Lake Bafa Visit

For all who wish to visit a natural aquatic formation teeming with avian life in southwestern Turkey, this full day tour to Lake Bafa is for you. A freshwater body of water that has a salt laden section, Lake Bafa plays host to various fish and and 224 species of birds. With a few towns situated just south of the lake, the northern slopes are replete with olive trees. Under Mount Latmus, there are known to be 20 different orchids, making this lake a have for botanists and birdwatchers.

At one time, a part of a gulf of the Aegean Sea allowed commerce and fishing for the ancient city of Heraclea (now called Kapikiri). The nearby Büyük Menderes River deposited silt over the centuries that closed the one time gulf off from the Aegean. This promptly led to the city's economic collapse.

On the slopes of the nearby Besparmak Mountains, there are remains of some dozen monasteries dating back to the Byzantine period. Mount Latmus itself sits above the village of Kapikiri, which now caters to tourists, although fishing, agriculture, and beekeeping play an important role in its economy.

On your tour, be sure to inquire about the legend of the encounters between the ancient goddess Selene and Endymion, a lowly shepherd. It is quite a tale that will entice your imagination.

At the end of your Lake Bafa journey, reboard your coach with your guide who will escort you back to the port, but not without leaving you with a longing for a more mysterious time.