Situated in Türkiye's northern Kastamonu province, Valla Canyon, dubbed the world's second deepest, Horma Canyon and Ilıca Waterfall have emerged as popular locations, attracting more and more guests every year.
Horma Canyon, which is reminiscent of a natural aquarium created by the Zarı Stream during its centuries-long journey, Valla Canyon, Ilgarini Cave and Pınarbaşı, where Ilıca Waterfall is located, welcomed some 150,000 visitors last year, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported Wednesday.
Valla Canyon with its famous Muratbaşı observation terrace is thought to be "the second deepest canyon in the world" as its depth reaches 1,200 meters (3,937 feet) in some places.
As for Horma Canyon, it has recently been made accessible from one end to the other by a 3-kilometer wooden walkway mounted on rocks.
While passing over the wooden walkway, visitors can witness the canyon's breathtaking beauty. Social areas have been constructed at the entrance of the canyon, providing visitors with resting opportunities.
After passing through Horma, visitors reach Ilıca Waterfall, where water falls down from a height of 10 meters, creating a natural pool.
The waterfall offers a visual feast to visitors all year round and becomes especially attractive during the hot summer months.
Şenol Yaşar, the mayor of Pınarbaşı stated that the district is the flagship of the region in terms of tourism.
Referring to the fame of the region's canyons, Yaşar emphasized that there is no need to go to Arizona in the United States to see canyons as one can find them in Türkiye's Kastamonu.
He also mentioned that during the recent nine-day Qurban Bayram (Eid al-Adha) holiday, they had a busy period with 60,000 visitors to Horma Canyon.
Yaşar expressed optimism, noting they aim to surpass last year's numbers and continue to grow and develop in terms of tourism in Pınarbaşı.
"There are four months until the end of the season. Like this, we hope to excel beyond last year's figures," he said.
The mayor also touched upon the investments made in the region, including a steel profile giant cliff swing and glass terrace, and said that the opening of these areas will increase the number of visitors further.
Moreover, he noted they are planning to establish a connection between the district and the sea. Although they cannot bring the sea directly to Pınarbaşı, they are working on a road project to shorten the distance to the sea from 120 to 60 kilometers, which will allow the district to be at the center of both cultural tourism in Safranbolu and the sea tourism in Cide.
As a result, Pınarbaşı is expected to continue growing and developing in terms of tourism.
Visitors to the area expressed their admiration for the natural beauty of the canyons and Ilıca Waterfall, emphasizing that the region is a must-see place with its unique landscape.
Aslı Kuş, who came from Bartın to visit with her husband and friends, emphasized that they admire the region and said: "We have only walked for about 1 kilometer, but we have encountered magnificent views. We liked the size of the canyon. The depth of the canyon, the flow of the water is very remarkable."