Discover a different side of Turkey on this trekking adventure through the Kackar Mountains. Located in northeastern Anatolia, near the borders of Georgia and Armenia, the Kackar range is a world away from Turkey’s dry central plateau, this is a lush, alpine landscape dotted with traditional villages and semi-nomadic herders who graze their flocks in the summer months.
You’ll take on one of Turkey’s most rewarding multi-day treks, traversing glacial valleys, rushing rivers, rugged granite terrain and the summit of Mount Kackar at 3937m/12,197ft. In summer, the trails come alive with wild rhododendrons, crocuses, gentians and alpine poppies. Each night, you’ll stay in welcoming village pensions or remote mountain camps.
The journey begins in Erzurum, a key stop along the Silk Road, where camel caravans once crossed the Anatolian plateau en route to Persia and the Caucasus. Here you’ll explore historic fortifications and ancient stone bazaars, tasting traditional cuisine and absorbing its history.
The trip concludes at the port city of Trabzon on the Black Sea coast, where you’ll visit the extraordinary Sumela Monastery, a 4th century Greek Orthodox complex built into a sheer cliff above the Altindere Valley.
With the highlight of summiting Mount Kackar, this is a rewarding exploration of one of Turkey’s most untouched mountain regions.