We had passed nearby many times but never made it to the summit. For our first route of the year we put Tahtalı Mountain in the Beydağları Coastal National Park on the list, and we are glad we did. This was the beginning of our Aegean–Mediterranean motorcycle tour.
How do you get up Tahtalı Mountain?
First you drive a while uphill inside the national park until you reach the cable car station. The cable car runs in both directions at short intervals every day and takes you to the summit quickly. The summit is 2365 metres high.
What is the view like?
Snowy mountain peaks on one side, rocky cliffs on the other and an endless sea view. A wonderful experience, and we recommend you make time for it. The mountain lies in Kemer, Antalya, and is thought to be the ancient Olympos.
How many days to stay in Kemer?
We saw Kemer for one evening and one morning. It is not a big town, but you should set aside at least two days for swimming and exploring. We chatted and explored as much as we could, planning to return.
What to watch out for in Kemer
There are many foreign tourists. Prices are quoted in dollars and euros, and once they realise you are Turkish they switch to lira. Still, Kemer is tidy, lovely and worth staying in. In our short stay nothing disappointed us.
We left Istanbul around 07:30 and reached Kemer around 19:00 after 730 km, and from Kemer we continued to Kaş. Educated Moto Riders offers an advanced and safe riding techniques course for anyone preparing for mountain roads.
Read the full story in Turkish with photos and videos: Kemer ve Tahtalı Dağı.