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TRgezi
Waterside and historyMachine translated — This content was machine-translated and may differ from the original Turkish text.

The south shore of Lake Van and Akdamar

A driving and boat route along the shore of Lake Van: the Cat Villa, where Van cats are cared for, the Kız Kalesi viewing terrace in Edremit, the Şamran Canal, built by the Urartian King Menua about 2800 years ago, the Halime Hatun Kümbet (Tomb) dated 1335 in Gevaş, and the Church of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island, reached by boat.

Estimated duration
~5 h 30 min
Straight-line distance (estimate)
~47 km
Getting around
Mixed
Stops
5 stops

Duration and distance are estimates. Distance is the straight-line sum between stops; the actual road is longer. Check with a maps app before you set off.

Safety and caution

Akdamar can only be reached by boat; trips vary with the weather, lake conditions and season, and may become infrequent in winter. The edges of the Şamran Canal are unprotected and deep in places. Visiting conditions at the Cat Villa may change.

Route map

Loading map…

Numbers show the order of stops; the dashed line is a straight-line link between stops, not the actual road.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Stops

  1. 1

    Start

    Family activity

    Van Cat Villa (Van Cat Research Center)

    Tuşba, Van

    View place
  2. 2

    ~17 km from the previous stop (straight line)

    Viewpoint

    Kız Kalesi Viewing Terrace and Edremit Shore

    Edremit, Van

    ~17.34 km from the previous stop as the crow flies

    View place
  3. 3

    ~2.3 km from the previous stop (straight line)

    Aqueduct and cistern

    Şamran (Menua) Canal

    Edremit, Van

    ~2.35 km from the previous stop as the crow flies

    View place
  4. 4

    ~19 km from the previous stop (straight line)

    Tomb (türbe)

    Halime Hatun Kümbet and Gevaş Seljuk Cemetery

    Gevaş, Van

    ~19.46 km from the previous stop as the crow flies

    View place
  5. 5

    ~7.7 km from the previous stop (straight line)

    Island

    Akdamar Island and the Church of the Holy Cross

    Gevaş, Van

    ~7.75 km from the previous stop as the crow flies

    View place

More routes in Van

See all