Kuzalan Waterfall, Giresun

Overview

You hear Kuzalan Waterfall before you see it. The water drops through the forest of Dereli, and a viewing terrace stands right in front of the fall.

About Kuzalan Waterfall

The waterfall is about 20 m high. It is the best-known sight of Kuzalan Nature Park, declared on 9 May 2013. The park covers 482 hectares within the boundaries of Alancık village. Locals call the area the Kuzalan waterfalls and travertines, because the park also has terraces of travertine and springs of soda and sulphur water.

What to See in the Nature Park

First, walk to the terrace for the waterfall. Follow the stream to the travertines and the springs. Look for the turquoise pools of Mavi Göl, in the same park.

How Do the Travertines Form?

Locals call the travertines beyaz taş, the white stone, and mineral-rich water builds them. At the main spring, moss covers the ground. Then, a few meters downstream, the water that filters through the moss starts to leave travertine behind, and once the stone begins to build up, the moss quickly gives way. So the change from green moss to white stone happens within a few steps.

The Kuzalan travertines cover the widest area in the region. About 4 km (2.5 miles) from the park, in Pınarlar village, the Göksu travertines form small and large terraced pools of soda water in turquoise and white, in the same village as Mavi Göl.

So plan the waterfall, the travertines and Mavi Göl, which locals also call Sodalı Göl, the soda lake, as one outing. Then, if you come in the third week of July, drive on to Aymaç on Kümbet Plateau for the International Kümbet Culture and Arts Festival. Also, in the last weeks of July, Sağrak Lake and the Bektaş plateau hold festivals of their own.

How to Visit Kuzalan Waterfall

The park lies next to the Giresun–Şebinkarahisar–Sivas highway. 45 km of asphalt road lead to the site, while the travertines and springs are reached by 5 km of unpaved road. Combine it with Kümbet Plateau on the same day. We add Kuzalan Waterfall to your day in the Dereli valley. See our Black Sea plateaus tour for the highlands in two or three days.

Would you like to see the Giresun highlands with someone who knows them? Our founder’s family lives in Giresun, so we plan the plateaus, the waterfalls and the castles with a local driver, and add a hazelnut harvest day in August. The travertines of Kuzalan sit on the highland road of our Black Sea tour, or of a tailor-made trip; see our Giresun guide for the rest.