Ayder

Ayder is not a destination in itself for tourists, even though there are even hot springs and modern, a bathhouse for such baths. It is a small village, a typical street block extending for approx. 2 km, which is taken primarily as a base for those, who want to hike in the mountains and nearby yaylach (periodic pastoral villages in the mountains), and also enter Kackar Dagi from this side, that is, from midnight. Those also stop here, what the mountains have just passed from the south. After resting in Ayder, we will head straight to Trabzon.

Drive, orientation, connections

Admittedly, readers will come down from the mountains to Ayder, as suggested by the route, but perhaps some will wish to cross the Kackar Massif from north to south, therefore they would probably come to Ayder from Trabzon, Rize lub Hopa. Independently, from which of these cities will we follow, you need to change to the dolmus to Ayder in Pazara (if we're heading from Trabzon) or in Ardejen (if we travel from the Hopa side). Sometimes you will have to drive up to the village of Camlihemsin, to get in the dolmus to Ayder there.

Village – as already mentioned – extends for a length of approx. 2 km and there is nothing complicated about it. More or less in the middle, a bit south, lies the main square, next to which there is a PTT booth (post) and a few eateries, shops and hotels. This is where the dolmus stops and from there they set off, therefore driving to the Black Sea coast, we will get here to the dolmusz to Pazar (2,3 USD, 50 min), and there we will change to the bus to Trabzon (3,2 USD, 2 at). In high season, there is even a direct bus to Trabzon, one or two a day.

Accommodation

There are over a dozen guesthouses and cheap hotels in Ayder and in summer it is sometimes difficult to find a vacancy, but in the areas of many of them you can put up a tent if necessary. We will find here a few hotels of the "for undemanding" category”, however, it is difficult to find hotels with a higher standard, the most are "cheap hotels".

Hotels for undemanding

Ayder Hilton Hotel is not far from the main square and, contrary to its boastful name, has nothing to do with "Hilton”. It is one of the most modest and cheapest hotels in the village. Not very pleasant toilets and showers in the corridor. Cena: approx. 3.5 USD per person. A very cheap lodger at the bottom.

Otel Pirikoglu, several dozen meters north of the square. The hotel is also cheap, but a bit nicer. Spartan, clean rooms with no bathrooms. Cena: 3,5 USD per person (in the high season it can be a bit more expensive).

Cheap hotels

Hotel Yesilvadi, next to the square, farther north, tel.: (464) 657 20 50. A very pleasant guesthouse with en suite rooms. Reasonable prices: two people – at most 15 USD; breakfast – 2 USD. The restaurant downstairs.

Serender Pension, ok. 400 m up from the center, secluded cottage on the right side of the road, tel.: (464) 657 22 01. High standard of rooms, even though some are without bathroom. Cena (with breakfast): 10 USD per person (out of season there is even Fr. 2-3 USD cheaper).

Cardelen Restaurant & Hostel, at the very end of the village, to the north, towards the mountains, behind the waterfall, tel.: (464) 657 21 84, fax: (464) 657 21 07. Extremely cramped rooms, with gaps in the walls. Downstairs showers and toilets. Too high – for these conditions – cena: 7 USD per person (off season – 4,5 USD). Only the restaurant deserves a mention, serving tasty fish and more. The possibility of using the Internet (3 USD/hour). Object owner, Rare Blacksmith, knows the mountains, at our request, he will be happy to tell you about the many hiking possibilities. He rents tents (10 USD per day) and sleeping mats (2 USD per day).

Gastronomy

There are a dozen restaurants in Ayder; of course they are all clustered on the main road, and most of them are hotel restaurants.

Cise Cafe Restaurant, at the main square, near the post office. Pretty enjoyable, relatively cheap eatery: medium portions 2 USD, the soup costs money 1 USD.

The restaurant next to the Pirikoglu Hotel is the cheapest place in town, serving pretty nice dishes, most for the price below 1 USD. Some may complain about sanitation.

Nadir Restaurant, at the very end of the village, far beyond the last buildings. It's a nice restaurant (also a guesthouse), offering almost all dishes of Turkish cuisine, also tasty fish. Medium portions 3 USD.

Bathhouses

Bathhouses (Bathroom) are located right behind the Ayder Hilton (down the stairs). They are open from. 7.00 -19.00 A bath costs money 2 USD, private cabin – 8 USD. Separate swimming pools for men and women. The temperature of the water flowing from the springs is 56 ° C, but in the pools it does not exceed 40 ° C. It helps with many diseases (skin diseases, stomach et al ), but of course, only regular bathing, for at least a few weeks, may have some effect.

Informant

There are no banks or even an ATM in Ayder, therefore it will be better, if we don't come here with only foreign currency, because yes, the shopkeepers will exchange it for us, but at a very unfavorable rate. At the time of writing at Ayder, there was only one option to use the Internet – in the pension Kardelen (3 USD/hour).

You can buy many souvenirs at the stalls here, of which the most local character is wool socks and scarves as well as scarves characteristic of local women. Small rugs are also very beautiful.