Poyrazlar Lake Nature Park drawing visitors

SAKARYA

The park is located just 10 kilometers from the city center of Sakarya. (AA photo)

A sanctuary just outside the northeastern province of Sakarya, Poyrazlar Lake Nature Park attracts city dwellers with its quiet natural beauty, diverse bird species and outdoor pursuits. It welcomed 260,000 visitors last year.

Located just 10 kilometers from the city center, the nature park offers picnic and camping areas as well as walking and cycling trails, a horse-riding farm, ATV tours, an amusement park, a sightseeing train, canoeing and pedal boats. Visitors can also enjoy water lilies that bloom toward the end of spring.

The park, which offers opportunities to take part in numerous activities and observe different bird species, provides visitors with the chance to spend quality time surrounded by nature.

It is also a popular destination for campers, with 260,000 people visiting the nature park last year.

Pınar Dönmez, director of the Sakarya branch of the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks, told Anadolu Agency that Sakarya is a province rich in natural beauty and biodiversity.
Noting that Sakarya has three nature parks — Poyrazlar Lake, Kuzuluk and İl Ormanı — Dönmez said, “We also have the Acarlar Floodplain Wetland, which has international value.”

Dönmez said people seeking an escape from the stress of city life, particularly from Istanbul, Kocaeli and Ankara as well as Sakarya, prefer spending time in nature parks.

Noting that visitors can observe different plant species and abundant wildlife in the nature parks, Dönmez said: “Our visitor numbers are quite high. We had nearly 1 million visitors across Sakarya in 2025. Poyrazlar Lake Nature Park received 260,000 visitors in 2025. This is quite high compared with the average for Türkiye. Acarlar Floodplain received approximately 500,000 visitors last year.”

Dönmez said they help visitors have a more enjoyable experience by regularly inspecting operators in terms of cleanliness and accessibility and organizing various activities.

“We organized a tent camping event. We also held a biodiversity event. We try to help people get to know nature better by organizing different activities. Our primary goal is to ensure the continuation of biodiversity, greenery and wildlife and to pass these on as a legacy to our children,” she said.

Park operator Hakkı Tank said visitors leave the nature park feeling physically and mentally refreshed after escaping the intensity of city life.

“It really makes us happy to serve our visitors. The opening of the Northern Marmara Motorway in particular brought more activity here. We have visitors from everywhere, especially Düzce, Kocaeli and Istanbul. People who come once return on their next visit with their friends and family,” he said.