see stalactite and stalagmite formations.
• Ormana’s button houses: Learn how these distinctive traditional homes were built and see more examples in the village.
• Avasun mountain views: Stop in the village known for bay leaves and look across Green Canyon and Green Lake.
• Local Turkish lunch: Eat at a restaurant in Ormana, with drinks paid separately.
• Sarihacilar’s Silk Road setting: Visit a village linked with the old Silk Road and see a 650-year-old Ottoman mosque.
• Bilingual guiding: Tours operate in English and German, with hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport, and a local guide.

Why this Side day trip is different

From the coast around Side, many excursions focus on beaches, ruins, or boat trips. This one heads inland, up into the Taurus Mountains, where the setting changes quickly. The air, villages, roads, and architecture all feel removed from the resort strip.

I like that the itinerary does not treat Altinbesik Cave as the only reason to go. A cave visit can be over quickly, especially if you are not a fan of enclosed spaces. Here, the cave is part of a broader day that includes village visits, viewpoints, tea, lunch, and Ottoman architecture.

The tour also gives you a useful look at rural Antalya Province. You are not simply passing through scenery from a minibus. Stops in Avasun, Ürünlü, Ormana, and Sarihacilar give the guide time to explain how people lived in these mountain communities.

The pace is likely to suit you if you enjoy looking around, listening to local stories, and stopping for photographs. It is less suitable if you want a short, action-packed outing or prefer to spend the entire day beside the sea.

The mountain road to Avasun and Green Canyon

Your day begins with hotel pickup and a drive into the Taurus Mountains in an air-conditioned minibus. The nine-hour duration includes transportation and several stops, so expect a full but varied day rather than nine hours at one attraction.

Avasun is known as the village of bay leaves. The main reason to stop here is the view. From the village, you can look over Green Canyon and Green Lake, two of the more striking sights on the inland route from Side.

This is a good early pause because it breaks up the drive and gives you a chance to get your bearings. Bring a phone or camera, since the stop is specifically suited to photographs. The information provided does not give an exact amount of free time, so your guide will control the length of the stop according to the day’s schedule.

The road into the mountains is part of the experience, but it can also be the tiring part. If winding roads bother you, sit where you normally feel most comfortable in a minibus and bring water. The vehicle is air-conditioned, though drinks are not part of the tour price.

Ürünlü and the curious button houses

The next village, Ürünlü, is known for its button houses. These traditional buildings are an architectural feature of the area and one of the most interesting reasons to choose this tour over a standard cave excursion.

The name refers to the way the houses were built, with timber pieces showing through the walls like buttons. Your guide explains the construction and the local setting, while you get to see the buildings at close range rather than only from the road.

You also have a tea or coffee break at a traditional house. This is a small part of the day, but I think it matters. A cup of tea in an old village home gives you time to slow down and notice the materials, design, and scale of the buildings.

Do not expect a museum-style visit with a long list of formal displays. The appeal is more direct: you are looking at real village architecture and hearing about it from a local guide. The quality of the explanation can shape this part of the day, and English and German guiding are available.

One guide named in the tour feedback is Abraham, who was praised for being friendly and for explaining the history in both languages. Guides can change, so Abraham should not be treated as guaranteed, but the mention gives you a useful idea of the style to expect: personal, conversational, and focused on the places you are seeing.

Entering Altinbesik Cave National Park

Altinbesik Cave National Park is the centerpiece of the outing. Altinbesik is described as Turkey’s largest cave, and its main attraction is not just its size. Inside, you see a subterranean lake and the formations of the Golden Cradle Cavern.

The cave visit includes a 20-minute boat trip. This is not a fast ride through an underground attraction. The boat gives you time to look at the water, rock surfaces, stalactites, and stalagmites from a different angle.

The underground lake is the part that makes this stop memorable. You are seeing a body of water beneath the Taurus Mountains, rather than taking a conventional cave walk. The tour describes it as the largest underground lake in Turkey, which gives the visit real geographic importance as well as visual appeal.

There is also a practical point to consider. A cave environment can feel cool, dark, or confined compared with the sunny coast. The supplied details do not specify temperatures, walking distances, or accessibility conditions, so you should ask the operator if you have mobility concerns or dislike enclosed spaces.

The boat trip is included in the $51 price, which helps the value. You are not paying an extra fee once you arrive at the cave. The tour also lists skip-the-ticket-line access, though the actual waiting time can depend on conditions at the park.

Lunch in Ormana village

After the cave, the route continues to Ormana village for lunch at a local restaurant. This is more than a convenient meal stop. Ormana is another place to see button houses, so lunch sits naturally within the cultural part of the day.

I like the balance here. After a morning of views, driving, and underground scenery, a seated meal gives you time to rest. It also lets you experience a local restaurant instead of relying on snacks bought along the route.

Lunch is included, but drinks are not. Keep some Turkish lira or another accepted payment method available for beverages and personal purchases. The provided information does not list the menu, so do not book this tour expecting a particular dish or dietary arrangement unless you confirm it before departure.

The food is described as traditional Turkish fare in the tour feedback. That makes this stop especially appealing if you want to try local cooking rather than eat at a familiar resort restaurant. If you have dietary restrictions, ask the provider in advance, since no specific alternatives are listed.

Ormana’s houses are worth seeing before or after the meal. The button house style appears in more than one village on this route, but the repeated examples help you understand that this is a regional building tradition, not a single preserved showpiece.

Sarihacilar and the old Silk Road route

The final village stop is Sarihacilar, a settlement on the Silk Road. That detail gives the village a wider setting. This was not an isolated mountain community with no connection to the outside world. It sat along a route used for movement and trade.

You visit a traditional house here and then see a spectacular 650-year-old Ottoman mosque. The mosque adds another period and style to the day. Earlier, you have been looking at vernacular village homes. At Sarihacilar, you get a major historic religious building that has survived for centuries.

The mosque is a strong finish because it ties the smaller village details to the wider Ottoman past. Your guide can provide context as you move through the stop, though the exact depth of commentary depends on the guide and the time available.

The phrase Silk Road village can sound grand, but the value is in seeing how a quiet settlement fits into a larger network. You do not need to be a specialist in Ottoman history to enjoy this part. The combination of the old house and mosque makes the stop easy to understand and visually distinctive.

What the $51 price really covers

At $51 per person, the tour offers solid value for a nine-hour day. The price includes hotel pickup and drop-off, air-conditioned minibus transport, a professional local guide, lunch, and the 20-minute Altinbesik boat trip.

The inclusions matter because a mountain itinerary can become expensive when transport, meals, and attraction fees are separated. Here, the main costs are bundled together. You still need to pay for drinks and personal expenses, so the real cost will be slightly higher than the advertised amount.

The strongest value comes from the range of experiences. For one price, you get mountain viewpoints, several villages, traditional houses, a local meal, a national park, an underground lake, and an Ottoman mosque. If you only want the cave, a shorter visit might be better. If you want the cave plus a sense of the region, this package makes more sense.

The tour has a rating of 4.6 from 189 reviews, and the most praised points are the guides, bilingual service, relaxed pace, views, food, and cultural variety. That matches the structure of the day. It is built around steady stops rather than one big thrill.

Who should book this experience?

I would recommend this tour to you if you enjoy:

• Small mountain villages and traditional architecture
• Nature trips that include more than a viewpoint
• Local Turkish food
• History presented through buildings and places
• A relaxed schedule away from the resort crowds
• Guided travel in English or German

It is also a good choice if you are staying in Side and do not have your own transport. Reaching Ormana, Altinbesik, and Sarihacilar independently would require arranging transport through a mountain region, while this trip handles the driving and route planning.

Families may like the mix of a boat ride, views, villages, and lunch, though the full nine-hour schedule may be long for young children. People who prefer a tightly timed sightseeing program should also know that the day includes several cultural stops and a tea or coffee break. The appeal is variety and a slower rhythm, not constant activity.

You should think twice if you dislike long road journeys, enclosed caves, or traditional sightseeing with guide commentary. The cave is not the whole day, and the route is designed for people who want to understand the area as well as photograph it.

Practical details before you go

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, but the exact pickup time depends on availability and your departure location. Check the available start times carefully before booking.

The tour operates with live guides in English and German. If language is important to you, select the correct option when reserving. The guide may vary, although Abraham is one guide specifically praised for being friendly and clear with both language groups.

Wear practical clothing and shoes suitable for village stops and a cave visit. The supplied details do not state the amount of walking, ground conditions, or accessibility arrangements, so contact TOURMANIA before booking if you need precise information.

Bring money for drinks and personal purchases. Lunch is included, but beverages are not. A camera is useful at Avasun, Green Canyon, and Green Lake, while the cave itself gives you a different kind of photo opportunity if photography is permitted at the time.

The booking terms are flexible. You can reserve now and pay later, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. That is useful if your plans around Side are still changing.

Should you book the Ormana and Altinbesik tour?

Book it if you want a full-day change from the coast and like your sightseeing served with a local meal, village architecture, and a little history. The underground lake boat ride is the headline attraction, but the button houses and 650-year-old mosque give the day its character.

At $51, the combination of transport, lunch, guide, and boat ride is good value. The main tradeoff is time: nine hours is a serious commitment, and much of the day involves driving through the mountains. For a relaxed cultural outing with strong scenery, that is a fair exchange. For a quick cave visit, choose something shorter.

FAQ

How long does the Ormana and Altinbesik tour last?

The tour lasts nine hours, including transportation, village visits, the cave visit, lunch, and the return to your hotel.

Where does the tour depart from?

The experience includes hotel pickup and drop-off from the Side area. Check availability for the exact starting time and pickup details.

Is lunch included?

Yes, lunch at a restaurant in Ormana village is included in the price.

Are drinks included with lunch?

No. Drinks are not included, and you should budget separately for beverages and personal expenses.

Is the Altinbesik boat trip included?

Yes. The tour includes a 20-minute boat trip on the subterranean lake inside Altinbesik Cave.

What languages are available?

Live guiding is available in English and German.

Will I see traditional button houses?

Yes. You visit Ürünlü to learn about its button houses, then see more examples in Ormana and visit a traditional house in Sarihacilar.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The tour also offers a reserve-now, pay-later option.