Day Trips · Osmaniye, Osmaniye

Karatepe-Aslantaş National Park

Distance55 km north of Osmaniye
Travel time55 minutes by car
TransportCar recommended (D817 north to Kadirli, then follow signs to Karatepe; 55 min). No regular public transport to the site. Dolmuş from Kadirli bus station to Karatepe during summer: enquire at Kadirli otogar (+90 328 713 2345) on arrival.
Rating★ 4.8
Best seasonMarch–June and September–November

By Elena Kovač Updated 2026-05-21 Reviewed by Daniel Mercer

The crown jewel of Osmaniye Province — an 8th-century BCE Neo-Hittite summer palace with extraordinarily preserved bas-reliefs in situ, protected under roofed shelters beside the Ceyhan River reservoir. One of Turkey's most significant yet least-visited archaeological sites.

How to get there

Car from Osmaniye (D817 north, 55 min)
Taxi from Osmaniye (~₺600–900 round trip)
Dolmuş to Kadirli (₺50–70) then enquire locally

Location

Karatepe-Aslantaş Milli Parkı, Kadirli İlçesi, Osmaniye

37.2667, 36.2333 View on map

Highlights

Lion Gate bas-reliefs (8th century BCE)
Bilingual Phoenician-Luwian inscription panels
Scenic Ceyhan River reservoir overlook
On-site museum with additional finds