They come from thousands of kilometers away to see the second longest cave in the world.

As the Çal Cave in Trabzon, considered the second longest cave in the world, gains more attention these days, nearly 80% of the visitors are tourists from Gulf countries. Some of the visitors, who were noted to be wearing sweaters while touring the cave, mention that the inside is very cool compared to the outside temperature exceeding 30 degrees.

Since April of this year, the number of visitors to Çal Cave has approached 120,000, especially surpassing 80,000 during the months of July and August.

Located 1,100 meters above sea level in the Çal neighborhood of Düzköy district in Trabzon, Çal Cave was opened to the public in 2003 after various arrangements made by the Trabzon Provincial Special Administration in 2000. The cave, which is said to have developed due to the crack-fault systems within the limestone, reached its current form in two stages. The water carried by the underground river inside the cave varies seasonally, with the depth of the water inside the cave rising to 50 centimeters during rainy seasons. In summer months, this level drops to 25-30 centimeters, and it is noted that the cave is particularly beneficial for asthma and shortness of breath.

On average, over 150,000 to 200,000 people visit Çal Cave every year, particularly experiencing a surge in visitors during the months of July and August, with a noticeable number coming from Gulf countries. About 80% of the incoming visitors are Arab tourists, while citizens from other provinces also express their admiration for the cave they visit.

They felt cold in the summer

Some of the visitors arriving at the cave were noted to be wearing sweaters and cardigans, stating that they felt cold.

Visitor Taner Özlük mentioned that he felt cold inside, stating, “I am coming from Istanbul. It is very beautiful, wonderful, but a bit cold. Our advice to those coming is to take precautions against the cold, but it is worth visiting and seeing. This is my first time here; those coming should dress warmly as it is very cold here.”

Visitor Mahmut Öztürk expressed that he came prepared knowing the cave would be cold, saying, “It is very beautiful, the nature is amazing, it is a wonderful place. We visited and liked it very much. We felt cold inside, but we came prepared because we knew it would be cold. I have never seen a cave like this before. We have Mount Ararat, and we go there, but this place seemed different to us, we liked it very much.”

Visitor Elvan Sivil stated, “This is my second visit, it is very beautiful. We came prepared because we knew it would be very cold. We see that those who did not come prepared feel cold. It is a nature wonder, a perfect place.”