Saklıkent Canyon is fast becoming a favorite destination in the heat of the summer by both the young and the old. In just a single day, the canyon hosts over 3,000 visitors. Tourists from all over are enjoying taking a break from the sun and sand and are enjoying the ice-cold streams in the canyon which divides the popular tourism provinces of Muğla and Antalya.
Long lines abound at the entrance to Saklıkent Canyon as foreign and domestic tourists flock to the unique site which also offers a sense of cool relief from the hot temperatures which are already five to six degrees above season norms. Tourists from Fethiye arrive by jeep safari and on special tours to track the 45-kilometer distance to jump into the cold waters on the canyon. With temperatures in Fethiye averaging 44-45 degrees Celsius, upon entering the canyon visitors experience a temperature drop of at least 15 degrees.
Saklıkent Canyon has been a popular destination for ly 27 years now and with its relaxing atmosphere has become a prime destination for holiday-goers this summer. Every year, nearly 300,000 visit Saklıkent Canyon on average. The canyon is 300 meters deep and 18 kilometers long making it one of the deepest in the world. Only four kilometers of the canyon are walkable and visitors hold on to ropes as they traverse the canyon while immersed in the icy-cold springs. The canyon also has waterfalls and mud baths and a wooden bridge which overlooks the streams as it transforms into a rapid river which literally acts as an all-natural air conditioner. Some jump into the streams to enjoy the flowing water, while others suffice to dangle their feet in the ice-cold water, which also offers a relaxing form of relief from the hot summer weather.
Tourists who have flocked to Saklıkent Canyon from all over Turkey and Europe, especially England as well as Russia and Japan all say they have found peace and tranquility in the special site. Visitors from Turkey's major cities Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir as well as tourists from Fethiye described their experience of traversing the canyon and dipping into the cold streams by saying "We have revived ourselves after a year of exhaustion. We have found relief here. The extreme heat doesn't affect you in the canyon. The water is cold. Thank goodness, we left the heat in Istanbul and came here." Foreign tourists suffice to say the canyon is a paradise where you are not affected by the heat.
Canyon Guides Veli Göksan and Özgür Şappak explain that although the canyon is 18 kilometers long, it is only possible to hike through two kilometers safely. Having a guide is crucial they say because they help keep the trekkers safe from falling rocks and assist them in using ropes to climb over rocks that in some areas are up to three to four meters high.
