Ovit Mountain & Ovit Tunnel

Ovit Mountain and the Ovit Pass that crosses it form a historic gateway between the İkizdere district of Rize and the İspir district of Erzurum, linking the Eastern Black Sea to the Anatolian interior. Standing at roughly 2,600 metres, the pass lies on the south-western flank of the Kaçkar Mountains and has served caravans, shepherds and traders for centuries. Beneath it runs the 14.3-kilometre twin-tube Ovit Tunnel, opened in 2018 and celebrated as a “138-year-old dream,” because the idea of a fixed all-weather Rize-Erzurum link dates back to the Ottoman era of the 1880s. Until the tunnel opened, the pass was closed to traffic each year from roughly November to May under heavy snow, cutting the region off in winter; today the tunnel stays open year-round and has ended that isolation.

Nature & Culture

In natural terms, Ovit is one of the most spectacular stages of Black Sea highland (yayla) culture. In summer its glacial trough valleys, alpine meadows, snowdrops, saffron crocuses and countless wildflowers turn the plateaus into a veritable sea of colour. Ovit Yaylası, a traditional highland settlement set amid these meadows, comes alive with summer festivals. Culturally the pass carries both an ancient trade-route heritage and the living tradition of transhumance, while the tunnel is an engineering landmark as Turkey's second-longest highway tunnel and a strategic artery for the regional economy.

Visitor Experience & Route

Tourist value and why agencies favour it: Ovit is a natural rest and panorama stop on the Rize-Erzurum corridor. The summit acts as a viewing terrace ideal for photography, and agencies routinely include it on highland tours and Kaçkar crossing routes. The average visit lasts 45-90 minutes (a photo stop plus a short plateau walk), and in guided programmes it typically falls on an İkizdere-Ovit-Çamlıhemşin or Rize-Ovit-Erzurum day axis. Nearby highlights include the İkizdere Valley, Anzer Plateau (famed for Anzer honey), Gölyayla, the Cimil Valley and Kaçkar Mountains National Park. Prime photo spots are the pass summit panorama, the trough-valley overlook, the flowered meadows and the tunnel portals.

Visiting, Access & Tips

Access is via the Rize-Erzurum D925 road, turning onto the pass road from İkizdere. The tunnel is open year-round, whereas the old pass road itself is passable only in summer (roughly June to October). There is no formal car park, but vehicles can pull onto the wide gravel/asphalt shoulders around the pass and plateau. Tour coaches can reach it, though the sharp switchbacks and steep gradient demand careful driving. Wheelchair access is limited, as the ground is natural terrain with no paved walkways. The best time to visit is once the snow melts and flowers bloom, from July through early September, with peak season in midsummer. In the snow season (November-May) the pass is closed and only the tunnel is used. Recommended route: Rize → İkizdere Valley → Ovit Pass/Plateau (photos and flower meadows) → then continue through the tunnel toward Erzurum or return to İkizdere.