Yedigoller National Park Day Trip from Ankara – Seven Lakes Nature Walk

Yedigoller National Park Day Trip from Ankara: Seven Lakes, Forests and Viewpoints

The Yedigoller National Park day trip from Ankara takes you away from the capital's traffic into one of the loveliest woodland landscapes of northern Turkey. In the mountains of Bolu province, seven small lakes lie strung along a valley of pine and beech, linked by streams and little waterfalls. This guided day tour covers the walk between all seven, a relaxed picnic lunch and the best lookout points, with hotel pick-up and drop-off in central Ankara.

• A guided nature walk past all seven lakes, from Buyukgol to Incegol
• Pine and beech forest trails, streams and small waterfalls
• Picnic lunch box with complimentary tea
• Panoramic terraces at Kapankaya, Atmaca and Ayi Kaya
• Free time by the water or in a forest cafe
• Round-trip transport and national park entrance included

Yedigoller, literally the Seven Lakes, is a protected forest area in which Buyukgol, Deringol, Seringol, Nazligol, Sazligol, Kurugol and Incegol follow one another down the valley. The woodland around them shelters wildlife and a rich bird life, and the park is especially photogenic in autumn, from September to November, when the beech leaves turn gold and red. Walking is easy to moderate and suitable for most ages.

As a daily excursion this is a long but rewarding outing: the drive takes around three hours or more in each direction, and the park is usually cooler than Ankara, so bring a jacket, comfortable shoes, water and a camera. Toilets, picnic tables and a snack cafe are available inside the park. For travellers looking for a nature-focused daily tour from Ankara, the Yedigoller day trip is a perfect contrast to the city's museums and monuments.

Photo credits: Hamdigumus (CC0, Wikimedia Commons); Duyguceltikli (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons); Mustafa Emre Gündüz (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons); Endersenkaya (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons); Muzocat (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons); Michael Kam Barngrover (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons); Hamdigumus (CC0, Wikimedia Commons)