CILDIR, second largest lake in Kars, eastern Anatolia is frequented by local and foreign tourists.

CILDIR, which is the second largest lake in eastern Anatolia on the Kars-Ardahan border with a surface completely covered with ice, is observed to attract local and foreign tourists. Tourists enjoy riding on sleds on the frozen lake where the thickness of the ice reaches between 30 and 50 cm thickness. Visitors and amateur photographers take plenty of photos on Lake Çıldır to immortalize the beautiful moments.

Visitors comment CILDIR Lake is much more beautiful than seen in photos and emphasize it is so wonderful to have sleigh ride on the frozen lake. Amateur photographers organize regular trips to the lake because it has a wonderful nature and is a beautiful place to take splendid pictures of the nature in white. Most visitors coming to the region prefer to use the Eastern Express.

Some officials from tourism companies note that the region is not yet well known in the western part of the country adding “This region has much more beauties than people can imagine. It’s incredibly spectacular in nature, culture and history. A region beyond dreams … the mountains, the valleys within the mountains, wild animals are all fascinating. The region will become more popular gradually and as a result both the region and tourism companies will benefit from it. This environment creates a new route with its structure that complements tourism. This route will be of great benefit to tourism business and tourists. Once these places start to get popular, not only the tourism people, but everyone in the west will be interested in this culture, nature, history. There is everything here. It has huge potential in every sense”.

It is noteworthy to remind that the Ishak Pasha Palace in the Doğubayazit District of Ağrı, the ruins of Ani in Kars and Kars Castle, the Ardahan and Satan Castle in Ardahan, the monument of the martyred Turks in Iğdır, and The Dragon Caravanserai are among the most important historical values in the northeast of Anatolia.

Çıldır Lake Festival: Also, for those who want to experience this trip to the lake in a festival atmosphere it might be an option to travel here in February to witness the CRYSTAL LAKE FESTIVAL which starts on Feb 10. On said occasion you can view activities on the lake such as sleigh, horse races, horse archery and horse javelin Games, ice skating and ski racing.