Turkey's Top Caves: A Guide to Exploring Nature's Masterpieces

Berfin Ceren Meray
Onedio Member
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When you think of a cave, what comes to mind? While the Obruks of Paradise and Hell, the Asthma Cave, and the Eshab-ı Kehf Caves may be the most well-known, there are many other important caves to discover in Turkey, dating back to the rich soil structure and third geological time. Join us on a cave tour in Turkey and awaken your inner explorer as we explore these magnificent underground wonders. Our carefully curated list of must-visit caves will prove that Turkey is home to some of the most fascinating and diverse cave systems in the world.

1. Asthma Cave- Mersin

The Asthma Cave, which is believed to be good for asthma patients, is also popularly called the Wishing Cave. Humidity decays between 85% and 90%, the depth of this cave is 15 meters.

Address: Narlikuyu, 33940 Silifke/Mersin

Opening-Closing Time: 08:00-19:00

Working Days: Open every day

2. Tekkeköy Cave- Samsun

It is estimated that people lived  between 10000 and 60000 BC in Tekkeköy Cave, which is considered one of the oldest settlements in the world, and 14 civilizations lived in this region.

Address: April 23, Perforated Rocks Sk. No:50, 55300 Tekkekoy/Samsun

Working Days: Open every day

3. Paradise Hell Cave- Mersin

They are sinkholes formed as a result of the melting of the lime layer and emptying the water in it. We cannot descend into the pit of hell because of its structure and depth. There is a stone-built church at the cave entrance at the base of the paradise obrug.

According to a mythological rumor, Zeus kept Typhon, a fire monster with 100 dragon heads, as a prisoner here before imprisoning him in Mount Etna.

Address: Narlikuyu, 21 km from the center of Silifke district, 33940 Silifke/Mersin

Opening-Closing Hours: 08:00-19:00

Working Days: Open every day

4. Incegiz Cave- Istanbul

Everyone knows Kemal Sunal's movie ‘Salako’. The movie was actually shot in the Inceğiz Cave. The cave area around the cave, known as the first apartment built by human hands, is also used as a promenade.

Address: Ince We are Mh., Velibaba Sk No:7, 34540 Çatalca/Istanbul

5. Cüceler Cave- Antalya

This beautiful cave with a drip stone formation attracts more attention because it is a natural formation. According to the story about the Cave of Dwarves, those who had small animals at that time hid their animals in this cave to avoid paying taxes.

Address: Trucks, 07400 Alanya/Antalya

Opening-Closing Hours: 08:30-19:00

Working Days: Open every day

6. Karain Cave- Antalya

Remains from the Paleolithic age were found in Karain Cave, one of the largest caves in Turkey. The cave is a candidate for the World Heritage list.

Address: Yağca, 07190 Antalya Center/Antalya

Opening-Closing Time: 08:00-20:00

Working Days: Open every day.

7. Damlataş Cave- Antalya

The cave in Turkey is a cave that serves tourism. It is said that the air inside the cave is good for asthma patients.

Address: Çarşı, Damlataş Cd. No:81, 07400 Alanya/Antalya

Opening-Closing Time: 09:00-22:00

Working Days: Open every day

8. Çal Cave- Trabzon

Çal Cave is the second longest cave in the world and there is a historical castle on top of the cave. It started accepting visitors in 2003.

Address: Çalköy, 61390 Düzköy/Trabzon

Opening-Closing Time: 09:00-17:00

Working Days: Open every day

9. Zeus Island- Aydin

Panionion, which was the meeting center of many states in ancient times, is said to have become beautiful by swimming in the water in this cave according to mythological narration in the Zeus Cave located in Güzelçamlıda under its present name Panionion.

According to another rumor, Mary, the mother of the Prophet Jesus, took a break in this cave during a journey and bathed here. It is believed that the water in the cave makes women beautiful.

Address: Guzelcamli, 09430 Kusadasi/Aydin

Opening-Closing Time: Open 24 hours

Working Days: Open every day

10. Gürgüoluk Cave- Bartın

Gürgüoluk Cave, which was declared a Nature Park in 2013, consists of stalactites and stalagmites. You can also come across fossils in the cave from place to place. 

Address: 74310 Makaracı/Amasra/Bartın

Opening-Closing Time: Open 24 hours

Working Days: Open every day

11. Karaca Cave- Gümüşhane

Karaca Cave is waiting for its visitors with its dripstone pools made of Dolomotic limestone, cave flowers and many other natural formations like this. The lengthening period of stalactites and stalagmites by 1 cm is 12 years. When the formations inside are measured, the cave age is estimated to be 15 million years.

Address: Cebeli Village Road, 29800 Cebeli/Torul/Gümüşhane

Opening-Closing Time: 08:30-18:45

Working Days: Open every day

12. Insuyu Cave- Burdur

The water inside the cave, which is considered a first-order natural protected area by the Ministry of Culture, is carbonated.

Address: 15000 China/Burdur Center/Burdur

Opening-Closing Time: 08:00-19:00 (closing time in winter is 17:00.)

Working Days: Open every day

13. Oylat Cave- Bursa

Oylat Cave, which has the property of being the second largest cave in Turkey, has a damlatash pool, stalactites, stalagmites and curtain damlatash formations.

Address: Hilmiye, 16400 Inegöl/Bursa

Opening-Closing Time: 08:00-20:00

Working Days: Open every day

14. Salt Cave- Çankırı

The history of the Salt Cave dates back to the Hittites. It is thought that the cave will be used as a rehabilitation center to provide halotherapy and spelotherapy services depending on health tourism. It is remarkable that the body of the donkey that fell into the cave and died 200 years ago did not deteriorate.

Address: Dede, 18000 Balibagi/Çankırı Center/Çankırı

Opening-Closing Time: 10:00-17:00

Working Days: Open every day

15. Kaklik Cave- Denizli

Because the internal structure of Kaklık Cave is step by step like Pamukkale travertines, it is also known as ‘Cave Pamukkale’. the cave, which has been open to visitors since 2002, has become even more beautiful with the daylight it receives inside and the vines that come to life with the water inside themselves.

Address: Kaklik, Haydar Baba Street, 20240 Honaz/Denizli

Opening-Closing Time: 09:00-19:00

Working Days: Open every day