The Mediterranean coast of Turkey is a large strip of land covering territory of great cultural variety. If you star from Canakkale and travel down to the Syrian border you’ll pass more than 1500 km. From speeding highways to small almost unpaved roads, from 4-milion-people cities and tourist resort to area with quiet fisherman villages. All the time you see brown signs guiding you to fortresses and ruins from various ages and civilizations.

People in this area are quite different from what you see deep inside continental Turkey. Many of them drink alcohol, quite often you find English speakers and definitely they are not that religious. But still if you are in Turkey for first time for sure you are going to feel the cultural difference between them and European mentality, for example. Like everywhere in Turkey, people are very helpful and interested in what you are doing and whether you need something. Also the topic of the conversations make big impression, if you have a half-an-hour chat with someone, be sure, he will tell you how proud he is with his family and children.

Climbing locations themselves are usually located a bit a side from the big cities so you will have some bits of rural Turkey till you get there, especially if traveling hitch-hiking.

The rock that you will find at most of the crags is very typical limestone for the Mediterranean region with formations reminding of uncovered caves. That offers great variety of forms and holds - pockets, jugs, pinches, tufas, etc. At most of the areas you have over-hangings offer hard and exposing grades.

Concerning the mountains, almost along the whole coast the landscape is mountainous and around Antalya, they reach altitude of 3000 m. During the summer they offer a lot of tracking opportunities. For multi-pitch and alpine climbing they are not that developed but still if you try something definitely summer is not the right season as it is quite hot. During the winter there are opportunities for quite technical tracks and at some places winter mountaineering.

Here we offer information about areas that we visit, heard of or somehow we manage to find information. On each area it will be indicated how we obtain this information, to be easy to judge how trust worthy it is:

BAFA LAKE

Bafa Lake is a place I can hardly be objective for, as it is just perfect according to me, but I will try. The area is located some 100km south from Izmir, quite near to the main road along the coast. Though that fact, the place is quite rural and wild. Mainly people are occupied with agriculture or rural tourism. The name of the place comes from the huge lake, around which the small villages are located. It is hard to say that there is a concentration of boulders. You should go to KapIkarI village and all around the place you have opportunities bouldering, still some areas are already developed.

The rock is sand stone or conglomerate and it offers perfect conditions for boulder ascents. The area is relatively new. In development over the last 5-6 years, but it is gaining world-known fame over the last 2 years, especially after the climbing movie that was shot here, called Heraklia.
We spent a few days there in the winter, temperatures were perfect for climbing during this period, and moreover it is not that busy. Also we find some bolted sport routes with grades above 6c for sure.
More pictures here:
External links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Bafa
http://rusvakrilov.com/blog/bafa-lake-turkey/

FETHIYE

Fethiye is a city between Bodrum and Antaliya. There two climbing areas around the city. One is to the south, near the village of Faralya, which can be reach through Oludeniz and another one that is north from Fethiye, near the village of Dalyan.
These areas are not big, actually they are quite small and offer routes with middle and high grades. The climbing area near Faralya where we spent 3 days is consistent of 8 routes, actually we manage to find only 6 of them. Routes are sufficiently bolted and offer interesting and technical climbing on slightly, but constantly overhanging rock. The other area near Delyan village is bigger. According to www.rockclimbing.com, there around 20 routes split into 3 sectors.

If you want to spent a week of intensive climbing may be this is not the best place, especially if you are not climbing high grades, but still offers quite interesting climbing. However, it is a good spot if you are going to Antalya and want to spend a day or two on the road.

The place itself is very interesting, good beaches and nice nature. Near the village of Faralya is an interesting valley, called Kelebekler vadi or Butterfly valley. This is a small, but deep canyon accessible only from the sea. There is also a small footpath that goes down, but it involves some 2 grade down climbing that is protected with ropes.
More pictures here:
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BEYDAGLARI

Beydaglari is a coastal mountain range stretching between the cities of Fethiye and Antalya. It is part of the huge Taurus mountains (incl. Bolkar and Aladaglar mountains) that are separating the high Anatolian Plateau from Southern Turkey.

Beydagalri mountain itself is consistent of four sub-ranges - TahtalIdaglar, BakIrdaglarI, Central BeydaglarI and South-eastern BeydaglarI. In the foot of those mountains there are several rock climbing areas that are separately described - Oludeniz, Olympos and Geyik Bayir.

As most Turkish mountains the Middle and High part of the mountain are quite wild. No chalets or any other facilities providing shelter or food should be expected, also route marking can be found only on the most famous climbs and tracks. In case you find any, in the area you are about to visit, should check preliminary whether it will be operating if you decide to count on it.

As we hitch-hike almost around the whole range the view that it offers is a bit severe and slightly alpine with several impressive rocky pyramids and ridges. The highest point is KIzlarsivrisi (around 3070m). We climbed the peak in winter conditions through the Normal route from Bucak village near the city of ElmalI. The route can be consider as moderately technical winter track, depending on the conditions can demand ice pick and crampons. The route given on the picture can be considered avalanche dangerous if the are more snow. We climbed it on 01.01.2009 there was small amount of snow, at some section ice. With such conditions the upper part of the route is quite rocky, but do not demand protection. In summer conditions can be consider as a normal track, however have in mind the huge altitude difference between the good camp site and peak (around 1500 m).

There two more relatively famous routes in the mountain, where can expect more people and some traffic in the summer - Tahntali peak and The Lycian way .

Tahtali is a small peak, 2365 m, located very close to the sea, with panoramic view. There are several routes on the peak that could be interesting from climbing point of view. We did not find any good info about them on the internet, however it was not highly recommended by the locals, as there is a new Teleferik starting from the sea level and taking people to the top of Tahtali.

Lycian way is a route that we heard about and find some promotions and even adverts. It is a 500km track between Antalya and Fethiye crossing big part of the Beydaglari mountain. Can be considered exhausting as altitude differences are quite abrupt. Several times the route goes as low as sea level.
More pictures here:
External links:

OLYMPOS

Olympos is a beautiful medium size crag west from Antalya on the way to Fethiye. Definitely it is big enough to spend there more than a day or a two. Routes are separated into several sectors not very close to each other. Most of the routes are single-pitch covering wide range of categories. The rock is limestone. Quite typical for the region.

We visit the place in the winter. And it was quite a fun. Sectors are located between the village of Cirali (pronounced Chirali) and the tourist location Olympos, which are separated by a big ridge and the quickest way between the two valleys is through the beach. Apart from the good climbing and the nice location, you have also other things you can do and see like the ancient city of Olympos, that looks like to be spread all around the place and the natural gas-fires of Chimera bursting out of the ground.
In the winter it is not that full with regular tourist and it is much calmer than Geyik Bayir, which is the local hot spot.
More pictures here:
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AKYARLAR

Overview:Akyarlar is a small crag west from Antalya. Situated literally in the sea, waves are crashing in your feet while belaying on some route, but still no opportunities for DWS. However, the location offers not more 10 routes, with grades starting from 5C (French grading). The rock itself is quite different from what you have in Olympos and Geyik Bayir. Of course, it is sediment, but white and with very good friction, offering climbing on solid and overhanging terrain.

What we did and saw:We spend only one night at Akyarlar. Arrived there with cheap bus from Antalya. We did not get out of the city hitch-hiking as it takes some time or as much money as the ticket to here.
The bus leaves you on big turn on the main road. From there a stony and steep footpaths leads down to a rocky beach, where in the eastern end are situated the rocks for climbing. We arrived there at noon and found few tourist and some fishermen that did not pay any attention to us climbing. May be it is typical here. Lead only one route and top roped some around. Routes are sufficiently bolted, however some routes have inconvenient end. The location offers opportunity for camping and this is what we did. Also there is a small cave that can be used as a bivy.

What we heard of: Nothing specific. Just it could be quite windy.
More pictures here:
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GEYIK BAYIRI

Overview: A name that most of the European climbers have already heard or have been there. However, it is good to say that Geyik Bayiri is the biggest sport climbing area in Turkey and one of the famous around the old continent. With its nearly 500 routes spread around 35 sector and subtropical climate it is a perfect place for climbing 365 days in the year. The crag is located 25 km west from Antalya, in the slopes of Beydaglari mountain, near the village of Geyik Bayiri.
The place itself is quite impressive. The landscape is dominated by the reddish limestone rocks and some lower mountain peaks not so far in distance. There are opened routes almost all around the terraced canyon, but mostly on the eastern walls. Accommodation is provided by two main venues - JoSiTo camping and Climbers Garden. Both of them have routes around as close as in 30 sec.
The crag is in active development since 2001 by Turkish and German climbers. The routes are very well maintained and bolted. Most the routes are one pitch, with the exception of a few sectors that offer 2-pitch route, but still short.

What we did and saw: We visited Geyik Bayiri for one week in the end of December 2008. We accommodate ourselves in JoSiTo camping, which is let say the preferred location as it is run by young German climbers. It is a medium size camping offering food, tent place, bungalows, showers, etc. Of course, all people are climbers and you can definitely feel the sport climbing atmosphere around the place.
Concerning the climbing, nothing surprising can be said, nice routes, good bolting, beautiful location. In the winter temperature are perfect for climbing - a bit cold in the morning, but further in the day they can reach as high as 18-22 degrees.
The place itself is quite famous now and busy, many people are going there, but there are enough routes for everybody.

What we heard of: There are plenty of activities organized there by many different organizations and climber from all over the world as the location really offers nice climbing. Also further in the mountain there is a nice boulder area called Feslekan Yayla, which we did not visit.
If you go there around new year expect party with funny climbing competitions.
More pictures here:
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BOLKAR MOUNTAINS

Overview:Bolkar is a Horst (ridge) mountain located parallel to the sea coast between the cities of Silifke and Mersin. The mountain highest point is called mt.Medetsiz and rises up to 3, 524m. Also important about Bolkar is that it is the most southern part of the power range of Taurus mountains. It is a typical representative of the mountains in the Anatolian plateau - rocks are highly eroded limestone and dolomites, well developed karst, caves, underground rivers and scares surface river system.

What we did and saw: Actually we did neither saw much of the mountain nor climbed there. We only manage to take a good sight of the mountain during ascending Alaca peak in Aladaglar mountain. It was a long powerful ridge with several pyramidal peaks dominating the surroundings. Later we cross the mountain while hitch-hiking towards Adana, we saw many rock face and rock belts of different height. What makes a great impression is the difference between the southern junglish slopes facing the sea and the northern dry slopes.

What we heard of: Well, we did not found many info about well developed or maintain or famous climbing routes or areas. We spoke with some local climbers who considered the mountain quite interesting, but unfortunately located near Aladaglar mountain which is the hot spot. However, the mountain offers good opportunities for alpine traverses in winter conditions and tracking both summer and winter.
More pictures here:
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CAKIT VADISI
Overview: Cakit vadisi is a new climbing area near the city of Adana. The crag is located north-west from the city near a smaller town, called Karaysali. As a natural formation this location is very impressive. Occupying an area in the lower part of Cakit river, the crag have a perfect location on the border of the southern slopes of Aladaglar mountain and the flat and wide delta of Seyhan River. Moreover, the very place, where the roots are, is also worthy to see. Cakit river hade made its way trough a hill, creating a short but narrow canyon, with depth of around 250 meters.
There are climbing routes from both sides of the canyon. They offers great variety of climbing opportunities, starting with fully overhanging routes in a cave that represents the left sector, passing through high grade multi-pitch routes, bolted on the right wall of the canyon and finishing with about 30 single-pitch routes bolted on the right side of the canyon on a long, but not very high rock belt. The Rock is of the super typical for the Turkish coast yellow limestone.

What we did and saw: Getting to and staying at Cakit vadisi is let say one of the remarkable experience of our climbing around Turkey. Adana is a 4-million-people city with transport systems that looks completely incomprehensive in the beginning. Thanks god it`s cheap! By the means of 3 minibuses of different color, size, company, number, destination and price, our constant mentioning of our destination to everybody who we see and the natural hospitality of Turkish people, somehow after 50 km trip, we end up in this small rural village called Karaysali. From there getting to Cakit vadisi is a matter of asking a few people for your destination.
It is impossible to pass around this place, as the small and only asphalt road passes by the entrance of the canyon. We end up there around noon of a nice and shiny winter day in southern Turkey with temperatures of around 20 degrees. As we have only three days, we choose first to go to the left sector where we already knew there is a cave. The cave happened to be a shelter of a huge local goat stock that visited us several times without paying any major attention to us, still I would not recommend leaving a tent with food there without keeping a eye on it. Routes in the left sector are opened on the arc of the cave. So, each route offers interesting sequence of typical for the caves tufas, jugs, pockets, etc. Grades here start from 6a. Some of the routes follow really aesthetic lines ascending to the upper part of the arc, but most of them are only a few bolts (3-4). The next day we visited the right sector consistent of about 30 well-bolted routes on over hanging terrain. We also met there the local climbing group, that is developing the area.

What we heard of: We spoke with the local guys, that are pushing hard to develop this very potential crag and they also mentioned that are in process of opening multi-pitch sport routes of high grades, but we did not have time to investigate where exactly they start.
More pictures here:
External links:

ANAVARZA
Overview: Anavarza is another location near to the city of Adana. Formally, it was the local hot spot for climbing until the government prohibited climbing activities there as it is a historical site of great importance.
Crag is named after the ancient fortress, which ruins are dispersed around the area. The routes are located on a lonely rock in Cukurova plain, on the top of which is situated the Snake castle, part of Anavarza fortress. NB: Turkish history preservation laws are reasonably severe, so climbing at Anavarza and breaking this law, can end up with serious troubles.

What we did and saw: We did not visit the places.

What we heard of: Many local climbers said that Anavarza is a great place for climbing and sort of felt bad that it is no longer possible to climb there. They mention long exposing routes on vertical rock.
More pictures here:
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ST.PIERRE
Overview: St.Pierre is a climbing location near the city of Antakya. The location is still new and in development. Mainly single pitch sport routes. The crag is located near the church of Saint Pierre and named after it.

What we did and saw: We couldn`t visit the crag.

What we heard of:
More pictures here:
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