A very bumpy, grueling road to Ilgar Dagi Geçidi

Ilgar Dagi Geçidi is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.550m (8,366ft) above the sea level, located in the District of Ardahan, Ardahan Province, in the north-east of Turkey. It’s one of the highest paved roads of the country. 

The road to the summit is asphalted but in very bad conditions. Road conditions are deteriorating due to snow. It’s called D955 (part of the E691 European Route) and links the village of Ölçek and the Goergian border. The pass is located in the Kackar Mountains, belonging to the range of Caucasus.

It’s said to be the highest paved pass on Eastern Europe. Due to the high elevations and exposure, the road is subject to strong winds and rapid weather changes. Be prepared for the cold and wind! High winds blow here all year long. Even in summer you can confront with snowy days. Temperatures here in the winter are brutally cold. The road is very steep. The average gradient is more than 10%. It is difficult to keep the pass open to traffic during the winters because of the harsh weather conditions due to high altitude.