Babadağ

Natural Wonder / Scenery

The 1,969-metre summit rising behind Ölüdeniz — one of the world’s premier paragliding launch points, with viewing terraces reached by cable car.

Rising sheer from the sea just behind Ölüdeniz, Babadağ commands the Fethiye skyline with its 1,969-metre summit. What makes the mountain world-famous are the extraordinary air currents its geography creates: the difference between cool air off the sea and the mountain’s warming slopes produces steady thermals all day. Babadağ is therefore considered one of the world’s best paragliding launch points and hosts international competitions; hundreds of colourful wings leaping from launch pads at different heights glide over the lagoon and land on Belcekız beach.

For non-flyers, the mountain is now easily reached too: the Babadağ Cable Car, opened in 2021, carries visitors to stations near the summit in minutes. From the viewing terraces above, the perfect crescent of Ölüdeniz, the cleft of Butterfly Valley and the endless blue of the Mediterranean appear together — at sunset especially, the view is unforgettable. The summit area is also open to nature lovers with walking routes and Lycian Way connections. As weather can affect flights and the cable car, checking conditions before visiting is advised.