Most people picture rafting as the rapids and nothing else - but a big part of the day happens on dry land first. The Koprulu Canyon rafting base camp near Beskonak is where everything comes together before you push off into the river.
Arriving at the base camp
The base camp sits on the banks of the Koprucay, deep inside Koprulu Canyon National Park, around an hour inland from the Side and Manavgat coast. After your morning hotel pickup and the scenic drive up through the pine hills, your minibus pulls into a shaded riverside clearing. The air is noticeably cooler here, and you will often hear the river before you see it.
On arrival there is a relaxed check-in. Your guide team greets the group, confirms names and numbers, and points you towards the changing rooms and toilets so you can get sorted before kit-up. There is no rush - families, couples and larger groups all filter in around the same time.
Changing rooms, toilets and lockers
The camp has proper changing rooms and toilets, so you can arrive in your normal clothes and swap into something you do not mind getting wet. A swimsuit under quick-dry shorts and a t-shirt is ideal, with river shoes or old trainers that strap on securely. Leave your good clothes, towel and a dry change in your bag for afterwards.
- Changing rooms - separate spaces to switch into your rafting kit
- Toilets - available before and after the run
- Somewhere to leave your things - stash valuables safely; a waterproof pouch for a phone is handy
Because the Koprucay is fed by cold snowmelt even in high summer, most people wear as little as possible knowing they will warm up quickly once they are paddling.
Kitting up and the safety briefing
Next comes the part that turns nervous first-timers into confident paddlers. At the briefing area your guides hand out the compulsory helmet and life jacket and check every buckle is snug. The life jacket does the floating for you, which is why no swimming ability is needed on the family route.
The safety briefing is short, clear and often funny. You will learn how to hold the paddle, the handful of commands your guide will call - forward, back, hold on - and what to do in the unlikely event you end up in the water. Grade II-III rapids on the Koprucay are genuinely beginner and family friendly, with calm pools between the livelier sections, so the briefing is about confidence rather than fear.
The riverside restaurant
One of the nicest surprises at the base camp is the restaurant right on the water. Timber platforms sit out over the river, and after your paddle you return here for lunch with the sound of the current in the background. It is the perfect spot to dry off, swap stories and refuel before the drive back.
Whether lunch is included depends on the package you book, so check the details when you reserve. Either way, the riverside setting - cool, green and shaded by pines - is a highlight in its own right.
After the paddle
Once you are off the water, you head back to the changing rooms to swap into dry clothes, grab your bag and enjoy the restaurant before your afternoon return. Pickups happen in the morning and you are typically back at your hotel in the late afternoon or early evening, pleasantly tired and slightly damp.
If you want to see how the full day fits together, from doorstep to river and back, our rafting from Side page walks through pickup, timings and what is included. You can also browse the wider range of Antalya tours if you fancy pairing rafting with a canyon or jeep adventure.
Ready to see the base camp for yourself? Book your Koprulu Canyon rafting trip from Side and let us handle the pickup, the kit and the guides - all you bring is a swimsuit and a sense of adventure.
