İnkaya Mağarası

About İnkaya Mağarası

İnkaya Mağarası is a dry limestone cave on the eastern slope of Kocadağ, west of Yelki village in the Güzelbahçe district. Visit İzmir, the city's official tourism guide, recommends it to anyone curious about caves, while noting that it is not easy to reach. Inside the cave The cave is about 222 metres long and runs mostly horizontally, with some vertical sections. It formed along intersecting fractures in Cretaceous limestone. After a steep descent from the entrance, a wide hall opens up, about 20 metres wide and on average 5 metres high. The hall continues south as a sloping gallery, and at its end a 7 metre deep hole leads down to the lowest level. Potsherds found inside suggest that the cave was used as a settlement in ancient times, and Visit İzmir also notes that it is thought to have been lived in. Getting there According to Visit İzmir, you can drive part of the way on an off-road vehicle track and then continue on foot. The final path climbs a steep slope and can be demanding. The Kocadağ ridge above Yelki looks out over the Gulf of İzmir and Güzelbahçe. There are no facilities or guides at the cave. Go with experienced company, bring head torches and suitable footwear, and do not enter the deep shaft at the end of the gallery without caving equipment and training.