A mere 10km out of Darende it’s possible to visit an impressive 40-metre-high waterfall (şelale) set in a spectacular mountainous setting just outside the village of Günpınar.
A path along the edge of a water channel runs right up to the waterfall which then cascades down towards a little restaurant but it’s a narrow path, difficult to negotiate at busy times, so try and avoid visiting over weekends or during the school summer holidays.
The village itself is quite pretty with some kerpiç (adobe) houses mouldering away amid the plane trees.
With your own car you might want to follow the signs from the centre of Günpınar to Yeniköy where two stone Hittite lions (Arslantaş) can apparently be seen although I have not had the chance to check them out.
Eating
The restaurant serves tea and soft drinks to accompany simple meals of köfte (meatballs) and the like. Back in the village there are also trout restaurants beside the river as it passes through.
Transport info
There’s no public transport to Günpınar but Darende taxi drivers have it on their list of fixed tariffs and it’s not much more than a 10-minute run. You won’t need long there unless you plan to eat or perhaps to walk out to a viewpoint marked by a monument on the hillside.
Nearby areas
