Entry 08 Safety
Is Tazı Canyon safe?
Five rules at the viewpoint
Read this first Stay in the safe areas your guide points out. Take no photos at the cliff edge. Wear proper shoes. Keep children beside you and hold on to them. Move back from the rim when the wind rises or the rock is wet.
These are not formalities. Turkish press reports describe people falling from these cliffs, and the surest protection is to stay well back.
Why the edge is the real hazard
The ground looks solid right up to the drop, and that is the trap. People step out for a picture, sit with their legs over the side or back up to fit the view in the frame. Milliyet and Daily Sabah have both written about the unfenced edges here.
A good photograph of the far wall can be taken from well behind the rim. Nobody looking at it later will know how far back you were standing.
Wind and wet rock
Gusts arrive without much warning on open high ground. Sources also mention algae that turns parts of the limestone slick, and any recent rain will make that worse. Take short steps, keep your hands free, and do not rely on smooth soles.
If you are nervous about heights
Stay back, stay with your group, and tell the guide. Nothing on the visit requires you to approach the edge. If your group includes children, please read our page on visiting with them as well.
Being with a guide does not remove the risk
A guide can show you where to stand and call people back, but cannot hold on to everyone on an open rock. Your own decisions make the difference. See what a guide adds for a fuller picture.
Common questions
Are there railings at Tazı Canyon?
Much of the edge has none. Do not count on a barrier being there.
Has anyone been hurt there?
Yes. Turkish press has reported falls from the cliffs, which is why we repeat the advice about staying away from the rim.