Newsletters
High above Türkiye's Black Sea coast, Arsiyan Yaylasi unfolds between 2,600 and 3,500 meters in Artvin's Savsat district, near the Georgian border.
Nearly 20 lakes dot this remote highland, feeding streams that carve through wildflower meadows.
Among them, floating islands drift silently across still water, a phenomenon that draws hikers and nature lovers from across the country and beyond each summer.
At Yuzen Adalar Golu, the Floating Islands Lake, small islets shift position as the wind pushes across the water's surface.
The sight has become the highland's signature attraction, pulling visitors up steep, unpaved roads to witness islands that seem to move on their own.
Deeper into the highland, Boga Golu and Kiz Golu, the Bull Lake and Girl Lake, carry local legends passed down through generations.
Their still, icy waters reflect the surrounding peaks, adding a layer of folklore to the highland's already striking scenery.
As summer settles over Arsiyan, wildflowers spread color across the meadows in shades of purple, yellow and white.
The blooms accompany the trekking routes that wind through the highlands, turning every path into a changing display of the season.
Streams run cold from the highland's glacial-era terrain, feeding the lakes below and threading through the grasslands.
Visitors describe the water as icy even in peak summer, a reminder of the altitude and remoteness that define Arsiyan Yaylasi.
Wide, open meadows and marked trekking parkours give hikers room to move freely across the highland, with panoramic views stretching toward the Georgian border.
The difficult, often rugged access has made Arsiyan a favorite among safari and off-road enthusiasts.
Visitor Cagri Ozakin, who reached Arsiyan after touring Arhavi, Borcka and Savsat's Karagol, called it one of the most impressive places he has seen in Türkiye.
He described the flowers, birdsong and flowing water as sources of a rare calm, adding that the mountain air left him feeling rested despite only a few hours of sleep.
Ceren Ozakin, visiting a highland at this altitude for the first time as part of an Eastern Black Sea tour, said she was struck by both the lakes and the clean air.
She praised the warmth of local residents, saying she left Arsiyan Yaylasi without the words to fully describe how the experience made her feel.
Set as preferred source
