Largest Sinkhole in Turkey: Kızören Gölü

The largest sinkhole in Turkey was a nice stop on the way back from Salt Lake. This plateau (locals call it Obruk Plateau) has many sinkholes and this is one of the better ones. It is in fact the largest sinkhole in Turkey. I really don’t recommend seeing it unless it’s along the way.

Facts about the sinkhole

It is 228 meters across and 171 meters deep.
The water is generally 140 meters deep (according to one local there)
Set in limestone
The water level fluctuates about 10 meters per year

Most online pictures are misleading

The picture above is a true representation of what Kizoren Sinkhole (or as the locals call it Kizoren Lake) looks like. There are so many pictures out there that doctor the picture up to appear with stunning colors. The truth is that it is pretty much as plain as you see it above. You will notice though that the sun shines across the sinkhole and the shades of light will cast slight hues on the water – from very dark red to green. But it’s nothing like those neon colors you see on other sites.

We visited in late August so the water level was comparatively low. The level has been dropping steadily over the years because of groundwater use.

Finding it

It’s easy to miss unless you know what to look for. There should have been a sign saying, “Largest sinkhole in Turkey”, but like most sites, there are no formal advertisements. You just have to stumble across them.

A good land marker is the castle-like structure right beside it called Obruk Inn. It’s an archaeological site* and is in itself worth a visit. The best way to find it is by a google pin. Here is it’s exact location.

The best way to get right close to it is by means of a small dirt road (good enough to drive a rental car) from this turnoff and then driving down close to it.

No swimming, no water removal

There is no way to swim in it. Though the road went right down to the edge of it, there were no paths or steps leading down to the water. The cliffs simply rose straight up from it.

Water removal is banned due to the lowering waterline. Take a look at the machine on the far right of the sinkhole. There is an old pumping station that once served this purpose. Not anymore.

Sinkholes are proliferous here in Turkey so we just had to stop and take a look. It’s good for about a 20 minute stop for a few pictures. Other than that, make it a stop on the way to a bigger destination.

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