Tunek Tepe Cable Car | How To Get There & What To Know

Want to know how to get to Tunek Tepe so you can see the fabulous panoramic view of Antalya from its peak? Maybe you’ve been mesmerized by the stunning Taurus Mountains while you’ve been on your trip in Antalya and you want to get closer? Or maybe you just want to escape the heat for a few hours from a place that’s a little cooler? Either way, heading over the Tunek Tepe is a great way to spend a few hours and see the city from the different perspective.

There are two cable car rides in Antalya, Tunek Tepe and Olympus. This post covers the details of Tunek Tepe, how to get there and what to expect while you’re there.

What Is Tunek Tepe?

Tunek Tepe is a large hill located where the Beydaglar Mountains, or Bey Mountains, meet the Mediterranean Sea. These mountains are part of the western extension of the Taurus Mountains.

The top of a Tunek Tepe is at an altitude of 2027’ (618 m), providing an incredible panoramic view of Antalya, the Mediterranean coast, and the Taurus Mountains.

How To Get To Tunek Tepe

There are multiple ways to get to Tunek Tepe. Being a popular place to visit, many tours include this as one of the stops. Yet, there’s no reason to do this as a tour (unless you want to), and it’s easy to get to on your own by taxi or bus.

Taxi

Taxi is the easiest way to get to Tunek Tepe, but can be expensive. Fares can range from 200-300 Turkish Lira way from Hadrian’s Gate to Tunek Tepe, which is $7.50-11.50 each way. You can ask for them to wait for you, for an extra fee, or try using the Uber app to order a taxi back to town.

Tip: You can order a yellow taxi from the Uber app, which will be less expensive than an Uber taxi.

Bus

Bus is the least expensive way to travel to Tunek Tepe, but takes a little longer than the taxi. You want to take bus KL08 to Sarisu Station. There are other buses that follow a similar route, but the KL08 bus is frequent and easy, running about every 15 to 20 minutes. Bus lines KC06, KL08G, and KM61 also go to Sarisu Station and back, but check the app to make sure it starts near you. KL08 covers the widest swath, running from Lara Beach all the way to Sarisu Station.

To see the bus route for KL08, and get updated information, download the Antalyakart App. Sarisu Station is the final stop on bus KL08, so you don’t need to worry which stop you get off at.

From the KL08 bus stop, you need to walk southeast towards the coast to get to the cable car. There is no signage, so ask if you are not sure. Pay attention to the route you take so you can head back to the bus stop after visiting.

To ride the bus, you need an AntalyaKart, or bus card. You can buy these cards at small shops located near bus station. Look for a small coffee shop, or similar. It may even have a sign outside with an image of the card and the words “Yukleme Noktasi”, which mean “Loading Point”.

There’s a small fee for the card, and you can have whatever amount you need placed on the card. I explained that I just needed to go to Tunek Tepe and back. My total charge was 50 Turkish Lira, which was less than $2.50 round trip (as of June 2023). This included the cost of the card and the bus fare each way.

On the way back, you can ask which buses head back to the part of town you’re in, or just wait for the KL08.

Tours

If you don’t want to hassle with public transportation, take a tour. One of the most popular here is Antalya City tour, Düden waterfall , Lara waterfall , Teleferik , Boat trip, which includes a tour of Antalya, Düden waterfall , Lara waterfall (which is lower Düden), and a boat trip.

If you just want to see Tunek Tepe and ride the cable car along with a tour of Antalya, chose this one: City Tour Of ANTALYA with cable car. (the place to be seen).

What To Expect at Tenek Tepe

Best Time To Visit Tunek Tepe

Tunek Tepe is open 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM every day except Monday. It’s busiest on weekends, so try to visit during the week if you can.

If it’s raining, or there is other inclement weather, contact the facility in advance to make sure it’s still operational.

I suggest visiting in the late afternoon as the sun starts to set, creating more dramatic lighting for photos. Plus it’s a little cooler in the afternoon. I arrived around 5:30 PM and had the entire cable car to myself on the ride up.

Expect to spend about a hour here, two if you plan to eat dinner or lunch.

Tickets for Tunek Tepe

You can buy your ticket on line, in advance, or at the ticket window. I was here June 2022 and the price was 321.85 Turkish Lira at the ticket window, which was about $12.35. If using US cash, the cost was $15. Tickets online are $15.

The Cable Car Ride

The Tunek Tepe Cable Car, is Tunektepe Teleferik in Turkish. The cable cars holds up 8 people and travels 5,597’ (706 m), which is over a mile, in less than 10 minutes.

Tip: To get the best view on your ride up, sit on the right side as you enter the car. This way you’ll be looking over the city as you ride up.

The Hike Up

You can also hike up to the top of Tunek Tepe. You can see the trail zig-zagging up the hillside from the cable car. The trail is over 5.6 miles (9 km) with over 2,800’ of elevation gain. You should be in excellent condition to do this hike. Expect it to take an hour or two (one way) depending on your condition.

I’m sure the hike is stunning, heading up through the forest pine with spectacular views as you climb. It’s best to do this in the early morning or afternoon to avoid the heat of the day. Even better if you avoid the summer.

Make sure you wear good hiking shoes, and bring plenty of water for the hike. Download the Tunek Tepe trail map.

At The Top

When you first exit the cable car, you will walk up to a parking area with some views to the mountains to the west and coast to the southwest.

As you enter the complex at the top of Tunek Tepe, one of the first things you’ll see is an area where you can pay for a professional photo taken with props (below).

As you walk around the complex, there are many places to take photos from different angles and vantage points.

There are also several places to stop for a snack or a beverage, as well as the Anet restaurant, which seems to have similar prices to the one by the harbor. If you arrive late in the day, like I did, they may be out of things. Only pizza was available by the time I arrived.

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Where To Stay In Antalya

Near Old Town

Budget

If you want a budget option, try looking for rooms in an apartment on Airbnb. I stayed at Cozy & Comfy Room With Sea View, just east of old town. It’s in a good location, about a 10-minute walk to the harbor, was quiet, and had a partial view of the Taurus Mountains. Plus the owners are lovely. They have just had a baby though, so it may no longer be quiet.

Affordable

This renovated 19th century villa, Palm House 17 – Adults Only, is full of charm and close to many sites. It’s just a 5-minute walk to the harbor.

Hotel Lykia Old Town Antalya is a guesthouse in a charming restored historical mansion from the 19th century. It’s also located a 5-minute walk to the harbor.

Lara Beach Area

Affordable Wolf Suites are chic apartments with a fully functioning kitchen and a pool. Lara beach is a 7-minute walk amd the old city harbor is 7.8 miles (12.5 km) away.

Splurge

The Lara Barut Collection – Ultra All Inclusive looks stunning. It has 8 restaurants, a spa with a Turkish bath, a gym, multiple pools, and is one of the highest rated all inclusive hotels here. There is private beach access with pavilions, as well as tennis, mini golf, entertainment, and more. This resort of located 11 miles (17.7 km) from old town Antalya.

Bayou Villas Ultra All Inclusive also looks stunning. It offers sumptuous, all inclusive private 1, 2, 3, and 4 bedroom villas. Each villa has its own private garden and swimming pool with fresh and salt water. It also includes use of pavilions on its private beach area, a gym, spa, and a personal assistant. It’s located about about 10 miles (16 km) from old town Antalya.

Konyaalti Beach

Affordable

Guden Pearl is a studio apartment is a 10-minute walk to Konyaalti Beach and 5.5 miles to the old town harbor. The kitchen has a microwave and stove top and there is a swimming pool.

Moderate

Sealife Family Resort Hotel has its own private area on Konyaalti Beach. There are two pools, a spa, and some rooms have sea views. It’s located a short walk to Konyaalti beach and is about 5 miles to the old town harbor.

Splurge

Rixos Downtown Antalya – All Inclusive offers an all inclusive option on Konyaalti Beach. The hotel and the private peach property looks amazing, yet this place does get dinged with some bad reviews, so make sure to read them thoroughly if this is what you’re considering.

Want To See More Of Türkiye?

Türkiye is incredible. I’ve been here three times now and I’ve not only been amazed with each city I’ve visited, there’s still so much more to see!

My favorites include the following:

Istanbul is Türkiye‘s main tourist destination, full of glorious remnants from its Byzantine, Roman, and Ottoman history. It’s sumptuous Topkapi Palace, stunning mosques, Basilica Cistern, and Roman ruins are amazing.

Cappadocia, with its fantastical fairy chimneys, cave dwellings, and fascinating history is truly amazing. You really need at least three days in this city to explore all it has to offer.

Ancient Ephesus, which has the best Roman ruins in the Mediterranean is in the modern city of Selçuk.

Pamukkale, with its unusual ‘cotton cloud’ spa terraces is interesting. I found the terraces to be a little overly touristic, but loved the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Hierapolis up behind them.

To learn about all the top sites in Türkiye, as well as tips on safety, scams, money, and more, see my Türkiye Travel Guide.

Safe Travels!

Julie