Kaz Mountain or Mount Ida Balikesir

Kaz Daglari ( Kaz Mountains ) or Mount Ida is 1,774m high and above the Gulf of Edremit. Once known as the home of the ancient Greek gods and goddesses, Homer referred to it as “The house of the Gods” from where they charmed, seduced, tricked, married and betrayed one another.

This area is important for its natural environment its history and culture. Kaz Mountains has one of the highest oxygen ratios in the world with the Swiss Alps having the highest and which is generated by the wind blowing from its northern edges, blending with the oxygen from the dense flora and then iodine coming from the sea on its south-side. 

The Mount separates the  Aegean and  Marmara regions and the land and sea climate offers a diversity of biological element’s, is rich in fauna and flora, it has 100s of natural springs and a large wildlife population; the area has been declared a National Park and hunting here is banned. On the southern slopes cutting deep into the Mount and down into the valley’s are streams and brooks where you can see birds such as falcon, hawk, kestrel and raven. During migration periods it is an important stop over place for quail, partridge, blackbird and pheasant and bears, wolves and deer can also be seen here.

History

This was the place where Paris (son of King Priam of Troy) judged the first ever beauty contest between Hera, Athena and Aphrodite and on choosing Aphrodite, the goddess of love, ultimately causing the Trojan War. It is also where Hera seduced Zeus and distracted him whilst the Achaeans entered Troy with their Trojan Horse and consequently conquered the city. From historical findings in the area it is known that throughout history many different settlements have been made on the outskirts of Mount Ida.

The Turks who migrated here in the 15th century under the orders of Mehmet the Conqueror were famed for their woodwork on new ships needed for Mehmet’s navy and played a crucial role in his conquest of Istanbul.

Things to do in Mount Ida

Hiking in the Villages of Kaz Mountain

Kaz Mountain has lovely unspoiled villages, some of which were originally Greek, scattered all over the hills, with many retaining their original character being made of local stone and on narrow cobbled streets with central wide squares in the heart of the villages. Hiking here is very popular giving you breathtaking views and for the adventurous hikers Tahtakuslar  and Camlibel on the eastside are good bases to start from and 2km inland from the hot-spring bath resort of Gure.

Swimming in Mount Ida

For those who want the coastline the sea between Kucukkuyu and Assos is great for swimming as its clean and calm and many of the better village hotels have their own private beaches along this area; the best sand beach is Kadirga Beach which is close to Assos.

Other Activities in Mount Ida

Other popular activities here are mountain biking, horse riding and nature walks.

Getting to Mount Ida

Kaz Mountain is 624km from Ankara ; 443km from Istanbul ; 202km from Izmir and 122km from Canakkale . Edremit, on the eastern coastline, is the second largest transport hub in the region after Canakkale on the north Aegean side and ferries to Edremit from Istanbul take around 1.45 hours. Kucukkuyu is 25km from Ayvacik and this is a good starting point to reach the villages although there is no public transport to most of them so having the use of a car is essential.

Boutique Hotels in Mount Ida

Kaz Mountain has several small boutique hotels to choose from, however the best one that we can advice is Manici Kasri Hotel.