Sancak: Discover Landscape and History

Two themes give Sancak a distinctive character: the striking rock formations of Buban Bacaları near Oğuldere and the Historic Urartu Trail, which runs through Sancak. One leads to a landscape feature, the other to a route with a history that is believed to span several places. Together, they help you decide which aspects to focus on during your trip.

Buban Bacaları: Rock Formations and Views

Buban Bacaları is located in Oğuldere, in the municipality of Sancak. These striking geomorphological formations stand out for their natural beauty and scenic appeal. Their cone-shaped rock formations consist of tuff layers. It is thought that floods or high water flowing down the valley slopes and wind eroded the rock, shaping the distinctive forms seen today. This explanation remains a hypothesis.

Local and international visitors come to Buban Bacaları especially in spring and summer to take photographs and enjoy the views. If you want to plan your trip around the stated visiting season, these two seasons are the obvious reference point. The landscape is the main attraction: the cone-shaped rocks and their surroundings define the character of the place.

Getting There and Road Conditions

The Buban Bacaları site can be reached from the Bingöl–Sancak road near Sudüğünü and is about 10 km east of the highway. The connecting road is of a very low standard and is damaged in many places. As its condition may change, check current road conditions before setting out.

The Historic Urartu Trail through Sancak

The Historic Urartu Trail runs from Karakoçan through Kığı and Sancak to the Karacehennem Forests in Karlıova. It is believed that the Urartians built the trail about 2,800 years ago. It was discovered in the 1980s. The route offers a different perspective on Sancak from Buban Bacaları: here, the focus is on a historic connection extending beyond the town. The trail’s condition may vary.

For planning purposes, the two themes are easy to distinguish: Buban Bacaları is a specific landscape attraction that visitors seek out especially in spring and summer for photography and the views. The Urartu Trail represents a longer, historically significant route through several named places. The details about when the trail was built remain a hypothesis; its discovery in the 1980s, by contrast, refers to a later date.

Bingöl as Another Travel Destination

The wider destination of Bingöl offers further natural and cultural attractions. The Hesarek ski facilities are located in the village of Dikme, in the Hesarek area. A municipal description dated September 9, 2021, lists three runs: a 1,200 m telesiyej run, a 1,000 m teleski run and a 200 m baby-lift run. The ski season is stated to last four to five months; this may vary depending on snow conditions.

The Zağ Caves are also part of the Bingöl destination. They are dated to the beginning of the 5th century AD and to the Early Christian period of Late Antiquity, or the Late Roman–Early Byzantine period. It is thought that Christian communities used the caves as secret settlements, living spaces and places of worship while under pressure from the Roman Empire.

Discover more destinations: Çayağzı, Yiğitler Köyü, Topraklık Köyü, Kalkanlı, Bingöl

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