Explore Northeastern Anatolia
The western Georgian valleys, forming the area around the confluence of the Barhal and Çoruh rivers, are scenically and climatically some of the most favoured corners of the northeast. During the balmy summers, all sorts of fruits ripen and you’re treated to the incongruous spectacle of rice paddies (and further downstream, olive groves) by the Çoruh, within sight of parched cliffs overhead. Functional Yusufeli is gateway to these river valleys, which in their lower reaches can offer Georgian churches near Tekkale and Barhal, plus trekkers’ trailheads higher up at Hevek and Meretet, as well as Barhal.
The rivers themselves are a magnet for visitors, making Yusufeli a popular base for whitewater rafters finishing the challenging runs from İspir or Barhal upstream. Highest water is between early May and late June, when the overseas adventure companies (listed in the “Getting there” section of Basics) run their trips, but there is always at least one local outfitter arranging days out on the spot from May to September.
General tourism has never really taken off in the area, and the stark simplicity of local facilities will appeal mostly to the hardier breed of traveller: you’ll need a steady hand at the wheel – or a strong stomach if you’re a minibus passenger – for the often bumpy, steep rides out to the local Georgian churches.
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Yusufeli
Yusufeli
Straddling the Barhal Çayı just above its junction with the Çoruh, YUSUFELI is a gritty, rather time-warped town living under a death sentence; if funds ever permit construction, it will disappear under the waters of the highest Çoruh dam, and accordingly nothing new has been built here since the 1970s. Traveller opinion on the place is sharply divided: some can’t wait to see the back of it, hitching out at dusk to avoid staying the night, while others, en route to or from the Kaçkar mountains, end up spending a few nights here and making a day-trip up one of the nearby river valleys.
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Rafting and trekking in Yusufeli
Rafting and trekking in Yusufeli
A number of professional rafters have put the Çoruh River at the top of their global list – when the river is at its fullest in May and June, it thumps along at a quite incredible speed, emitting a roar audible all across Yusufeli. A number of rafting outlets operate here, though since tourist numbers can be low even during peak season, many opt instead to organize trips from abroad or agencies in İstanbul. A wide range of itineraries available, from quick three-hour trips to three-day beasts starting in İspir, and trekking around the wonderful Kaçkar Dağları can be just as exciting.
