Given its remote location amid Turkey´s wildest, highest and most alpine mountain range, a whopping 1,818 kilometers southeast of Ýstanbul but just 75 kilometers north of the border with troubled Iraq, it´s hardly surprising that few travelers venture as far as Hakkari.

The way many guidebooks write of the place is enough to put off most would-be visitors, too. "Wild Hakkari," "the positive dead-end of Turkey," "a sprawling building site of a place" and "a depressing concrete town" are just some of the dubious descriptions that must weigh heavily on even the most enthusiastic of local tourist officials. Of course there is more than a grain of truth in these assertions. Hakkari, the smallest provincial capital in the land, has expanded into a shapeless muddle of apartment blocks, largely a result of the influx of villagers forced from their ancestral mountain homes in the 1980s and 1990s by the conflict between the Turkish security forces and the Kurdistan Workers´ Party (PKK).

More: http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=169785&bolum=117

********

Hakkari, one of the places on my to-go-list in Turkey. But indeed safety reasons kept me so far from going there. Hopefully I dare to in the future.

 In the name of observing the very south eastern district of our beautiful fatherland, Hakkari both has a lot to watch over and write down...I can say that you dont have to worry about the safety as the citizens of the city are good examples of Turkish hospitality ...On the contrary to the ones who say poverty has taken the control of the city, you will have the chance to see a real Porsche out there

 But isn´t it a little too close to the border with Iraq, Kurt? Isn´t that dangerous?

 Yeah, the city is very close to the borders...I can also add that means of living in the region is smuggling... So unless one has any stuff to do with those, there is nothing to worry about...The terrorists nestle only in mountains and villages close to mountainous areas and they actually dont have anything to do with the civilian people.

From Van we went as far as Hoþap Kalesi which is on the road to Hakkari. We passed through a couple of checkpoints but it didn´t feel unsafe. We were in a minivan with guys who were travelling on to Hakkari and were very friendly towards us.Like you said though,Trudy,the guidebooks don´t exactly ´big it up´

Oh, it´s not that I´m looking for luxury or touristy stuff, a bed with clean sheets and a lock on the door in a hotel will do fine. I´ve read only the nature is reason enough, so stunning. But.... you said ´we were´ and I always have to say ´I was´..... I guess that´s the difference. Maybe I´m wrong, if so my apologies, but I do not think I would feel very safe now travelling solo as a woman in that area, the region is not known for it´s most modern views of life, is it?

No,I agree, I wouldn´t blame you for not wanting to go there alone!

(PS-we don´t go for luxury either and some of the places we have stayed haven´t even had clean sheets or a lock on the door!!)

I can only nod to what Kurt has to says about safety.  It´s not a problem at all.

Most of the smugglers mentioned (that I know of) live in remote villages, and some in Van. And they´re not dangerous at all, by the way

I always feel safe as houses in Hakkâri, if anything it´s the army that makes me uncomfortable.

Even though it´s not a mecca for tourists, I have seen some there. No one can deny the beauty of the region, and as for accomodation, there´s always Þenler Otel.

Trudy by the way I always venture around on my own in Hakkâri, but never in Van. The only downside is that you may have some children running after you, trying to speak english

If you go there on one of your next trips and need some company let me know.

Shame on you Trudy. Are you scared to mix with real people?

I had once adviced you guys that the proper thing to do when you see uniformed soldiers approachimg is to wave your arms and greet them by shouting "Biji Apo ! ". Alternatively, if you come across hunters in guerilla outfits, simply holler "Kahrolsun PKK ! " and remain still.

My advice still holds.

Will you accompany me Alpha? As a vulnerable woman I need the protection of a real man!

 More of a grunting neanderthal.....

 As long as he defends me with his club I don´t mind - not even when he only wears a bearskin....

Do not fear Trudy. Just follow my advice; they can not resist your charm....

No, Alpha, I really need a real man besides me (in front of - being obeying?) in that area. Not so many real ones around here, but YOU are....!! So please help me!

Submit your photographed resume pls. I might take the job !

I hope it is not late for me to have some questions about Hakkari region too

I want to visit that region with my father during out tour of Turkey on bicycle, we are sleeping under the tent on place where we finish that evening.

We want to visit mountains close to Hakkari

I want to ask you if there are some movement restrictions for foreigners (tourists) if is possible to get small roads to high mountains without problems with Jandarma. I heard that there is lot of controls from Jandarma. I want to know if there are some restricted areas. Or it is depended only on mood of Jandarma which we will met.

I have no fear from some inhabitants or some Kurdish people there beacuse Turkish people was best think I ever met when we was just in Turkey this year and last year.They are very cheerfull and nice with us. Even some Jandarma control we just met was OK.

But exactly I would regrats if Jandarma do not let us visit some mountains.

That part of way which I am interested in is Tatvan-Hizan-Bahcesaray-Gurpinar-Geziyurt-Ordekli-Tatli-Dibekli-Akocak-Kolbasi-Kirikdag(there we want to take road to cilo mountains)-Hakkari-Yoncali-Uzungecit-Baglica-SIrnak

During that we want to visit even some mountains part by foot e.g. Bercelan, during way between Gurpinar and Hakkari http://www.panoramio.com/photo/6141747
this valley in cilo mountains http://www.panoramio.com/photo/6141688

If someone know that or can discover how is it with that I would be beholden to you.

Thanks a lot

Mario 

A quick search on the internet reveals terrorist activity is still going strong in Hakkari and the venue is invariably the mountains of Hakkari. Traveling to those mountains on bicycle would be asking for trouble. It is dangerous to say the least. You might fall victim to a sniper or a stray bullet.

I understand everyone is entitled to traveling to any part of the world but that would sometimes be impossible in practice. I would suggest Cappadocia or Nemrut as two excellent alternatives. In Cappadocia you could trace the roots of the first Christians who fled from torture and oppression. You could visit the ancient underground dwellings that extend for kilometers through 7-9 stories of galleries carved through soft stone. Nemrut happens to be the cradle of the Kommogene civilization and the giant king head sculptures remained from them. They say Nemrut is one of the best places to watch the sunrise or the sunset. Incidentally, Seytansofrasi in Ayvalik is another excellent place for sunset watchers.

Good luck.