After a couple of hours paddling the cold snowmelt of the Koprucay, few questions matter more than the next one: what's for lunch? Here's an honest look at what actually lands on the table.
Where you eat: the riverside restaurant at base camp
Almost every rafting day on the Koprucay finishes back at the base camp near Beskonak, where an open-air restaurant sits right beside the river through Koprulu Canyon National Park. You'll change out of your wet kit, dry off, and eat under the trees with the water rushing past - it's one of the nicest parts of the day, and the reason so many people linger long after the paddling is done.
Lunch is typically included in the standard rafting package, served buffet-style or as a set spread once your group is back off the water. If you're booking a full day trip rafting from Side, the meal, your hotel pickup, and all the safety kit are usually bundled into one price - but always check the live booking details, because inclusions do vary between operators.
What's typically on the plate
The food is honest, homely Turkish cooking rather than anything fancy - and after a morning on the river, that's exactly what you want. A typical spread looks something like this:
- Grilled chicken or meat - usually the main hot dish, cooked over coals.
- Rice or bulgur pilaf - a filling, warming side.
- Fresh salad - tomato, cucumber, greens, plenty of it.
- Bread - fresh, often warm from a local oven.
- Seasonal fruit or a simple dessert to finish.
Vegetarians are generally looked after: the salads, pilaf, bread, and often lentil soup or grilled vegetables mean there's plenty to fill a plate without meat. If you have a strict dietary need - vegan, gluten-free, allergies - it's worth flagging it when you book rather than assuming, as the kitchens work to a fixed menu.
The famous river trout
Koprulu Canyon is trout country. The restaurants along this stretch of river are known for fresh grilled trout, farmed and cooked locally, and it's a real highlight of eating here. Whether trout is part of your included lunch or an extra you order at the table depends entirely on the operator and package - on some tours it's the star of the set menu, on others the standard lunch is chicken-based and trout is a paid upgrade. Ask before you book if it matters to you.
What's included versus what costs extra
This is where honesty matters most. Here's the usual pattern:
- Included: the main lunch itself - a plated or buffet meal, and often water or a soft drink with it.
- Usually extra: alcoholic drinks (beer, wine), speciality dishes like a full trout platter if it isn't on the set menu, and anything you order beyond the standard meal.
- Sometimes extra: tea or Turkish coffee after lunch, and bottled drinks bought separately at the bar.
None of this is a hard rule - it changes from tour to tour. The key thing is not to arrive assuming everything at the restaurant is free-flowing and included. Bring a little cash for drinks, a tip, or that trout upgrade, and you'll never be caught out.
Practical tips for the lunch stop
The base camp has proper changing rooms and toilets, so you'll be dry and comfortable before you sit down. Portions are generous and geared towards hungry paddlers, so come with an appetite. If you're travelling with children, the plain chicken, rice, bread, and fruit suit fussy eaters well. And because the meal is unhurried, this is your chance to relax, compare bruises and grins with your raft-mates, and enjoy the canyon before the drive back to the coast in the late afternoon.
Ready to earn that riverside meal? Browse our full range on the tours page, or book your day rafting from Side and let the paddling - and the lunch - take care of the rest.
