RUGGED CLIFFS AND NARROW TUNNELS
the STONE ROAD in the DARK VALLEY
The Kemaliye Stone Road, also known as Taş Yolu, is the MOST DANGEROUS road of Turkey they said. Sounded exciting and we needed to check it out on the internet. Looked promising and probably easy doable with our Landy we thought – we had to get there, see and drive it ourselves.
The road is located in the Kemaliye district of Erzincan Province in eastern Turkey and is renowned for its dangerous path, winding through the rugged cliffs and narrow tunnels of the Munzur Mountains. The road stretches only about 8 km, has 38 tunnels which are carved directly into the rock of the mountain. A road we read where every turn tests your courage! Let's see!
Entering the DARK – excitement level: 100!
but before...
we reached the Dark Valley and the promising Stone Road, we've been driving through beautiful lush, green valleys and agricultural plains transitioning into a more rugged and mountainous terrain. We encountered rolling hills, orchards, and small villages scattered along the way. As the road nears Kemaliye, the vegetation becomes sparser, with rocky cliffs, steep slopes, and pine forests replacing the open fields.
Erzincan Province is known for its scenic diversity.
Many small villages scattered along the way.
The Karasu River carves his way through some of Turkey’s most dramatic landscapes.
View from our campsite where we camped for a night before we hit the stone road. Can you spot a tunnel?
Let's take the challange.
Here we go.
No lights in the tunnels except some look outs.
Great views into the valley with the Karasu River below.
Excitement level still 100!
Tunnel after tunnel.
132 years of construction
The Kemaliye Stone Road has a fascinating and storied history, deeply rooted in the local community. Originally conceived in 1870, the road was intended to connect the isolated town of Kemaliye to nearby regions. However, due to the challenging mountainous terrain and lack of resources, construction was delayed for decades and was completed in 2002, which meant that its construction lasted 132 years.
Close.
High.
Scary.
Karanlık Canyon aka Dark Canyon and the Karasu River.
Because of very little room for maneuvering through the narrow width of the road and the tunnels, the Stone Road is frequently listed among the world’s most dangerous roads, drawing comparisons to Bolivia’s “Death Road.” However, we did not feel like it was somehow dangerous rather quite fun to drive and very rewarding traveling once more through a unique piece of Turkish history.
TALLYHO
AND THANKS FOR JOINING!
À la prochaine …