[Mella]

Saklikent Gorge, meaning Hidden Valley, is a 20km-long canyon so steep and narrow that the sun does not penetrate the water, leaving it deliciously icy-cold in the summer. Once inside, water-sculpted limestone canyon walls soar above you. 40 minutes' drive east of Fethiye on Turkey's Turquoise Coast, it's a lovely place to come and while away an afternoon, and for those with a more active frame of mind, it's an excellent place to indulge in outdoor pursuits including canyoning, hiking or rafting.

Enterprising locals have set up a series of wooden platforms suspended just a foot or two above the bubbling snow-melt of the Xanthos River. Decked out with Turkish rugs and comfy cushions and shaded by fig trees, they serve freshly-caught trout for lunch or supper and beer cooled by the ice-cold waters. All in all, quite a romantic place!

Four kilometres of the gorge are walkable after April, when most of the snow in the Taurus Mountains has melted and has passed through on its way to the Mediterranean Sea. However, water levels can still be fairly high at this time of year, so it is a better idea to visit in late summer when the water is not quite so cold and the 4km are an easy paddle rather than a death-defying adventure!

There are also pleasant walking trails through the mountains on either side of the gorge and tree houses offer an unusual place to rest your head.

Website: http://www.saklikentgorge.net/

[teosgirl]

those pictures are great.
I looked into Saklikent as it's possible to ski there too.
There is a ski centre further up this mountain, still called saklikent, so it's a great place to visit winter or summer.

Charlotte

[kibris]

As usual those pics are great!!kib

[Rhona]

I just love these photos, this is just the kind of places John loves, pity it is so far away though.

[teosgirl]

Takes about 5 hours I think Rhona, so not too bad.

But then I love road trips! There's no better way to see a country than to pack a suitcase (stick the kids in the car if you have any!) and go go go!

We discovered Kekova this way,

Charlotte

[puwer98]

Nice to see all that water!