Visiting Saklikent

[Del119]

Hi, We were going to visit Saklikent last year but were slightly put off by someone  saying that you had to trek through freezing cold water up to your waist for ages and that it was a real hike. We''re not 106 years old, but my idea of holiday is not getting freezing cold for hours - I do that for the other 52 weeks a year waiting for a train to go to London every day!. 

We''re probably going to go under our own steam rather than a bus tour - do you have any advice as the best way to do it and do we need to take anything with us - a raft perhaps

Many thanks

Del

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=3561.0

[misty]

Hi we went in August and you only had to wade through water knee deep..boy its the coldest water I have ever felt amazing but worth it.....to get there I used a taxi, the driver he stayed all day we had to wake him up to take us back to the villa    He also knew the guys that run the restaurant so we were treated very well..I''ve posted some pictures on the gallery.

[misty]

Forgot to say the driver brought us back another way via the mountain roads passing through some really nice villages etc and the scenery was amazing....we came out a gap in the hedge at top of the town on the old road 

[kevincat99]

Always worth a visit if you haven''t been before and even better if you visit Tllos and have lunch at Yakapark

However sadly the admission fee to the gorge is now 8 TL a person 

[Mrs Enjoy Kalkan]

I wouldn''t worry about the water too much as it is only for the initial first bit when you need wade through the gorge at the start (probabaly for about 10 metres maybe less). We had an excellent guide who came along with us and helped us over the rocks. Some of the rocks are a bit tricky to climb over but you can always stop and go back once you have some good photos. I had some fake crocs on and they were rubbish with no grip so a i slipped on every rock. The people who hired the shoes there seemed to be fine. We went there as part of a jeep safari so it was a nice cooling break from visiting sites.

[kalkan4eva]

We DIY''d Saklikent and had a really good day. The water can be cold, but it''s actually quite pleasant - although climbing on the rocks can be hazardous without those gripping rubber shoes because the surfaces are so smooth. Someone from one of those sporting groups got injured and there was a big caffufle getting him back to the car park on a stretcher...it was as much of an effort to get the stretcher out to him as it was bringing him back on it  He''d only sprained an ankle but they took no chances.
The only thing I''d say to watch out for are the unoffical "guides" who fight to take your hand to steer you through the first part which is the deepest bit (waist high). We didn''t want a guide, official or otherwise and we did struggle to shake them off. It''s like if you take their hand, you''ve engaged them for the entire gorge, so be warned if you want to do it on your own.
That said, it''s a "must-see". I don''t think 8TL is expensive and if they are ploughing the money back into the area, then I''d happily pay more.

[streety]

If you are going under your own steam you can also do river tubing there, with mud bath included which is great fun.  The proper water shoes are a definite must - either buy a pair in town and also use when snorkelling around Kalkan, or you can rent a pair there.  Personally I bought a pair a few years ago and they are really useful on any holiday.

Enjoy, it is really really worth going

[Enjoy Kalkan]

I went for a pair of Crocs - turned out to be essential! 

[Babs]

we''ve visited a couple of times under our own steam and found the guides helpful......yes it can be hard to shake them off but they are invaluable for knowing the easiest way up and down the gorge......which can be a challenge to anyone over the age of 10!! 

[Mrs Enjoy Kalkan]

Ha, ha Babs know what you mean..or unless you''ve got mega long legs 

[Blue Lizard]

I wouldn''t tell too many people the gorge has Crocs..they might think they will get eaten!!

[Babs]

thanks for the sympathy Mrs E K......have decided if the teenagers want to do it this year, well fine, I''ll sit in the bar and wait!.....have an habit of embarrassing myself on holiday.....which usually involves great hilarity for the family and pain for me!!