TAURUS MOUNTAINS AND HIGHLANDS

Going up to the highlands during the summer months and spending the season there is an important part of the thousand-year-old Yörük Turkmen culture. In the past, villages would begin to empty in spring as people moved to the cool and fertile highlands.

On the plateaus of the Taurus Mountains, rising above 1000 meters, tents made of goat hair were set up. While herds grazed on the mountain pastures, cheese and butter were produced, and carpets and kilims were woven. Today, modern highland houses have replaced traditional tents, yet the highland culture still remains alive.

With pine and cedar forests, deep valleys, peaks reaching into the clouds, and cool streams flowing from the mountains, the Taurus Mountains hide some of nature’s most unique beauties. The highlands are popular destinations for both local and international visitors. In daily picnic areas, traces of old Turkmen traditions can still be experienced.

Türbelinas Highland
Türbelinas Highland can be reached by approximately a one-hour drive. Jeep safari tours are also organized to the region. In the highland, you may see drink bottles being cooled in the cold water of fountain troughs. At local restaurants, the traditional “village chicken,” cooked in a pot with butter and tomato paste and enjoyed by dipping bread into its sauce, is a must-try.

Söğüt Highland
Söğüt Highland is reached by a stabilized road following the Demirtaş Stream, passing through citrus orchards, greenhouses, maquis vegetation, and pine trees. Along the route, Kaş is located at the 30th kilometer, Sapadere at the 35th, Tokar at the 40th, and Söğüt Highland at the 50th kilometer. In the highland villages, there are country cafés and rural restaurants serving local flavors.

Dereköy Highland
Dereköy Highland is a highland village located on the slopes of the valley where Kargı Stream flows. Surrounded by pine trees and fruit gardens, the village can be reached by a 30-kilometer asphalt road. The area is ideal for picnics, nature walks, and relaxing in the fresh mountain air. Visitors can shop at the village grocery, enjoy strong Turkish tea at the village café, and taste local dishes at country restaurants serving meat specialties.