Tour Highlights:

• Wonderfully hospitable local people
• High mountain scenery and glacial lakes
• Wildlife- flowers, birds and animals
• Challenging climbs and 3000m+ passes with vehicle uplift options
• Sections of technical singletrack (optional)
• Stay at small, friendly guesthouses and local village houses
• Visit wonderful Georgian and Armenian churches and monasteries
• Hop-on hop-off minibus support so you can ride as much as you want

The Kackar Mountains are a different world from the rest of the country and Turkey’s most northerly range. High, superbly green alpine meadows nestle under towering granite peaks- snow covered for most of the year and often shrouded in clouds. The Kackar are home to some of Turkey’s most friendly people and some of its most fantastic wildlife, and you’ll be one of the first to ride these trails. This adventure biking tour incorporates challenging terrain and immense views, with plenty of natural, historical and cultural interest along the way too.

The 9-day long tour links the Kackar and Mescit Mountains via the awesomely beautiful Coruh river valley. Most routes are over unsurfaced forestry trails or inter-village dirt roads but where possible we ride on rough tracks and singletrack mule trails too. We stay in comfortable pensions and friendly village houses and have the chance to meet people alive with rich traditions. Note that the Kackar are a “big mountain” range and as such weather conditions can be unpredictable even in mid summer. So it’s essential to come prepared with appropriate, warm, wind proof and waterproof clothing.

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Why?

The Kackar are our favourite alpine range and offer a sense of remoteness and exploration that belies their geographical area. There is plenty of fine singletrack to explore and the riding can be as tough or as easy as the group chooses. The whole area is a protected environmental zone and there are real opportunities to see raptors, gamebirds, wild goats and bears. Add in legendary local hospitality and endless breathtaking mountain panoramas and you have an unbeatable, wilderness trail experience.

When?

The Kackar peaks and passes where we ride are covered in snow for up to 10 months of the year. Late June, July and August are the best, sometimes only months to visit without special equipment. Early season is when you’ll see Turkey’s finest snow melt wildflowers, plenty of snow on the peaks and a better chance of seeing bears and other wildlife.

How?

Erzurum is the nearest national airport and the tour starts and finishes there. Turkish Airlines offer scheduled services via Istanbul.

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