Derebucak Çamlik Mağaralari Mi̇lli̇ Parki


The Derebucak Çamlik Mağaralari Mi̇lli̇ Parki (Derebucak Çamlik Caves National Park) is the 47th National Park of Turkey and was established on 07-JUN-2022. It covers an area of 11.47 km². As it is dedicated to caves and other karst features, it is more like a Geopark, hence we have listed it. A National Park has a different status though, it is not specialized on geologic sites, but it also has more legal possibilities to protect its sites. A Geopark is actually an educational and tourism oriented institution, and it only has the possibility to be the expert during political decisions. A Natural Park is an institution of nature protection, and as such it has numerous legal possibilities and a much better funding.

The Balat river flows through the park and vanishes and reappears several times. The park has numerous caves and sinkholes:

  1. Suluin Mağarası (Suluin Cave) is one entrance of a cave, the other is Değirmen İni Mağarası, the cave is used for boat tours ()
  2. Değirmen İni Mağarası (Mill Lair Cave) is the sink of the water which reappears in Körükini Mağarası (37.35172614615921, 31.615115330533786)
  3. Körükini Mağarası (Bellows Cave) is the resurgence of the river Uzunsu which flows through Çamlik, it is 1,320 m long and 30 m deep (37.3486672, 31.6274607)
  4. Balatini Mağarası (Balatini Cave) is a river cave and spring but dry most of the year, the entrance was used to build a platform with glas floor (37.358385, 31.589055)
  5. Asmacıini Mağarası (Asmacıini Cave)
  6. Çocuk Attıkları Delik (Hole They Threw Children In) is vertical and requires climbing and a lot of crawling,
  7. Saklı Uçurum Mağarası (Hidden Abyss Cave)
  8. Derevend Mağarası (Derevend Cave) (37.339989720259894, 31.617175299974054)
  9. Baraj Mağarası (Dam Cave)
  10. Eski Düden (Old Sinkhole)
  11. Dede Tarlası Düdeni (Grandfather Field Sinkhole) is a sink where the polje is drained, it is vertical and requires climbing.
  12. Gavur Beşiği Mağarası (Painted Cave) is only 20 m long and 5 m high, but it is famous for Byzantine era Christian cave paintings, showing Apostles.
  13. Suludere Mağarası (Suludere Cave) is a sinkhole, the river flows into a high and rather narrow portal, inside the form a long cave lake which is visted by boat (37.35098398972841, 31.608469594467458)
  14. Dölek Düdeni (Sourdough Sinkhole)
  15. Döllüköğü Mağarası (Döllüköğü Cave)
  16. Mastaltı Mağarası (Mast Underground Cave) is vertical and requires climbing,

But there is a drawback. All those caves are undeveloped, wild caves, and the park actually advertises cave tours by non-cavers, which is not only bad for the cave, but also dangerous for the tourists.