Green Canyon day trip from Side is the perfect relaxed way to discover one of Antalya region’s natural gems.
Known for its turquoise water, dramatic canyon walls, and the Taurus Mountains that frame the lake, Green Canyon is a must-see on any Side trip – and it’s super easy to visit! Organized half and full day tours let you hit the water on a scenic boat cruise, and even give you the chance to swim in Green Lake (if you dare dive into the icy water!).
On my 5-day trip to Side, I wanted to venture beyond the town and see more of what the area has to offer. I was very much in ‘holiday’ rather than proper ‘travel girl’ mode in Turkey, so an effortless day trip was calling… which led me to visit Green Canyon from Side.
✨ Where to Stay in Side
During my 5-day trip, I stayed at Barut GOIA – LOVED IT! 🌴 A 5-🌟 resort with comfortable rooms, great facilities, excellent service, and a perfect base for day trips like Green Canyon.
➡️ Book your stay at Barut GOIA
This post contains affiliate links. If you book a tour through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you
Getting to Green Canyon
How far is Green Canyon from Side?
Travel time: Reaching the Green Canyon by road from Side takes around 50 minutes, which actually makes it one of the closest day trip adventures as far as tours of the region go!
The short journey time is one reason why this tour stood out for me – some other day trips I looked at involved hours spent on buses (and I wasn’t vibing that!).
So the journey time is short, but what’s the best way to visit Green Canyon on a day trip from Side?
Organized Day Trip to Green Canyon from Side
I visited Turkey’s Green Canyon on an organized tour and definitely recommend this option. There’s no easy public transport to reach Green Canyon, and even if you have a car, there aren’t many options for booking a boat trip independently in advance, making a tour the simplest way to visit.
Most tours even include hotel pick-up and drop off, which is always a win; no time wasted trying to find a bus station or meeting point! With everything organised for you, it’s a stress-free, relaxing day out. It’s no surprise that organised tours are the most popular way to visit Green Canyon from Side!
🎟️ Most tour price include:
- Transport: Return transfer (usually by coach or mini-bus – many tours include hotel pick-up and drop-off) + transfer to lakeside lunch spot
- Boat Trip: 1.5-2 hour cruise through Green Canyon
- Food: Lunch (served lakeside)
- Drinks: Tea, coffee, soft drinks available throughout the boat trip, plus soft drinks with lunch
Once you’ve booked the tour, the guides handle everything – you just need to turn up, follow their lead and enjoy Turkey’s scenery!
If you’re looking for something similar to my trip with boat cruise and lakeside lunch, this top rated Green Canyon tour is the closest match currently available.
👉 Green Canyon Boat Trip with Lunch & Soft Drinks
Tip: Green Canyon tours from Side are very popular, so if you’re visiting during peak season, it’s best to book in advance.
How much does a Green Canyon tour from Side cost?
Most Green Canyon tours, including hotel pick-up and drop-off, start from around €35 per person. Prices vary depending on season – travel off-season, and you could bag an excellent deal!
Can you visit Green Canyon by car?
If you choose to rent a car for your Turkey trip, you could drive to Green Canyon, which offers more flexibility to explore the surrounding area. The drive from Side is pretty straightforward, although the final section of the road is a winding climb!
For the boat trip, you can book Green Canyon Boat Trip with Lunch & Soft Drinks, choosing the option without pick-up (most tours don’t offer this – although it is said to be possible to arrange a trip on arrival at the lake). With this boat trip, you can park up by Green Canyon and join the rest of the group at meeting point by the boat dock. The tour price is slightly cheaper since no transfer is included.
So, driving yourself is a viable option, but for the simplest logistics and best value for money, an organised tour with transfer is the way to go if coming from Side.
What to Expect on a Green Canyon Day Trip from Side (+ My Experience!)
Here’s how my Green Canyon day trip from Side unfolded, so you can get a good idea of what a tour is really like. This will help you decide if it’s a worthwhile addition to your Turkey trip!
✨ My Green Lake (Green Canyon) Day Trip at a Glance
- Total duration: Half day (~5–6 hours) – my trip was shorter than some full-day options
- Main experience: Scenic boat cruise through the canyon walls, with mountain views and greeny waters Green Canyon’s calm, turquoise waters
- Swimming stop: Yes (during the boat trip + at the lunch spot) – weather dependent
- Lunch: Included with my organised tour, served lakeside
- Vibe: Relaxed, low-effort day trip focused on Turkey’s natural beauty
❗ Note: Exact itinerary and duration can vary slightly between tour operators, but most tours include hotel pickup, a boat cruise, and lunch.
Morning Pick-Up
Pickup times will vary depending on the exact tour booked and your pickup point. For my day trip, the bus picked us up from our accommodation – Barut GOIA (highly recommend a stay here!!) at 9:15am.
My tour was by coach, but some groups travel by mini-bus or even jeep. The coach was comfortable, with plenty of space to chill and enjoy the journey. If you opt for the jeep tour, you can expect a more thrilling travel experience!
🎒 What to Bring for Your Green Canyon Day Trip
- 👙 Swimwear & towel – there are a couple of swim stops. It can be chilly, but the water is super tempting when the sun is out!
- 🧥 Layers – jumper & jacket – the morning boat through Green Canyon can be surprisingly chilly. Depending on the season, the sun might not yet reach the canyon.
- 🧴 Sunscreen & hat – be prepared for Turkey’s sun – especially in summer.
- 📸 Camera/phone – you’ll want to capture the stunning canyon, lake views and stunning surroundings.
- 🍪 Water & snacks – most organised tours include drinks and lunch, but it’s good to have a back-up to prevent getting hangry on the boat before lunch.
The bus ride went by in no time – I was enjoying just taking in the surroundings through the window, and before I knew it the bus was climbing up the winding roads to reach Green Canyon.
Quick Pre-Boat Stop
The first stop was at a Green Canyon viewpoint, with views over Green Lake. Here you can also find a Turkish coffee stall, along with a market stall selling some souvenirs (keep in mind these will likely be cheaper back in town!).
It’s a fairly quick stop and essentially a little break between the drive and the boat. It’s not the most impressive viewpoint, but it’s nice to get out of the bus and take a look! It wasn’t long before everyone hopped back on the bus for a very short 1-2 minute drive to the boat dock.
Green Paradise Canyon
The bus drops everyone off at Green Paradise Canyon, where the boat docks and the trip through the canyon begins.
I’d actually say that when you get off the bus here it is a better scenic viewpoint than the previous one. I liked the ‘Green Paradise Canyon’ viewing frame, adorned with flowers, overlooking Green Canyon.
What was noticeable, however, was the lack of green in Green Canyon. Since it was an early November morning, the sun had not yet risen high enough to fully shine onto the canyon below and bring out the vibrant green its known for!
If you visit in spring, summer, or early autumn, the canyon will show off its vibrant green colours earlier in the day.
While the views from here are nice – ‘green’ Green Canyon or not – there isn’t much time to hang around overlooking the water. It’s time to go down the steps and onto the boat!
The Boat Cruise
Duration + First Impressions
The boat cruise lasted around 1.5-2 hours. On my trip, the boat set off around 10:30am, and returned to the dock around 12:15pm.
My tour group was the first to board, but we were soon joined by a couple of smaller groups who had travelled by mini-bus. So whatever tour you do book, the main difference will usually be in the transfer – some of the boats are big, so multiple groups often share them.
The craziest, or coolest, thing was that we were the only boat heading out! This was one of those off-season (mid-November) perks. In peak-season, I can imagine a very different, livelier atmosphere, with multiple boats and crowds of people heading out. It felt pretty special to be there in such serene surroundings, and it really made Green Canyon feel like a hidden gem from the get-go.
Seating & Weather
There was plenty of space on the boat – enough for more groups to join, but there weren’t any! You can choose to sit inside downstairs or head to the outdoor upper deck, which I did.
🧥 Tip: Don’t be caught off guard by a chilly morning! Even if the sun is out, the canyon can block it. Bring a jumper or jacket – and something for your legs, too. I was pretty chilly in a skirt and definitely glad I’d brought a jumper and jacket (although they weren’t the warmest!). By the afternoon, the temperature was perfect, but for the morning boat trip, you’ll want layers. If you’re visiting in summer, you should be fine though!
Setting Off on the Green Canyon Boat Trip
Before long, the boat set off, taking us into the heart of Green Canyon. The vibe was chill (I mean, literally, with the cool breeze!). But really, it was just giving the perfect relaxed day trip vibe: sit back, unwind, and take in the Turkish scenery.
The water was calm, Turkey was showing off, and I was loving the chance to experience some of Turkey’s natural beauty beyond a resort town. This was my first trip to Turkey, after all! I wanted to see what it really has to offer, and I was definitely liking what I was seeing!
Cruising Through Turkey’s Green Canyon
We cruised along the wider section of the canyon, before heading into the narrower, more dramatic areas.
We really were the only boat out there (except for the small speedboat in the photo!). Speaking of photos, I’ll let them do the talking!
The boat cruises in and back out the same way, and it sure is pretty!
🍵 Tip: Don’t forget that free tea and coffee are provided on board, although in the tiniest cups ever! You can always go back for more, and it’s perfect for warming up on a chillier morning.
Green Canyon Swimming Stop
The boat trip includes a swimming stop. After coming back out of the narrow section, the boat cruised along to one end of the wider area, where it docked at a dedicated swim spot.
Of course, there was no one in the water when we arrived – we were still the only boat out there! I’m the kind of person who loves to take full advantage of what a tour offers, plus I love getting in the water. However, I was pretty cold still from the breeze on the boat, and the water even colder (I’m talking freezing, freezing cold!!), so I didn’t get in. In fact, only two people braved it!
While I enjoyed getting off the boat and admiring the Green Canyon scenery in pure tranquility, I couldn’t help but think this is where the advantage of visiting in or nearer to summer comes in. Then, the swimming area would be buzzing. I know that I definitely would have jumped straight in had it been warmer!!
This stop lasted around 15-20 minutes.
Bus Transfer to Lunch Spot
After the swim stop, the boat took a short cruise back to the main dock, where everyone disembarked and boarded their tour bus.
The bus descended the windy roads, and headed to a different spot by Green Lake.
Lakeside Lunch & Swim Stop
Green Canyon day tours from Side include lunch – you’ll likely be ready for it after the morning boat cruise, as I was! After a short bus ride, we arrived at ‘Green Paradise Restaurant’, overlooking Green Lake.
The food is all prepared and ready, so you can grab a plate and help yourself. You can expect the likes of: chicken, pasta, rice, salad, and bread. Soft drinks are included too – I went for a Coke (served in the tiniest cups ever like the tea on the boat, but hey, you can always go back for more!).
After lunch, some of us headed down to the water – just a few simple steps from where we had been eating. By this time, the sun was fully out and the lake was boasting a vibrant turquoise colour. It was also much warmer out, and the lake was seriously tempting.
While I skipped the swim during the boat trip, I just had to go in now!! As did a few others – swim mode: activated!
The water was freezing, but according to those who had gone in earlier, this part of the lake was actually a bit warmer. I’m so glad I jumped and dived in – it was super invigorating! The setting was especially gorgeous, the bright water reminding you that this isn’t your average lake.
Return to Accommodation
Before you know it, it’s time to dry off, pack away your towel, and head back to the bus to wrap up the Green Canyon day trip and return to Side.
Getting dropped off right at your hotel is always a treat after a day trip – straight back to refresh and make the most of the rest of the day!
We arrived back around 2:30pm, which was perfect – it meant there was still time to chill by the pool and even go for a sunset run! A day of exploring beyond Side, but still having time to enjoy Side itself (and make the most of the super nice hotel I was staying in!) felt like a day well spent – one I’d definitely recommend!
Best Time to Visit Green Canyon on a Day Trip from Side
- Late spring & early autumn: Warm weather makes it perfect for swimming and enjoying the Green Canyon boat cruise. Fewer crowds than in summer also make it a super enjoyable and relaxing day trip from Side.
- Summer: The swimming stops make it a great activity to ‘cool-off’ in peak heat, but expect much larger crowds. Tip: Advance booking for Green Canyon tours from Side is definitely recommended.
- Late-autumn & winter: Enjoy a much more tranquil, serene experience of Green Canyon. However, cooler temperatures may mean skipping the swim (the water is cold even in summer, never mind freezing in winter!). Tip: Fewer tours operate, so plan ahead to fit it into your itinerary, as they may not run every day.
Is A Day Trip to Green Canyon from Side Worth It?
Absolutely – a day trip to Green Canyon is one of the top things to do from Side. From the scenic boat ride to a lakeside lunch and swim stop in impressively turquoise water, it’s a relaxing, adventure-filled day. And if you visit outside peak season, you can enjoy the quieter atmosphere, which really makes it feel like a hidden gem!
If you’re looking for a must-do day trip from Side, Green Canyon definitely ticks that box!
✨ For more ideas on exploring Side itself, check out my Side travel guide.
