Turkey
Lake Tortum
A turquoise lake behind a ten-thousand-year-old landslide dam, a 48-metre waterfall at its head.
The waterfall announces itself before you see it — a roar that builds through the trees until the trail opens onto 48 metres of white water crashing into a pool at the lake's head. Lake Tortum stretches behind you through a narrow valley, turquoise and still, dammed by a landslide that fell ten thousand years ago and never moved again.
Lake Tortum in northeastern Turkey was created approximately 10,000 years ago when a massive landslide dammed the Tortum River, flooding the valley behind it. The lake stretches 8 kilometres through a narrow corridor, its turquoise colour intensifying during spring snowmelt. Tortum Waterfall, at 48 metres, is the highest in northeastern Turkey when flowing at full volume. The surrounding Çoruh Valley contains some of Turkey's best-preserved 10th-century Georgian churches.
Solo
The remoteness is the draw. Tortum rewards the traveller willing to drive deep into northeastern Turkey for a landscape that combines geological drama with absolute solitude.
Couple
The turquoise lake, the waterfall, the Georgian churches in the surrounding valleys — Tortum is a day of natural drama paired with medieval stone, far from any crowd.
Friends
Base yourselves in Erzurum and drive to Tortum for the waterfall and lake, then explore the Georgian churches scattered through the valley. The remoteness bonds any group.
- The landslide that created the lake dammed the Tortum River approximately 10,000 years ago.
- Tortum Waterfall drops 48 metres — the highest in northeastern Turkey when flowing at full volume.
- The surrounding Coruh Valley contains some of Turkey's best-preserved Georgian churches from the 10th century.
- The lake stretches 8km through a narrow valley corridor, its turquoise colour intensifying in spring melt.
Erzurum cağ kebab — lamb stacked horizontally on a spit and sliced to order, smoky and tender.
Kadayıf dolması — shredded pastry stuffed with walnuts and drenched in syrup, an eastern Anatolian staple.
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