Tucked up in the far north-eastern corner of Turkey on the borders with Armenia and Georgia, 60 km from Ardahan, is the huge and glorious Lake Çıldır (Çıldır Gölü).
1959 meters above sea level, it is the second-largest lake in the Eastern Anatolia Region after Lake Van, and the tenth-largest in Turkey, with an area of 123 km².
The nature and beauty surrounding Lake Çıldır draws tourists from far and wide all year round.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.The lake hosts several bird species including seagulls, pelicans, wild geese, cormorants, and ducks. (Gunay Nuh / AA)
The lake attracts thousands of visitors during each season, but it is especially enchanting in winter.
An icy wonderland
Lake Çıldır is almost totally covered by ice in the winter months. It usually starts to freeze at the beginning of winter as the temperature drops to minus 10 degrees during the night. The lake can stay frozen for up to eight months.
One of the things that makes Lake Çıldır unique is that the livelihood of local fishermen and many tourism activities don’t start until the lake is frozen.
Once the ice sheet above the lake thickens to over 25 centimetres, Lake Çıldır becomes a stage for sleigh rides, providing tourists with an unforgettable experience.
A unique way to enjoy the lake is to take a tour on a troika, a traditional Russian sleigh pulled by horses.
Turkey’s”Doğu Ekspresi” (Eastern Express), takes travellers on a magical journey from Ankara to Kars. The route is one of the world’s most amazing scenic train journeys.
The journey takes 26 hours and the popularity of the express is incredible given that it was about to close a few years back.
