Turkey has many places of natural beauty and one I was desperate to see was Saklikent Gorge. Situated on the Mediterranean coast, it is a large canyon within Mount Akdag. In some places, it is 300 metres deep, making it a record breaker and the deepest gorge in Turkey.
Mother Nature constructed the 18-kilometre canyon over thousands of years, starting with an earthquake that formed the original crack, followed by water gushing down from the Taurus Mountains that eroded the rock sides. Its name translates to “Hidden City” and water levels during winter make it unsuitable for visiting. Summer is when it receives hundreds of visitors every week.
While in Olu Deniz, I decided to visit. There was no public transport and hiring a car was out of the question since my confidence in my driving skills had seriously dropped over the last few years. Therefore, I signed up for a cheap tour at a small booth selling a variety of excursions.
On the day, I joined the rest of the tour group who were either couples or families. I felt conspicuous on my own, but everyone was soon chatting and the atmosphere loosened up. The 48-kilometre drive seemed to take a long time and at times, the road was bumpy. Eventually, parking up beside a seated sheep farmer and his flock, we disembarked the bus.
Entering Saklikent Gorge
