Family Activity Holiday in Turkey

An activity holiday for families with a sense of adventure. Based in the pretty riverside of Dalyan, in South West Turkey for a week, you will go snorkelling, kayaking and canyoning as well as have time to explore some local ruins and relax by the pool.

Dalyan is a picturesque town in South West Turkey, located on the River Kaunos, about a 30 minute boat trip to the sea. With the benefit of strict planning regulations, the town has retained its character and whilst it is popular with tourists, there are no high rise hotels or thumping night clubs. It is the hub town for adventure tourism in the region, popular in particular with kayakers and water lovers. The Mediterranean coastline here is varied, dotted with many small islands and interesting bays. The rocky coast makes for some excellent snorkelling, whilst children and sunbathers can enjoy some sandy beaches, a relative rarity in the Mediterranean. Inland, the terrain is equally stunning, with the impressive Taurus mountains towering in the distance. Here, rural mountain villages are interspersed with canyons and rivers. The area has much to offer from a cultural point of view as well. On the opposite side of the river from Dalyan, you can see some ancient Lycian rock tombs and a short walk takes you to the impressive Roman ruins, complete with amphitheatre.

This family activity holiday is all about combining adventure, relaxation and quality family time. You will be based in the pretty and understated riverside town of Dalyan, a far cry from the garish resorts found further along the coast. You will spend a day seeing the beautiful coast by kayak, paddling through turquoise waters and exploring the numerous coves and secluded bays that this coastline has to offer. Another day is spent on a boat trip visiting the snorkelling highlights of the area, including a cave that you can swim through. After your fill of coast based activities, you will then head inland and spend a day canyoning and swimming in the naturally formed rock pools. In between these activities, you have days at leisure when you will be based in Dalyan. On these days, you can see the ancient rock tombs and visit the ancient Kaunos ruins, catch a boat and spend the day at the beach, or simply relax at your hotel, by the pool.

This is the perfect holiday for active families with a sense of adventure. It is suitable for children ages 8 and over. If your children are under 8, then you might want to consider our family gulet holiday. Due to the nature of the activities involved and to maximise your enjoyment, we recommend that everyone in your family can swim.

The activities will be with other people, with maximum group sizes of 14 for the canyoning and sea kayaking and 25 on the snorkelling trip. Other participants will be a mixture of families and adults. Both of the hotels that we have selected for this holiday are family friendly.

On the sea kayaking excursion, children aged between 8 - 12 will need to go in a kayak with an adult.

Dalyan itself is a family friendly destination, well away from the bright lights and night clubs found further along the coast. The town is centred around a central square, which houses a lovely playground where the children can play whilst their parents can enjoy a drink and watch the world go by.