Autumn in Macahel Şavşat
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Detail
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northa
In addition to organizing tours, our priority is to accompany people who are excited about amazing landscapes. Experiencing cultures and having fun are our top priorities.
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eco tour
We prefer businesses that prioritize serving with their own products and resources, allowing us to experience the culture of the region we visit and support the local people and their understanding of ecotourism.
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Food
We will choose boutique establishments that best prepare the region's local dishes, which are part of the region's culture.
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Guidance
A deep understanding of the region's history, nature, and culture, as well as a life experience with guides who live in the area.
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Transportation
Our program begins and ends at Rize-Artvin Airport. All transportation in Artvin and Rize is provided by Northa Travel. Our tour starts at 10:00 a.m. from Rize-Artvin Airport and ends at 6:00 p.m. on the last day. For arrival, you can purchase tickets for arrivals no later than 9:30 a.m., and for departure, you can purchase tickets for departures after 7:00 p.m.
Our first stop on the first day is Kamilet Valley, a natural wonder with endemic vegetation. After reaching Arhavi from the coastal road, we follow the Kapistre River to our first stop in the valley: the Historic Twin Arch Bridges, one of the finest examples of stonework, located at the intersection of the Kamilet and Soğucak rivers. After a photo break at the historic bridges, we drive a little further into the valley to the place where we will be hiking. After a hike of light to moderate difficulty, we arrive at Mençuna Waterfall, which feeds the wildlife of Kamilet Valley. After cooling off at the waterfall, we enjoy the view with delicious mountain tea.
After Mençuna Waterfall, we descend from the waterfall for lunch to taste the valley’s most delicious local dishes.
Our next destination is the tranquil town of Şavşat… Our journey, accompanied by stunning natural landscapes, ends at the Yavuzköy viewing terrace, where we can admire the magnificent views of Şavşat. After the viewing terrace, we can take a short walk if we wish and then head to our hotel to conclude our day.
Accommodation: Şavşat
After breakfast, we head to our first stop in the peaceful town of Şavşat: the historic Tibeti Church. After our guide informs us about the history of the church, we take a short walk around Cevizli Village, where the church is located, to see the most beautiful examples of wooden Şavşat houses. Then we enjoy tea, coffee, and conversation at the village café. Our next destination is Balık Gölü (Fish Lake). After arriving at the lake by car, we walk into the forest. We breathe in the Şavşat forests with a light walk. Next, we have lunch, which will make us forget our fatigue. After filling our minds with the scenery along the way and our stomachs with local cuisine, we set off for Sahara National Park. Within the national park, we head to Şavşat Karagöl, a landslide dam lake. We take a full walk around the lake shore. Afterwards, we pass through the Şavşat meadows to our hotel, ending our day.
Accommodation: Şavşat
After waking up to a beautiful morning in Şavşat, we set off on a wonderful nature journey that appeals to all our senses, heading to the untouched landscape of Macahel. Along our route on the green road, villages, streams, forests, and highlands await us in succession. We walk as much as we want and cool off in the streams as much as we want. We go to the Papart plain and the Çurupira highlands in turn. We eat our local dishes, prepared for us, accompanied by the view from the peaks of the Çurupira highlands, which is 100 meters from our natural border with Georgia.
After lunch, our green journey continues. Passing through the villages within the Borçka borders of Macahel, we reach the Maral Waterfall, Turkey’s highest waterfall at 63 meters, fed by streams from the Karçal Mountains. In addition to enjoying the view of the waterfall from a vantage point directly opposite it, those who wish to do so can descend to the bottom of the waterfall. The descent is quite steep and requires careful footing. We take advantage of the benefits of being in a group on the descent, which mostly consists of staircases with railings. Everyone helps each other. We invite the brave ones to the water, which is not actually cold but feels cold due to the wind’s effect as it falls from a great height. We recommend not missing this beauty that you cannot experience anywhere else. As we climb back up the steep path, our bodies, chilled by this experience, warm up.
After enjoying the waterfall, we will visit the oldest mosque in the region, located along our route. Iremit Mosque is a small but unique mosque where woodwork and natural dyes come together. Our next stop is Camili village on the Georgian border and the Georgian border gate located in the village. This border gate is currently off-limits to ordinary citizens but is used when heavy snowfall closes the roads, making it a border gate steeped in stories. After these enjoyable moments, we head to our guesthouse in the village to rest.
Accommodation: Macahel
Waking up in the Macahel Valley, protected by UNESCO as our country’s first and only biosphere reserve, we will start the day with a long local breakfast accompanied by Macahel’s natural honey, which has a flavor you won’t find anywhere else.
After breakfast, our first stop will be Fındık Yaylası, located on the other side of Macahel. We will walk along this plateau road with its wonderful views as we please, picking raspberries and blueberries along the roadside and in the woods, until we reach the top of the plateau. Our next stop after the plateau will be the Nacadirev glacial lake, located at another peak. After swimming in the lake with those who wish to, we will have lunch. Our next stop will be the monumental trees in the Macahel forests. We will reach our monumental trees via a pleasant path and spend time in the heart of the forest before ending our day in this exquisite region and returning to our guesthouse.
Konaklama: Macahel
On the last day of our trip, we wake up in the untouched landscape of Macahel and set off for Borçka. We stop at the Macahel Pass for a view and an oxygen break. While enjoying the scenery, we hope to take some amazing photos, as much as the fog and clouds allow.
Our next stop is Borçka Karagöl, formed after landslides. We take plenty of photos around the lake, accompanied by the magnificent view, and enjoy a beautiful walk. After our Karagöl tour, we move on to lunch. After lunch, we head to the coastal road and visit either a tea production facility, the final stop of our tour, or a beautiful tea shop that produces high-quality tea in the region. In workshops where we can see the stages of tea production, we will learn about the brewing methods of Black Sea tea firsthand and taste various teas.
Following our tea tasting visit, we bid you farewell at Rize Airport, hoping to see you again on another northA tour.
Included Services
- Professional Guidance
- All intermediate transportation
- 4 nights' accommodation
- 4 breakfasts and 4 dinners
- National park and historical site entrances
- Mandatory TURSAB travel insurance*
- Professional and high-quality service with a difference
Mandatory TURSAB travel insurance is not health insurance. For private health and trip cancellation insurance, please contact our office!
Services Not Included
- Single room accommodation per person is different and will be included in the tour price upon request.
- Travel to Rize from anywhere in Turkey and return transportation from Rize
- Personal expenses
- Lunch
- breakfast on the first day and dinner on the last day
- Expenses not specified in the statements
Accommodation
In the Eastern Black Sea region, we prefer boutique hotels that are in harmony with nature and comfortable, in line with the concept of our tours. We may also occasionally choose guesthouses created by the local people with their own resources. These hotels provide good comfort and allow us to experience the culture while exploring the Black Sea.
Single Accommodation
Unless otherwise specified and unless they pay the single accommodation fee, individuals participating in our tours alone will be placed in a room with someone of the same gender.
If participants choose to pay the single supplement to stay alone in a room, single accommodation will be provided based on the availability of the facilities and the order of reservations. In the event of any issues arising due to facility occupancy or late reservations, you will be informed before the tour, and the fee for the day you cannot stay alone will be refunded.
Our tours start from Rize-Artvin Airport and usually begin at 9:00 a.m. For passengers arriving by road, we contact them before arrival to arrange a mutually convenient time that won’t disrupt the program.
Airfare and bus ticket prices are not included in our tour. If our tour is canceled due to insufficient numbers for a confirmed departure, all risks and responsibilities related to tickets purchased by our company on behalf of the consumer are the responsibility of the participant, and the relevant consumer(s) have no right to object or claim compensation.
Our company may transfer the relevant tour registration to another tour taking place on the same dates, with sufficient capacity, where the consumer can use the plane/bus tickets they have purchased, provided the consumer agrees.
A 50% deposit of the tour price is required at the time of booking. The full payment is due 30 days prior to departure.
Our tours may sometimes be combined with another tour that is confirmed to run if the required number of participants is not reached. In this case, you agree to the following conditions:
When the office offers to combine tours and you accept this, the program and conditions of the tour you are joining apply, not those of the canceled tour.
The destinations visited on the tour you registered for may be the same, different, or similar; the difficulty level may be easier, more difficult, or the same.
The accommodation service and type may be different.
The transportation option and flight times may be different.
It is the responsibility of the participants to evaluate whether this tour is suitable for them and to read the tour program, in addition to the information you will receive from our office about the tour you will be joining.
Except in cases of force majeure, NorthA will not cancel the tour unless the relevant tour does not reach the required number of participants. In the event of cancellation by NorthA, only the tour fee will be refunded. Participants may transfer their tour rights to another person up to 7 days in advance.
For cancellations requested by the consumer:
For cancellations made up to 30 days before the start of the tour you registered for, the full payment will be refunded.
For cancellations made 29-15 days before the start of the tour, 50% of the remaining amount after deducting taxes, insurance, etc. will be refunded.
For cancellations made less than 15 days before the start of the tour, no refund will be made to the consumer.
POSSIBLE REASONS FOR CHANGES IN THE TOUR PROGRAM
Depending on the status of the hotels and guesthouses where accommodation will be provided, the program may start in reverse order.
The order of locations visited for sightseeing may change depending on weather conditions.
If locations cannot be visited due to weather and road conditions, another location with suitable conditions will be visited instead.
Northa Travel takes out compulsory insurance, limited to the tour fee, against agency bankruptcy and failure to provide services, as required by law. Personal accident and travel insurance are provided upon request for a fee.
Tour services cannot be provided by any person or institution other than TURSAB member travel agencies. Do not trust pages opened on social media in particular; do not become an accomplice to crime. ASSOCIATIONS, SCHOOLS, COMPANIES, INDIVIDUALS, GUIDES, CLUBS, FOUNDATIONS CANNOT ORGANIZE TOURS! IT IS A CRIME AGAINST THE LAW!
Before the Tour
To ensure this unique experience in nature is perfect, bring along:
Trekking-style shoes, a small backpack, a raincoat or poncho for protection from the rain, shorts or swimwear for those who want to go into streams and lakes, a towel, sunscreen, synthetic fabric pants, a sweatshirt to protect you from the cold, a jacket or fleece (the weather can suddenly turn cold at high altitudes). Also, please do not forget to bring any daily medications you may need.
Please do not bring too many items or large suitcases, as the vehicles we use for tours are minibuses with a maximum capacity of 19 people to reach all locations. Excessive luggage creates problems for the luggage capacity.
