Beyond Ayder: the high plateaus
Ayder is the best known yayla in the region, but it is only the gateway to a wider network of highland plateaus scattered across the slopes above the valley. These higher settlements — Pokut, Sal, Gito, and Samistal among the most visited — sit at greater altitude than Ayder itself, often above the tree line, and offer a different, more open alpine character: rolling meadows, scattered wooden huts, grazing livestock, and unobstructed views of the Kaçkar Mountains' granite summits. For many travelers, a day trip or overnight excursion to one or more of these plateaus is the highlight of an Ayder visit, even more memorable than the village and its thermal springs.
Pokut Plateau
Pokut is the most photographed and most visited of the high plateaus above Ayder, largely thanks to a much-shared image of wooden huts framed against the jagged Kaçkar skyline. Sitting well above Ayder in altitude, Pokut can be reached by 4x4 vehicle on a rough but manageable village road, or on foot via hiking trails that climb steadily out of the valley — a route popular with trekkers easing into the region before continuing further into the national park. The plateau itself is compact, with a scattering of traditional huts, a few small guesthouses open in the summer season, and open meadow that make it an easy half-day or full-day outing from Ayder.
The view from Pokut, particularly in the early morning or late afternoon when light rakes across the peaks, is the reason most visitors make the trip, and it's a common stop on organized Ayder day tours as well as a popular self-drive destination for those with a suitable vehicle or willing to hire a local driver.
Sal Plateau
Sal sits further along the same highland network, offering broader, more open highland scenery than Pokut's tighter valley framing. It's a common pairing with Pokut on the same day trip, since the two plateaus sit within reasonable driving distance of each other on the network of unpaved roads that connect the highland villages. Sal tends to be quieter than Pokut, with fewer facilities, making it a good choice for travelers wanting a more solitary highland experience without the crowds that gather at the most photogenic viewpoints.
Gito Plateau
Gito lies deeper into the highland network and is visited less frequently than Pokut or Sal, generally by travelers with more time, a serious 4x4, or those trekking through as part of a longer Kaçkar route. Its relative remoteness is part of its appeal — expect fewer facilities, more basic accommodation options, and a genuinely quiet, high-altitude atmosphere. If your schedule allows for an overnight beyond Ayder itself, Gito rewards the extra effort with a sense of highland isolation that's harder to find at the more accessible plateaus.
Samistal Plateau
Samistal is one of the higher and more expansive plateaus in the network, known for wide, open highland pasture and views that stretch across a broader swath of the Kaçkar foothills than the tighter framing found at Pokut. It's a popular staging point for trekkers heading further into the national park's trail network, and its guesthouses, though basic, make it a viable overnight base for those planning a multi-day highland walk rather than a single Ayder-based day trip.
Planning a visit to the plateaus
Most of these plateaus are reachable by 4x4 or a sturdy vehicle on unpaved village roads, though road conditions vary by season and recent weather — after heavy rain, some routes become genuinely difficult without appropriate ground clearance. Hiring a local driver familiar with current conditions is a common and sensible choice, and many Ayder-based tour operators run half-day or full-day excursions specifically to Pokut and Sal, removing the guesswork around road conditions and navigation.
For hikers, the same plateaus double as waypoints on longer trekking routes into the Kaçkar Mountains, so if you're planning serious trail time beyond a day trip, it's worth coordinating your Ayder stay with a broader Kaçkar itinerary rather than treating the plateaus as an isolated excursion.
Suggested itineraries
A single day from Ayder comfortably covers Pokut and, conditions permitting, Sal, especially with an early start to catch the clearest morning light on the peaks. Travelers with two or three days can add Gito or Samistal, either as a longer day trip or as an overnight stay at a basic highland guesthouse, before returning to Ayder or continuing on toward the Kaçkar trekking routes. See our things to do in Ayder guide for how these plateau trips fit alongside the waterfalls, thermal baths, and Fırtına Valley within a broader multi-day visit, and our Ayder tours page for organized excursions that handle the transport and route-finding for you.
What to pack
Regardless of which plateau you visit, pack for changeable mountain weather: a warm layer even in summer, a light rain shell, and sturdy footwear suited to unpaved roads and short walks around the settlements. Mobile signal is limited or absent at the higher plateaus, so download offline maps and let your accommodation know your planned route and return time before heading out.
Whether you make it only as far as Pokut's famous viewpoint or continue on to the quieter reaches of Gito and Samistal, the high plateaus above Ayder offer some of the most striking highland scenery anywhere on Turkey's Black Sea coast — and a strong reason to budget more than a single day for your visit.