Pamukkale and Salda Lake Tour 2027: two white landscapes in one day

Where Lake Salda fits in the day

The lake comes in the morning, while you are fresh from breakfast and the light is still soft. By the time you reach the white terraces of Pamukkale you have already seen the first of the day's two pale, bright landscapes.

• Night pickup at your hotel, or at a designated meeting point in restricted streets
• Breakfast stop on the way (included)
• Lake Salda (included)
• A short stop where local onyx stone products are presented (buying is optional)
• Lunch at a restaurant (included)
• Pamukkale travertines and Hierapolis
• A short stop for regional wine (buying is optional)
• Dinner at a restaurant on the way back (included)
• Back at your hotel the same night, late

What Lake Salda is like

Salda is a lake in Burdur province, inland from the coast. It is known for water that turns a clear turquoise against wide white shores, a combination that has earned it the nickname "Turkey's Maldives". Seen from the shore on a still day, the colours can look almost unreal.

It is also a protected area. That shapes the visit: this is a stop to walk along the shore, look, and take photographs, not a beach day. Swimming is not part of the stop, so there is no need to wear swimwear for the lake.

How it sits beside Pamukkale

The two places make a natural pair. Salda gives you colour and open water; Pamukkale gives you the terraces of white travertine, built up from calcium carbonate left behind by warm mineral springs, with the ruins of Hierapolis, a Greco-Roman spa town, on the hill above.

At Pamukkale you take your shoes off and walk the terraces barefoot, paddling in the shallow pools. Hierapolis-Pamukkale has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988. Our guides to what Pamukkale is famous for and to the ancient city go into more depth.

Included in both versions

Whether you take the version with the Pamukkale–Hierapolis entrance ticket or the one without, Lake Salda is in the fare, along with hotel pickup and return by coach, a guide, breakfast, lunch and dinner. The guide language depends on the group and the season: English, German and Russian are generally available, and Polish especially in high season, depending on groups and not every day.

Babies aged 0–1 have no seat and travel on a parent's lap. The entrance ticket page explains how the entrance part of €30 per person is added to the tour fare.

What to bring for the lake

The what to wear guide covers the whole day, from the night start to the terraces.

• Sunglasses: white shores and bright water reflect a lot of light.
• A light layer for the morning, which can feel fresh inland.
• A charged phone or camera; the turquoise is what most people come for.
• Shoes you can walk in on the shore, plus an easy bag to carry them on the travertines later.

When the tour runs

Departures are on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, and every day in May and October. Spring and autumn are mild and kind to both places; summers are hot and very bright on the white rock; winters are cool. Our guide to when to go weighs them up.

The coach calls at hotels right along the Antalya–Alanya resort coast; where a street is too narrow for it, you are sent a meeting point close by. Your own pickup time and place follow once the booking is confirmed. See the pickup times page, then pick your version in the booking form. Payment never happens online; the euros are paid on the day itself.

Travelling as a private group or family? The private Pamukkale tour is a separate option, with the price on request.