Discover Tunceli: Munzur Valley and Museum

Munzur Valley and Mountains

Munzur Vadisi National Park lies between Tunceli and Ovacık; its entrance is eight kilometres from Tunceli city centre. It stretches along the valley to the Munzur Mountains. The valley of the Munzur Suyu is characterised by narrow, deep sections: there are steep slopes, striking rock formations and gorges, as well as waterfalls in some places. The plant life also makes this natural area special: 1,518 different plants have been recorded in the national park, including 227 species endemic to Türkiye.

The upper reaches of the Munzur Suyu are particularly suitable habitat for the red-spotted trout. These trout are found across a water system stretching around 80 kilometres. The information about plants and trout offers two distinct perspectives on the park’s natural environment: the diversity of its flora and a characteristic habitat in the upper reaches. Two details should be distinguished here: the upper reaches are identified as particularly suitable habitat for the red-spotted trout, while the roughly 80 kilometres describes the water system across which the trout are found. The habitat reference and the distribution figure therefore describe different aspects of the fish population in the area.

Rivers and Possible Activities

A section of the Munzur Suyu, around 20 kilometres long and running between Aşağı Torunoba, Sarıtaş and Halbori Gözeleri, has potential for rafting. Rafting is therefore a possible activity on this particular stretch of river. Another river provides a different geographical reference point: the Peri Suyu forms part of Tunceli’s eastern border and flows southwest into the Keban Reservoir. The two rivers thus represent different aspects of the region: the Munzur Suyu is associated with the valley, trout and rafting potential, while the Peri Suyu is associated with the border and its direction of flow.

Munzur Gözeleri and Dereova

The designation’s history is another point of reference at Munzur Gözeleri: a 20-hectare area was designated a forest recreation area in 1963.

Tunceli Museum

Tunceli Museum is housed in a building constructed as a military barracks between 1935 and 1937 and used as such until 1949. The museum has departments and exhibition areas devoted to archaeology, ethnography and coins. It also covers topics such as traditional agriculture, flora and fauna, beliefs, stone artefacts and recent history. Here, you encounter nature and culture in a different way from the Munzur Valley: the museum brings together diverse areas of knowledge in one place, from archaeological and historical subjects to nature and agriculture.

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Discover more destinations: Ovacık, Tunceli, Çıralı, Tozkoparan Köyü, Çemişgezek, Hakkari, Şanliurfa, Van.

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