Zeyniler Village can be a beginning point for hiking further up the mountain. Unfortunately, if you get off the service roads, the trails are poorly marked and rarely is there any signage at trail intersections. If you want to get off the service roads and into the wooded trails, I strongly recommend you use a cell phone app that allows you to follow the trail of someone who has gone before you, e.g. Wikiloc or Fatmaps.
With that said, there are two service road hikes that you can take up into the mountains: one is Zeyniler to Çobankaya and the other is Zeyniler to Kadıyayla. Both hikes are strenuous and you should carry at least 1.5 liters of water. I’ve also included a description of hiking to Zeyniler in case an intrepid in-good-shape traveler wants to try going from Heykel to Zeyniler or Heykel to Kadiyayla in the same trip. There are a variety of variations and loops that can be done with each of these trips but I wouldn’t recommend them to anyone who does not have a route guide (person or app) and is not familiar with the area.
Heykel to Zeyniler: This is a 6 kilometer (one-way) hike; 3 kilometers are through the city neighborhoods and 3 kilometers up the steep mountain trail and road. There is about a 500 meter elevation gain from Heykel to Zeyniler village. Any city map application should show you a route to the village itself. This will take you on the similar route to what a taxi would follow. You have to follow car roads until you exit the last neighborhood above the Teleferik Station. You can continue on the road up the mountain to the village. It is usually quiet and not a lot of traffic.
Parked cars along the roadside will have 1-3 people in them, usually men, who are sipping on a drink and looking at the view of the city. I personally prefer to walk as much as I can in the woods off of the road. If you decide to try the trail route, the trail begins as soon as you leave the last neighborhood and the road changes from asphalt to paving stones. There is a red sign that cites a law stating that it is illegal to stop or park alongside the road. Just beyond this sign is a dirt path going up into the woods. This path only continues for about half a kilometer, then intersects back with the road. You stay on the road for about three-quarters of a kilometer at which point you can get back on the trail for another kilometer (see picture). If you can find the wooded trails, I think it is a more pleasant walk, but the road is fine too. I’ve done it many times myself.
Zeyniler to Kadıyayla: This 8 kilometer (round-trip) hike will take you from 750m to 1250m, a 500 meter elevation gain in 4 kilometers. Until recently much of the hike was on overgrown service road, so it felt more like a mountain trail. The road has recently been widened so now it feels like you are walking on a dirt road in the mountains. There are a few pretty mountain views at a couple of the alpine meadows you pass on the way. The largest meadow is at Kadıyayla where you will see the teleferik cable cars as they continue on to Sarialan.
Zeyniler to Çobankaya: This 16 kilometer (round-trip) hike will take you from 750m to 1700m, a 950 meter elevation gain in 8 kilometers. Much of this road is on overgrown service roads so it is hard to get off path. It is strenuous and there are several brutal steep stretches. During several sections, you are walking on large fist size rocks that can really start to hurt the soles of your feet. When descending, these rocks can have a tendency to roll out from under you so be careful.
If you intend to give one of these hikes a try, CLICK HERE to read about my recommendations for hiking apps to help you have a safe and enjoyable experience.
**Please note: The Best of Bursa and it’s contributors are not professional mountaineers or certified guides. The Best of Bursa accepts no responsibility for the conditions of places we review or outcomes of visits to these locations. For further assistance, consider hiring a local certified guide or contact the Bursa Municipality for further resources.
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