Climbing in Geyikbayırı, Turkey: What You Need to Know

Updated March, 2024

The first time we went climbing in Geyikbayiri was way back in 2012, when we stayed three whole months volunteering at one of the campsites there. Since then, we’ve returned four times, still finding much more to explore and be psyched about.

Lush Mediterranean scenery, cheerful music, calls to prayer, minarets pointing to the sky, scent of spices, sipping Turkish tea at every corner…it always feels like we’ve come a long way from home. And make no mistake, Turkey is a sensory overload.

Next to Antalya, the country’s tourism capital, Geyikbayırı is Turkey’s largest and most visited sport climbing destination. Long stretches of gray, reddish, and orange limestone offer all styles of climbing you could think of – juggy overhangs, tufas, stalactites, slabs, crimpy vertical faces, technical cruxes, roofs, caves, and pockets. Hundreds of routes across all difficulties, evergreen pine forests, loads of sunshine, endless pebble beaches, ancient cities, and finger-licking food; all of these play a major role in making it a premier winter getaway.

Therefore, if you too are thinking of trading winter at home for some Turkish tan, I’ve put together this guide to climbing in Geyikbayırı that includes everything you need to know to plan an unforgettable rock trip. Check it out and get yourself ready for a true Turkish delight.

Best time to go climbing in Geyikbayırı

Photo by Wild Adventure Film

The best time to climb in Geyikbayırı is from October to April, which do doubt makes it a perfect winter escape, not only for Europeans but for climbers from all over. Needless to say, summers are too hot. Trust me, I’ve been here in June and it was just no good.

The climbing sectors are nestled under the mountains above Antalya, at an elevation of around 400 to 600 meters. There are sunny sectors as well as crags that are always in the shade, all within walking distance from one another, which makes it all so easy to adjust to the weather and temps.

Generally speaking, December through February are the rainiest months, yet that doesn’t mean that the area doesn’t get plenty of sunshine during this time, too. Overall, some tufas can get wet after heavy rainfall, but the rest of the rock here, and especially in the sunny sectors, usually dries out pretty fast and it’s often possible to climb within hours after it rained. Furthermore, there are many rainproof sectors to choose from.

The climbing scene

Photo by ABC Climbing

For most people, Antalya is synonymous with the Eastern Mediterranean, endless beaches, and touristy vibes. Yes, there’s no denying that it’s touristy. But for climbers, Antalya has a whole different meaning.

Chances are you’ll find a melting pot of nationalities at the crags, which gives the climbing area itself quite a Western-ish vibe. Most climbers prefer to set up “base camp” close to the crags, since there are a few campsites and accommodation options within walking distance from the routes. This is yet another aspect that makes Geyikbayırı so appealing – you can fly to Antalya, get an airport transfer, stay close to all the climbing, and you won’t even need a car (unless you plan to do some sightseeing, of course). For shorter climbing trips in particular, this can prove very efficient.

In the evenings, the campsite’s restaurants and bars fill up with climbers, which is yet another attractive factor – it’s easy to find a climbing partner if you’re traveling solo. Furthermore, access to the sectors is short and easy, while most of the sectors are child-friendly.

All these pros do come with some downsides, though. Unfortunately, some of the older and popular routes in Geyikbayırı are already polished, and famous lines and sectors tend to get crowded. On warm, sunny days, shady sectors can attract bigger crowds. Luckily, new lines are being bolted each year and, every now and then, even an entire new sector pops up. So, there are ways around it.

Getting to the sectors and finding the lines is easy thanks to the detailed climbing guidebook for Antalya, which includes climbing at Geyikbayırı, Citdibi, Olympos, and more. Updated editions come out once in a few years, and you can find the guidebook for sale at most of the campsites in Geyikbayırı.

The most popular climbing sectors in Geyikbayırı

Photo by ABC Climbing

Climbing in Antalya is renowned for its tufas, and alas, there are some great tufas to hug! At the same time, you can find a full range of climbing styles and grades, from 5a to 9a. There are currently over 1,000 sport climbing routes at Geyikbayırı, the majority in the 6a to 7c range, on good-quality orange and gray limestone. It’s a fantastic place for beginners and a great location to tick off some hard projects and to up your game thanks to the high density of routes.

There are 40+ sectors, all easy to reach from the road. If you’re staying at one of the campsites in the area, it’s a nice little stroll to get to them, from 5 minutes to maybe a bit over 30 minutes to the farthest, depending on where you’re staying.

The main crag above the road

Sarkit is perhaps the most iconic climbing sector in Geyikbayırı and many climbers choose to kick off their trip here. This hole-filled, tufa-ridden, stalactite-sprinkled crag is sunny almost the whole day and it’s located pretty much in the middle of the climbing area, just above the road. You can’t miss it. It’s great during cold or cloudy days, but it also works in the morning and evening on warmer days if you’re motivated. It has routes across a variety of grades, but what particularly stand out here are the long, hard, and pumpy routes.

Next to it, towards Antalya, Mağara and Anatolia offer a wide variety of styles, from punchy overhangs to spectacular vertical, techy climbing, short and long. Further down the road, Kanyon is hidden from sight and always has one side of it in the shade. Then, you have your longer routes at Poseidon and Ottoman, mostly in the 6’s and 7’s. Mevlana is yet another big and popular sector, hence a bit polished, too. It has an interesting shade of cream with grayish-blackish streaks, and thanks to its exposure and shape, it’s one of the warmest sectors in Geyikbayırı and thus a nice option for cold days.

Photo by Káťa Tran

Echoes, Koridor, and Top Alani are the last sectors towards Antalya. Echoes Left gets sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon, while Echoes Right gets a lot of sun. Koridor is a crimpy sector with aesthetic lines on compact, reddish limestone that is mostly in the shade, while Top Alani has nice vertical and slab climbing, mostly in the sun. These sectors are not far from each other, and the style differs quite a lot, so you can be sure to find something to your fancy.

Trebenna

You just can’t miss it! It’s so easy to spot this long, feature-packed sector from the main road, sitting in the shade opposite Sarkit. Trebenna is the place to go on warmer days. The place itself is very 3D-like, with some crazy, imposing features – pillars, columns, stalactites, blobs, winding tufas, as well as crimps, pockets, and some huge holes you can even get halfway in to rest midway. There are several sub-sectors here, and you’ll be spoiled with some long, pumpy, and complex journeys, as well as some shorter, bouldery lines.

Under the main road

Towards Geyikbayırı and below the main road, Küllüin has several smaller sectors with shorter routes where you can find both sun and shade depending on the time of day. Some fun, steep lines await, but also less overhanging ones, most of them short. After passing Küllüin, Rüzgarlı Bahçe lies in a picturesque little corner and has an interestingly featured wall with flowy lines.

Somewhat in the middle of the whole climbing area, next to Josito Camp, there is a secondary stretch of limestone with all sorts of features, and it only takes a couple of minutes to get to it from the campsite. Here, Left Cave stands out with its imposing overhangs and roofs, with a whole array of features and plenty of kneebaring opportunities. Next to it, Turkish Standard and Right Cave have steep lines and vertical routes, and are a good place to start off the trip and get a taste of the high standards of the area.

More towards Antalya, also under the main road, Alabalık has several sub-sectors with mostly powerful, steep lines with cool features, in the sun for most of the day. It can be reached on foot via a path from JoSiTo Camp or by car from Geyikbayırı Alabalık Restaurant.

Of course, in between all I’ve mentioned above, there are many other sectors that are just as aesthetic, each with their own personality, some with only routes in the lower grades, others with hard lines, or with a mix of both, and perhaps not as polished or crowded.

What to pack

Photo by Dylan Wyer

Best to bring your entire climbing gear. If you are unable to, a couple of the campsites in Geyikbayırı offer gear rental and have a small shop for the basics. There’s also one climbing shop in the area, Sunclimbing, where you can find a little bit of everything. In Antalya, there are a couple of Decathlon stores but they’re somewhat limited in terms of gear.

A 70-meter rope should suffice for the majority of the routes. Do keep in mind that there are some longer routes here, over 30 meters long, too. Also pack 20+ quickdraws.

The temperature difference between sun and no sun is quite significant, so make sure you pack enough layers of clothes. In winter, nighttime temps up in Geyikbayırı can drop to zero degrees Celsius, sometimes even below.

Where to stay

When climbing in Geyikbayırı, there are two preferred options: staying in Antalya or at one of the campsites/guesthouses near the crags, just under the village of Geyikbayırı.

Accommodation

The city of Antalya has loads of accommodation options, from all-inclusive hotels to apartment rentals. If you do choose to stay in Antalya, keep in mind that Konyaaltı district is the closest to the climbing area – about 15-20 kilometers.

Campsites

If you prefer to stay closer to the routes, there are a bunch of accommodation options near the crags, from pitching your tent at one of the many campgrounds to staying in a bungalow or guesthouse. The most famous and oldest campsite in the area is JoSiTo Camp. This is also the most crowded. Many others have opened up in the last decade or so, offering excellent conditions. Some of the most popular campsites in Geyikbayırı are Flying Goat Camping, Camp Geyik, Rido Camp, Kezban’s Guest House & Camping, Peak Guesthouses, The Land Geyikbayırı.

Most of the campsites near the crags also have their own restaurants serving both traditional and European food.

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What to eat

Turkish food is delicious. Finger-licking. Cheap. Fresh. Flavorful.

There’s just so much variety. Whether you’re a fan of meaty products or vegetarian treats, you’ll find a chock-full of dishes to delight your palate. However, in order to get the most out of your Turkish food experience, you need to head to Antalya or to the local restaurants along the road from Geyikbayırı to the city.

Start your day out right with a filling kahvaltı (Turkish breakfast) and a fragrant Turkish coffee.

For some meaty treats, try the many kebab varieties (Adana kebab, Urfa kebab, şiş kebab, döner, etc.), köfte (meatballs), lahmacun (pita topped with minced meat and veggies), pide (flatbread with a variety of fillings), iskender kebab (strips of lamb in a pita sandwich), hamsi (Anatolian anchovy), dolma (stuffed peppers, vine leaves, cabbage leaves).

For vegetarian and vegan options, try the menemen (Turkish scrambled eggs), çiğ köfte (bulgur balls), imam bayildi (stuffed eggplant), vegetarian dolma, vegan soups (çorba), pilav (Turkish rice), and the many pastries like su böreği and börek.

And don’t get me started on the street food. There are loads of joints making kebabs and döner, a juicy and flavorful wrap with chicken (tavuk), veal (dana eti), or lamb (kuzu).

On the side of the street, and especially on weekends, you’ll find gözleme, thin Turkish pies cooked over a wooden stove, with various fillings such as meat, cheese, potato, etc. Don’t forget that there’s a gözleme place just before the village of Geyikbayiri, above the Küllüin sector, next to the water spring. This one is open on weekends.

Moreover, if you simply want a simple snack, you can always grab a simit (Turkish bagel) at the street corner or neighborhood bakery (firin).

Then there are the desserts. Man, I could write entire pages about Turkish desserts, but let me just tell you this: even the smallest supermarkets have some kind of dessert that’s simply ravishing, while it’s impossible to leave the bakeries (firin) empty-handed. Make sure to try the many different types of baklava, kazan dibi (burnt milk pudding), cevizli sucuk (walnut sausage), fırın sütlaç (baked rice pudding), and revani (semolina cake in syrup).

Neighborhoods in Antalya have firin cafes that serve coffee and all sorts of pastries, including mouthwatering baklavas. There are also many street-side shops specializing exclusively in baklava or Turkish delight (lokum). Obviously, I can’t forget Turkish ice cream (dorduma), traditionally served with a little show that I’ll leave you to discover on your own.

From the farmer’s markets, make sure you try local delicacies like fig jam, pekmez (molasses-like syrup made from crushed fruits – carob, date, mulberry, grape, fig, etc.), honey (bal), dried fruits, walnuts, pistachios, fresh pomegranate juice, and ada çayı (mountain tea).

Rest days

Oh, where to start…there’s a lot to do in and around Antalya when you’re not climbing. You can visit the many impressive historical sites and ancient ruins, chill at the beach, have a dip in the Mediterranean, or go hiking in the mountains.

The nearest beach to Geyikbayırı is Konyaaltı Beach, an 8-kilometer stretch of Blue Flag pebble beach on the Mediterranean, against the backdrop of the Taurus Mountains.

The Old Town in Antalya, Kaleiçi, with its labyrinthine cobbled streets surrounded by ancient walls, is a must-see. You’ll find an interesting blend of Greek and Ottoman architecture and historic sites, a bazaar with many delicacies and local products, souvenir shops, ancient ruins, restaurants, cafes, and a picturesque old harbor. From the Old Harbor in Kaleiçi – Antalya Marina – you can hop on a boat tour along the city’s coast and its many natural sights.

Then you have the impressive ancient cities around Antalya – Termessos, Aspendos, Phaselis, Perge, Olympos, and Myra with its famous Lycian tombs. These are only a few of the most famous and visited ones; there are ancient ruins almost everywhere in the pine forests and mountains around Antalya. There’s even an ancient city above the climbing sector at Trebenna – Trebenna Ancient City – that can be reached via an easy hike either from the crags or from the village.

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Every Sunday, there’s a market (pazar) in Akdamlar, the village beneath the crags. It’s an interesting place to visit either on a rest day or on Sunday morning before climbing at Geyikbayırı. You’ll get the feel of the traditional Turkish market, with loads of produce, clothes, souvenirs, and gözleme stands. Not to mention that it’s a good place to stock up on fresh and cheap provisions for the whole week.

You can also pay a visit to the Tuesday market in the Liman neighborhood or the Saturday market in the Hurma neighborhood in Konyaaltı, both in Antalya.

If you’re traveling in winter and there’s enough snow up in the mountains, you can go skiing in Saklıkent, about an hour from Antalya. That’s right, in Antalya you can climb, ski, and bathe in the Mediterranean all in the same day!

Other useful travel advice

Getting there

By plane & rental car

Most climbers prefer to fly into Antalya Airport (AYT) and rent a car from there. If you’re staying at one of the campsites in Geyikbayırı, they can arrange an airport transfer for you. Some campsites also offer rental cars.

By plane & public transport

If you fly into Antalya and don’t want to rent a car or use the transfer service, it is possible to get to Geyikbayırı via public transport, albeit it is a bit of an adventure, especially if you come to Antalya for the first time. If you’re up for it, here’s the breakdown:

• From the airport, take shuttle bus 600 all the way to Antalya Bus Terminal (Otogar). These buses run every 30 minutes. It takes 45-60 minutes to get from the airport to the Otogar.
• Next to the Otogar, there is a bus station. Take bus 521 or TK51. These are smaller buses called dolmuş.
• Bus 521 departs for Geyikbayırı twice a day – early in the morning and in the evening. During the rest of the day, bus 521 will only take you as far as Akdamlar/Çakırlar, the village before Geyikbayırı, at the base of the mountain. From there, you can walk or hitchhike the remaining 5-7 kilometers to the campsites/village.
• Bus TK51 only goes as far as Akdamlar/ Çakırlar.  

By car

Obviously, you can travel by car. The roads in Turkey are really good. Highways and important bridges usually have tolls, paid through a High-Speed Toll System (HGS). If you plan to drive on the Turkish highways and use the bridges around Istanbul, you must register for HGS, which comes in the form of a sticker that you apply to your windscreen. You can buy the HGS sticker at petrol stations on the highways, at Turkish Post branches (PTT), and at certain banks. When you buy the sticker, you can also add credit to your HGS account. To view your HGS balance, go to this page.

Getting around

The best way to get around Antalya and Geyikbayırı is by car.

If you plan to stay in Antalya, you must take into account the 15 to 35 kilometers drive to get to the crags (depending on which part of the city you’re staying in). What’s more, a car gives you the freedom to visit the local attractions on your rest days and even take a trip to the neighboring climbing areas at Çitdibi and Olympos.

There’s public transport as well, but regular buses will only take you as far as the village of Akdamlar. From there, you have another 5-7 kilometers, which you walk or hitchhike. There is a bus that goes all the way up to the village of Geyikbayırı, but only twice a day (morning and evening).

Going up to the village from the crags, just above Küllüin sector, there is a parking space with a couple of freshwater springs where you can stock up on water. On weekends, you’ll find families here making gözleme (Turkish pies), bazlama (Turkish bread), and çay (Turkish tea), serving them at tables laid out in the parking space. You may also find some fresh fruits, vegetables, and other local produce here.

Cultural aspects

Turkey is a Muslim country. It’s also a secular country, meaning that state and religion are separate. What does this mean? Well, when you’re on the streets in the larger cities, you’ll see that most Turkish people dress just like Europeans. At the same time, there are conservative families even in the big cities. On the other hand, in rural areas, most women wear a colorful scarf to cover a bit of their hair and Turkish şalvar (traditional baggy pants).

Although full of various nationalities, the climbing destination of Geyikbayırı is in a rural area. So please be mindful of the local culture and dress modestly as much as you can. 

Regardless of where you’re staying, chances are you’ll overhear the call to prayer (ezan) from the nearest mosque five times a day, inviting the faithful to the prayer ritual (namaz) – dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and evening.

Since it’s a Muslim country, you won’t find any pork on restaurant menus. Lamb is the most popular meat eaten in Turkey. Chicken, beef, and fish are also popular. You can find alcohol in supermarkets, but it’s a bit expensive compared to European prices.

Language

Since Antalya is a tourist city, people speak a little bit of English at hotels, restaurants downtown, and the bigger supermarkets. Beyond that, things get a bit complicated.

At smaller businesses in the neighborhoods, at the market (pazar), at the gözleme/döner stands, and in most places outside the city, knowing a few Turkish words can take you a long way. So, here are a few useful phrases to help you get by:

• Merhaba – Hello
• Evet – Yes
• Hayır – No
• Teşekkürler – Thank you
• Lütfen – Please
• Güle güle – Goodbye
• Ne kadar? – How much?
• Otobüs – Bus
• Plaj – Beach
• Sokak – Street
• Havalimanı – Airport
• Kahve – Coffee
• Çay – Tea
• Su – Water
• Kahvaltı – Breakfast
• Kek – Cake
• Ekmek – Bread
• Hesap lütfen! – Bill, please!

It would also be useful to learn to count from one to ten: bir, iki, üç, dört, beş, altı, yedi, sekiz, dokuz, on.

Blend in and slow down

At the borderline between the West and the Orient, Turkey managed to preserve its true spirit. Turkish people have a whole different rhythm of life; they seem to enjoy almost everything they do and take advantage of the weather and natural surroundings as much as they can.

Even in winter, if it’s a sunny day, they’ll head out to the beach, parks, or any parking space near the pine forests and have a picnic. They’ll have a barbecue, make çay (tea) on their samovar camp stoves, and simply have a good time with their families. In Turkey, weekends are dedicated to family gatherings, friends, and social interaction.

When the weather’s good, the beaches are packed with locals. Everyone seems to smile and have a good time. Also, Turkish people take care of the stray animals. Yes, there are a lot of cats in Turkey, but a lot of stray dogs, too. Locals feed them, sometimes even allow them to come inside if it rains. I’m sure the animals appreciate this since all the dogs I’ve seen in Antalya are friendly and gentle.

So, on your rest days, even on days when you’re climbing in Geyikbayırı, take some time to look up at the clear blue sky, catch a glimpse of the Mediterranean from the anchors, breathe deeply, slow down, get a tan, and just enjoy this gorgeous life in true Turkish fashion!

*Cover photo by Dylan Wyer

* * This article contains affiliate links, which means I may get a small commission to fund my travels should you choose to make a purchase through my links. Worry not, though, this comes at no additional cost to you.