Tunceli is Turkey's least-populous province and one of the most geographically dramatic — wild mountain valleys carved by the Munzur and Pülümür rivers, forested gorges and high alpine meadows almost untouched by modern development. The province has a predominantly Alevi-Kurdish population with a distinct oral culture, music and ritual tradition.
The Munzur Valley National Park protects a landscape of extraordinary biodiversity, with wolves, brown bears, wild goats and golden eagles in the gorges. Tunceli has been off-limits to tourism for decades due to security concerns, but the situation has steadily normalised in recent years.
Known for: Munzur Nature Park · Alevi-Kurdish heritage · Munzur Valley wilderness · Pülümür River · Remote mountain culture
- Region
- Eastern Anatolia
- Famous for
- Munzur wilderness & Alevi culture
- Best seasons
- Jun–Sep
- Park
- Munzur Valley Nature Park
Tunceli on the live map
Explore Tunceli and all of Turkey on the live intelligence map — tap a city node to fly in.
What Tunceli is known for
Munzur Valley National Park covers wild river gorges and alpine meadows accessible by hiking and 4WD roads. Pertek Castle — an Ottoman fortress now surrounded by the Keban reservoir — is visible from the road and boat-accessible. Pülümür district has traditional Alevi cem houses and Zazaca-speaking villages.
- Munzur Valley National Park — pristine mountain wilderness.
- Pertek Castle — Ottoman fortress in the Keban lake.
- Alevi-Kurdish cultural heritage — cem traditions, saz music.
- Wild river gorges — hiking and nature photography.
Getting around
Tunceli city is 2 hours from Elazığ. A 4WD car is needed for the national park. The D855 road through the Munzur gorge is one of Turkey's most dramatic drives.
On the platform
Tunceli is joining Türkiye Gez as we expand into a Turkey-wide city intelligence platform. This guide is the launch foundation — live transport data, an interactive map and deeper neighborhood content roll out city by city, on the same architecture that powers Istanbul today.
Frequently asked questions
About Tunceli
1The pristine Munzur Valley National Park wilderness, Alevi-Kurdish cultural heritage, dramatic mountain gorges and Pertek Castle in the Keban reservoir.