Lake Salda & Pamukkale tour from Side is a white fairy-tale to see the travertines of Pamukkale and swim in the azure waters of Salda Lake. Salda and Pamukkale are two snow-white gems that the tourist world of Turkey can’t be without.
Salda is a lake formed in ancient times by a volcano crater. Its waters are unusual in composition, rich in hydromagnesite. In 2021, NASA announced that the soil content of Lake Salda is close to Martian. But most importantly, the lake is unique in its azure water and snow-white shores, together they create an indescribable play of light, like in a carved crystal.
The second part of the trip is a visit to Pamukkale National Park. Pamuk means cotton in Turkish and kale means castle. This is why Pamukkale is often called the Cotton Castle. Pamukkale is another wonder of the varied nature of Turkey – snow-white hillsides, decorated with all kinds of niches and travertine balconies, through which the blue water* flows endlessly.
This tour takes you to not one, but two areas of outstanding beauty. Both natural preservation areas, astounding to see in equal measure. Lake Salda is known as the Turkish Maldives. It is, in effect a 3.5 million year old crater lake, filled with blue waters that become turquoise as the depth changes. Surrounded by white natural beaches, it is easy to see how it gets its name.
High up in a mountainous area, off the beaten track and still, completely unspoiled. There is a construction ban around the lake, with one small hotel providing refreshment and toilet facilities. The only way to stay here is at a designated camp site back from the beach. That is how exclusive it is!
The second part of this tour takes you to the town of Pamukkale. The town sits at the base of the white rock formations known as travertines. These are rocks formed by calcified waters over millennia. The rocks have formed natural pools and the waters are said to be healing. It looks like ice, but it isn’t. This is a non slippery climb to the top where the ancient city of Hierapolis sits waiting to be discovered by you. With its own wealth of history, prepare to be amazed by what you discover.
| 📅 Tour Days: | Every day |
| ⏱️ Tour Hours: | 4:00 AM – 8:00 PM |
| ✔️ Includes: | Hotel transfer, guiding, entrance fees, lunch |
| 📌 Overview: | Salda lake, travertines, hot springs, ancient cities |
Lake Salda & Pamukkale tour costs €35 for adults and €20 for children 4-7, under 4 are free.
If you would like to add lunch and entrance tickets into your tour, price is €70 for adults, €20 for children between 4-7 and under 4 are free.
| Lake Salda & Pamukkale Tour | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| /w Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | €35 | €20 |
| /w Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Entrance Tickets | €70 | €20 |
You will be picked up from your Side hotel, greeted by your English speaking guide and taken to the first stop of your tour, Lake Salda. On the way you may make a comfort stop for breakfast. You will arrive at Lake Salda mid morning for swimming and sunbathing, or simply stretching your legs along its beautiful shoreline. Next is lunch break in Pamukkale.
Next, you will arrive at the Pamukkale terraces and begin your ascent to the top where your guide will be waiting for you. You may swim or dip in the rock pools as you climb, fabulous photo opportunities await you here with the distant view of the region, you can quite literally, see for miles.
At the top of the travertines you will rejoin your guide who will take you to the antique city of Hierapolis. Here, as well as the ancient streets of this city, there is a tourist centre, and also the famed Cleopatra’s Pool, where you may bathe in the same spa waters of the famous Queen herself. The waters, at 35 degrees centigrade are akin to a hot bath and said to have healing properties. This city and its waters have been the subject of pilgrimages throughout the centuries, and today, for the modern tourist.
With a walk through the ancient streets of Hierapolis, a visit to its Necropolis, the burial place of several historical figures can be found; if this is not for you, you can explore the tourist centre with its amusements and souvenir shops.
At the designated time and place you will meet your guide and return to your waiting coach, before returning to Side and your hotel. On the way back, you will stop for dinner.
