Cappadocia Salt Lake; It is worth mentioning at the beginning of our article. Although it is thought to be in the Tuz Gölü Cappadocia region by foreign tourists, this is not true. But Salt Lake is not far from Cappadocia. When you visit Cappadocia, you can go to Salt Lake with just a few hours’ journey.

Salt Lake, a bird paradise located within the borders of Aksaray province, is a natural lantern that hosts hundreds of bird species with shelter, wintering and hatching opportunities. Salt Lake, which hosts many bird species, also attracts attention with its endemic plants. Tuz Gölü is one of the richest basins in Turkey with the presence of birds living in the small lakes and marshes around it.

While this region is on the migration route of wild birds, the absence of an important wetland in the middle of the steppe except Tuz Gölü and its surroundings directs the migratory birds to Salt Lake. The lake, which does not freeze in winter due to its high salt content, is also a good shelter for migratory birds.

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Where is Salt Lake?

Cappadocia Salt Lake; Salt Lake is a salt lake located at the intersection of Ankara, Konya and Aksaray provinces in the Central Anatolian Region of Turkey. 40% of Turkey’s salt need is supplied from this lake. Salt in Tuz Gölü is formed when meteorological waters infiltrate underground, dissolve previously formed salt domes and carry them to the surface along tectonic lines.

Cappadocia To Salt Lake

How Was Salt Lake Formed?

Cappadocia Salt Lake; The area where Tuz Gölü is located was generally formed by some tectonic movements. The east, west and south sides of this basin, which is buried between plateaus, are surrounded by faults. Along with the rain water, it is fed by Peçenek, Melendiz, Karasu, Kırkdelik and İnsuyu streams.

Salt Lake, a bird paradise located within the borders of Aksaray province, is a natural lantern that hosts hundreds of bird species with shelter, wintering and hatching opportunities.

Features of Salt Lake

Cappadocia Salt Lake; If we talk about the characteristics of the Tuz Gölü, the Salt Lake with a precipitation area of ​​11,900 km² is a closed basin lake with no outflow. Despite the width of the precipitation area, the nutritional resources are weak. The region is among the areas with the lowest precipitation in Turkey with an average annual precipitation of 324 mm/m².

Towards the end of summer, it is possible to walk between the Kaldirim Saltpan and the opposite shore. In this season, the salinity rate reaches a remarkable 329 per thousand. In terms of chemical composition, a saltiness in the character of kitchen salt (sodium chloride) is dominant here, and the sodium chloride ratio is higher than the magnesium chloride and sodium sulfate ratios.

Cappadocia Salt Lake; The average water level of the lake is around 40 cm, and in May, when precipitation increases, it is approximately 110 cm. In August, the lake dries up to a large extent. The high salt content causes salt sedimentation of 10-30 cm, which is renewed every year in most of the lake area as a result of evaporation.

Towards the end of summer, it is possible to walk between the Kaldirim Saltpan and the opposite shore. In this season, the salinity rate reaches a remarkable 329 per thousand. In terms of chemical composition, a saltiness in the character of kitchen salt (sodium chloride) is dominant here, and the sodium chloride ratio is higher than the magnesium chloride and sodium sulfate ratios.

Cappadocia Salt Lake

Animal and Plant Species Found in Salt Lake

Cappadocia Salt Lake; Another feature that makes Salt Lake and its surroundings privileged, which is a resting, feeding and wintering area for birds, is that it is an important incubation area. In the lake, flamingos, cranes, wild goose, axilla, angut and similar birds, as well as plovers and wild ducks live in groups. In the small lakes, ponds and swamps around the lake, swamp terns, terns, angut and gull species continue to live.

Cappadocia Salt Lake; While many salty and drought-resistant endemic plant species, which are not seen anywhere in the world, are found around the lake, many animal species also live in the region. The plant community that has adapted to the salt pan formed in the closed basin of Tuz Gölü is also located here. Halophyte plants adapted to living in such areas are very rich in Eskil and Eşmekaya salt flats.

What to do in Salt Lake?

Cappadocia Salt Lake; What you can do around Salt Lake is limited, but it’s just as enjoyable. The most beautiful activity to do is to take off your shoes and walk in the whiteness that extends as far as you can. Even if you advance for hundreds of meters, the depth of the lake does not exceed knee length.

Another activity is to get past the harsh noon light of Salt Lake and go in the afternoon and take pictures until the sunset. Especially, if you open up a little from the shore where people enter the water and proceed to the point where there are no water ripples due to the movement, you can take beautiful reflection photos that will surprise even yourself. The lake, which is shallow and still, allows to take the most beautiful reflection photos in the world as well as sunset photos.

Cappadocia Salt Lake; If you want to do bird watching, you should take the necessary and appropriate equipment (binoculars, telephoto camera) with you and choose the time when flamingos come to the area and hatch. It is possible to see other bird species besides flamingo in the vicinity.

If you are a self-indulgent person, take your folding table and chair with you, set it up by the lake or in the water, and sit and enjoy the sunset.

What is the Legend of Salt Lake?

Cappadocia Salt Lake; There used to be a vineyard in the place where Salt Lake is located. The old woman who owned the vineyard was wicked. One day, one of the hottest days of the summer, a dervish was passing by and he wanted only a branch of grapes in order to cool off with the effect of the heat.

The old woman said, “I couldn’t buy grapes this year and my vineyard is dry” and did not give any grapes. Thinking that the old woman was lying, the dervish made a curse saying, “Then be a piece of ice, let every passer-by stone you”, and at that moment the woman turned into stone. Everywhere, including the vineyard area, has become a salt lake.

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How to Get to Salt Lake?

Cappadocia Salt Lake; If you are coming from Ankara, the distance between Ankara and Tuz Gölü is 149 km. You can reach the Salt Lake in about 1 hour and 40 minutes with your private car or by renting a car. You can reach the shore of Salt Lake by following the Ankara-Konya road to the district of Şereflikoçhisar and then following the signs.

Cappadocia Salt Lake; If you are coming from Konya, the distance between Konya and Tuz Gölü is 169 km. You can reach Salt Lake in 2 hours and 13 minutes with your private car or by renting a car. You can reach the lake by turning right at the Konya junction and going to Cihanbeyli district and following the signs again.

How to Go to Salt Lake from Cappadocia?

Cappadocia Salt Lake; The distance from Cappadocia to Salt Lake (although it varies according to the region you are in Cappadocia) is approximately 180 km. This journey takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes by car. You need to go towards Aksaray-Şereflikoçhisar way with your vehicle.

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