Lake Kovada

Kovada is a small lake in a basin south of Eğirdir, fed by a channel carrying overflow from the larger lake and by karst springs, and it became one of Turkey's earlier national parks in 1970. It is a quiet place: forest of pine, juniper, oak and plane runs down to the water, marked walking trails circle parts of the shore and climb into the hills, and there is a picnic area, a small visitor building and very little else. Wildlife is the reason to go slowly - wild boar, deer, otters in the channel, and a long list of birds including raptors over the ridges. The Kovada channel itself, running down from Eğirdir, is a good stretch for walking. Water level fluctuates with irrigation demand upstream, which affects the shoreline. It gets a fraction of the visitors that Eğirdir does and almost none outside Turkey, and the road in from Eğirdir passes through orchards and small villages.

What you'll find

• The lake - still water ringed by forest and hills.
• The shore trails - marked walking routes through the woods.
• The feed channel - the watercourse down from Eğirdir.
• The wildlife - boar, deer, otters and raptors.

When to go

April to June for green and birdsong; September to November for colour and quiet. Summer is hot and the water level lowest.

Practical notes

Facilities are minimal - a picnic ground and toilets. Trails are lightly marked and a map helps. Public transport is poor; a car is effectively required. Water levels vary with irrigation.

Nearby

Lake Eğirdir is 25 km north; Yazılı Canyon is south at Sütçüler.

Key facts