Not the Swiss Alps, but Merg Plateau on Mount Munzur

Two travelers coming from Ankara to Erzincan traveled miles to see the photo they saw on social media. Nature lovers likened Merg Plateau, which they reached after about a 5-hour walk, to the Swiss Alps. Located at an altitude of about 3,000 meters on the slopes of the Munzur Mountains between Erzincan and Tunceli, Merg Plateau is currently hosting local and foreign nature lovers. Merg Plateau, which is a region with a rich animal population including various flowers and endemic plant cover, as well as protected species such as wild goats, ibexes, brown bears, lynxes, bezoar goats, wolves, foxes, and red-legged partridges, offers an unparalleled natural beauty and a magnificent area for camping for nature lovers. The Munzur Mountains, located in the middle of Erzincan and Tunceli where peace and security have been established by eliminating terrorism, have turned into a hidden paradise these days. Munzur Mountains, at an altitude of 3,300 meters, where snow at the summit, colorful flowers blooming in the plateaus, and flowing streams coexist, attract local tourists, photographers, and nature enthusiasts who go on nature walks (trekking). Those who discovered Merg Plateau and Green Lake for the first time via social media enjoyed the nature by walking through snow and streams in the flowering season of the plateau, with a round trip route of approximately 10 hours. Merg Plateau, becoming a popular destination for campers, and the glacial lake Green Lake continue to attract the attention of nature lovers day by day. Ali Aksakal and İsmail Ulker, who reside in Ankara and came to the region after seeing Merg Plateau on social media, stated to the IHA reporter that the scenery they saw is no different from the Swiss Alps, saying, ‘This is Merg Plateau located in the Munzur Mountains in the Erzincan region. We were very curious about this place. We saw pictures of it on social media. We came from Ankara to discover this place. This place is really worth seeing. Anyone who is curious about this region must definitely come and visit. Everything is very natural. The flowers are colorful. The greenery, the mountain, the water, everything is pure and fresh. We loved it here. It’s no different from the Swiss Alps. You can reach here after a moderate level walk by leaving only our footprints without harming nature.’