
Where Is Güzeldere Geçidi?
Turkey, europe
1 km
N/A
hard
Year-round
Okay, buckle up for Güzeldere Geçidi in Turkey's Van Province! This mountain pass straddles the Gürpınar and Başkale districts in the southeast, and it's a wild ride.
This fully paved stretch, part of the old highway, used to be a total driver's nightmare, especially in winter. Think super-narrow curves, sharp bends, and a history of accidents. The climb gets pretty intense, hitting a maximum grade of 6%. These days, much of the traffic goes through the nearby 3,100m tunnel.
This section clocks in at roughly, and it's still used by plenty of trucks hauling goods between Hakkari, other districts, and Van.
Word to the wise: at this altitude, heavy storms and snowfalls mean the road often closes down during the winter.
Want to go even higher? There's a communication tower and some military installations northeast of the pass. The road is paved but steep, with five hairpin turns that will put your driving skills to the test. It's a 1km (0.62 miles) climb with an elevation gain of 84 meters, averaging around a 8.4% gradient. Get ready for some serious views!
Road Details
- Country
- Turkey
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 1 km
- Difficulty
- hard
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