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Highland plateau (yayla)
Ordu
Karadeniz
Priority Stop
NatureKeyfalan Plateau lies in the interior highlands of Ordu Province, in the south-east of Mesudiye district, on the slopes of Kara Tepe at roughly 1,200 metres above sea level. It sits 134 kilometres from the city of Ordu and only 20 kilometres from the town of Mesudiye, reached mainly by paved road via Mesudiye and the village of YeĹźilce. Spread across grassy clearings within pine forest, the plateau is made up of three separate hamlets (obas) whose timber-and-stone dwellings preserve the traditional settlement pattern and vernacular architecture of the Eastern Black Sea highlands.
History & Significance
Its importance is both natural and officially recognised: in 1995 Keyfalan was declared a Tourism Centre by a decision of the Council of Ministers (Official Gazette, 17 February 1995). The plateau has electricity, clean spring water and famously cool air that stays fresh even on the hottest summer days. Local tradition holds that its air and water are beneficial against tuberculosis, poor appetite and headaches — a “healing highland” reputation that forms part of its cultural significance and long-standing appeal to summer visitors.
Experience & Route
Agencies favour Keyfalan because it completes Ordu's Çambaşı plateau ring while remaining quiet and authentic, away from the busier stops. Meadow flats, sea-of-clouds vistas and photogenic forest-to-pasture transitions suit both gentle hikes and picnic groups. The average visit lasts two to three hours, and guided programmes usually fold it into a full-day route alongside Mesudiye's cultural sites or Çambaşı Plateau. The best photo spots are the upper ridges above the obas and the meadow edges where the forest opens.
Visiting, Access & Tips
Access by car and minibus is comfortable, but the narrow final stretch can be demanding for large tour coaches, so groups often transfer to smaller vehicles at Mesudiye. Parking is informal — open ground around the square and the hamlets rather than a paved lot — and step-free access is limited by the natural terrain. The best season is July-August; since the first winter festival in January 2026, the snow season (January-March) has become a further draw. Suggested route: Mesudiye → Yeşilce → Keyfalan obas → ridge viewpoint.
Visit & Logistics
Visit & Logistics- Getting thereFrom central Ordu via Mesudiye (114 km) then toward Yeşilce, about 134 km total; mostly paved road. 20 km from Mesudiye town centre. Comfortable access by private car or minibus; the final stretch is a narrow mountain road.
- ParkingNo formal/paved car park; vehicles park on open ground around the plateau square and the hamlets.
- Coach accessThe narrow final kilometres of the plateau road are demanding for large tour coaches; groups usually transfer to a minibus/midibus at Mesudiye.
- AccessibilityLimited; grassy and earthen natural terrain, sloping ridges and the absence of a paved walking path restrict wheelchair access.
- Photo spotsThe ridgelines above the obas (sea-of-clouds and forest-to-meadow transition panorama), the meadow edges where the forest opens, and the settlement fabric formed by the traditional timber-and-stone highland houses.
- Suggested routeA cool, authentic nature/picnic stop on the full-day Black Sea highland route, combined with Mesudiye's cultural sites or Çambaşı Plateau.
Nearby Places
Tours that include this place
Tours that include this placeNo published tour features this place just yet — but we can build one around you, with no obligation. AI Concierge
No published tour features this place just yet — but we can build one around you, with no obligation. 