A Bosphorus kayak or canoe trip is a short, guided paddle in the calmer water off Üsküdar, close to the Maiden's Tower, with the Old City skyline across the strait. It is the only paddling product on the Bosphorus: one company runs it, it lasts under an hour, and it is a lovely way to see the tower from water level. It is not a sea-kayak tour of the strait, and it is not for children.
What the canoe session includes
The session is run by Istanbul Workshops, a company based in Üsküdar that also runs craft workshops. You choose a single or double canoe or kayak, get paddles, a life jacket and one small dry bag per boat, and start with a safety briefing and some basic instruction from a guide. Then you paddle for about 50 minutes, passing close to the Maiden's Tower, and finish with Turkish tea on shore. The whole thing takes about an hour.
Groups are capped at 14 people, and the guiding is in English and Turkish. You do not need experience; the briefing covers the basics. How well you need to swim is not stated, so ask when you book if you are unsure.
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Price: direct or on GetYourGuide
The operator's own price is $30 per person, paid at the venue, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. On GetYourGuide the same session costs from about $35 and is rated 4.6 from a small number of reviews (14).
So the platform costs about $5 more. What you get for that is GetYourGuide's booking and cancellation process, which is handy if you are planning from home. Avoid tickets sold through some Turkish event-ticket resellers: those have been non-refundable, and buyers were asked to confirm the slot by phone as well.
Check canoe dates and pricesfrom $35Affiliate link: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Who can join, and who cannot
Wear clothes that can get wet and shoes you can paddle in, and keep your phone in the dry bag. The surface current of the Bosphorus runs south, from the Black Sea towards the Sea of Marmara, and the strait is an international shipping lane, which is why the session stays close to the Üsküdar shore and the tower rather than heading out into the channel.
Where it starts: the Salacak shore
The canoes launch from the Salacak–Harem shoreline in Üsküdar, on the Asian side, opposite the Maiden's Tower. This is the same stretch of waterfront where the Maiden's Tower boats leave and where locals gather to watch the sunset over the Old City.
- 1Maiden's TowerSightDirections ↗
- 2ÜsküdarPierDirections ↗
- 3EminönüPierDirections ↗
- 4KaraköyPierDirections ↗
- 5KabataşPierDirections ↗
Getting to Salacak
- Take Marmaray or the M5 metro to Üsküdar, or a ferry from Eminönü, Karaköy, Kabataş or Beşiktaş to Üsküdar pier.
- From the Üsküdar waterfront, walk south along the shore towards the Maiden's Tower.
- Keep the tower on your right; the Salacak waterfront faces it directly.
- Arrive a little early for the safety briefing.
A ferry is the nicest way over from the European side. With an İstanbulkart the Beşiktaş–Üsküdar crossing costs 50.15 TL and Kabataş–Üsküdar 51.81 TL. More on the piers in our Üsküdar pier guide.
Combine it with the Maiden's Tower and a sunset
The canoe takes an hour, so it fits easily into an afternoon on the Asian side:
- Visit the Maiden's Tower itself. Boats leave Salacak about every 30 minutes from 09:30 to 17:00; the tower is open 09:00–18:00. Entry is €27 plus 110 TL for the boat, and the last boat back leaves at 17:45. The tower was restored and reopened in May 2023.
- Stay for sunset at Salacak. The waterfront facing the tower and the Old City is a free sunset spot, and in December the sun drops behind the Topkapı and Hagia Sophia skyline seen from these waters.
- Walk Üsküdar and Kadıköy. The Asian side guide covers the neighbourhoods and the ferries.
If you would rather see the whole strait from a boat, the sightseeing cruise page compares the 75-minute loops and 2-hour tour boats, and the landmarks guide names what you pass.
Season and weather
The operator has advertised sessions hourly through the day into September; it does not publish anything about winter. Paddling depends on the wind and the water, and the lodos, a strong south-westerly wind, makes winter water rough. Plan this for the warmer months and check with the operator before you set a date. The sea reaches about 21–25 °C in summer and stays around 19–23 °C in early autumn, which is a comfort if you get splashed. The best time guide has the full picture by month.
Other ways onto the water
- Stand-up paddle. There is no SUP product for Istanbul on the booking platforms. Paddleboarding is offered on the Sea of Marmara shore at Caddebostan, on the Asian side, not on the Bosphorus.
- Swimming. Not in the city stretch of the strait. Swim stops are on Black Sea cruises at Poyrazköy and on island boat trips; see the swimming page.
- Everything else on and by the water, from dervish shows to the perfume workshop, is on the activities page.
Bosphorus kayak and canoe FAQ
Can you kayak on the Bosphorus?
Yes, on a guided session around the Maiden's Tower from the Salacak shore in Üsküdar, run by Istanbul Workshops. You can choose a canoe or a kayak, single or double, and paddle for about 50 minutes.
How much does the Bosphorus canoe tour cost?
$30 per person on the operator's own site, paid at the venue, or from about $35 on GetYourGuide. Tea, life jacket, dry bag and guide are included.
Is there an age limit for the canoe tour?
Yes. Under-16s cannot join, and neither can pregnant women or people with back problems.
Do I need kayaking experience?
No. Every session starts with a safety briefing and basic instruction, and guides accompany the group.
Where does the canoe tour start?
From the Salacak–Harem shore in Üsküdar, opposite the Maiden's Tower. Because the operator's pages name more than one meeting point, check yours on the booking confirmation.
