Kaklık Mağarası

Kaklýk Cave - Kaklik Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Haydar Baba Caddesi, 20240 Honaz/Denizli. Haydarbaba Türbe. 30 km east of Denizli, southwest Turkey. (37.85561228848625, 29.385243149276036)
Open:	All year daily 8-22. [2021]
Fee:	Adults TRL 5. [2021]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	VR=14 m.
Guided tours:	self guided, D=30 min, L=190 m, VR=14 m.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Kaklık, Haydar Baba Caddesi, 20240 Honaz/Denizli, Tel: +90-25881-13107.
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

2000	survey by the Department of Karst and Speleology Research of the Mineral Exploration Institute.
MAY-2002	opened to the public.

Description

The cave entrance of Kaklık Mağarası (Kaklik Cave) is a huge doline, between 11 m and 13 m in diameter and 10 m deep. This collapse of the roof of a part of the cave allows entering the cave. Inside are numerous rimstone pools, glimmering white and often compared to nearby Pamukkale. The cave is sometimes called Küçük Pamukkale (Small Pamukkale) or Mağara Pamukkale (Cave Pamukkale).

Kaklik Cave was formed about 2.5 Million years ago during the Pliocene Period by the solution through sulphurous thermal waters. This cave development based on or at least heavily influenced by the sulfur resulted in extraordinary speleothems. Today the springs are responsible for the formation of the rimstone pools. The Kokarhamam Spring (Smelly Bath) produces sulfur rich 24 °C thermal water and a characteristic smell of sulfur. The sulfur rich water was used to cure skin diseases since antiquity, and also to irrigate the fields. It feeds a small reedy marsh. Then the water the flows into the nearby cave and forms the pools.

The cave was always open to the public as a semi-wild cave, there even were simple wooden trails for decades, but no light. Nevertheless, it was not promoted, which is quite fortunate as more unsupervised visitors would have caused damages. In 2000 the Department of Karst and Speleology Research of the Mineral Exploration Institute made a survey of the cave. The place was developed as a show cave with swimming pools, cafeteria, and electric light in the cave in 2002. Some lower parts of the cave were not developed, because they contain a dangerous amount of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide gas. However, the cave is after 20 years still a sort of secret. Tourism in Turkey is almost completely organized by tour operators, and they all go to Pamukkale, only individual tourists visit this place, so it is even during high season never crowded. You can either rent a car or take a taxi to get here.