Hakkari Tour Among the Mountains

Heaven and Hell Valley & Glacier Waterfall

After an early breakfast, we head to the Heaven and Hell Valley, located 45 km away.

Our hike will begin at 2,500 meters above Kırıkhan Village and take us toward the Uludoruk Glacier, at the foot of Reşko Peak—the 4,135-meter summit of Cilo Mountains, Turkey's second highest peak. Uludoruk Glacier is also the largest valley glacier in Turkey.

We will follow a scenic trail with gentle slopes, mostly walking along a path. Depending on the season, we may also encounter patches of snow left over from winter. After hiking for 1.5 hours, we will reach the glacier lake at an altitude of 2,770 meters. The lake at the base of the 25,000-year-old glacier, Reşko Peak, and the glacier waterfalls will offer us breathtaking views. Here, we will take a one-hour break for lunch and photos before heading back on the same trail. Enjoying the valley views, we will descend to our starting point. The total walking distance will be 7.5 km.

After relaxing our feet in the stream at the end of the hike, we return to the center of Hakkari.

Dinner will be outside.

Note: We recommend wearing sturdy hiking boots for today's walk. Our lunch will be in the form of a packed meal.

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After an early breakfast, we leave our hotel and head to the Berçelan Plateau. From this beautiful plateau at an altitude of about 3,000 meters, we will hike to Seyithan Glacier Lake. 

Along the way, we proceed with views of Mount Cilo. Upon arrival at the plateau, we will give half an hour of free time. Taking photos and videos among the plateau flowers might be a good idea. After the break, we begin our hike toward Seyithan Lake. The total hike, round trip, will be 7.5 km and will take approximately 3.5-4 hours. After walking on a dirt road for a while, we enter a path. Depending on the season, we may walk on snow along the way. At the end of the hike, we will meet the Seyithan Glacier Lake. While not very large, the lake, at 3,315 meters, offers stunning photos. We will take at least a one-hour break here and have our lunch packs by the lake. Those who wish can bring swimsuits and towels for a rejuvenating dip in the chilly water of the lake :)

Afterwards, the hike back to the plateau begins. After approximately 1.5 hours of walking, we will arrive back at the plateau. Following another hour spent in this beautiful spot, we begin our return to Hakkari center. 

Dinner will be taken outside. Who knows, maybe today we'll be guests at a wedding. What do you think?

Note: For today's hike, we recommend wearing hiking boots with firm soles. Our lunch will be provided as a packed meal.

After breakfast, we leave our hotel and first visit Ağaçdibi Waterfall, which is just 20 minutes away. The waterfall is approximately 30 meters high, and you can go underneath it. Those who wish can put on their swimsuits and experience this. Afterwards, we begin our journey towards Van.

After a two-hour drive, our first stop will be the fairy chimneys, originally named Kofiraz but locally known as Vanadokya. Although it does not cover as wide an area as Cappadocia, Kofiraz offers wonderful landscapes and is home to around 17,000 fairy chimneys, including the area we will visit. We'll take a one-hour photo break here.

Then, after a one-hour drive, we arrive at Hoşap Castle. This fortress, built by the Urartians to ensure the safety of trade routes, has a rich history we will explore during our visit.

After visiting the castle, we travel for another hour to reach Van and have our lunch. Depending on remaining time, we will then visit Van Castle and the Van Cat House before heading to the airport. 

Hope to see you again on another BUKLATUR tour.