Kapuzbaşı Waterfalls

Kapuzbaşı is unusual in that the water does not come over the top of anything: it emerges directly out of the limestone cliff face, partway up, where an underground karst system fed by snowmelt from the Aladağlar reaches the surface, and falls from there in a set of separate streams - seven is the number always quoted, though how many are running depends on the season. The tallest are around seventy metres, which puts them among the highest falls in the country. They pour into the Zamantı river at the bottom of a deep valley on the eastern side of the Aladağlar national park. Flow is entirely snowmelt-driven, so late spring and early summer are the season and by autumn the falls are much reduced. The obstacle is access: the road from Yahyalı is long, narrow and rough, taking a couple of hours over the mountains, and it keeps the place empty even in July.

What you actually see

• The cliff springs - water emerging from the rock face itself.
• The seven falls - separate streams down the wall.
• The Zamantı valley - the river the falls feed below.
• The Aladağlar - the range the meltwater comes from.

When to go

May to July, at the height of snowmelt. By late summer and autumn the falls thin considerably and some stop entirely.

Honest expectations

The mountain road is rough and long - a high-clearance vehicle is advisable and the drive is several hours from Kayseri. Facilities are minimal. Flow depends entirely on the snow year.

Nearby

The Aladağlar national park is above; Yahyalı is the nearest town with services.