The city of Artvin is actually quite worth a visit. Located very high up some steep cliff tops, and the surroundings are actually very pretty. For those interested in trekking and mountain sports, it is a nice place to spend a week or so and explore the nearby valleys and hills, or visit quaint riverside villages such as Yusefeli.
In the morning, I set off from Artvin and travelled to Kars with Yesil Artvin bus company. The bus to Kars does not stop at the bus station of Artvin, but from a roadside stop next to the road to Erzurum and Kars.
The bus journey to Kars will take about 6 hours, passing through some really impressive gorges, river valleys and scenic countrysides before arriving at Kars.
The route taken by the bus driver, however, is different from what I had thought. Instead of going via Şavşat and Ardahan, the bus first goes south, stopping at the Yusefeli junction, then drives through some three hours of windy mountain roads to Gole, before finally turning eastwards towards the Kars and the Caucasus Plateau.
The route taken by the bus driver, however, is different from what I had thought. Instead of going via Şavşat and Ardahan, the bus first goes south, stopping at the Yusefeli junction, then drives through some three hours of windy mountain roads to Gole, before finally turning eastwards towards the Kars and the Caucasus Plateau.
For white water rafting enthusiasts, the Coruh River offers excellent spots for kayaking and rafting.The river is now being dammed up at several places, which greatly reduces the amount of water flowing at any time in the river during the summer dry season.
This region, with its impressive natural beauty and the presence of many former Georgian churches, is definitely worth a visit for those who are interested in off-the-beaten track tourism spots in Turkey.
Copyrights@2010. All text and photos by YC Cheng. All Rights Reserved.
This region, with its impressive natural beauty and the presence of many former Georgian churches, is definitely worth a visit for those who are interested in off-the-beaten track tourism spots in Turkey.
Copyrights@2010. All text and photos by YC Cheng. All Rights Reserved.
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