Mountain bike tours are becoming popular among tourists, mostly Germans and Scandinavians, visiting Manavgat's Oymapınar region, whether as amateurs, professionals or hobbyists. Oymapınar's magnificent landscape is now accessible for visitors thanks to various tour operators. The tours around the two lakes include mountain bikes and walking tours. Agencies also provide information on scenic locations tourists should visit.
The cost of renting a mountain bike is usually around 20 euros (60 TL) per day. Along with amazing scenery and history, the area attracts tourists for its unspoiled nature and rural life. Tourists who choose Manavgat's sandy beaches and blue waters get a chance to experience the natural beauty of the Taurus Mountains - dividing the Mediterranean coastal region from Central Anatolia. The Seleucia antique city and Oymapınar's ancient waterfronts are frequently visited by mountain bikers.
Oymapınar's Mayor Tevfik Güven stated mountain biking tours are booming and many European professional mountain bikers choose the area for their seasonal trainings, especially in spring, fall and winter. Mountain bike tours also indirectly promote outdoor sports and eco-tourism in the region and the increase in the number of tourists visiting the region revives the economy of Oymapınar and surrounding mountain villages.
Further, bicycle lovers visiting the area also taste the everyday life of mountain villagers, where life is tough due to hard geographical conditions. The Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Abdrurrahman Arıcı, also voiced his support for outdoor sports, ecosports and mountain bike tours in order to promote the natural sites and ancient history of the Taurus Mountains. The most accessible route for mountain biking winds through Manavgat to Oymapınar, from Oymapınar to Ürünlü Village and ends in Altınbeşik Cave. Foreign and Turkish visitors who follow this route get to experience the natural and historical splendors of Oymapınar, the İbradı district and the town of Ormana. Arıcı wants to develop the area and provide more tours for visitors.
Touching upon how suited the region is for mountain biking, Arıcı said, "Oymapınar and Manavgat districts are very suitable for mountain biking, which is a widely popular sport in European countries. Mountain bike tours will revive eco-tourism and outdoor tourism in the region. These tours will enable tourists to experience the rural village life and beauty of Taurus Mountains and will ensure our region becomes more popular and well-travelled by European tourists." Another village in the region, Çardak, was visited by more than 200 cyclists in the last three years, introducing the village to Europeans.
Manavgat, is estimated to have been settled around 200 to 150 B.C. and lies about four kilometers from the shore of the Mediterranean. The district is bordered on the north by the Taurus Mountains. A quick jape up to the mountains and tourists are greeted by a vision of green. The mountains are covered with magnificent flora and beautiful forests.
The Titreyengöl Lake, formed by alluviums filling Manavgat River's delta, and the Lake of Oymapınar Dam also lie in the site. The area was a sacred site of the antient cities Seleukeia and Side in Pamphyli and is famous for Manavgat Waterfall.
