Turkey Guide
The Euphrates and Tigris basin
Nemrut Dağı
A day's journey northeast of Gaziantep, the mountain-top sanctuary at Nemrut Dağı (7.5YTL) is an unforgettable place, remote and grandiose, drawing visitors who make the long journey up the mountainside by minibus and car. The mighty stone heads adorning the temple and tomb of King Antiochus have become one of the best-known images of Eastern Turkey. They are recycled endlessly on postcards and souvenirs, and if you find yourself anywhere within a couple of hundred kilometres of the place, people will naturally assume that you're here to see them.
You'll be told that the best time to visit is at dawn, in order to watch the sunrise. This is debatable, and will probably involve setting out at 2am; upon arriving at the 2150-metre summit you will almost inevitably find that at least several dozen other people are there with the same idea. You might also find that it's quite cold, so come prepared, while if you're visiting out of season check up on weather conditions before you leave, as there's often snow on the ground from late October until May. If you have a choice, it is better to visit at sunset, when it is less chilly and the setting sun illuminates the western terrace in a warm glow.
Finally, if you are here in the last week in June, you can witness the Commagene Festival, when folk dancing and music performances take place on the mountain. See posters in Kahta for details.
Practicalities
You may well find yourself travelling the last few kilometres in a convoy of minibuses and, at first sight, thesummit of Nemrut Dağı often seems to be no more than a parking area full of milling crowds. Just adjacent are a small café, souvenir shop and toilet facilities. The café provides tea, soft drinks and low-alcohol beer, and usually breakfast for groups, but sometimes only has dry biscuits, so it makes sense to bring your own food. They rent out dormitory beds here too (10YTL), but you'd be well advised to bring your own sleeping bag. Far better suited to those ascending from Malatya is accommodation at the comfortable Guneş Hotel (no phone; Price: €14-24), a half-hour walk below the summit site and reachable from the south only on foot. If you are determined, it is possible to visit the site from the Kahta side, then walk down to the Guneş to spend the night, and thence onto Malatya.