If you want to get off the beaten track and discover some of the best Turkey walks, head to the Kaçkar Mountains.

The Kaçkar Mountains – Turkey's Hidden Secret

Away from the overcrowded coastline of Western Turkey lies a hiker's paradise – the Kaçkar Mountains. Located in the north east of the country close to the Black Sea, this dramatic mountain range offers some of the best walking landscapes in Turkey but is rarely visited by outsiders. If you are looking for an unusual Turkey walk, this is definitely one worth considering.

What To See

If you want to go on a scenic walk in Turkey, there are few places that are better than the Kaçkar Mountains. The variety of scenery that is to be seen here is truly wonderful. There are glaciers, mountains, lakes, meadows, forests and farming valleys, with the sea to the north completing the picturesque landscape. It is a fertile region, with the rich valleys used for growing apricots, walnuts, and many other varieties of fruit and nut. With the area having escaped any kind of mass tourism, a visit to this region allows travellers to see some of Turkey's more traditional ways of life up close, including the nomadic Hemsin people who live here. Particular highlights in the region include the stunning Yedigöller Lakes, located high up in the mountains themselves, and the remote Sumela Monastery, dramatically located right on the edge of a steep ridge.

Above all, it is the mountains themselves that continue to draw dedicated walkers, climbers, and nature lovers to the Kaçkars. The steep, rocky mountains resemble the Alps, and are in fact a continuation of the Himalayas. The highest peak, Kaçkar, reaches 3,937 metres, and to reach the summit of any of the high peaks is to be greeted by spectacular views out across the entire region.

There are many walking routes in the area, originating as paths connecting the yaylas, or summer pastures. These range from gentle half day hikes through the valleys to tough day treks through high mountain passes. Mapping is poor and waymarking non-existent, so this really is an area where local knowledge is imperative. But no matter what kind of walk in Turkey you are looking for, you are bound to find one that is at your level.

When To Go

When you go depends on what part of the mountains you want to see. If you want to get up into the high passes themselves, the season is relatively short – late June through to mid September. Snow and unpredictable weather make the mountains inaccessible outside of this time to all but experienced winter walkers and mountain climbers.

If you are content to explore the lower parts of the Kaçkar Mountains, you can get some good walking in from April to October, where snow and adverse weather are less serious hazards. As with any mountainous region, it is important to remember that the conditions can change rapidly in the Kaçkar Mountains, so walk with clothing that is suitable if there is a sudden onset of bad weather.