The Kaçkar Mountains, with its highest point being the Kavrun Mountain (3932 meters) and bordering three provinces: Rize, Artvin, and Erzurum, is a mythical geography. With its diverse ecosystem including endemic plants, glacial lakes, glaciers, monuments, and natural old forests, it is a paradise that needs to be explored and preserved for nature lovers and the whole world.
The Kaçkar Mountains, with its approximately 150 different glacial lakes, which are the cleanest sources of freshwater and are actually not very well known in terms of its historical aspect, have a wealth that cannot be covered in this article with its cultural places to visit, climbing and hiking routes.
In this article, I wanted to write about the places in the Storm Valley that you can explore and enjoy without causing physical difficulty. So let's go! Let me take you on a journey that will continue from historical mansions to ancient castles, from monument forests to the high plateaus of the Eastern Black Sea, where the plateau culture still continues.
Çamlıhemşin Mansions
The high villages of Çamlıhemşin have always made us miss them. The Storm Valley has unforgettable moments and no matter how far you are, it always reminds you of itself and somehow calls you there. Such as Küşüve, Makrevis, Pogina, Konaklar, Mecmun. The magical and ancient paths within the dense trees in the villages lead you to beautiful hills where you can watch the valley and magnificent mansions. The information I learned from the memories and stories of my elders about the mansion, especially the knowledge that the living room of the mansion is called "Life", has impressed me a lot. Because isn't a living room truly life? The living room of a house is where guests are hosted, meals are eaten, children play games, family members spend time together, and holiday greetings are made in our homes. Life is in the center of the mansion, and in the life, there are rows of windows in front and a sofa behind. There are rooms on the right and left of the living room, and generally, bathrooms and fireplaces are found in the rooms.
With its wonderful nature and famous mansions within the forests, I strongly recommend you to see these places. There are still people living here in these villages in all seasons, and we are sure that you, our dear friends, will leave your love for nature, not your trash, and always treat the people in the places you visit with respect. Almost every mansion has a separate and long story, hoping to tell in a different article.
Boxwood Forests
Çat Village, located at an altitude of 1350 meters, is one of the most pristine and untouched villages of the Kaçkar Mountains. It is possible to reach Çat Village, which is connected to Çamlıhemşin, by a 30-35 km journey from the city center. The people of the region spend their time here in their village between May and October, and spend their winters in houses on the coast for 6 months. From the square of the village, which resembles a large viewing terrace, you can watch Gito, Karap Plateau, which is a very old ancient plateau, Tatar Mountain (3100mt) on the Elevit side, and Vaçakar Mountain (3458mt) on the Kale side.
Kale Plateau and Çiçekli Plateau
Kale Plateau, located 40 km from Çamlıhemşin, is not actually a place to be called a plateau. The Kale area has a village status with its headman and has very few plateaus with neighborhoods in it. The people of the region started to use these lands as plateaus in the last century. Before that, the people of Kale used this place as a village all year round. It is possible to witness a very old history by visiting the historical garrison Kalei-Bala, which is located on the historical Silk Road, in the Varoş district, which is the first neighborhood of the plateau. For those interested in history, it is possible to find information about this fortress and the region in Xenophon's book "The March of the Ten Thousand".
After the main ridges of the Kaçkar Mountains, Tatos Mountain, located within the boundaries of Kale Village and extending to the Verçenik ridges, is also one of the important regions of the national park. It is possible to reach its summit, which is 3645 meters high, through mountaineering activities. Also, the total of 8 glacial lakes around it has beautiful views.
Verçenik Plateau
Verçenik Plateau is located 60 km from the center of Çamlıhemşin district and is the most distant plateau connected to Çamlıhemşin. Although reaching the plateau is quite long and arduous, it has always been one of my favorite routes. Especially after the Çat area, it is one of the magical routes with steep cliffs resembling a half canyon, rushing streams, rotten snows left over from avalanche tracks that can be seen at the beginning of summer, and pine trees of different sizes and types lining the valley.
Verçenik Plateau is located at an altitude of 2618 meters and contains approximately 30-40 households. After the main summit of the Kaçkar, it also includes the Verçenik Mountain, which is 3711 meters high and is the most climbed peak. Contrary to popular belief, Verçenik is not the highest peak after the main summit of the Kaçkar. Peaks such as Kardovit, Sönmez Tepe, Geztepe are higher than Verçenik. I wanted to correct a misconception about this mountain that is often mistaken on many internet sites and books through this article. As in Kale Plateau, there are many glacial lakes here that can be reached by hiking.
Tahpur Plateau
Tahpur Plateau is located 61 km from the center of Çamlıhemşin district and 53 km from the center of Çayeli district. At the same time, it is possible to reach the plateau in two different ways. The first route is via Çamlıhemşin-Zilkale-Çat-Ortaklar (3 Pare Hemşin), and the second route is via Çayeli Kaptanpaşa-İncesu Baltaş route. Tahpur Plateau, with its altitude of 2995 meters and peaks of over 3000, also holds the title of the highest settlement in the Kaçkar Mountains. Tahpur Plateau, which still maintains its authentic features, has an extraordinary panoramic view. Just like in Huser Plateau, you can clearly see the Kaçkar Mountains from here.
It is possible to view the peak of the Ambarlı Mountains (3327mt) to the north, the Tatos Mountains group to the east, the Baltaş Pass to the west, and the Verçenik and Cimil Mountains to the south. Moreover, it is possible to reach Balıklı Lakes and Ambarlı Plateau with a rigorous hike.