Turkey 13 - Northeastern Anatolia

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
Northeastern Anatolia
Why Go?
Erzurum & Around .........521
Palandöken ................... 525
Kaçkar Mountains ........526
Northern Kaçkars .........528
Southern Kaçkars ..........531
Far Northeast ................534
Georgian Valleys ...........534
Artvin ............................536
Kars ...............................538
North of Kars ................543
South of Kars ................543
Ani .................................543
Sarıkamış ......................546
Kars to Doğubayazıt ..... 547
Doğubayazıt & Around .548
Mt Ararat (Ağrı Dağı) .....551
If you’ve a soft spot for far-flung outposts, it’s time to discover Turkey’s greatest secret. Despite its wealth of attractions,
northeastern Anatolia remains largely untouched by even
the domestic tourist circuit, and its glorious landscapes are
refreshingly coach-party free. Particularly outside the Turkish summer holidays, you may have precipitous gorges and
expansive steppe, muscular mountains and highland pastures to yourself. No wonder the region is prime territory
for trekking (make a beeline for the Kaçkar Mountains and
Mt Ararat), white-water rafting and skiing.
Culturally, the ruins of Ani and Işhak Paşa Palace are famously romantic, and numerous secluded treasures recall
once-flourishing ancient civilisations. Palaces, castles, Georgian churches, Armenian monuments and Ottoman humpback bridges all stand in splendid isolation. For urban vibes,
Kars is a laidback city with a Russian aesthetic – a staging
post in this region of open spaces, mountain solitude and
moody skies above the steppe.
When to Go
Best Places to Eat Erzurum
» Ocakbaşı Restoran (p540)
» Laşet Tesisleri (p537)
°C/°F Temp
5/125
30/86
4/100
» Erzurum Evleri (p524)
20/68
» Simurg (p550)
10/50
» Publik Bistro (p529)
Rainfall Inches/mm
40/104
3/75
2/50
0/32
1/25
-10/14
Best Places to Stay
» Ekodanitap (p528)
» Otel Doğa (p529)
» Karahan Pension (p533)
» Çamyuva Pension (p533)
» Güngören Otel (p538)
0
-20/-4
J
F
M
May Vivid hues
and scents as the
steppe blossoms;
Turkish school
term continues.
A
M
J
J
A
Jun–Sep Hike
and raft around
the Kaçkar
Mountains, scale
Mt Ararat, catch
festivals.
S
O
N
D
Dec–Apr Ski
at Palandöken
and Sarıkamış
resorts, crosscountry ski in the
Kaçkars.
521
ERZURUM & AROUND
Erzurum
% 0442 / POP 382,383 / ELEV 1853M
Lovers of architecture will be in paradise in
Erzurum, where fantastic Seljuk, Saltuk and
Mongol mosques and medreses (seminarBLACK SEA
(KARADENÎZ)
Sarp
Hopa
Borçka
D010
D010
Fîndîklî
Ardešen
Artvin
0
0
Posof
Meydancîk
Karagöl Sahara
National Park
Ardanuç Ardahan
Doÿruyol
Çîldîr
Gölü D010
Çamlîhemšin
D060
Çoruh
Fîrtîn Barhal
River
Valley
Yusufeli Κhan
Olur Göle
D060
Yaylalar
Mt
Penek
Kaçkar (Hevek) Tekkale
(3937m)
Akšar
Tortum Gölü
Öškvank
Oltu
Uzundere
Susuz
Arpaçay
Gyumri
D060
Oÿuzlu &
Kîzîl Kilise
Kars Ani
ARMENIA
Bagnair Monastery
Digor
Beškilise
Keçivan
Kaÿîzman
D965
Šenyurt
(Uncular)
Sarîkamîš
Çengilli
D950
D955
Tuzluca
iver
sR
Ara
Horasan
D100
Ilîca
GEORGIA
Šeytan Kalesi
Çîldîr
50 km
30 miles
D080
NORTHE ASTERN ANATOLIA E R Z U R U M & A R O U N D
ies) line the main drag. Take it all in from
atop the citadel, with mountains and steppe
forming a heavenly backdrop to the jumble
of billboards and minarets.
Erzurum is not a city resting on its considerable laurels of historical significance;
the vibrant life coursing along its shoppingcentre-lined streets has earned it a reputation
Iÿdîr Aralîk
D975
ERZURUM
Mt Ararat
(Aÿrî Daÿî)
(5137m)
Aÿrî
Palandöken
D100
Doÿubayazît
Diyadin
Îshak Paša
Palace
Tutak
D965
Mt Küçük
Aÿrî
(3895m)
Gürbulak
Bazargan
IRAN
Patnos
Erentepe
D300
Malazgirt
Adilcevaz
Ahlat
Muradiye
Sarîsu
(Aktepe)
D965
Göldüzü
Van Gölü
(Lake Van)
Timar
Erçek
Gölü
Erçek Özalp
Northeastern Anatolia Highlights
1 Lose yourself in the
past glories of Ani (p543),
a former Armenian capital
strewn across the steppe
4 Cruise the yaylalar
(mountain pastures) east of
Artvin, land of pine forests
and emerald slopes
7 Meet the Kurds in
2 Trek over the Kaçkar
5 Hit the summit of Mt
8 Test your mettle on a
6 Hang out in distinctive
Kars (p538) and discover
Georgian and Armenian
ruins nearby
9 Rip up some powder
Mountains (p526), or tackle
day walks from nearby
serene villages like Barhal
and Yaylalar
3 Experience the Fırtın
Valley’s (p529) Hemşin
culture (and cuisine)
24-northeast-anatolia-tur13.indd 521
Ararat (5137m; p551),
Turkey’s highest mountain
Doğubayazit (p548) and
explore sights like İshak
Paşa Palace (p548)
white-water run down the
Çoruh River (p527)
at Palandöken (p525) ski
resort
13/11/2012 4:18:09 PM