Kovada Lake National Park

Antalya City Blog visited the Kovada Lake National Park and took some photos for you!

If you wander around this lake which is located at 30 km south of Egirdir, coots, wild ducks, and grey herons scared of your voice, will get off from their places under the trees and fly towards to opposite coast of the lake. Isparta is, to some extend, the whispers among the plane trees which surround Kovada Lake like a dark yellow necklace in autumn.

While going to Kovada Lake from Egirdir town along the channell, apple and cherry trees, colourful poplars, reeds along the water welcome you. Sometimes you go through a mist which covers the road like a white veil. These images are the messengers of a calm lake reminding of a picture painted by an artist called �the Nature�.

Kovada Lake with the surrounding area of 6534 hectares has been one of our National Parks since 1970� It was decared as a 1 level protected area in 1992. The depth of the lake is 6-7 m while the width is 9 km. On the contrary of the other lakes in Isparta, its water is not very clear because of the sediments.

However, thanks to the trees growing among the rocks, it presents beautiful views when looked from the hills around.

The surrounding area of the Kovada Lake is 20.6 km and its height above the sea level is 900 m. There are walking courses around the lake for those who love hiking. Beginning from the small recreational facility of National Parks General Directorate, the short road is a 350 m walking course. Another road beginning at the same point and reaching out to the watch tower is 2.800m. long. Professional travelers can camp by the lake and go for longer walks.

Remember! Be careful that your shoes are proper as the lake shores are rather rocky. Permission of Environent and Forest Direcorate is required for those who wish to camp in groups. Phone: (0246) 228 53 00. Permission is not required for those who camp with a single tent. Bring a sweater even if you will camp in summer.

Kovada National Park is a rich working and recreation place for nature lovers. Many kinds of trees from redpine to juniper; from wild olive to kocayemis (arbutus unedo) to menengi� (Terebinthina Chia), pirnal mesesi (quercus ilex) constitute the basis of the natural flora. Herbs like wild rose, daphne, blackberry, and boyaci sumagi (rhus cotnus) enrich this structure. The diversity of flora can be observed in wild life, however many animal species have been endangered due to hunting. Yet, you shouldn�t be surprised to see martens, badgers, wild boars, foxes, squirrels or rabbits.

Kovada Lake is an important point for bird watchers as well. Its waters are valuable as it is a watering hole for migratory birds. Wild geese, rudy shelducks, herons, wild ducks, woodcocks come to the lake. If you happen to see bouncing birdson the rocks, know that they are partridges. As for the inhabitants in the water, they are carps, sudak (Lucioperca lucioperca) ,pool fish, egrez (vimba vimba), velvet fish, eels and fresh water lobsters.