Waterfalls in Antalya: Düden, Kursunlu and How to Visit

Antalya has three waterfalls worth visiting, and they are genuinely different from each other. Not the same waterfall repeated across different brochures.

Upper Düden drops 18 metres into a gorge you can walk into. Lower Düden falls directly from a cliff face into the Mediterranean Sea, something you need a boat to appreciate properly. Kursunlu sits in a forested park seven kilometres outside the city, with seven interconnected lakes and almost no crowds compared to the Düden sites.

We run tours from Antalya that cover these waterfalls, and this guide covers what each one actually looks like up close, how to get there independently, what it costs, and which to prioritise if you have limited time.

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The Antalya Waterfalls at a Glance

| Waterfall | Distance from Centre | Entry Fee | Best For |

| Upper Düden (Kurşunlu is also this spelling) | 10 km north | Free (park entry) | Walking into the gorge, rock tombs |

| Lower Düden | 8 km east | Free (park viewpoint) | Boat tour, sea views |

| Kursunlu | 7 km east (Aspendos road) | ~€2-3 per adult | Forested walks, multiple pools |

All three are reachable by taxi from the city centre. Kursunlu and Upper Düden work well as independent visits. Lower Düden is best seen from a boat rather than the clifftop viewpoint.

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Upper Düden Waterfall

What to Expect

Upper Düden, also called Alexander Falls, is the more dramatic of the two Düden waterfalls for walking. The water drops 18 metres through a narrow gorge, and you can enter the gorge on foot and walk directly to the base of the falls. The path goes behind the cascade at certain points, the water level in the gorge is low enough that you walk on rocks.

The surrounding rock faces contain ancient Lycian tomb carvings, which most visitors miss. Worth looking for if you’re spending time at the gorge.

The waterfall originates from underground springs at Kirkgözler, part of the same karst system that feeds both Düden waterfalls. “Düden” is a Turkish geological term for formations where water disappears underground or emerges from rock.

The park around Upper Düden is well maintained, with walking paths and picnic areas in the trees above the gorge. It works for families. The viewpoint platforms are accessible, and the path into the gorge itself involves some uneven rock walking but nothing that requires specific footwear.

How to Get There

Upper Düden is 10 kilometres north of Antalya city centre. By taxi from Kaleiçi, the journey takes around 20-25 minutes. There is a dolmuş route from the Doğu Garajı area, but it’s infrequent, a taxi is more practical unless you’re staying nearby.

**Entry:** Free. The park has no admission charge.

**Time needed:** 1.5-2 hours is enough to walk the gorge, see the falls, and walk the surrounding paths.

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Lower Düden Waterfall

What to Expect

Lower Düden is the better-known of the two, and with good reason. The waterfall drops 40 metres directly from a cliff face into the sea at a point called Lara Cliff. From the clifftop park (Gençlik Park), you get a view of the falls from above and from the side, but not from below, which is where the real view is.

From the boat, the perspective is completely different. The cliff rises above you, the water falls into the sea a few metres away, and on boat tours that pass close enough, you go through the spray zone at the base. Some tours allow you to swim directly beneath the cascade. That is the version of Lower Düden worth experiencing.

From the park itself, the falls are still worth seeing, the setting is good and the path along the cliff edge has views of the Antalya coastline. But if you only see Lower Düden from the clifftop, you’re seeing half the waterfall.

Boat Tour vs. Walking to the Clifftop Park

**Clifftop park:** Free, reachable by taxi (about 8 km from Kaleiçi). Open year-round. The view shows the falls from above and side-on. Suitable for a short visit without booking anything.

**By boat:** Our [Grand Waterfall Boat Tour]runs along the coastal cliffs from Antalya harbour, reaches Lower Düden from the sea, and passes close enough to go through the waterfall spray. The tour is 2.5 hours and includes hotel pickup. We also run a separate [Düden Waterfall boat tour] for those who specifically want to focus on the waterfall from the water.

If you’re only going to see one waterfall in Antalya and you want to do it properly, Lower Düden by boat is the choice.

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Kursunlu Waterfall

What to Expect

Kursunlu is a different experience from the Düden waterfalls. Rather than a single dramatic drop, you get a 18-hectare park with a 10-metre waterfall emptying into a series of seven interconnected turquoise pools. The water flows down through the pools in stages, and you walk alongside them on a path through pine and plane trees.

The park is quieter than the Düden sites, particularly in the morning. The setting is genuinely pleasant, and the pools are clear enough to see the fish in them. No swimming in the pools themselves (they’re protected), but the walk and the forest setting make it a more relaxed visit than the Düden waterfall parks.

Kursunlu is a reasonable combination with a morning visit to Aspendos, which is nearby. If you’re heading east to see ancient sites, adding Kursunlu to the day makes sense.

Practical Info

**Location:** 7 kilometres along the Antalya-Mersin road (Aspendos direction). The park is signposted.

**Entry:** Approximately €2-3 per adult (price subject to change at the site).

**Getting there:** By taxi from Kaleiçi, about 20-25 minutes. No regular dolmuş service, a taxi return trip or a rental car is the practical option.

**Time needed:** 1-1.5 hours is enough for the main loop through the park.

**Best time:** Morning on weekdays avoids most of the coach tour groups that arrive mid-morning in peak season.

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Which Waterfall Should You Visit?

If you have one morning free and want to see a waterfall close to the city, Lower Düden from the clifftop park is the quickest option. It’s 8 kilometres from Kaleiçi, free, and the setting is good.

If you’re booking a boat tour anyway (which is one of the most popular things to do in Antalya regardless of the waterfalls), add Lower Düden to the route. The Grand Waterfall Boat Tour covers it along the coastline, and it’s the view that makes the trip.

If you want an active morning with more walking and don’t mind going slightly further, Upper Düden’s gorge walk is worth doing. The cave walk and rock tomb carvings make it more interesting than a standard waterfall viewpoint.

If you want the quietest option and a forest walk rather than a coastal setting, Kursunlu.

For a deeper look at Upper and Lower Düden specifically, see our [complete guide to the Düden Waterfalls](https://www.antalyadailytours.com/upper-lower-dudenwaterfalls/).

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Seeing the Waterfalls as Part of a Tour

We run several options that include the waterfalls:

**Grand Waterfall Boat Trip**, the coastal boat trip that passes Lower Düden from the sea, including the spray zone at the base of the cliff. Hotel pickup from Lara, Belek, and Kemer included. The tour runs approximately 2.5 hours. You pay on the day.

**Düden Waterfall Boat Trip**, a focused version that concentrates on the Lower Düden waterfall approach by boat, with swimming included. Also with hotel pickup and pay-on-day booking.

**Antalya City Tour**, some versions of the city tour include a stop at Lower Düden as part of the full-day programme alongside Kaleiçi Old Town and other city sites. Worth checking if you want the waterfall combined with the rest of Antalya’s main sites in one day.

For guests staying in Lara Beach, Lower Düden is effectively on your doorstep, the clifftop park is around 3 kilometres from most of the large hotels there.

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Frequently Asked Questions