Tazi Canyon-Selge Antique City and Devil’s Stones from Side

Tazı Canyon is the star of this mountain day trip. Green cliffs rise above the Köprülü River, and the canyon reaches impressive depths of up to 300 meters. You get there by jeep, with time for photos, a short walk, and a guided look at the scenery.

I like the mix of raw mountain views and ancient ruins. You move from the cool, open viewpoints of Tazı Canyon to Selge’s old theatre, agora, stadium, and necropolis. The $30 price also covers hotel transport, a guide, lunch, and safety equipment, which makes this a strong-value day out.

The main thing to check before booking is the exact program. Devil’s Stones are promoted as part of the experience, but the detailed route lists Tazı Canyon, Selge, and a lunch stop at Köprülü Canyon without a separate Devil’s Stones visit. The day also includes long road transfers and only about 30 minutes at Tazı Canyon.

Key points at a glance

• Tazı Canyon viewpoint: See steep green walls and the Koprülü River from a mountain setting, with time for photos and a short walk.
• Selge in the Taurus Mountains: Explore remains linked to a Pisidian city founded in the 4th century BC, including its theatre, agora, stadium, temples, and necropolis.
• Jeep access: Three short jeep or SUV sections add a rough-road feel that a standard coach tour cannot provide.
• Lunch by Köprülü Canyon: The midday break lasts about 40 minutes and includes lunch, free time, and the chance to refresh by the river.
• Flexible pickup area: Hotel pickup is available from Side, Alanya, Belek, Antalya, and several nearby resort towns.
• Guide Özkan: One recent booking singled out Özkan for friendly, helpful service and for adjusting to the group’s needs.

A mountain day from the coast

This is not a gentle sightseeing loop around the resort towns. It is an inland outing into Antalya Province, where the Taurus Mountains replace beaches and hotel strips with pine-covered slopes, rocky roads, river valleys, and old stonework.

The total duration is about eight hours. That gives you enough time to see several different places, but it also means roughly three hours of coach travel in total, split between the outward and return journeys. If you enjoy watching the scenery change, the ride is part of the appeal. If you want maximum time at each sight, the schedule may feel brisk.

Pickup is offered from a long list of locations, including Side, Alanya, Kızılağaç, Ilıca, Evrenseki, Kızılot, Çolaklı, Okurcalar, Avsallar, Belek, Kemer, and Antalya. You need to wait at your hotel’s main entrance near the security gate. Since the route serves a wide coastal area, pickup times and the exact order of stops can vary.

The tour is guided in English, Russian, or Lithuanian. This matters because the historical stops are far more useful when someone explains what you are looking at rather than simply dropping you among the stones.

The coach ride to Köprülü Canyon

The first transfer takes about 1.5 hours by bus or coach. You leave the coast and head toward the Köprülü Canyon area, where the scenery becomes more wooded and mountainous.

There is a 20-minute break at Köprülü Canyon before you change vehicles. Think of this as a practical pause rather than a full sightseeing stop. It breaks up the ride and gives you a chance to stretch before the jeep section.

The route works best if you treat the journey as a scenic transfer, not wasted time. The tour is built around places that are difficult to connect by ordinary public transport, so the long ride is the trade-off for reaching the canyon and Selge in one day.

Bring water, sun protection, and shoes that are comfortable for uneven ground. Drinks are not included, and personal expenses are your responsibility. Lunch is included, but the available information does not specify the menu.

The jeep ride adds the adventure

From Köprülü Canyon, you switch to a jeep or SUV for about 30 minutes. A second jeep section of similar length connects Tazı Canyon and Selge, followed by another 30-minute ride back toward Köprülü Canyon.

These vehicle changes are not just decoration. They let the tour use mountain roads and reach places that a large coach cannot approach as easily. The result feels more like a countryside expedition than a standard bus excursion.

The trade-off is comfort. A jeep ride can be bumpier than a coach, and the tour is not suited to every mobility need. Non-folding wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs, and baby strollers are not allowed. The tour does include safety equipment, but the supplied details do not specify exactly what equipment is provided or when it is used.

One recent booking praised guide and driver Özkan for being friendly, helpful, and flexible with the group. That is useful context for a day with several transport changes. A calm driver and an attentive guide can make a real difference on a long mountain route.

Tazı Canyon and its dramatic river views

Tazı Canyon gets about 30 minutes for a photo stop, guided visit, free time, and a walk. That is enough to take in the main viewpoint and get photographs, but it is not a long hiking session.

The canyon is described as roughly 40 kilometers long and up to 300 meters deep. The Köprülü River runs through it, with green mountains framing the view. The setting is the kind of place where the scale is hard to judge until you look down toward the water and then up at the cliffs.

I would use this stop for wide photographs first, then take a moment without the camera. The appeal is not a long list of facilities or activities. It is the combination of open air, high rock walls, forested slopes, and water far below.

The short visit is the biggest limitation here. If you want a proper canyon hike, this is not that kind of outing. You get a guided look, a walk, and free time, but the schedule moves on quickly.

Wear shoes with a firm sole and take care near viewpoints. The supplied information does not give specific safety barriers or trail conditions, so you should follow the guide’s instructions and stay within the designated viewing area.

Selge, a mountain city with plenty to decode

The jeep carries you onward to Ancient Selge, where you have about one hour for a photo stop, guided visit, and free time. Selge was founded in the 4th century BC and became an important center of Pisidia.

Its setting is part of the story. This was not a lowland port city placed beside an easy road. Selge occupied a high mountain position, and the surrounding terrain helps explain both its importance and its isolation.

The remains include temples, a theatre, an agora, a stadium, and a necropolis. You should not expect every structure to survive in perfect form. The value comes from seeing how the city was arranged and from learning how its public spaces functioned.

The theatre is likely to attract the quickest attention because it is easy to understand visually. The agora helps you picture the civic center, while the stadium points to public contests and community life. The necropolis adds a quieter reminder that this was a lived-in city, not simply a collection of grand buildings.

One hour goes quickly. You can see several main features, but you will not have time for an unhurried archaeological study of every stone. Listen carefully during the guide’s explanation, then use your free time for the places that interest you most.

This is where the language of the tour matters. English, Russian, and Lithuanian guiding is offered, but language arrangements can vary when several languages are represented in one group. One booking noted that much of the commentary was in Lithuanian, while the driver also translated and explained in Russian and English. If you need detailed English interpretation throughout, confirm the language setup before you pay.

The Devil’s Stones question

The Devil’s Stones are presented as unusual rocks near Manavgat. Their shapes are said to resemble animals, birds, or people, and local legends are connected with their origin and supposed properties.

That sounds like a fun contrast to the formal ruins at Selge. Instead of reading a city through architecture, you look at natural rock forms and the stories attached to them. It adds a touch of folklore to a day otherwise focused on scenery and archaeology.

But you should check the current route carefully. The detailed sequence provided for this tour includes the two Köprülü Canyon breaks, Tazı Canyon, Selge, and the return to the coast. It does not list a separate Devil’s Stones stop or a specific time there.

I would not assume that a Devil’s Stones visit is guaranteed simply because it appears in the tour title and general description. Ask the provider, Hera Daily Tour, whether the rocks are included on your departure date and where they fit into the schedule. This is the clearest practical issue to settle before booking.

Lunch and a possible river refresh

After Selge, you return by jeep to Köprülü Canyon for a 40-minute break. Lunch and free time are included, giving you a chance to rest after the mountain stops.

The food is part of the tour price, while drinks are not. Bring money for anything you want to drink, or confirm in advance what is available at the lunch stop. The details do not provide a menu, so you should not book this expecting a particular dish.

A recent booking described the lunch as tasty and also enjoyed a refreshing swim in the river. The information does not promise swimming as a formal activity, so treat it as something that may be possible during the free-time stop, not a guaranteed part of the schedule.

If you hope to get in the water, bring suitable clothing and a towel only if the operator confirms that swimming is allowed and practical that day. Otherwise, use the stop to eat, stretch, and enjoy the river setting before the return coach ride.

What $30 really covers

At $30 per person, the tour offers good value if you want several remote sights without arranging separate transport. The price includes hotel pickup and drop-off, a guide, lunch, and safety equipment. That removes the cost and planning effort of hiring a vehicle, finding the mountain roads, and organizing meals.

The value is especially clear for visitors staying in Side or Alanya who want an inland day without renting a car. You see a canyon, an ancient city, and a river area in one outing, with the jeep transfers included.

The price is less compelling if your priority is long, quiet time at one location. Tazı Canyon receives about 30 minutes, Selge about one hour, and the route includes substantial driving. You are paying for access and variety, not a slow archaeological day or an extended canyon trek.

Personal expenses and drinks are extra. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms help if your plans around the coast are still moving, but they do not change the basic need to confirm the Devil’s Stones stop.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would choose this outing if you want to combine nature and archaeology in one day. It suits visitors who like changing scenery, short walks, photo stops, and a little rough-road adventure.

It is also a good fit if you are based in one of the listed resort areas and do not have a car. The hotel pickup network is wide, and the tour handles the transport between difficult-to-reach sites.

You may want a different plan if you need step-free access, are traveling with a baby stroller, or use a non-folding or electric wheelchair. Those items are not permitted.

The experience may also frustrate you if you dislike group schedules or long transfers. The eight-hour day is full, and the route has several vehicle changes. You should be comfortable following a timetable and walking on uneven historical-site ground.

For families with older children, the jeep ride, rock formations, and canyon views may keep the day engaging. The supplied information does not set a minimum age or describe child-specific facilities, so confirm those details before booking with young children.

Practical advice before you go

Keep your day simple and practical:

• Wear secure walking shoes for the canyon and Selge.
• Pack sun protection and water because drinks are not included.
• Bring a camera, especially for Tazı Canyon’s high viewpoints.
• Wait at your hotel’s main entrance near the security gate.
• Confirm the guiding language if you require full commentary in English.
• Ask specifically whether Devil’s Stones are included on your departure.
• Check whether river swimming is allowed if that is important to you.
• Leave room for delays, since the route serves many pickup and drop-off points.

The tour returns by coach after the Köprülü Canyon stop, with drop-off available at the same broad group of areas, including Side, Alanya, Belek, Antalya, and nearby resorts.

Should you book the Tazı Canyon and Selge tour?

Book it if you want a reasonably priced, full-day escape from the coast with canyon scenery, mountain roads, ancient ruins, lunch, and hotel transport. The combination is the real strength. Tazı Canyon gives you the drama, Selge gives you the historical substance, and the jeep sections keep the route from feeling like a plain coach trip.

Before paying, confirm two points: the exact pickup time and the status of the Devil’s Stones stop. If that rock formation is your main reason for booking, do not leave the question unclear.

For a first taste of the Taurus Mountains, this is a practical choice. For serious hikers, archaeology specialists, or anyone seeking a relaxed day with long stops, the short visit times may feel limiting.

FAQ

Where does the tour depart from?

Hotel pickup is available from Side, Alanya, Kızılağaç, Ilıca, Evrenseki, Kızılot, Çolaklı, Okurcalar, Avsallar, Belek, Kemer, and Antalya.

Where should I wait for pickup?

You should be ready at the main entrance of your hotel near the security gate.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts about eight hours, including transport, sightseeing, breaks, lunch, and the return journey.

Which languages are available?

Live guiding is available in English, Russian, and Lithuanian.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is included, but drinks and personal expenses are not.

Is hotel transportation included?

Yes. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included in the activity price.

Is the Devil’s Stones visit guaranteed?

The general description includes Devil’s Stones, but the detailed route does not list a separate stop there. Confirm the current schedule with Hera Daily Tour before booking.

Can I cancel the booking?

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