Ayder

Last update September 26, 2026

Ayder is located at an altitude of 1,350 metres in the Kaçkar Mountains, in the Rize province on the Black Sea coast of Turkey. It can be reached via Çamlıhemşin, which is seventeen kilometres lower down, by means of a tarmac road that winds through the forest and fog until the valley opens up and the wooden houses of the plateau come into view against the mountains. The journey establishes the atmosphere: greenery is visible everywhere, the mist sticks to the summits and the air is noticeably cooler than that of the coast you have just left.

Since at least 1871, when official records first referred to them, the hot springs have been the main reason for people coming to this place. The water is at a temperature of 55 degrees Celsius and, after a day’s hiking, it feels like a well-deserved treat rather than something indulgent. Beyond the springs, Ayder serves as a base from which treks into the Kaçkar range can be made. The Fırtına River runs through the valley below, and if you’d like to do more than just walk, you can raft it. Trails lead out to the Pokut Plateau, where the views become more extensive and the number of visitors thins out quickly.

If you are able to, spend one or two nights in one of the wooden guesthouses which run along the plateau. In the mornings the fog remains low in the valley until the sun gets rid of it, and in the evenings there is a silence which is not found along the coast of Turkey. The food is local and straightforward, consisting of corn bread, fresh trout from the river and tea grown in the hills close by. Ayder does not make an effort to amuse you; it offers you the mountains, the water and peace, and then lets you choose how much of your day you want to fill.