The Kaçkar Mountains rise steeply from Turkey's Black Sea coast between Trabzon and Rize, reaching 3,932 metres at Kaçkar Dağı — the second highest peak in Turkey after Mount Ararat. This is some of the finest trekking country in the eastern Mediterranean: alpine meadows, glacial lakes, and mountain villages connected by ancient paths.
Ayder Yayla, a plateau settlement at about 1,300 metres, is the most popular base on the northern side. It has pensions, small hotels, and a hot spring. From here, the classic trek crosses the range via Yukarı Kavrun to Barhal and Yusufeli on the southern side — a multi-day route that is only feasible from June to August. A guide is essential: dense fog can roll in several times a day and the terrain is disorienting.
You can drive to the edge of the mountain at Yukarı Kavrun village, but the 17-kilometre road is extremely rough and only passable in summer — allow at least an hour. In winter, helicopter-assisted snowboarding from the summit down to Ayder attracts experienced riders, though this is strictly for professionals.
