Tahtali Cable Car

Tahtali stands 2,365 metres almost directly above the coast south of Kemer, and the cable car covers that height in about ten minutes, running from a base station in the pine and citrus belt to a summit terrace on bare rock. The change is abrupt: people board in shorts and step out into wind that stays cold in August, with snow lying into early summer. From the top the Gulf of Antalya is laid out below, the coast running west in headlands, and the Beydaglari ridges standing inland. Paragliders launch from a ramp beside the terminal when conditions allow. The summit building holds a cafe, a viewing deck and very little else, which is more or less the point.

What you actually see

• The ascent - pine belt to bare rock in about ten minutes.
• The gulf view - Antalya bay and the headlands running west.
• The paraglider ramp - tandem launches from beside the terminal.
• Late snow - patches lying on the summit into early summer.

When to go

Cabins run through the day, with extra evening departures for sunset in summer that sell out first. Haze builds over the gulf by midday in July and August, so early rides give the clearest air. Spring and autumn are sharper still. High wind closes the line without notice, sometimes for days at a time.

Honest expectations

The ticket is expensive by local standards and there is nothing to do at the top beyond looking and paying inflated prices for coffee. Cabins fill to standing at peak hours. Cloud can sit on the summit while the coast below is clear, and you find that out only after paying. Take a jacket even in high summer.

Nearby

Olympos and Cirali, the Yanartas flames and Kemer's beaches.