Best Time to Visit the Black Sea Highlands of Turkey

The Eastern Black Sea is Turkey's green corner: tea terraces above the coast, spruce forests, wooden plateau villages and lakes like Uzungöl and Borçka Karagöl. It is also the rainiest region of the country, so timing matters more here than anywhere else in Turkey.

Mid-May to June: green and quiet

The valleys are at their greenest, waterfalls are full and the roads to lower plateaus such as Ayder are open. Higher plateaus can still have snow in May. It is a great time for photographers and for travellers who prefer quiet villages.

July and August: plateau season

This is the classic season. Shepherd families move up to the yayla (summer plateaus), the roads to Pokut, Sal, Kavrun and Gito are open and the famous sea of clouds over Fırtına Valley is most likely in the early morning. Many villages hold plateau festivals. It is also the busiest period at Uzungöl and Ayder, which is why a private tour that starts early and stays overnight on the plateaus makes a big difference.

September to mid-October: autumn colours

Crowds drop after the summer holidays, the forests turn gold and red and the light is soft. Some plateau houses close at the end of September, so check the route if you want to sleep on a plateau.

Winter

Coastal Trabzon and Rize are mild, but most plateau roads are closed by snow. That is why our private Black Sea tours run daily from 15 May to 15 October.

Practical tips

Pack a light rain jacket in every season – showers come and go quickly. Fly into Trabzon (TZX) or Rize-Artvin (RZV); both have daily flights from Istanbul. And consider adding Batumi in Georgia: the Sarp border is about three hours from Trabzon.

Which month is best for the sea of clouds? July to September, early in the morning on Pokut or Huser plateau.

Is June too rainy? Showers are common but rarely last all day, and the landscape is at its greenest.