Karatepe-Aslantaş National Park

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Karatepe-Aslantaş National Park is in southern Turkey, in Osmaniye Province near the towns of Kadirli and Düziçi. Covering about 4,145 hectares, it was established in 1958. The park sits between the Taurus Mountains foothills and the Çukurova plains, along the Ceyhan River and the Aslantaş Dam reservoir. It features Turkey’s first open-air archaeology museum, perched on Karatepe, a hilltop site locally called the Hittite Peninsula. The Neo-Hittite fortress dates to the 8th century, and the Karatepe Bilingual inscriptions helped scholars translate Anatolian hieroglyphs. The area ranges in elevation from 65 to 538 meters, with Karatepe being the highest point at 538 m. The landscape includes pine and oak woodlands, shrublands, and various Mediterranean plants; picnic areas are dotted with shade trees. Wildlife includes about 15 mammals, 12 reptiles, 5 amphibians and 22 fish species. Visitors can hike, picnic and camp at designated sites; accommodation is available in Kadirli and Osmaniye. The park is open daily, and the nearest airport is Adana–Şakirpaşa, about 125 kilometers away.