Kemer Clock Tower
Kemer, Turkey
Chimaera flames (Yanartaş), Kemer
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Photo: Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia CommonsThe essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 75–165 TL, sources differ
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Path open in the evening, last entry around 22:00
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 1 h 15 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Entrance fee
- Paid at a booth at the trailhead; 2025–2026 guides quote anywhere from 75 to 165 TL
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Payment
- Bring Turkish lira in cash — cards are not always accepted
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Museum Pass / Müzekart
- Not valid — this is not a Ministry of Culture site
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Children
- Under 6 free
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Closed
- Open every day
- The hike
- ≈ 1 km of stone steps and rocky path, 20–30 minutes up
- Getting there
- Car or taxi from Kemer ≈ 1 hour; by bus to the Çıralı turn-off, then a taxi
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Address
- Çıralı Mahallesi, Kemer, Antalya — car park at the trailhead
Key facts
Dozens of flamesburn from vents in the rock over about 5,000 m²
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English and Russian Wikipedia≈ 87% methaneplus hydrogen and nitrogen — which is why it lights and keeps burning
2 sourcesi
English WikipediaHoşgörmez et al., Geofluids — study of the Chimaera gasThousands of yearsof burning — Pliny the Elder described the fire in the 1st century AD
2 sourcesi
Pliny the Elder, Natural History, Book IIEnglish and Russian WikipediaBellerophonin the myth, killed the fire-breathing Chimera here; its fire still rises from the ground
2 sourcesi
Kemer MunicipalityRussian WikipediaTemple of Hephaestusruins lie directly below the flames — the god of fire and the forge
2 sourcesi
English WikipediaCoast Guide TürkiyeBasilicabuilt over the temple in Byzantine times, with a chapel beside it
2 sourcesi
Anadolu University thesis on OlymposCoast Guide Türkiye1811Royal Navy captain Francis Beaufort described the flames for Europe
2 sourcesi
English WikipediaF. Beaufort, KaramaniaA sailors' landmarkin antiquity the fire could be seen from the sea
2 sourcesi
English WikipediaHeritageDailyLycian Waythe long-distance trail passes through Yanartaş
2 sourcesi
English WikipediakomootTwo gasesmixed roughly half and half: one from ancient organic matter, one formed in rock without life
2 sourcesi
English WikipediaEtiope et al. — study of the Chimaera seepChimaera entrance fee and opening hours
Entry is paid at a booth at the start of the path, above the car park. There is no official published price, and recent guides disagree — figures from 75 to 165 TL appear for 2025–2026. Under-6s are reportedly free. The Museum Pass and Müzekart are not valid here.
Bring Turkish lira in cash: card payment is not always available. The site has no closing day, and the path is open in the evening; local guides say the booth lets people in until about 22:00. If you book a tour, check whether the fee is included — many tours collect it separately.
How long is the hike to the Chimaera flames?
About 1 km uphill, 20–30 minutes at an easy pace, on stone steps and rocky path through pine forest. It's steep in places but short, and fine for most people with reasonable fitness, including children. Going down takes about the same time — slower in the dark.
There is shade on the way up, but it can still be hot on summer evenings; carry water. A kiosk near the entrance sells drinks.
How to get to the Chimaera from Kemer
Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
More tips
- From the Clock Tower on Republic Square, walk to Kemer bus station — about 10 minutes.
- Take a southbound bus or dolmuş towards Kumluca or Finike and ask the driver for the Çıralı turn-off (Çıralı yol ağzı) — about 40 minutes.
- From the junction, it's 7 km of switchbacks down to the village: a local dolmuş if one is running, otherwise a taxi.
- From Çıralı, the Yanartaş car park is 3–4 km north — taxi, or about an hour's walk.
- Pay at the booth and walk up the stone path to the flames — 20–30 minutes.
- Evening buses back are rare, so arrange a taxi in advance. By car, the whole trip from Kemer takes about an hour.
Is the Chimaera worth it?
Yes, if you're already heading to Olympos or staying in Çıralı — it's a short, atmospheric walk with real history. Fire burning out of bare rock in the dark is something you won't see anywhere else on this coast.
As a standalone trip from Kemer it's a lot of travel — roughly two hours on the road for an hour on site, and the flames themselves are small. Pair it with Olympos and the beach to make the day worthwhile.
What are the Chimaera flames?
Yanartaş means “burning stone” in Turkish. Gas seeps through cracks in the rock and ignites in contact with the air; the flames cluster on a patch of about 5,000 m², some flaring, others going out and relighting.
The gas is about 87% methane, with hydrogen and nitrogen. Geologists found it comes from two sources in roughly equal parts: ordinary gas from ancient organic matter, and rarer gas formed when water reacts with ophiolite rock — no life involved. That makes the Chimaera one of the best-known seeps of its kind.
Since antiquity the place has been tied to the myth of the Chimera, the fire-breathing monster that Bellerophon killed riding Pegasus. Pliny the Elder wrote of a fire here that never dies by day or night. Directly below the flames are the ruins of a temple of Hephaestus, later overbuilt by a Byzantine basilica.
What to see
- The main flame field — dozens of flames straight from the rock, some palm-sized, some half a metre high.
- The ruins of the temple of Hephaestus and the Byzantine basilica, just below the flames by the path.
- Sunset over forested hills running down to the sea.
- A dark-sky view of the stars once night falls — there are no town lights nearby.
- Toasting bread or marshmallows over the flames, as many visitors do — fine as long as you don't lean in.
Tour or on your own?
Without a car, an evening tour from Kemer is the easy option: typically Olympos and the beach by day, dinner at Ulupınar, and the flames after dark. The big advantage is the ride home — public transport from Çıralı barely runs in the evening.
With a hire car, going independently is simple and cheaper. The road is good except for the last 7 km of narrow switchbacks. You pick your time, skip the group rush just after sunset, and can stay as long as you like.
Before you go: checklist
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Chimaera vs Olympos vs Phaselis
| Chimaera (Yanartaş)you are here | Gas flames from the rock | Sunset and after dark | ≈ 1 h | 20–30 min uphill | 1–1.5 h | Paid, amount unconfirmed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympos | Ruined city in a gorge by the sea | Daytime, with a swim | ≈ 1 h | Flat, along the gorge | 2–3 h with the beach | Own ticket |
| Phaselis | Ruined harbour town on a headland | Morning | ≈ 20 min | Flat, under pines | 1.5 h | €10 |
The Chimaera and Olympos make one day: ruins and sea by day, flames at night. Phaselis is close to Kemer and works best as a separate morning.
History around Kemer compared
Every historic site around Kemer rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.
A day down the coast: Phaselis, Olympos and the flames
Phaselis in the morning, the Olympos gorge and beach in the afternoon, then the climb to the Chimaera for sunset. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.
- Phaselis1 h 30 min · €10, under-8s free
- 274 min walk from the previous stopOlympos2 h · €10, under 8 free
- 73 min walk from the previous stopChimaera flames (Yanartaş)you are here1 h 15 min · 75–165 TL, sources differ
3 places · about 10 h 32 min with walks · 347 min on foot in total
How to do it right
- Arrive 30–40 minutes before sunset: climb in daylight, see the flames in the dark.
- Combine the flames with Olympos — ruins and beach by day, the Chimaera at night.
- Take the descent slowly: the stone steps get slippery after dark, especially when damp.
- In summer the path is busiest right after sunset, when tour groups arrive. Later in the evening it's quieter.
- Staying in Çıralı? You can walk to the trailhead through the village — no taxi needed.
Questions
How much is the entrance fee to the Chimaera flames?
Entry is paid, but there is no official published price — 2025–2026 guides quote 75 to 165 TL. Bring cash in Turkish lira.
How long is the hike to the Chimaera?
About 1 km uphill on stone steps and rocky path — 20–30 minutes up, about the same down.
What is the best time to visit the Chimaera flames?
Sunset and after dark: in daylight the flames are hard to see. Arrive 30–40 minutes before sunset so you climb in the light.
How do I get to the Chimaera from Kemer?
By car or taxi, about an hour. By bus, ride south to the Çıralı turn-off and take a taxi to the Yanartaş car park. There's little transport back in the evening.
Is the Chimaera worth visiting?
Yes, combined with Olympos or a stay in Çıralı. As a standalone trip from Kemer it's around two hours of driving for an hour on site.
Why do the Chimaera flames never go out?
Gas — mostly methane with hydrogen — keeps seeping from the rock and ignites on contact with air, so the flames have burned for thousands of years.
Is the Chimaera open at night?
Yes, the path is open in the evening; local guides say the booth admits visitors until about 22:00. It's open every day.
Can you visit the Chimaera with kids?
Yes. The climb is short but steep — give children proper shoes and a torch for the way down.
Is there a tour from Kemer to the Chimaera?
Yes — evening tours usually combine Olympos beach, dinner at Ulupınar and the flames after dark, with hotel pick-up and drop-off.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Kemer Municipality: Yanartaş — location, the climb, the myth
- English and Russian Wikipedia: Yanartaş, Chimaera (geography), Янарташ; Wikidata Q3068034
- Pliny the Elder, Natural History, Book II
- Hoşgörmez H. et al., Geofluids, 2008; Etiope G. et al. — composition and origin of the Chimaera gas
- Anadolu University, thesis on Olympos, 2007 — temple and basilica
- Coast Guide Türkiye: Olympos (Çıralı–Yanartaş)
- Travel guides kemer-antalya.com, geziyoo.co, simitcay.com — fee and booth hours, 2025–2026
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