National park · Türkiye (Turkey)
Termessos (Güllük Dağı National Park)Termessos Milli Parkı
Go only with your own car: from the D350 turnoff the signed lane climbs about 9 km (5.6 mi) to the site, 30 km (19 mi) from Antalya; give it 3–4 hours on foot and arrive at opening (08:00) in April–June or September–October, before the heat and the tour vans.Go only with your own car: from the D350 turnoff the signed lane climbs about 9 km (5.6 mi) to the site, 30 km (19 mi) from Antalya; give it 3–4 hours on foot and arrive at opening (8:00 AM) in April–June or September–October, before the heat and the tour vans.Go only with your own car: from the D350 turnoff the signed lane climbs about 5.6 mi (9 km) to the site, 19 mi (30 km) from Antalya; give it 3–4 hours on foot and arrive at opening (08:00) in April–June or September–October, before the heat and the tour vans.Go only with your own car: from the D350 turnoff the signed lane climbs about 5.6 mi (9 km) to the site, 19 mi (30 km) from Antalya; give it 3–4 hours on foot and arrive at opening (8:00 AM) in April–June or September–October, before the heat and the tour vans.
- Source checked
- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify
Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
67 km² (26 sq mi)26 sq mi (67 km²)
approximate
Established
1970
Best months
Apr–May, Sep–Oct
UNESCO
None
Rules in force · 5
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Check whether your passport is visa-exempt; if it is not, apply only at evisa.gov.tr — lookalike sites charge extra and some sell nothing.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗At mosques cover shoulders and knees, take shoes off at the door, and women carry a headscarf; stay out during prayer times.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Taxis must run the taximeter; refuse flat quotes, or book through BiTaksi or Uber so the ride is logged.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Carry lira in small notes for tea, markets, tips and toilets; prices move with inflation, so treat every printed price as dated.
- Türkiye (Turkey) ↗Do not take stones, coins or tiles from ancient sites, and export no antiques without a museum certificate; travellers have been detained at airport customs.
At a glance
- Country
- Türkiye (Turkey)
- Area
- 67 km² (26 sq mi)26 sq mi (67 km²)
- Mount Güllük-Termessos National Park; boundary figures vary by source (check).
- Established
- 1970
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Permits
- For some areas
- Base
- Antalya
Termessos is a ruined Pisidian city at about 1,150 m on Mount Solymos (Güllük Dağı), inside a national park created in 1970. It is one of the few ancient sites in Turkey that was never excavated and never quarried: the walls, the theatre, the odeon, the gymnasium and the tombs sit in pine and maquis on a saddle below the summit. Alexander the Great is said to have failed to take it in 333 BC; Rome later absorbed it, and an earthquake wrecked the aqueduct and the city was abandoned. There is no public transport and no accommodation inside the park, so the visit is a half-day drive from Antalya or a stop on the Korkuteli road.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- No UNESCO listing; national park since 1970.
Size and age
67 km² (26 sq mi)26 sq mi (67 km²) · national park since 1970
Mount Güllük-Termessos National Park; boundary figures vary by source (check).
This page covers the park itself. Nearest base: Antalya.
Why go
- A whole ancient city left as it fell, with no reconstruction and almost no signage clutter.
- The theatre and the upper walls sit at about 1,000 m with views down the Taurus gorges to the Pamphylian plain.
- The walk between the lower gate, the theatre and the summit ridge is the point of the trip, not a side errand.
- It is 40–60 minutes from Antalya, so it fits a half day even on a beach holiday.
When to go
- JanAvoid
- FebCaution
- MarGo
- AprBest
- MayBest
- JunGo
- JulCaution
- AugCaution
- SepBest
- OctBest
- NovGo
- DecCaution
- JanCold and wet; check access and lane conditions before setting out (check)
- FebRain and mud; check the lane after storms (check)
- MarMild, green, wildflowers; some rain
- AprWarm and clear; best walking
- MayWarm; start early, midday sun strong
- JunHot by 11:00; go at openingHot by 11:00 AM; go at opening
- JulVery hot, little shade on the upper path
- AugHottest month; 08:00 start onlyHottest month; 8:00 AM start only
- SepCooling, dry, good light
- OctDry and mild; best all-round
- NovCool and often clear; shorter days
- DecRain; check opening and lane conditions before a winter visit (check)
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snakes in the woods and among the rocksApr–Oct · Watch where you put hands and feet; wear boots, not sandals. | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| Tortoises and lizards on the stone pathsApr–Sep | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Raptors over the gorgeMar–May, Sep–Oct | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | yes | yes | no | no |
| Wildflowers on the slopesMar–May | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
Show 3 sectionsHideHow to get there, Zones and sectors, Sketch map
How to get there
From Antalya
Drive west on the D350 towards Korkuteli; the turnoff is signed after about 22 km (14 mi), then a steep lane of about 9 km (5.6 mi) to the car park.Drive west on the D350 towards Korkuteli; the turnoff is signed after about 14 mi (22 km), then a steep lane of about 5.6 mi (9 km) to the car park.
40–60 min
Open the page →
From Antalya by dolmuş
Take a Korkuteli-bound dolmuş and ask to be dropped at the Termessos turnoff, then walk or take a taxi up the lane; dolmuşes on this road thin out around 18:00, so plan the walk down before then.Take a Korkuteli-bound dolmuş and ask to be dropped at the Termessos turnoff, then walk or take a taxi up the lane; dolmuşes on this road thin out around 6:00 PM, so plan the walk down before then.
1.5–2.5 h
Open the page →
From Korkuteli
Drive east on the D350 to the signed turnoff, then up the lane.
45–60 min
From Pamphylia plan
Where Termessos fits with Antalya, Perge, Side and the coast.
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Lower gate and car park | Ticket gate, a small car park, the start of the stone path and the first stretch of city walls. | Open with a ticket, daily. |
| Theatre and odeon saddle | The main public buildings: theatre, odeon, gymnasium, agora and cisterns, on the flat saddle. | Open; rough stone paths. |
| Upper city and summit ridge | Temple of Artemis, the upper walls, the necropolis and the climb towards the summit of Güllük Dağı. | Open; steep and exposed. |
| Park forest | Pine, cedar and maquis covering most of the national park; walking is on the ruins' paths, with no separate marked trail network. | Walking is on the ruins' paths. |
Sketch map
- 1Termessos car park and gate · Gate≈36.983, 30.464Map ↗
- 2Theatre · Viewpoint≈36.983, 30.463Map ↗
- 3Upper city and summit ridge · Summit≈36.986, 30.461Map ↗
- 4D350 turnoff · Ranger station≈36.955, 30.535Approximate; the signed junction on the Antalya–Korkuteli road.Map ↗
- 5Döşemealtı pansiyon · Sleep≈36.956, 30.537Approximate; about 500 m east of the turnoff.Map ↗
- 6Antalya · Town≈36.897, 30.713Map ↗
Take the points offline
6 points as a GPX waypoint file, plus a plain-text list of coordinates. Save it while you have signal: maps apps show the points without a connection.
Site coordinates from Wikidata; the turnoff, pansiyon and Antalya points are approximate, for orientation only.
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Show Top experiencesHide
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Show 8 sectionsHideEntry fees and permits, Park rules, Where to stay, Safety, Accessibility, Visiting lightly, Questions people ask, Related
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park and site entry | TRY 70–200 (≈ US$2–5) | person | 70 TL was the 2023 rate; Turkish museum tickets have risen sharply since, so the upper figure is a 2026 estimate only — confirm the current price on the official ticket page or at the gate (check). |
| Museum Pass (if Termessos is included) | Free | person | Coverage of Termessos on national museum passes changes; confirm at the gate before buying (check). |
| Taxi from the D350 turnoff up to the site | TRY 300–600 (≈ US$8–15) | car | 2026 estimate; a taxi sometimes waits at the bottom of the lane and asks high prices. |
| Parking at the site | TRY 0–50 (≈ US$0–2) | car | Usually free or a small fee. |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Site entry ticket permit or guide
Guided tour no permit
Drone flight permit or guide
What would our group pay?
People
Nights or days
- ₺70–200≈ US$2–5
- ₺300–600≈ US$8–15
Tick the fees that apply to your trip to see a total.
A guide, not a quote: the ranges are estimates (checked 2026-09) and each fee may have rules on who pays it. Confirm on T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı — Termessos before you go.
Park rules
- Stay on the paths
- The ruins are unexcavated and unstable; do not climb on walls, tombs or the theatre seating.
- No camping
- Camping is not permitted in the park; there is no accommodation inside it.
- No collecting
- Do not remove stones, pottery or plant material; the site is protected as a national park and an ancient city.
- Drones
- Not allowed without permission from the museum directorate (check).check
- Litter and fires
- No fires; carry all rubbish back to the car park.
Where to stay
Near the park
Döşemealtı pansiyon
Basic rooms and a cafe about 500 m east of the D350 turnoff, on Şehit Ahmet Ayverdi Cd beyond the restaurants.
Near the park
Antalya
The practical base: hotels of every level, 40–60 min from the site.
Near the park
Korkuteli
A large town west on the D350 if you are continuing inland; its antiquities are minor.
Safety
Heat and sun on the exposed saddle medium
Snakes in the woods medium
Rough, unmarked ground medium
Car break-ins at the car park low
Missing the last dolmuş medium
How much daylight do you have?
Time out
Finding the local time zone…
Times are local to the spot (zone loading). The half-hour margin is our rule of thumb, not an official figure; light fades earlier in forest or under cloud. Carry a headlamp on any route that could run late.
Accessibility
- The car park, gate and the first flat stretch are reachable by car with short walks.
- The theatre, upper city and summit are on steep stone and gravel; not suitable for wheelchairs or limited mobility.
Visiting lightly
- Do not buy or pocket fragments; the site is protected precisely because it was never quarried or excavated.
- Carry water in a refillable bottle and take all rubbish down to the car park.
- Share a car or a taxi up the 9 km (5.6 mi) lane rather than adding vehicles to a narrow road.Share a car or a taxi up the 5.6 mi (9 km) lane rather than adding vehicles to a narrow road.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Termessos?
Admission was 70 TL in 2023 and has risen with other Turkish museum tickets since; budget roughly 70–200 TL per person as a 2026 estimate and confirm the current price on the official ticket page or at the gate. Parking is usually free or a small fee, and a taxi up the lane from the D350 costs several hundred lira.
What are the best hikes in Termessos?
The core circuit from the lower gate through the walls, cisterns, gymnasium, odeon and theatre takes 2–3 hours on rough stone. Add about 45 minutes for the necropolis and upper walls. Beyond the site there are no marked trails in the rest of the national park.
When is the best time to visit Termessos?
April–June and September–October: dry, mild and clear, with the site open from 08:00. July and August are very hot with little shade, so start at opening. Winter is cold and wet; check opening and lane conditions before a winter visit.
Can I get to Termessos without a car?
Not easily. Dolmuşes and buses on the Antalya–Korkuteli D350 may drop you at the signed turnoff, but the site is about 9 km further up a steep lane. A taxi sometimes waits at the bottom and is expensive; hitching is unreliable because few cars come this way. Dolmuşes on the road thin out around 18:00, so plan the walk down before then.
How long do I need at Termessos?
Three to four hours including the drive up and the walk through the main buildings. Two hours is enough for the theatre and the saddle if you are short on time; a full half day lets you add the upper city and the necropolis.
Is there anywhere to stay or eat at Termessos?
No accommodation or camping inside the park. The Döşemealtı pansiyon, with a cafe and basic rooms, is about 500 m east of the turnoff, and there are restaurants nearby; otherwise base yourself in Antalya, 40–60 minutes away.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go