Turkey is renowned as a tourist destination that caters to a variety of visitors' interests. While swimmers flock to Bodrum or Antalya, history buffs head to Ephesus or Pergamon, and shoppers and food lovers find their first destination in Istanbul. However, there is an adventurous side to Turkey that beckons travelers to embark on thrilling road trips amidst nature. As a bridge between Asia and Europe, Turkey is known to stir the excitement of adventure enthusiasts through scenic driving tours developed specifically for tourist activities.
Let's look at the three main routes suitable for these audacious road trips:
- D915 Route: The World's Most Dangerous Road.
- The Stone Road of Kemaliye.
- The road to Göreme in Cappadocia region.
D915, the world's most dangerous road, stretches over 5 kilometers with elevation exceeding 300 meters (Shutterstock)
The World's Most Dangerous Road
Navigating the D915 requires bravery as it traverses the remote areas of Trabzon on the Black Sea coast. It's no surprise that the travel site "Dangerous Roads" advises that this road, built by the Russians in 1916 and proclaimed the “world's most dangerous,” is best left to the "slightly less insane." The route starts from a small suburb and is a narrow, asphalt-paved road that gently winds through tea plantations in the coastal mountains. As the journey progresses, the turns become tighter, and the potholes in the asphalt increase.
The only way from there to Bayburt on the other side of the mountain is via the Derebaşı turns, comprising of 13 spectacular bends that take travelers up to the Soğanlı pass at an elevation of 2035 meters. The road alternates between flat sections and parts carved into the mountain rocks, running for 5 kilometers, with a gradient of up to 17% and rising over 300 meters. In some places, it gets so narrow that it can frighten some tourists.
Sunrise in the Dark Canyon, a canyon formed by the Karasu River on the Munzur Mountains in the Kemaliye district of Erzincan province (Shutterstock)
Stone Road of Kemaliye to the Euphrates River
Another adventure awaits tourists 300 kilometers southwest. If D915 sends travelers upwards, the Stone Road of Kemaliye in the Erzincan province takes them downwards to the banks of the Euphrates River dominated by wild nature.
The river carves its way through a narrow valley amid rough rocks and gravel, with the valley reaching several hundred meters deep. Due to the valley's extreme narrowness, sunlight only shines on its bottom for a few minutes each day.
This route features 38 tunnels in just 9 kilometers, with many so narrow that there's barely enough space for a car’s side mirrors to clear the rocks. At its tightest spots, the Stone Road's width doesn't exceed two meters, and many tunnels have a similar height limit.
Despite the numerous tunnels, large openings offer stunning views of the valley and river. However, it’s not advisable to stop on the Stone Road as traffic jams or obstructing vehicles in the opposite direction could be disastrous. Tourists best enjoy the natural scenery when the cars are moving at walking speed.
View of the cliffs in Erzincan, Kemaliye Stone Road, and Dark Canyon (Shutterstock)
The owner of a lodge at the canyon's exit tells the story of the road's creation, which connects the area to Central Anatolia. The authorities deemed the road construction too costly and complex, so in 1870 the locals took it upon themselves to carve the path through rocks without using machinery. This impressed the authorities, who later contributed to its completion. Opened in 2002, 132 years after the project began, motorists can cover the 10-kilometer journey in about 45 minutes.
Hot air balloon tours are a popular way to capture amazing photos in Cappadocia and enjoy the stunning natural scenery (Shutterstock)
The Road to Göreme in Cappadocia Region
From the refreshing waters of the Euphrates, the journey continues 500 kilometers to Göreme in the Cappadocia region. Here, tourists witness enchanting natural landscapes dominated by volcanic ash that dates back 30 million years.
The region is known not only for its natural formations and hundreds of cones reaching up to 20 meters in height shaped by wind and water over time but also for the extremely soft rock material which allowed ancient communities to carve caves and build houses within them for thousands of years.
At the entrance to "Uçhisar," two mountains appear as ancient twin towers. Often, tourists sleep in air-conditioned cave hotels with plush carpets. Alongside rock-carved churches and entire underground cities are also part of the region's charm.
Hot air balloon tours are the most famous way to take amazing photos in Cappadocia. As the sun rises each day, balloons ascend, offering passengers breathtaking views of the picturesque landscape.
Various other incredible natural rock formations lie hidden behind every bend. So, making the trek across the Anatolian plains to explore this area is well worth the effort.
Travelers can visit the vibrant "Ürgüp" area, "Avanos" known for pottery products, the underground city "Derinkuyu," or other attractions in "Göreme."
By taking D300 and D302 roads with some daytime stops, tourists can see many sights in the shortest possible time. Even if the tour lasts three days, there's no chance for boredom—every moment is an adventure in Turkey's majestic landscapes.
