A more detailed version of my article published in Hürriyet Seyahat
Here the season has come. nature is waking up. The trees sign flower, the waters are modern. The snow waters are melting and it’s time for rafting. The closest rafting area to Istanbul is in Melen. The rafting season in Melende is very long, but the best time is March and April.. when the water is highest. If you are already thinking of rafting in Melen, it may be your last chance.. Melen Dam is almost finished and rafting will no longer be possible here.
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How to get to Melen
Time at dusk We get on our shuttle at around 4 and we think about where we are going in this cold.. Cold air and cold water, but we hit the road running with two grams of sleep.. We are at our rafting center at 8:30 in the morning.. It takes 2.30 hours from Istanbul to Melen from the European side. When you connect to TEM from Istanbul, you follow the direction of Ankara.. You exit the trench toll booth and follow the Ankara sign again and get down to the E-5.. After 20 km, you will see the sign showing the entrance to Cumayeri District. You can reach the Rafting Facilities when you proceed in this direction.
We are getting ready for Rafting
We are doing a short hike until our breakfast is ready.. Dogs in Cumayeri accompany us. Dokuzdeğirmen village is right next to Melen Stream.. Everywhere is green, flowers, insects. Everyone starts running at the facility to get dressed after a magnificent breakfast.. If you are diving like me, you can take your wetsuit with you, but this is not necessary. Rafting facilities have everything. If you’re too cold like me, you can wear scuba socks and gloves in the shoes they provide.. These are not collected from the facility.
We get dressed and find ourselves in the briefing area. Guidance instructors tell us what we will encounter on the water and what we should do.. We can fall into the water. Melen an easy track for amateurs with a difficulty level of 3+1. 13 km long. Since I have done rafting before and know the track, I know what I will encounter.. I’m so happy, excited. It’s like meeting an old friend.
We’re starting to float down the river. The training still continues, and at the expected moment, the first waves burst in our faces, the surprise of eating ice-cold water mixes with their cries of happiness and their laughter.. How beautiful is that adrenaline. Have you ever had that laughter in icy waters? Did you make the mountain groan?
Everything turns into a miracle when the sun comes out. It is very important that we do the commands of our guide teacher on the boat.. If we don’t do what they’re told, we could topple, fall into the water, smash into the side cliffs, smash into the bush.. It is up to us to keep our enjoyment and happiness intact. It is important to row strong.
We complete the course with our cries of victory, our laughter, in the eyes of the whirlpools.. At the end, we throw ourselves into ice-cold waters. With the happiness of being successful and not experiencing any setbacks, we return with our vehicles by singing songs. There is hot water, hair dryer etc. in the facility and it feels like medicine after ice cold water..
After everything is done, we take a short walk to photograph the awakening of nature until dinner is ready. There are tiny waterfalls in Dokuzdeğirmen village. We are walking with the dogs of the village. If the animals don’t run away from you, there are good people living there.
And Zipline Time
We climb the hills, cross the waters and come back to our facility to eat with the rain starting.. Delicious in food. Everything is very beautiful. After dinner, of course, it’s zipline time. I wouldn’t have done it. It’s scary and awesome again for me who has a fear of heights.. The person who greets me at my first crossing stops me with his body.. You guys, try not to come across with your back turned. I literally heard my bones cracking..
You have the opportunity to do ATV and paintball at the facilities. You can stay in bungalows or camp. In general, if you have your own tent, they may not even charge you.. You have many alternatives for accommodation in Melen.. prices are not too high. There is even a teacher’s house.
Rafting prices vary between 80 and 150 liras.. You can do whatever feels right to you.. I can recommend you to choose places with experienced teachers. It’s no joke. You can stay for the weekend, warm up in the fire of the hazelnut stove, have wonderful village breakfasts, experience the adrenaline in rafting and zipline and return home as a new you.. Turn your face to nature, let it heal you with its endless healing and give you peace
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