# Chimaera flames (Yanartaş), Kemer > The Chimaera, or Yanartaş, is a forested slope above Çıralı beach where dozens of natural gas flames burn straight out of the rock, an hour's drive south of Kemer. Allow 1–1.5 hours, including a 20–30 minute uphill walk. Entry is paid; it's open daily and after dark — come for sunset. Web page: https://yesgo.io/turkey/kemer/chimaera-flames - City: [Kemer](https://yesgo.io/turkey/kemer), Turkey - YesGo score: 25/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 15 min - Entry: 75–165 TL, sources differ - With kids: Fine with kids - Entrance fee: Paid at a booth at the trailhead; 2025–2026 guides quote anywhere from 75 to 165 TL - Payment: Bring Turkish lira in cash — cards are not always accepted - Museum Pass / Müzekart: Not valid — this is not a Ministry of Culture site - Children: Under 6 free - Hours: Path open in the evening, last entry around 22:00 - 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 - Address: Çıralı Mahallesi, Kemer, Antalya — car park at the trailhead - Coordinates: 36.43157, 30.45580 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **Dozens of flames** — burn from vents in the rock over about 5,000 m² (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **≈ 87% methane** — plus hydrogen and nitrogen — which is why it lights and keeps burning (source: English Wikipedia; Hoşgörmez et al., Geofluids — study of the Chimaera gas) - **Thousands of years** — of burning — Pliny the Elder described the fire in the 1st century AD (source: Pliny the Elder, Natural History, Book II; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Bellerophon** — in the myth, killed the fire-breathing Chimera here; its fire still rises from the ground (source: Kemer Municipality; Russian Wikipedia) - **Temple of Hephaestus** — ruins lie directly below the flames — the god of fire and the forge (source: English Wikipedia; Coast Guide Türkiye) - **Basilica** — built over the temple in Byzantine times, with a chapel beside it (source: Anadolu University thesis on Olympos; Coast Guide Türkiye) - **1811** — Royal Navy captain Francis Beaufort described the flames for Europe (source: English Wikipedia; F. Beaufort, Karamania) - **A sailors' landmark** — in antiquity the fire could be seen from the sea (source: English Wikipedia; HeritageDaily) - **Lycian Way** — the long-distance trail passes through Yanartaş (source: English Wikipedia; komoot) - **Two gases** — mixed roughly half and half: one from ancient organic matter, one formed in rock without life (source: English Wikipedia; Etiope et al. — study of the Chimaera seep) ## Chimaera 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. > **Go at dusk, and bring a torch** In daylight the flames are pale and easy to miss against the white rock. They glow after sunset. The way down is unlit stone steps, so bring a head torch or a fully charged phone, and wear shoes with grip — not flip-flops. ## 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 1. From the Clock Tower on Republic Square, walk to Kemer bus station — about 10 minutes. 2. 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. 3. From the junction, it's 7 km of switchbacks down to the village: a local dolmuş if one is running, otherwise a taxi. 4. From Çıralı, the Yanartaş car park is 3–4 km north — taxi, or about an hour's walk. 5. Pay at the booth and walk up the stone path to the flames — 20–30 minutes. 6. 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](https://yesgo.io/turkey/kemer/olympos-ancient-city) 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 - [ ] Turkish lira in cash for the entrance - [ ] Head torch or a charged phone for the way down - [ ] Proper shoes, not flip-flops - [ ] Water — it's warm on the climb even at dusk - [ ] A ride back: taxi, car or tour - [ ] A light layer — the hills cool down after dark ## Chimaera vs Olympos vs Phaselis | | Chimaera (Yanartaş) | Olympos | Phaselis | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Gas flames from the rock | Ruined city in a gorge by the sea | Ruined harbour town on a headland | | When to go | Sunset and after dark | Daytime, with a swim | Morning | | From Kemer | ≈ 1 h | ≈ 1 h | ≈ 20 min | | Walking | 20–30 min uphill | Flat, along the gorge | Flat, under pines | | Time needed | 1–1.5 h | 2–3 h with the beach | 1.5 h | | Entry | Paid, amount unconfirmed | Own ticket | €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. - [Phaselis](https://yesgo.io/turkey/kemer/phaselis) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · €10, under-8s free - [Chimaera flames (Yanartaş)](https://yesgo.io/turkey/kemer/chimaera-flames) — YesGo score 25/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 75–165 TL, sources differ - [Olympos](https://yesgo.io/turkey/kemer/olympos-ancient-city) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · €10, under 8 free ## 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. 1. [Phaselis](https://yesgo.io/turkey/kemer/phaselis) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · €10, under-8s free 2. [Olympos](https://yesgo.io/turkey/kemer/olympos-ancient-city) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · €10, under 8 free 3. [Chimaera flames (Yanartaş)](https://yesgo.io/turkey/kemer/chimaera-flames) — YesGo score 25/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 75–165 TL, sources differ ## Good to know Chimaera, Mount Chimaera and Yanartaş are the same place. Çıralı beach below is a loggerhead turtle nesting site, so in summer stay off the sand at night and don't shine torches on it. ## Tips - 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. ## How we checked Yanartaş has no official published fee or hours: Kemer Municipality says only that entry is paid. Guides disagree — 60, 75, 100 and 165 TL — so we show the range from recent sources and mark it “verifying”; the same goes for booth hours (some say 24 hours, others last entry around 22:00) and card payment. Sources put the Çıralı-to-car-park distance anywhere from 1.5 to 4 km; we say 3–4 km. The gas composition, the temple of Hephaestus and the basilica are checked against two independent sources. We leave out the story of torches carried from here to Olympos for games: it has a single source. ## Sources - 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 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.