Practical Information for Trekking
About the trails
All the trails on this map have superb viewpoints, pass tiny spring and summer villages and give you a glimpse of rural life. Many more inviting trails lead up the valley sides or cross the high passes.
The trail network is based on traditional migration routes from the valley-bottoms to mid-level spring villages and high-level summer pastures where cattle, goats and sheep are traditionally grazed. Old trade roads also crossed the range. Mules carried vegetables, fruit and rice from the valley bottoms to the Black Sea coast or to Erzurum and returned with salt and timber. As this lifestyle declined, many trails were replaced by valley-bottom roads and fell out of use, but the UNDP TDEAP project and others have documented a varied network of beautiful trails. Most are steep in places; some are paved or walled, others run over springy grass dotted with boulders and occasionally over scree or rocks.
If you wish to trek independently, sources of information on these trails are limited to the following websites: www.choruh.com, where you can download GPS points for some trails; www.trekkinginturkey.com, where you can get a guidebook with map and GPS points for the Kaçkar trails (www.kackarlar.org has a list of trails on the north of the range). If you are not experienced, we recommend you join a group. Many travel agencies run organised trekking groups in the Kaçkar and Çoruh areas; you can find them on the internet. Finally, if you want help to arrange accommodation, guides and mules for your own group, mail one of the sites above, explaining your requirements.
Recommended Trails
Erzurum is the gateway to the southern side of the range. From there you can reach the small towns of Uzundere, İspir and Yusufeli, where you can find all the supplies you need. Some trails start from these points, but the high Kaçkar trails start from Srakonaklar, Barhal and Yaylalar villages, where accommodation, guides and mules are available.
Uzundere is situated in the Tortum valley, and just outside the town the tree-less steep valley sides rise to high hills and meadows. The area has two circular routes: one climbs to Sapaca ‘yayla’, at 2000m, well known for spring flowers, passing two castles. (3 days, from June). Another climbs west to the magnificent Öşk Vank monastery church, passing spectacular wooded ridges. (2 days, from May).
İspir is the starting point for a long route via Moryayla to Yedigöller or Seven Lakes, a grassy plateau dotted with small lakes. You could walk down to the Çoruh or continue to Srakonaklar and Dabgit ‘yayla.’ (5-8 days, from June).
Sırakonaklar is a day’s walk from the base-camp for climbing Mt. Kaçkar, and centre of a circle of walks on the high ridges above the tree line. Davali and Dabgit ‘yaylas’ are good bases for high-level exploration. (4 days, from June)
Tekkale (near Yusufeli) is the starting point for a long and difficult trek to Dört Kilise, over Güngörmez pass to Modut and Yaylalar, and over the Naletleme pass to Yukar Kavron on the north side of the Kaçkar range (5-7 days, from July).
Yaylalar and Barhal are linked by an attractive trek which crosses a low pass to Okuz Göl lake, then a valley head to Satelev campsite, on a ridge surrounded by fir forest. From here you can visit Karagöl (Black Lake) before descending along the river to Barhal, then maybe to Sargöl. (5-7 days, from end June)
What to bring
We suggest that, instead of making a short dash for the summit of Kaçkar, you take a longer holiday and trek from village to village, staying with local people. So far, it’s not possible to stay every night in village houses, so bring the following camping equipment:
1. Compass and map or guidebook
2. GPS (if you trek without a local guide)
3. Mobile phone with Turkish sim-card (these work in most places)
4. Camera / spare batteries / spare film or cards
5. Synthetic long trousers, shorts, t-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, underwear. Don’t wear cottons as they absorb water.
6. Good quality hard-soled trekking boots, thick wool or synthetic socks, trekking sandals, gaiters, walking poles.
7. Thermal underwear, fleece sweater or jacket.
8. Outer layer of wind-and-waterproof jacket and trousers, scarf, hat and gloves.
9. Sunhat, sunglasses, sunblock and suncream; swimming gear.
10. Lightweight backpacking tent with flysheet and sewn-in groundsheet.
11. Comfortable 65l backpack with waterproof cover.
12. Small first-aid kit.
13. 4 seasons sleeping bag (preferably down) with inner bag and sleeping mat.
14. Petrol or gas stove, cooking equipment, crockery/cutlery.
15. Head torch, Swiss Army knife, thin nylon cord.
16. Small day-sack or waist-sack to carry valuables.
17. 2l water bottles (on most trails there is plenty of good drinking water)
You can leave most of your gear in a pension while you take day-walks or hire a mule or jeep to take it high into the mountains.
When to come
On the slopes of the Çoruh valley and further south, snowfall is low, the climate warm in summer and trekking starts in May and continues to October. Because of heavy snowfall, in the central Kaçkar the trekking season is from July to end-September. Before then, early-season thunderstorms, mist or snow can surprise trekkers. Search and rescue services are in their infancy and local people are only on their summer-pastures from mid-July to early September.
Trekking is the only way to discover high summer pastures, snow-rimmed lakes, ruins of tiny chapels or castles, and to follow the old routes. In spring, you will encounter snowmelt bulbs, meadows of orchids, newly arrived migrant birds busy setting up home and may glimpse bear-cubs and their mother. Summer brings clear skies, meadows full of poppies and campanulas, friendly villagers in their summer homes and crowded trail-head villages. Autumn is great for bird migration, colourful trees, autumn crocus and bears raiding orchards of ripe fruit.
Even in winter, trekking with snowshoes can be fun!
