national parks Eastern Anatolia

The Eastern Anatolia is Türkiye’s largest geographical region. In this vast area, you can visit many well preserved national parks by exploring their historical value. Mount Ararat, the highest mountain of the country and the Lake Van, the largest lake of the country are both located here.

Ağrı Mountain National Park, Ağrı

Mount Ağrı National Park is located in an area of 88,104 hectares covering Mount Ağrı and its immediate surroundings. It is called the “roof of Türkiye.” Mount Ağrı, the second-largest volcanic mountain in the world and the highest in Türkiye and continental Europe, has an altitude of 5,137 meters. At its summit, there is Türkiye’s largest glacier.

Many people visit Mount Ağrı National Park to climb the summit of Mount Büyük Ağrı, which for centuries was described as inaccessible.

The park comes alive with nature’s changing colors in all four seasons, and is the perfect starting point for exploring the Eastern Anatolia region.

Ağrı Mountain National Park offers opportunities, among others, for mountaineering, hiking, climbing, wildlife observation, and photography.

Sarıkamış-Allahuekber Mountains National Park, Kars & Erzurum

Located within the borders of the provinces of Kars and Erzurum in Eastern Anatolia, the national park is of great historical value by virtue of the 90,000 soldiers who died in the freezing conditions here in 1914 during World War I.

The Sarıkamış Ski Center is situated in the region’s forests and has gained its reputation from the quality of its snow. It is located at an altitude of 2,500 m, and has a five-stage runway covering a total of 12 kilometers stretching among pine trees. Cibiltepe is covered in crystal snow making it especially attractive to skiers. Under average winter conditions, the snow is approximately 1.5 m deep.

Munzur Valley National Park, Tunceli

The Munzur Valley National Park, located in the province of Tunceli, covers approximately 42,000 hectares.

The national park is at an altitude of 2,500 m above sea level and is dominated by endemic flora and fauna.

The national park has one of the richest floras in Anatolia, and offers visitors opportunities to enjoy the region's wildlife and scenic beauty. There are glacial lakes, canyons, and waterfalls in the park. The Kırk Merdiven Waterfall is located on the slopes of the Munzur Mountains.

Hakkari Cilo and Sat Mountains National Park, Hakkari

The Cilo and Sat Mountains feature waterfalls, lakes, and dozens of churches and other structures built in the past by highlanders for protection. The mountains are the two highest peaks on the Uludoruk Mountain range, where 20,000-year-old glaciers can be found.