Berçelan Plateau

Berçelan Plateau, with its proximity to Hakkari city center and an elevation of around 3,300 meters, is the province's most visited and most accessible plateau destination.

Nature and Herder Life

Its broad, rolling meadows, blanketed in colorful wildflowers in summer, are among the rare places where traditional transhumance life still thrives; from late May onward herders climb here to graze their animals, pitch their tents and produce plateau goods such as milk, yogurt and butter. It is possible to buy fresh milk, yogurt, butter and cheese from the herders, and these products make for one of the most authentic experiences of the visit.

What to See and Do

For visitors Berçelan is both a magnificent viewpoint facing the snowy summits of the Cilo Mountains and an ideal base camp for hiking, picnicking and photography. Within its bounds lies Seyithan Lake, a deep-blue glacial lake formed by accumulated snow and spring water, and the plateau-lake combination is an indispensable link in tour programs. The ease of access makes it one of the rare high-mountain spots that families and large groups can comfortably visit, and day picnics, tent camping and horse rides are popular here. The plateau's broad flats are also ideal for sunset and night-sky photography, and at this altitude with almost no light pollution the stars are clearly visible to the naked eye.

Visiting & Access

Access is by a relatively short drive from Hakkari center, making Berçelan far more reachable by tour buses than Cilo's rugged interior, so it is usually positioned as the first plateau stop of programs. Because of the altitude even summer evenings are cool, and given the proximity to a border province visitors should heed current security conditions and local guidance. The best period is June-September, when the meadows green and transhumance life is at its liveliest, with July-August the busiest visiting season. With its ease of access, herder culture and views of Seyithan Lake, Berçelan Plateau is the showcase of Hakkari's plateau tourism. In recent years ski-resort and infrastructure investments have been raised around Berçelan, aiming to open the plateau to four-season tourism and giving it the potential to become a favored winter as well as summer destination.