Mount Erek

Rising east of the city center of Van province, this mountain presents a truly majestic sight to those who know how to admire it. In the spring months, hundreds of different flowers are scattered across its pastures. Shepherds graze their sheep in the mountain's grazing areas. Called Varak by the Armenians, this mountain is a great treasure for Van. It harbors freshwater springs, natural beauties, waterfalls, and scattered forests within its sharp valleys. Until the 1970s, bears and wild boars roamed this mountain, but now it's impossible to encounter these animals. Currently, only basic wildlife such as wolves, mice, and hawks remain. Numerous villages, such as Değirmenköy, Şuşanıs, and Yedi Kilise, are located at the foot of the mountain. In the interior of the mountain, there is also a reservoir lake (Keşiş Gölü) dating back to the Urartians. In the spring months, a plant called uçkun also grows on this mountain.