I was born in Antalya. I started in hotel operations, moved into hotel representative work for a major Scandinavian tour operator, and have spent the last 19 years watching thousands of families come through this region on holiday. I know what works and what disappoints.

I am also a mother of three. That changes how you see every tour. You are not just thinking about the activity. You are thinking about the transfer comfort, the shade at midday, whether there is food the children will actually eat, whether the waiting time is manageable for a five-year-old, and whether the moment you paid for will actually happen or be rushed.

At CertiGo, I personally assess every family and adventure tour on the platform. The Land of Lions is a tour I have done with guests, evaluated in detail, and recommended to hundreds of families. I know exactly what the baby lion photo experience is like, how long it takes, what to expect from the handlers, and whether the moment lives up to what is promised.

It lives up to it. That is my honest opinion and why I put my name on this page.

This is the tour I recommend to almost every family that contacts me. It combines three completely different experiences into one day: the safari walk through the Land of Lions with giraffes, zebras, camels and more, the baby lion photo session which is the absolute highlight, and then a boat tour through the turquoise waters of Green Canyon. The transition between these three parts is well-managed and the pacing works well for children. Lunch is included. The baby lion photo alone makes this tour worth booking but the Green Canyon boat gives the day a second peak moment that adults remember just as much as the children remember the lion. This is the version I would book for my own family without any hesitation.

The baby lion photo is still included in this option, and that matters. The safari walk is the same. The Green Canyon boat is the same. The difference is in the additional inclusions and the level of service around it. For families watching their budget or for travellers who simply want the core experience without the extras, this is a solid choice. I guide guests here when budget is a real consideration and I always make sure they know the lion photo is the same experience either way. The memory you are paying for is not compromised.

The lions used for the photo experience are cubs, typically between two and five months old. At this age they are genuinely calm, manageable, and comfortable with human contact. They are not sedated, not restrained for the photo, and not stressed. You will be able to see this yourself when you arrive. The handlers who manage the session have been doing this for years. They know the animals and they know how to manage the moment for both the child and the lion.

You will hold or sit with the cub while a handler is immediately beside you. You can use your own phone or camera and take as many photos as you want during your allocated time. There is no artificial rush, no one pushing you out after thirty seconds. Children who are nervous at first almost always relax quickly because the cub is genuinely warm, soft, and still. I have watched parents cry during this moment. I understand why. It is extraordinary.

I have seen this done safely with children from two years old upward. For very young children, a parent holds the cub while the child is beside them. The handlers adapt to the age and confidence of the child. If your child is hesitant on the day, nobody will push them. The experience is never forced. But in my experience, most hesitant children change their mind the moment they see the cub up close. Contact me before booking if you have a very young child and I will tell you exactly what to expect.

Bring a phone that is fully charged. Clean the lens before you arrive. Tell whoever is taking the photo to get in close and not to use zoom. The light conditions at Land of Lions are generally good but the background can be busy, so get someone to crouch slightly and focus on the face. Portrait mode works well. A small tip for the handler always results in more relaxed, natural photo time. This is genuinely the photo from the holiday your children will keep forever.

The Mix Safari + Green Canyon option is the right choice. You get the safari walk, the baby lion photo, and the Green Canyon boat in one structured day. The pacing is good for children, lunch is included, and there are no awkward gaps in the day where children get bored. This is the version I built for families and it shows.

Adults are often surprised by how much they enjoy the baby lion photo. The safari walk is genuinely beautiful and the Green Canyon boat tour is one of the most photographed landscapes in the Antalya region. The Mix Safari works perfectly well for couples. The budget option is also a good fit if you want to keep things simple.

The Budget Option still includes the baby lion photo. That is the most important thing to know. If the price difference between the two options is a meaningful consideration for you, the budget option does not compromise the moment that matters most. You will still hold the lion. Your children will still have that photo.

The baby lion photo and the Green Canyon scenery together make for extraordinary content. The turquoise water of Green Canyon framed by canyon walls is consistently one of the strongest landscape shots guests bring back from the Alanya region. Add the lion cub close-up and you have a full day of genuinely extraordinary material. The Mix Safari gives you the most variety.

If you have been to Alanya before and done the standard boat and jeep tours, the Land of Lions is one of the few experiences in the region that you genuinely cannot replicate anywhere else. Holding a lion cub is not something you can do on a catamaran. I guide repeat visitors here regularly and none of them have ever told me they were disappointed.

If you have never been to Alanya and you want to do something that is not on every hotel activity board, this is it. The Land of Lions is not a mass-market beach boat tour. It is a genuine wildlife experience with a moment at the centre of it that most people have never had before and will never forget. The Mix Safari is the place to start.

The safari section covers a wide variety of animals including giraffes, zebras, camels, ostriches, deer, and more. You walk through the grounds rather than viewing from a vehicle, which makes the encounter feel much more immediate. Giraffes in particular are close enough to feed by hand. This section typically runs 45 to 60 minutes and is genuinely engaging for children throughout. Bring comfortable shoes and a hat. Shade is available but the route does include open sections in summer sun.

This is the centrepiece of the entire experience and it earns that status. The session with the cub is handled by experienced staff who know how to make both children and adults comfortable. The time given is genuine, not rushed. I have watched families arrive uncertain and leave with the best photo of their entire holiday. There is nothing in the Alanya region that compares to this moment. Plan your phone storage, charge your battery, and be ready. It goes quickly in the best possible way.

Green Canyon is one of the most visually dramatic locations in the Antalya region. The water is an extraordinary shade of turquoise-green caused by the mineral composition of the reservoir, and the canyon walls rise steeply around you. The boat tour takes you through this scenery with time to swim in the canyon water. For adults this is often the unexpected second highlight of the day. For children who love water, it is simply excellent. Bring a towel and swimwear if you want to swim.

The Mix Safari option includes lunch which is served between the safari and the boat sections of the day. The food is simple, generous, and family-appropriate. It solves the most stressful part of any family day out: what to do about lunch. Children who are hungry get fed without anyone having to hunt for a restaurant or pay inflated prices at a tourist site. This practical detail is one of the reasons I score the Mix Safari higher than the budget option for families.

My recommended window. The weather is warm but manageable for a full day of outdoor activity. The safari walk is comfortable and the Green Canyon water is already beautiful. Crowds at the lion photo session are smaller, which means more relaxed time with the cub. If you are travelling with young children and you can choose your dates, this is the period I would choose.

Peak season. The park is busy and the safari walk is hot in midday sun. Bring hats, sunscreen, and water. The Green Canyon boat swim is more enjoyable in peak heat, which balances things out. The lion photo session may feel slightly more hurried due to the volume of guests. Book in advance. Mornings are better than afternoons for heat management.

Underrated and my second recommendation window. The crowds have thinned noticeably, the temperature is comfortable for walking, and the Green Canyon water is still warm enough to swim. Families in October regularly tell me it was the most relaxed and enjoyable day of their holiday. October is a particularly good month for this tour. Children have more space, less noise, and more personal time at the lion photo.

The Land of Lions is open in winter and the safari walk and lion photo session run year-round. The Green Canyon boat tour is subject to weather conditions in winter months. If you are visiting Alanya outside of peak season, contact me and I will check exactly what is running during your dates. Winter visits are quieter and the personal time at the lion photo is typically much more relaxed.