Altınbeşik Cave, Europe’s largest and the world’s third largest underground lake cave, broke a significant record by hosting 200 thousand visitors in 2024. This unique natural formation, which hosts Turkey’s largest underground lake, attracted great interest from both local and foreign tourists throughout the year.
Located in İbradı district of Antalya, 450 meters above sea level. Altinbesik CaveIt offers peaceful moments to its visitors with its turquoise water and bird sounds. Located in a rocky and forested area, the cave attracts great attention from nature lovers from all over the world, especially British, Russian and Polish tourists.
Altınbeşik CaveIt is located 7 kilometers away from İbradı district and only 4 kilometers away from Ürünlü District. The 2,500-meter-long cave fascinates nature lovers with its unique travertine formations, natural stone bridge and deep waters. The depth of the water inside the cave reaches up to 15 meters in places, and the largest of the travertines has a height of 44 meters.
Altınbeşik Cave National Park: A Karst Paradise
Altınbeşik Cave National Park is located on the western slope of Antalya’s Manavgat Valley. This area offers a stunning view with its karst topography and pine forests. The cave is connected to one of the largest underground water systems in the world, with a length of more than 100 kilometers as the crow flies, feeding the Kızılova, Kambos and Söbüce water resources.
The water of the cave extends underground to Beyşehir Lake. Altınbeşik Cave takes its name from the Altınbeşik Hill above it and displays the geological and geomorphological complexity of the Taurus Mountains. For this reason, scientific research inside the cave has still not been completed.
Open to Visitors at Certain Periods of the Year
Altınbeşik Cave is open to visitors in the summer and early autumn. However, the cave is closed due to rising water levels in spring and winter. The cave, which draws attention with its temperature of 16-18 °C and high humidity, which remains constant in summer and winter, offers a unique atmosphere to its visitors.
Formation and Features of Altınbeşik Cave
Altınbeşik Cave was formed as a result of the erosion and cracking of limestone over the centuries. The cave consists of three different levels, one above the other. While the uppermost part of these levels remains constantly dry, the lower and middle parts become active during rainy periods. This natural process played an important role in the formation of today’s complex structure of the cave.
Altınbeşik Cave ranks third among the largest underground lakes in the world and first in Turkey. A 200-meter section from the entrance of the cave extends to the lower level. The stream at lower and middle levels is of critical importance in keeping the water level balanced.
Transportation to Altınbeşik Cave
Thanks to the latest regulations, Altinbesik CaveIt has become possible to reach it easily with private vehicles. To reach the cave, you first need to go to Ürünlü Village in İbradı district of Antalya. Transportation to Ürünlü Village can be provided through different routes:
Antalya – Ürünlü Village
The distance from Antalya city center to Ürünlü Village is approximately 120 kilometers. While driving on the Antalya-Alanya highway, after passing the Serik district, you turn at the TAĞIL junction and connect to the Antalya-TAĞIL-Derebucak-Konya highway. After passing the Demirkapı Tunnel on this route, you can pass through the Eynif Plain and reach Ormana Village and then Ürünlü Village.
Manavgat – Ürünlü Village
Transportation from Manavgat district center to Ürünlü Village is also very easy and the distance is approximately 45 kilometers. You can arrive at the village by starting from Manavgat and following the same highway via TAĞIL.
Alanya – Ürünlü Village
To reach Ürünlü Village via the Antalya-Alanya highway, you need to travel approximately 90 kilometers. This route also provides advantages with its proximity to other tourist spots in the region.
A Unique Journey: Nature and History Intertwined
The roads you pass on your way to Altınbeşik Cave resemble an open-air museum, with fascinating views of the Eynif Plain and stops such as the historical Ormana Village. You can experience both ease of transportation and travel pleasure at the same time by proceeding with the magnificent nature of the Taurus Mountains throughout your journey.
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