By July, when the humidity on the Mersin coast gets heavy, half the city starts looking uphill. The cool plateaus of the Taurus Mountains have been the destination of a summer migration for generations, and that is exactly when requests for a Mersin highland transfer pick up: a Gözne transfer for families leaving Yenişehir, a Çamlıyayla transfer for summer residents from Tarsus, a weekend run to Fındıkpınarı for couples who just want a cooler night. They all share two things — narrow, twisting mountain roads and far more luggage than usual.
Going up to the yayla is not a normal city ride. The vehicle climbs with a full boot, the chauffeur knows when to ease off before a hairpin, and the destination is often a stone house at the end of a village lane. At EcrinVIP we plan these routes separately from our coastal transfers and choose the vehicle, the driver and the timing accordingly.
Gözne, Çamlıyayla and Fındıkpınarı: which plateau, what kind of road?
The three plateaus feel similar once you arrive, but the roads and the rhythm differ — and which one you are heading to directly affects the vehicle and the pick-up time.
- Gözne: one of the closest plateaus to central Mersin, known for its old summer mansions and cool evenings. Close enough for a day trip, so evening dinner runs are a common request.
- Çamlıyayla: north of Tarsus and the centre of the district of the same name, known for Namrun Castle and its pine forests. It hosts a large seasonal population, and nearby plateaus like Sebil are reached through it.
- Fındıkpınarı: north of Mezitli, up a road that climbs from the coast into the mountains. Picnic and weekend traffic grows noticeably in summer.
- Arslanköy and surrounding villages: higher up in the Toroslar district; we plan these too when the address is clear and talk through road conditions first.
We do not quote fixed journey times. On mountain roads, timing depends on the season, weekend crowds, roadworks and exactly where in the village your house sits. Pick-up times are suggested with all of that in mind.
Choosing a vehicle for a Mersin highland transfer: luggage first, then passengers
A family moving up for the summer rarely travels with suitcases alone. Kitchen boxes, bedding, a bicycle, maybe a barbecue. “Will it all fit?” is the question we hear most on this route, and the answer comes down to picking the right vehicle.
For a few people with light bags, a Mercedes Vito VIP does the job. On moving day, with a big family or two families travelling together, a Sprinter VIP makes more sense. For larger occasions — a village wedding, a family gathering, a company picnic — we arrange a midibus or coach. The price is fixed per vehicle, never per person, so two families sharing one car also share the cost.
One clear line: this is a passenger transfer, not a removals service. We do not carry furniture or large household items; we arrange a vehicle with room for the bags and boxes that travel with you.
Mountain roads, seasons and weather
Plateau roads are narrow, winding and steep in places. We use chauffeurs experienced on mountain driving, and the goal is not to arrive fast but to arrive without shaking up passengers or the load. If a child tends to get carsick, mention it — the chauffeur will adjust pace and plan a stop. Child seats are available as an extra.
Season drives everything here. The late-June and early-July weeks when families head up, and the September weeks when they come down, are the busiest; book a few days ahead for those dates. In winter, snow and ice can appear on higher ground. If you need a highland transfer in the cold months, we check road conditions with you before the trip and may suggest a different time — we will not push on along an unsafe road.
Day trips, weekends and straight from the airport
Not everyone spends the whole summer up there. Some drive up to Gözne for the evening cool and come back around midnight; others go up on Friday evening and come down on Sunday. For these, there are two options: book the outbound and return as separate transfers, or use hourly hire so the chauffeur waits for you on the plateau.
Families flying in from abroad or another city often want to go straight from Cukurova Airport to the plateau without stopping in town. We track the flight; if it is delayed the chauffeur waits at no extra charge. You are met with a name sign and taken all the way up in one vehicle. Pay in the car by cash or card, or by bank transfer beforehand.
Weddings, picnics and group days
In summer the plateaus are meeting places as much as retreats — village weddings, family reunions, company picnics, hiking groups. Guests need to get up from the city together and, just as importantly, get back down safely at night, when plenty of people would rather not drive a mountain road themselves. EcrinVIP sets up midibuses or coaches with pick-ups from a few gathering points in Mersin, with corporate invoicing for company events and agreed waiting time written into the plan.
How to plan a highland transfer
- Share the plateau name and, ideally, the exact address or a location pin on WhatsApp.
- Tell us the number of passengers, how many bags and boxes, and whether you need a pet carrier space or child seat.
- Choose one-way, return, or hourly hire with the chauffeur waiting.
- We confirm the vehicle and the fixed per-vehicle price in writing, along with chauffeur and plate details.
- Your chauffeur waits at the pick-up point and shares live location; to change the return time, message the same channel.
- In winter, we confirm road conditions together before you set off.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the transfer from Mersin to Gözne?
Gözne is one of the closest plateaus to central Mersin, but the time still depends on where you start, the hour and weekend traffic; on summer evenings the road up can get noticeably busy. So instead of a fixed figure we suggest a pick-up time around your plan. For dinner or a day visit, hourly hire lets the chauffeur wait for you in Gözne and bring you back.
Can you take extra luggage on a Çamlıyayla moving day?
We arrange a vehicle with plenty of boot space for the suitcases, boxes and smaller items that travel with you, usually a Sprinter VIP on moving days. We do not carry furniture or large household goods, as this is a passenger service. Put the number of boxes and bags in your booking and we will choose the vehicle and take you right to your address in Çamlıyayla.
Will the car drive all the way to a house in Fındıkpınarı?
We drive to any address the vehicle can reach safely. Some plateau houses sit at the end of narrow or rough village lanes, so we ask for a location pin in advance. If the road is not suitable, we drop you at the nearest safe point and tell you so at the booking stage, not on the day. With heavy luggage, we work out the most practical option for the last stretch together.
Can we bring a pet on a highland transfer?
Yes, pets travelling in a carrier are welcome; just tell us the animal and the carrier size when you book. The carrier counts towards luggage space, so on a heavy moving day we may plan a larger vehicle. On long, winding plateau roads the chauffeur can stop at a suitable spot if your pet — or anyone else — needs a break.
Do you run transfers to the Mersin plateaus in winter?
We can, but snow and ice can appear on higher ground, so every winter trip is judged on the road conditions of the day. We check the weather and road status with you before setting off and, if there is a risk, suggest changing the time or postponing. We do not insist on an unsafe road; that rule protects passengers and chauffeurs alike.
First step: send us the plateau location
Enter the date, pick-up address and plateau name in the booking form at the top of this page and see the fixed per-vehicle price for Mersin Highland Plateau Transfer before confirming. Planning a moving day? Send the location pin and a rough count of boxes and suitcases to the EcrinVIP team on WhatsApp, and we will pick the vehicle around your load.