Mt Tahtalı — Olympos Cable Car & 2,365 m Summit

Mt Tahtalı (called Tahtalı Dağı in Turkish, sometimes Mount Olympos on older maps) rises straight out of the Mediterranean to 2,365 m, about 30 km southwest of Antalya. The Swiss-built Olympos Teleferik cable car runs 4,350 m up the mountain in 10 minutes — one of the longest cable cars in the world by horizontal span. Strong walkers hike it via the Lycian Way; everyone else takes the gondola.

The cable car (Olympos Teleferik)

	Detail
Bottom station	Tahtalı, near Tekirova / Çamyuva (sea level)
Top station	2,365 m summit
Ride time	10 min each way
Capacity	80 per cabin, every 25 min
Price (return)	~£25 adult, ~£15 child (cash or card)
Operating hours	10 am – 5 pm typically; check website day-of for weather closures
Operating season	Year-round; closes in high winds

Weather check: The cable car closes when winds exceed 60 km/h at the summit, which happens often. Check the official site (olymposteleferik.com) on the morning of your visit. Cloud below the summit also makes the view useless. Aim for clear, calm mornings.

What's at the top

360° viewing platform — see Antalya bay (60 km north), the Mediterranean (visibility 100+ km on clear days), the Lycian coast all the way to Kaş
Restaurant — buffet lunch (£12–£20), surprisingly decent
Gift shop & small museum on the cable car history
Snow in winter — most of December through March; some skiing in good years
Sunset rides — special evening service in summer (book ahead)

Hiking up Mt Tahtalı

The Lycian Way crosses the shoulder of Tahtalı (around 1,800 m). Strong walkers detour to the summit; everyone else takes the cable car back down for free with a hiking ticket from Beycik village.

From Beycik village (the trekker's route)

Distance: 6 km up, ~5 km back
Elevation gain: 1,500 m
Time: 4–5 hrs up, 2–3 hrs down
Difficulty: Strenuous; loose rock above 2,000 m
Marking: Lycian Way red-and-white paint to the col, then a side trail to the summit
Best time: May–June, September; snow possible Oct–April

Round trip: hike up, cable car down

Many walkers hike up, eat at the summit restaurant, and ride the cable car down to the bottom station — then taxi back to Beycik. Buy a one-way down ticket at the summit for ~£15. This saves the knees a brutal 1,500 m descent.

Mountain safety: Tahtalı is high enough that altitude sickness is mild but real for unconditioned hikers. Weather changes fast — it can be 28 °C at the bottom and snowing at the top. Bring layers, water, food and a charged phone. No water on the trail above 1,500 m.

Mt Tahtalı on the Lycian Way

Tahtalı is the centrepiece of the eastern Lycian Way:

Stage in: Çıralı → Yanartaş → Beycik (16 km, strenuous) — climbs from sea level to the village at 700 m
Stage out: Beycik → Gedelme (19 km, strenuous) — crosses the shoulder of Tahtalı, with optional summit detour

See the Eastern Route page for the full Kaş → Antalya plan.

Getting to the cable car bottom station

From	How	Time	Cost
Antalya centre	Pre-booked tour or taxi	50 min	£15 (tour) / £35 (taxi)
Kemer	Dolmuş + short walk	40 min	£3
Olympos / Çıralı	Dolmuş along D400	30 min	£3
Antalya airport (AYT)	Direct shuttle (some operators)	1 h 15 min	£25–£40

Most large hotels in Antalya, Kemer and Belek run organised day trips to the cable car for ~£20–£30 including the gondola ticket. If you prefer to go independent, dolmuş is fine but slower.

What to bring (cable car visit)

A jacket — even in summer, the summit is 15 °C cooler than the coast
Sunglasses — UV is intense at altitude
Cash + card — both work at the ticket office
Camera — the view is the whole point
Water — bottled water at the top is £3 vs £0.50 at sea level

Frequently asked questions

How long do I need at Mt Tahtalı?

90 minutes to 2 hours at the summit is plenty — the platform, photos, a coffee, then back down. Add 1.5 hours of round trip on the cable car. Total half-day from a coastal hotel.

Is the cable car safe?

Yes — it's a Doppelmayr Swiss-built system, modern and very well maintained. The bigger risk is being stuck at the top for hours when wind closes operations mid-day; check forecast before you ride up.

Can I ski here?

Sometimes — the summit holds snow Dec–March in good years. There's no proper resort, but locals ski-tour the upper slopes. Ski pass not needed; cable car ticket is the only access.

Is hiking up worth it vs the cable car?

Only if you're a serious walker with mountain experience. The cable car gives you 95 % of the view at 5 % of the effort. Walking it is a notable Lycian Way achievement, but skip if you have weak knees or limited time.

What's the difference from Mt Olympos?

Tahtalı is the Turkish name; "Olympos" is the ancient Greek name — the Lycians named several mountains "Olympos". The cable car operator uses both names ("Olympos Teleferik").