Transport :
The turn off is at the 12 km. mark on the Kadirli -
Andirin - Kahramanmaras highway. Turn north (left) and
follow the gravel road for 33 km. In the summer months,
at certain times, you can find minibuses
going from Kadirli.
Description : Along
the 33 kilometers road, are several mountain villages
such as Akarca Highland, Koçlu (Avluk) Village, Pasaolugu
highland, Yogunoluk (Katiralagi) village, Degirmendere
and Tahta villages. At this mountain plateau, which
has had some infrastructure improvements, there is electricity
and telephone services as well as a few simple country
tea houses, markets, butchers, a doctor and some small
restaurants offering kebab and other meat dishes.
The plateau, which is frequented by the locals who want
to take advantage of the clean cool air up there, is
surrounded by a forest of cedar and fir. Both the local
highland houses made of wood and the newer reinforced
concrete buildings are covered with apple, pear, cherry,
sour cherry and juniper trees.
These high mountain
plateaus are home to an astounding variety of flowers, insects
and birds. Yasar Kemal's famous novel "Ince Memed"
was set in these mountains. If one starts at the highland
of Maksutolugu and passes through the highlands of Çardak
- Gürlevik - Turna - Sögütolugu - Dokurcun -Beyolugu and Çigsar,
they will come to Yedi gözler, the headwaters of Savrun Creek.
Accommodation - Food and Drink :
Basic necessities can be obtained in the village. There are
bed and breakfast inns at Aybasti that provide lodging.
KADIRLI - BAGDAS AND ALMACIK HIGHLANDS
Transport
: It is a 57 km. drive from Kadirli on a gravel road.
There are minibuses from Kadirli in the summertime.
Description : The 57 km drive is
very scenic as it passes through several nearby villages and
goes right through the forest, finally arriving at the Bagdas
Highland, which is located between two mountains. The hills
are covered with pine, juniper, fir and cedars. There are stone
and wood houses constructed in the
local highland style.
There is electricity, markets and the ever-present tea house.
Accommodation - Food and Drink :
Bring a tent and other basic necessities.
KADIRLI - BEYOLUGU - SAVRUN GÖZÜ
- DOKURCUN AND ÇIGSAR HIGHLANDS
Transport :
It is a 65 km drive along a gravel road from the town of Kadirli.
In the summer there are minibuses that leave from Kadirli. Description :
These mountain highlands found nestled up in the foothills
of the Dibek Mountains, the northeast extension of the Taurus
mountains, are an exquisite natural paradise with their juniper,
fir and cedar forests, daunting cliffs, and high mountain
meadows covered with beautiful wild flowers.
With
birds of prey continually soaring above their wild precipices,
these mountain highlands were the stomping grounds of the
famous writer Yasar Kemal's 'Ince Memed'.
In the highlands along the banks of Savrun Creek are beautiful
orchards: apple, pear, cherry, sour cherry and mulberry. This
is a good camp site with lots of water. At the Çigsar highland
there are some very nice rocky projections called Deli Öbek
and Harman Kaya, which are ideal for the rock climbing enthusiasts.
Accommodation - Food and Drink :
Bring a tent and other basic necessities.
OSMANIYE - ZORKUN AND OLUKBASI HIGHLANDS
Transport
: These highlands are located on the lower slopes of
Mt. Nur in the southeast corner of the district of Osmaniye.
It is a 26 km drive on an asphalt road. During the summer there
is a municipal bus route between Osmaniye and Zorkun. There
are also minibuses and taxis.
Description : Sixteen kilometers
out there is the Olukbasi highland. It is an attractive place
surrounded with pine trees and all of the local houses
are
traditional wood houses typical
of the mountains. The Zorkun highland, on the other hand,
is a expansive area. This pine and juniper plateau has traditional
wood houses as well as a number of interesting villas with
very original designs. The infrastructure up here in this
mountain village has been mostly completed and there is a
traveling health clinic and police here in the summer. People
from the nearby towns of Osmaniye, Ceylon and Kadirli often
escape to this mountain village. There are markets, tea houses,
restaurants, meat markets, green grocers and a bakery.
Accommodation - Food and Drink :
There are places to shop and buy food and drink. The
mountain cabins here are used by the local people.
HASANBEYLI - ALMAN PINARI HIGHLAND
Transport : It is a 4 km drive
from Hasanbeyli along an asphalt road. Description :
Among the oldest mountain villages in the area, Alman
Pinari is situated among fruit orchards and vineyards. Accommodation -
Food and Drink : There are simple restaurants,
a tea house, a bakery and some small markets. Camping and
picnicking are allowed.
