Ayder Plateau and Fırtına Stream: The Green Heart of the Black Sea

The Fırtına Stream valley in Rize's Çamlıhemşin district is one of the places that best captures the Black Sea's highland (yayla) culture and lush nature. Along the valley you find stone arch bridges, Gelintülü Waterfall beside the road and, higher up the valley, Ayder Plateau with its wooden houses. Day four of our Black Sea tour begins with these three stops.

Çamlıhemşin: gateway to the plateaus

Çamlıhemşin is a small district at the entrance to the valleys that climb towards the Kaçkar Mountains. On our tour you arrive in Çamlıhemşin at the end of day three and head up the valley from here the next morning. The district is one of the centres of Hemşin culture; the area's own highland traditions, music and handicrafts live on here.

Fırtına Stream

Fırtına Stream (fırtına means “storm”) comes down from the Kaçkars and is known for its fast flow, which lives up to its name. The valley's best-known sight is the stone arch bridges that have stood over the stream for centuries. With their rounded arches, mossy stones and foaming water below, these bridges are a must in any Black Sea photo album.

The road along the stream passes through dense forest and wooden houses clinging here and there to the slopes. Rafting is known to take place on the stream in summer; however, rafting is not part of our tour programme.

Gelintülü Waterfall

Gelintülü Waterfall on the road to Ayder takes its name (“bridal veil”) from its water, which falls from a high cliff like a fine white veil. As it is right by the road, it is seen during a short photo stop. It flows more strongly in rainy periods and more thinly in dry ones.

Ayder Plateau

Ayder is a plateau settlement set on a green clearing among forested slopes high up the valley. With its traditional wooden houses, meadows and the waterfalls around it, it is one of the best-known plateaus on the Black Sea.

Things to do in Ayder:

• Walking on the plateau: Short walks among the wooden houses and along the edges of the meadows.
• Views: The slopes surrounding the plateau and the mist create an ever-changing view.
• Hot springs: Ayder is also known for its hot springs. Use of the hot springs is not included in the programme.
• Local flavours: Muhlama (kuymak, a cheese and cornmeal dish), highland butter and cheeses, and honey.

How long you stop in Ayder depends on the flow of the day. As Batumi is also on the same day's programme, there is no long plateau walk or overnight stay in Ayder.

On highland culture

On the Black Sea, a yayla is a seasonal settlement where people move up to high pastures with their animals in summer. Many families have a house both in the village and on the plateau. When summer comes they move up to the yayla, and in autumn they return to the village. Although this tradition has changed today, it stays alive through the plateau festivals, music and dances such as the horon. The wooden houses in Ayder also bear the traces of this way of life.

A brief look at Hemşin culture

Çamlıhemşin and its surroundings are home to a distinctive highland culture. The colourful headscarves of local women, tunes played on the tulum (bagpipe) and kemençe (fiddle), and the folk dances performed at plateau festivals are the most visible parts of this culture. Many families from the area are known to have moved to big cities over the years while keeping up the tradition of returning to the plateau in summer. That is why some of the wooden houses in Ayder stay closed for most of the year and come back to life in summer.

If you want to feel this culture up close, the summer months, when the plateau festivals take place, are especially lively. Festival dates are set locally each year and are not tied to our tour programme; if you happen to catch one, consider yourself lucky.

Photography tips

• Photograph the stone bridges from the side, from a safe point on the road rather than from the stream bank; the shape of the arch shows more clearly.
• When photographing the waterfall, take care to protect your phone from water droplets.
• In Ayder, frame the wooden houses together with the slopes and mist in the background.

When to go

The plateaus are at their liveliest in summer, when the meadows are green and the days are long. In late spring, meltwater makes the waterfalls and streams surge. In autumn the forests change colour. In winter the area is covered in snow and reaching the higher parts can become difficult.

Rain is possible in any season on the Black Sea. Mist, meanwhile, is an almost daily guest on the plateaus; it can roll in and clear in moments.

What to wear, what to bring

• A waterproof or quick-drying jacket
• Walking shoes with non-slip soles
• A light fleece or cardigan, even in summer; the plateau is cooler than the coast
• A rain cover for your camera and phone
• A small towel or tissues

For a fuller packing list, have a look at our when to go to the Black Sea and what to wear article.

Respect for nature

The Fırtına Stream valley and Ayder have a fragile natural environment. When taking photos on the stone bridges, remember they have no railings, and don't climb onto the wet rocks by the stream. Take your rubbish with you and don't enter the gardens of plateau houses without permission.

Where this day fits in the route

Fırtına Stream and Ayder are the most nature-packed part of the tour. The day before, you will have seen the calm lake views of Uzungöl; on this day, fast-flowing water, waterfalls and highland meadows show the wilder side of Black Sea nature. Since you cross to Batumi in the afternoon, making good use of the morning is the key to enjoying the stops. You can find the whole route in our places to visit on the Black Sea tour article.

Frequently asked questions

Which province is Ayder Plateau in?

Ayder Plateau is in the Çamlıhemşin district of Rize. You reach it by climbing up the Fırtına Stream valley.

Where is Gelintülü Waterfall?

It is on the road to Ayder and can be seen from the roadside. On our tour it is visited during a short photo stop.

Do you stay overnight in Ayder on the tour?

No. Ayder is one of the stops on day four; Batumi is visited the same day and the day ends in Fatsa.

Can you go rafting on Fırtına Stream?

Rafting is known to take place on the stream in summer, but rafting is not part of our tour programme.