Kaçkar Mountains National Park

Kaçkar Mountains National Park: The Kingdom of Peaks and Glacial Lakes

The massive wall that Çamlıhemşin leans against, the highest point of the Black Sea, and the ultimate goal of nature lovers: Kaçkar Mountains National Park. Declared a national park in 1994, this vast geography is not just a mountain range; it is a living ecosystem with valleys shaped by glaciers, hundreds of glacial lakes, endemic flowers, and wildlife.

If you want to rise above the clouds, touch untouched nature, and push your limits, the Kaçkars are calling you.

Geography and Peaks

The Kaçkar Mountains constitute the highest section of the Eastern Black Sea Mountains. The summit of the national park, Kaçkar Mountain (Kavron Mountain), is exactly 3937 meters high. Composed of alpine meadows, steep cliffs, and deep valleys, this structure is one of the rare places in Turkey where "Actual Glaciation" (current glacial movements) is seen.

Click for Necessary Equipment and Routes for Kaçkar Summit Climbing

Glacial Lakes: The Blue Eyes of the Mountains

One of the most fascinating features of the Kaçkars is the glacial lakes formed in bowls above 2000 meters. There are over 100 glacial lakes within the national park boundaries. The most well-known are:

• Great Sea Lake (Büyük Deniz Gölü): It is the deepest glacial lake in Turkey.

• Seven Lakes (Yedigöller): A group of lakes lined up side by side in crater-like bowls on the İspir side.

• Avusor Lake: It is a favorite of photographers with its heart-shaped structure.

• Ambarlı Lake: Reached via Kavron highland, it is a lake that mesmerizes with its turquoise color.

Click for Kaçkar's Most Beautiful 10 Glacial Lakes and Transportation Guide

Flora and Fauna: Unique Biodiversity

This place is the heart of the "Caucasus Ecological Region", one of the 200 ecological regions with conservation priority in the world.

• Flora: With rhododendrons (Komar), boxwood forests, and hundreds of wildflowers (endemic) that only grow here, the Kaçkars are a giant botanical garden.

• Wildlife: It is the natural habitat of species such as brown bears, chamois (hook-horned mountain goats), lynx, wolves, and wild boars. It is also on the migration route of birds of prey for bird watchers.

Activities: What to Do in the Kaçkars?

Kaçkar Mountains National Park is not just for watching, but for living:

1. Trekking and Hiking: There are trails suitable for every level, from daily highland walks to "Trans Kaçkar" (North-South crossing) routes that last for days.

2. Mountaineering: Classic summit climbs for professional mountaineers.

3. Heliski: The opportunity to be dropped off on pristine peaks by helicopter and ski in the winter months (One of the few centers in the world).

4. Photo Safari: Unique for seas of fog, sunsets, and macro flower shots.

Click for Trans Kaçkar Hiking Route: Where to Start, Where to Stay?

Best Time to Visit

The weather in the Kaçkars is harsh and changeable. The most suitable and safe time for climbing and high-altitude hiking is July and August. While the highlands bloom in the spring months (May-June), winter is only suitable for professional winter mountaineering and Heliski.

The Kaçkar Mountains invite everyone who respects nature and obeys its rules to its majestic silence.