Beşparmak Hiking Trails

Alevkayası Hiking Trail: Alevkayası, a plateau at the foothills of the Beşparmak Mountains in TRNC, is a forested area frequently visited by nature lovers. It is a place preferred by families to have picnics especially on Sundays and holidays. In addition to the picnic area, there are camping areas, walking trails, and bicycle trails. It is also a favorite shooting area for photographers with its natural wonders. With its rugged terrain and vegetation, different plants grow in its nature in every season. Some of these are; sage, thyme, sandalwood, hawthorn, tulumbe, wild carob, mastic tree (şinya) and wild myrtle. Some of the place that can be seen on the walking path with a unique forest and sea view in Alevkayası are; Armenian Monastery, Kyrenia Rock, Andızlı Boğaz, Çatal Ağaç, Viran Kilise hiking trails.

Esentepe Hiking Trail: It extends from the village of Esentepe to the Antifonidis monastery, which is a museum today. The monastery can be visited during working hours. The total elevation difference is 700 meters and its length is 13 kilometers.

Bellapais Hiking Trail: It starts from Bellapais Monastery and includes the surrounding beauties. Its length is approximately 11 kilometers and its elevation difference is 750 meters.

Taşkent Hiking Trail: The walking route starts from the Tashkent picnic area, which is the closest to the TRNC flag, known as the largest illuminated flag in the world. It is a 6.5 km long route that continues from the Maiden's Monastery and Kemerli Kaya to the Buffavento Castle.

TİKA's Contributions

The project was carried out in 2020. Renovation and enhancement works have been carried out to open the existing Alevkayası, Esentepe and Bellapais walking paths to ecological tourism. A new 6.5 km long track was created starting from the Tashkent picnic area, which is the closest to the TRNC flag known as the largest illuminated flag in the world, and extending from the Maiden's Monastery and Kemerli Kaya to Buffavento Castle. On the created track; a wooden bridge, information board, ecological information board, wooden steps, sitting area, forest library, road junction sign, view observation area, online meteorological data collection and wooden bird nests to be mounted on trees and a photo area were built.