Karst springs

(Local Name: Düdenbasi Magaras) The limestone country around Antalya is rich in karst springs, swallow-holes and waterfalls. Two large karst springs, Kirkgöz (close to a huge caravanserai dating from 1236) and Pinarbasi, are located not far to the northwest of Antalya (follow the Burdur road for 11km/7mi to where it forks, then take the old Korkuteli road instead of the fast new highway, continuing for a few kilometers beyond Dösemalti). Water pours in abundance from these springs before disappearing behind the "regülatör" in the Biyikli Düdeni cave system. Some of the sink holes are massive, large enough to engorge a river or lake (up to 30,000l/6,600galls per sec.). The lime deposits from these and other karst springs on the edge of the Taurus north and west of Antalya have built up, over a period of 1.5 to 2million years, into vast travertine terraces similar to those at Pamukkale. Sometimes as much as 275m/900ft high and extending into the sea in places, they are found across a wide area approximately 35 x 20km/22 x 12.5mi, or 650sq.km/250sq.mi. The spring water from Biyikli flows underground for 14km/8.5mi, briefly surfacing again at Varsak Obruk (huge sink-hole) before resuming its subterranean course for a further 2km/1.25mi, re-emerging finally with tremendous power at Düdenbasi. Here it joins forces again with the water channeled off at the Biyikli regülatör and, together with the waters of the Düden Çayi, tumbles in a series of lovely cascades down a narrow gorge in the travertine. The upper falls (Düdenbasi Selalesi), just to the northeast of Antalya, are reached via a small road (Kizilirmak Caddesi) off the northern by-pass. The lower Düden Çayi falls (Düden Selalesi), in the southeast part of the town itself, near a small park immediately beside the Lara Plaji coast road, plunge 20m/65ft over the edge of the travertine into the sea.