Private Tour: Termessos Ancient City and Duden Waterfalls

Antalya, Turkey

Capture two highlights of Antalya on this 7-hour private trip: the Duden Waterfalls, complete with secret cave, and Termessos, an ancient city set high in the Taurus Mountains with stunning views across the region. Tour includes transport, entrance fees, and a restaurant lunch.

Your private guide will collect you from Antalya cruise port or your hotel in Antalya, Lara, Konyaalti, or Kundu by 10am for the short drive to the landscaped park that's home to Duden Waterfalls.

Stroll down shady paths and across scenic bridges to where the river tumbles down over the 49-foot (15-meter) falls in a 65-foot (20-meter) expanse of cascades. The roar and spray from the water is impressive, but what really sets these falls apart is the ability to see them from the back, as you scramble into a natural cave set behind the tumbling curtain of water. Take a little while to enjoy the beautiful environment, perhaps with a glass of Turkish tea or a cup of Turkish coffee (own expense).

From here, it's about an hour's drive to one of Turkey's most beautiful ancient cities – Termessos. You'll break the journey with an included Turkish lunch at a local restaurant, before riding an old royal road up into the Taurus Mountains.

Your guide will lead you through highlights of the city. First, admire the Temple of Hadrian and the Temple of Artemis, two of six temples that have been identified on the site. Next, explore the center of the town: you'll see aqueducts, water cisterns, a gymnasium, and Roman baths.

Star of the show at Termessos, however, is its stunning theater, set on the peak of the mountain with commanding views across the region. To stand here is to travel back in time, to a period when ancient citizens watched plays and drama surrounded by the self-same views you're seeing.

You'll spend around three hours at the site, before returning to your private, air-conditioned vehicle to drive back to your departure point. You'll arrive around 5pm.

Please note: the ruins of Termessos are strewn across the mountainside and cover an extensive area. Decent physical condition and sturdy footwear are a must, as a lot of scrambling is involved.