Daily Erzurum Tour – Palandoken, Narman Fairy Chimneys & Tortum Waterfall

Daily Erzurum Tour — Mountains, Red Rock Chimneys and a Thundering Waterfall

This guided day trip from Erzurum combines three of Eastern Anatolia's finest natural sights: Palandoken Mountain, the red Narman Fairy Chimneys and the mighty Tortum Waterfall, all in one well-paced loop. You are collected from your hotel, Erzurum Airport or the city centre in the morning and spend roughly ten to twelve hours travelling through high plateaus and quiet villages with a licensed English-speaking guide, returning to Erzurum in the early evening.

The day opens on the slopes of Palandoken Mountain, which rises directly above the city. You drive up to the Palandoken Ski Center area for short nature walks and panoramic viewpoints over Erzurum, with the option of a tea or coffee at a mountain cafe. A scenic two-hour drive then crosses the rolling countryside of Eastern Anatolia to Narman, where wind and water have carved the rare red-hued rock pillars known as the Narman Fairy Chimneys. An easy trail winds between the formations, and your guide adds geological background and local legends at the best photo spots. After a lunch break at a local restaurant in the Narman or Tortum area, where you can try regional dishes at your own expense, the tour continues to Tortum Waterfall.

Tortum Waterfall is one of the tallest and most powerful cascades in Turkey, at its most dramatic in spring and early summer when snowmelt swells the river. From the viewing terraces you can watch the water plunge into the gorge, take photographs and enjoy the cool spray, and when time allows the tour adds a stop at the Tortum Lake viewpoint. This daily excursion from Erzurum is ideal for nature lovers and photographers, involves only moderate walking, and is best enjoyed between April and October.