Oylat Mağaraları

Oylat Cave


Useful Information

Location: 1 km south of Hamiliye village. 17 km southeast of Inegöl. At the exit of Oylat River canyon.
(39.943333, 29.590556)
Open:  
Fee: Adults TRL 7.50.
[2018]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave ExplainSpeleotherapy
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension: L=730 m, VR=93 m.
Guided tours: D=90 min, L=650 m.
Photography: forbidden
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:  
Address: Oylat A.Ş., Hilmiye Mah. Hilmiye Cad. Inegol, Bursa, Tel: +90-530-764-4320, Cell: +90-444-6-483. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

2004 cave discovered.
2006 opened to the public.

Description

Oylat Mağaraları (Oylat Cave) is famous for its speleothems like stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, flowstones and cave pearls. The cave contains a large colony of bats, a fact which is utilized to prohibit photography. The cave entrance is located in a narrow gorge and reached over a bridge. The cave river is actually a tributary of the outside river. Here in the gorge is another sight of the spa, the Oylat Waterfall.

The first part of the cave is a high and narrow river passage with numerous scallops and other erosional forms. It is less than 5 m wide and typically 15 m high. Almost devoid of stalactites and stalagmite it still has numerous rimstone dams and the water level is marked by calcite crystals. The elevated trail with steel railing follows the normally dry cave river uphill, only during the rainy season in winter the river has water. A turnoff at the left side leads to a higher fossil chamber which is full of speleothems. This lower part has temperature of 17 °C and a humidity of 78%.

Then the main passage is blocked by a collapse and the tour climbs the debris to a higher fossil level of the cave. The passage widens substantially and is now called the Big Debris Chamber. The cave becomes between 25 m and 55 m wide and up to 15 m high, the temperature changes to 14 °C and a humidity of 90%. The floor is covered by large blocks of debris, hence the name, which are covered by huge stalagmites. The chamber offers numerous stalagmites, stalactites and pillars. However, the chamber is not horizontal, it goes uphill with more than 45° until its end. In total the trail climbs almost 100 m which is the reason why the tour is given with 90 minutes, take your time for the ascend.

The cave is located in a spa resort and is integrated into the spa, it is used for speleotherapy. The cave is used to cure respiratory diseases, such as asthma and bronchitis. For some reason the cave is quite popular among foreign tourists from Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, but only in the months between June and October. There are day trips offered from nearby Bursa if you do not want to drive yourself.