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Muradiye Falls (Muradiye Şelalesi) is an impressive natural site in Eastern Anatolia about halfway between Van and Doğubayazıt. They’re worth a stop if you’re driving through the area.
Introduction to Muradiye Falls
Muradiye Falls are named for Sultan Murad IV, who passed by on the way to the Baghdad Campaign. The falls are on the Bend-i Mahi Stream which is fed by Mount Tendürek (Tendürek Dağı). They’re 18 meters (59 feet) high and about 60 meters (197 feet) wide. You can view the falls from the upper and lower platforms along the path.
At the lower platform, an easy trail leads to three more smaller waterfalls. The fourth waterfall is viewed from above. You can reach it by walking uphill after the second waterfall and down a short spur trail to the right.
At the top of the hill is a paved loop trail through a pasture. It runs along a gorge separating the pasture from the rest of the site.
Facilities
At the main part of the site, there’s a nice area with picnic tables, shelters, grills, and a playground. There’s a small market outside the entrance to the site as well as a restaurant and tea garden.
Getting to the Falls
To get to the falls, there are two entrances to the site off the main highway. One takes you directly to the main part of the site west of the stream while the other takes you to the east side of the stream. If you end up at the east side, you’ll cross a suspension bridge to get to the main part of the site.
My Thoughts on Muradiye Falls
Overall, it was a great stop along our drive between Van and Doğubayazıt. We enjoyed the fresh air and the natural beauty of the falls and even met some interesting people. As the only non-locals, we had a few curious people come up to us and ask how and why we ended up in Eastern Anatolia. From our perspective, it was interesting to see how the locals were out with their families enjoying their afternoon.
