POST CONFERENCE TOURS
Excursion to Yenice Forests (one day trip)
In 1999 the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) designated one hundred “Hot Spots of European Forests” regions of extraordinary biodiversity requiring immediate protection. The Yenice Forest is one the nine “Hot Spots” in Turkey. The area is a natural wonder, comprising virgin forest, monumental trees, a unique ecosystem, and a wealth of biodiversity rare outside the tropics. Undoubtedly the most important parts of the Yenice Forest are the “Nature Protection Zones” which contain the monumental trees, and the Arboretum area. The protection zone was established primarily to protect the biodiversity of the unspoilt forest, with its many species of monumental trees, the most valuable part of the heritage. The trunks of some of the trees reach diameters and heights that are rarely seen in the world, and grow amid the green valleys, steep summits, and rich plant life created by the abundant water and humidity.
With their monumental trees, found only in rare landscapes outside the tropics, verdant valleys, mountains up to 2000 meters in altitude, deep canyons, gurgling streams, surprise waterfalls, wildlife and plant diversity, the Yenice Forests are at the same time a true center of ecotourism offering outdoor activities of all kinds. In addition to one-day and longer camping routes, other alternatives in this virgin environment include rock climbing, canyoning, bird watching, photo safaris, botanical walks, rafting and paragliding.
There are 21 trails which were marked along 210 kilometres, and together with the alternative trails the total route adds up to 396 kilometres. The trails are classified either as daytrips, short trips or long trips and include forestry roads and footpaths. Mountain bike trails total 292 kilometres. Trail marking is in accordance with the international “Grande Randonnée” system, with red and white paint markers and signposts mark the routes’ beginnings, ends and junctions.
The trails are extended to Eskipazar (Karabük) including the ruines of Hadrianoupolis. 8 more paths have been added and the extension project is called ‘Trekking Routes From Nature to History – Eskipazar’.
Please refer to http://bakkakutuphane.org/upload/dokumandosya/yenice-ormanlari-ing.pdf
Tour Itinerary
19th of April
7:30 am Departure from Tourism Faculty
08:30 am Arrival to the forests
Hiking, visiting monumental trees
10:30 am Coffee break
Hiking, visiting plateaus
12:30 Lunch
Visiting villages, experiencing rural life
15:30 Coffee Break
Local handicrafts wood carving (spoons, walking stick)
18:00 Arrival in Safranbolu
Price: 30 € (Transportation, Coffee breaks and lunch included)
Two days overnight tour to Kure Mountains National Park.
Discover Küre Mountains National Park (KMNP).
KMNP is one of the ecotourism destinations of Turkey because of its unique values for tourists who are interested in nature and local culture. KMNP has increasingly attracted ecotourists in recent years. Kure Mountains National Park is a gift to the earth from Turkey with its intact forests, wildlife, endemic plant species, caves, canyons, waterfalls, geologic features, traditional life and architecture. The KMNP is one of the privileged protection areas of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The WWF has listed the area as one of a hundred forest “Hot Spots” in Europe deserving priority conservation. The area was designated as National Park in 2000 after a project carried out with the cooperation of the United Nations Worldwide Programme (UNDP) and the WWF. The KMNP was dominated as a PanPARK area in 2013.
Located on the Küre Mountains, on the west of Black Sea Region, the National Park bears all the characteristics of a plateau. The area of the Küre Mountains National Park covers 37.753 ha, whereas the surrounding buffer zone accounts for 134.366 ha. The park covers 370 square kilometres.
In and around the national park, there are 930 plant taxa. Küre Mountains, with its unique vegetation and wild life species, accommodate 157 endemic plants for Turkey and 50 rare taxa of plants. 59 of the endemic species are in red list.
48 mammals are found in the area, including endangered species of brown bear, lynx, gray wolf, roe deer, red deer, European otter and wild boar. There are 8 reptile and 9 amphibian species . The area with 129 bird species, including 46 endangered, is one of the 255 Important Bird Areas (IBA). Among these, egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is a globally endangered species. High cliffs with wide valleys are proper habitats for vultures, falcons, eagles and night raptorials. However, the area is also important for waterfowls that breed and spend the night by the seashore, and for temperate zone forest species.
Exploring old forests, the biodiversity and wildlife, geological and geomorphological formations, visiting cultural and archaeological remains, hiking and trekking are the touristic activities in the area. It can be a great adventure discovering the canyons in the area such as Valla Canyon, Horma Canyon, Aydos Canyon. Magnificent waterfalls contribute to the stunning wild beauty of this park. The most well-known of these is Ilıca Waterfall. In the secluded thick forests of Kurucasile you’ll find the Gölderesi Waterfall and in Bartin the scenic Ulukaya Waterfall.
There are nearly 100 caves in the region, the second biggest number of caves in a national park, right after “Carsbad Caverns National Park” in the US. According to experts, the area is a national park of caves and canyons. The most well-known cave within the national park is Ilgarini Cave in Kastamonu. The cave, which is 858 m long and 250 m deep, is home to an ancient settlement, supposedly from Roman-Byzantium times.
There are nearly 120 villages in the buffer zone. The buffer zone is the most important tool for protection and effective management of the national park. With the participation of local people in nature protection, the national park has become one of the most successful examples of nature protection and natural resource management in Turkey.
The Directorate of Kure Mountains National Park marked the trekking routes in 2010 as part of an ecotourism project. The 482 kilometres long route contains 36 marked trails and, counting alternative trails, the total trail length stretches to 762 kilometres; mountain bike trails measure 828 kilometres. Walkers of varying ability and interests can enjoy short walks, day trips and longer, more arduous hikes. The longest routes require a week of walking and camping. Ambitious walkers can start on the adjoining Yenice Forest trails, hike the whole of Kure Mountains National Park, and finish on the Istiklal Route, a 500 kilometres long trail which takes a month.