Nigde - Aladaglar National Park

NATIONAL PARKS

Location: The Aladaglar national park is in the province of Nigde, south of Kayseri, and lies 30km from Yahyali.

Transportation: The park is adjacent to the main highway from Nigde to Kayseri, and can also be accessed from Yahyali.

Highlights: Inside this huge park of around 55,000 hectares, the summit of Demirkazik at 3756m is the highest point in the middle Taurus mountain range. There is a huge range of flora and fauna, and visitors may fish in the streams full of trout. Wildlife includes wild goats, bears, lynx and sable.

The park has extremes of climate, with hot summers and very cold and snowy winters, with snow-capped peaks throughout the year. There is also a huge difference between night and day temperatures, with the lake usually freezing at night yet can reach up to 30°C during the day.

The most common species of plant life is black pine and cluster pine trees, with some cedar dotted between, and fir trees in the northern areas with higher humidity. The Alpine region, from the upper borders of the forest, has pastures with rocky areas and little variety of plant life because of the high altitude and slope.

Facilities: The park has been designated a protected area for wildlife, and there is a specific space for breeding animals. Camping is possible in the park, although there are plans to develop the area and improve the campsite, and create marked trekking and climbing routes. Trout fishing is allowed, and fish is also for sale from the trout production farms around the various rivers.