
Mihaliç Tepe in Karaman: The Ultimate Road Trip Guide
Turkey, europe
11.8 km
2,238 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, adventure seekers, buckle up for Mihaliç Tepe! This extinct volcano soars to 2,238 meters (7,342 feet) in the heart of Turkey's Karaman Province.
Forget smooth asphalt – the road to the top is a wild, unpaved ride that demands a high-clearance vehicle. Seriously, this track is narrow and unforgiving! Keep your fingers crossed you don't meet anyone coming the other way, because you might be reversing for a kilometer to find a place to turn around. Just north of the peak, you can explore the ruins of a Byzantine church, chapel, and monastery.
The summit itself is home to a TV transmitter station. Starting from the village of Madenşehri, the climb stretches for 11.8 km (7.33 miles) with a whopping 957-meter elevation gain. That's an average gradient of 8.11% – get ready for some serious uphill action! But trust me, the views are worth the white-knuckle drive.
Road Details
- Country
- Turkey
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 11.8 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,238 m
- Difficulty
- hard
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