Driving the wild road to Ovit Dagi Gecidi
Ovit Dağı Geçidi is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,690m (8,825ft) above sea level located in the İkizdere district of Turkey. It’sone of the highest paved roads in the country.
Where is Ovit Dagi Gecidi?
The pass, also known as Ovitdagi Gecidi, is located in Rize Province, near Erzurum province, in the northeastern part of the country. The summit hosts an abandoned building, probably a bar.
How long is the road through Ovit Dagi Gecidi?
The road to the summit is totally paved. It’s called D925 (Rize İspir Yolu). The pass is 18.2 km (11.3 miles) long and hits a 16% maximum gradient through some of the ramps.
Is Ovit Dagi Gecidi open?
Access to the pass is typically open all year round, but winter weather may cause restrictions and closures due to dangerous weather conditions, between November and April. Due to its location, it’s possible to see snow in the summer.
Where is Ovit Tunnel?
Due to the extreme weather conditions at the summit, in 2018, the challenging road was bypassed by a 14,346 m (47,067 ft) long tunnel, called Ovit Tüneli. Part of the highway between Rize-Erzurum, it’s said to be the country's second-longest tunnel after Zigana Tunnel, the 4th longest highway tunnel in Europe, and the world's 7th longest highway tunnel. The construction works of Ovit Tunnel and its connection roads started with a ceremony held on May 12, 2012, in the presence of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. It was planned that the tunnel would be opened to traffic in 2015, but later the opening date was set to 2018.