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Karagol National Park
Location: The park is situated within the borders of Savsat and Artvin provinces, and is spread over the plateaus of Karagol and Sahara.
Transportation: By road, the old Georgian town of Savsat is 45km south of Karagol, and 17km from Sahara.
Highlights: The area around Karagol is Paleocene or neocene and is separated by valleys, with cracks causing landslides, and dense forests with spruce trees and pines. The area at the northeast of the lake, around Bagat, is good for grass-skiing.
The Sahara Plateau has a geological structure formed by the basalt cover of the region. The ground in this area breaks easily, which causes the slope to increase. The forests here have spruce and fir trees, and Scotch pines in the lower regions.
The area around the Kocabey Plateau has plant species from the Alpine zone. Around the River Resat, at an altitude of 1800m, there is a Pancar (beetroot) festival every year during which many visitors come to participate, which in turn gives a significant economic boost to the area.
In order to protect the natural beauty of the area, National Park status was granted to 3766 hectares in 1994.
Facilities: In the Karagol area, there is a lodge providing accommodation for 12 people.
Hatila Valley National Park
Location: Hatila Valley is a branch of the River Coruh, in the province of Artvin.
Transportation: Transport to the park is via a 10km road from the centre of Artvin.
Highlights: The valley is v-shaped, narrow based, with inclination cracks which cause the waterfalls. There are parts of the valley where the slopes are almost vertical. The vegetation is rich and dense in the middle and upper regions, with over 500 species of plants, reflecting the Mediterranean characteristics.
The wide variety of fauna in the Halita valley includes bears, pigs, foxes, badgers, wild goats, sparrow hawks, eagles, jackals, vipers and trout. It has geographical characteristics quite unique to Turkey, caused by its unusual geological and geomorphologic structure that has helped to create the beautiful landscape.
Facilities: It is possible to stay in the park, either in tents, caravans, or bungalows, or use Artvin as a base for accommodation.
Efeler Nature Reserve
Location: The park is near Camili, near the Georgian border, and 50km northeast of Borcka, in the district of Artvin in the Eastern Black Sea province.
Transportation: The park is accessible via Borcka, and Artvin which is connected by a good bus service. The nearest airport is at Kars.
Highlights: The Camili-Efeler Forest is the most untouched forest ecosystem in Turkey and Europe. There are many species of trees including beech, fir, spruce, horn-beam, chestnut and alder, plus certain types of oak. The river basin in the area is on the migration route of birds of prey.
Gorgit Nature Reserve
Location: The park is near Camili, near the Georgian border, and 50km from Borcka, in the district of Artvin in the Eastern Black Sea province.
Transportation: The park is accessible via Borcka, and Artvin, which is connected by a good bus service. The nearest airport is at Kars.
Highlights: The Camili-Gorgit forest has many very old and huge trees, including species of fir, spruce, beech, horn-beam and alder. The river basin in the area is on the migration route of many species of birds of prey.
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