The territory of Turkey, with the exception of the Anatolian plateau, is covered with a dense river network. But all the rivers have a mountainous character, abound in waterfalls and rapids, in connection with which there are excellent opportunities for rafting.
The largest rivers of Southwest Asia originate in the mountains of Turkey: the Tigris and Euphrates (Indian Ocean basin).
The largest rivers of the Black Sea basin are Kyzylyrmak (1355 km), Sakarya (824), Yeshilyrmak (519), Choruh (466).
Of the rivers flowing into the Sea of Marmara, the largest is Susurluk (321 km).
The Aegean Sea basin includes relatively large rivers: Gediz (401 km), Buyuk Menderes (307 km) and Maritsa.
Significant rivers of the Mediterranean basin are Seyhan (560 km) and Ceyhan (509 km).
There are about 50 lakes on the territory of Turkey, the largest of which are the high-altitude salt lakes of Van (3713 sq. km) and Tuz (1500 sq. km).
Between the ridges of the Western Taurus there are groups of lakes and deep basins (fresh lakes: Beyshehir, Egridir, Sugla; salty Ajigol, Akshehir; Isparta basin, etc.), which gave this area the name "Turkish country of lakes."
From Ankara, we drove to Cappadocia, and on the way we planned to stop by Lake Tuz, a large salt lake located in central Turkey.
The hours we spent on the lake were the only clear hours of the entire trip. But if I had a choice, I would single them out again to visit this lake.
Lake Tuz is the second largest lake in Turkey and 70% of all Turkish salt is mined here. In summer, the lake dries up for the most part, leaving a thick crust of salt on the surface, and in winter the lake fills with water.
A large population of pink flamingos also lives on the lake, but you need to look for them specifically, just driving from Ankara to Cappadocia, you are unlikely to see them. You can get to the lake by simply standing at any exit on the road that runs along it and walking a couple of hundred meters. But, most likely, you will have to go through the swamp, getting stuck in the mud.
More or less like this:
There is also an "official" entrance to the lake. The parking lot was built in a really convenient place, it’s quite a bit to walk from it to the water, but, of course, this place was immediately overgrown with vile traders. The path passes through a pavilion where all kinds of salt-based cosmetics are sold. When we entered, we were attacked by 3 (!) people who had this salt on their hands, in an attempt to smear this salt on our hands. They said: "Give me your hand, give me your hand" and it took some effort for us to send them off.
This is how this place looks from the side of the lake, killing all the beauty.
Well, since we are talking about the bad, here is another photo of a neighboring building with heaps of garbage.
But let's not talk about the bad, let's go back to the lake.
The main way to use the lake is as follows: go into the water further away (the depth is the same everywhere), as a result, you are standing in water a couple of centimeters deep. Under the surface is a crust of salt and together with a thin layer of water it creates a mirror surface. In total, you are standing on a giant mirror that reflects the sky. We take out the camera. We take pictures.
It is very beautiful in here. Highly recommend to visit. Unfortunately (or fortunately) this place is not very popular with tourists. It was quite difficult to find any information about his visit. However, you don't need to go anywhere. Driving along the only major road along the lake, you will find everything yourself.
Turkey extracts most of its salts from one of the most protected lakes called Tuz. In Turkish, it sounds like Tuz Gölü, which literally means Salt Lake in Russian. About three officially registered mines are used for salt extraction. Tuz is one of the largest lakes in Turkey. It absorbs two full-flowing streams and forms a salt marsh. However, in the summer, when the light of the sun reaches an elevated temperature, more than eighty percent of the lake dries up, and a thirty-centimeter layer of salt appears. Precipitation and underground springs help to keep the balance. In winter, the salt layer disappears due to the large amount of fresh water that comes from nearby surface and groundwater. 
This wonder of nature is located in Central Anatolia, just a two-hour drive from Konya silt. The locals are diligently involved in the salt processing industry and its sale in Turkey's countless markets. By the way, Turkey annually pumps out here about one hundred and fifty tons of salt, which in chemical composition is very similar to table salt. Bacteria and microalgae contained in the lake Tuz, with high ultraviolet radiation, give the water a red tint. Such changes in color, like a magnet, attract whole flocks of flamingos, kestrels and a huge number of white-fronted geese. 
Most of the tourists come from Ankara, as the journey takes only 3 hours. The area of this attraction is one thousand five hundred square kilometers, although the depth varies from 1 to 3 meters, depending on the season. A huge amount of reed grows on the southern shore of the lake. Lake Tuz received the status of a specially protected area only in 2001, after an increase in the flamingo population on the nearby islands. In addition, scientists have found that most of the water goes to fill the tectonic depression. 
When more than 90 percent of the water evaporates, Lake Tuz turns into a white desert, resembling a snowy meadow, consisting of bright salt crystals. According to the Aksaray University of Construction and Geodesy, the state of the lake has deteriorated by eighty-five percent over the past hundred years, and under current conditions, Tuz is endangered. If the Turkish government cannot do anything to improve conditions, then perhaps future tourists will not be able to see this beauty. Therefore, you should take the opportunity and go on a trip to the province of Anatolia. 
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The main pride of Turkey and its main resort is the largest and world-famous Lake Van. This unique reservoir, very beautiful and with extraordinary nature around it, arose many years ago and is distinguished by the fact that it is the only soda lake of this size in the world. And in the top "Non-drying salt lakes of the world" it takes an honorable 4th place.
In addition to the fact that the water in the reservoir is very salty, it also contains a lot of sodium salts, in particular, soda, because of this, the water in the lake resembles a soap solution in its composition and, by the way, washes things perfectly. Of course, people are happy to use the benefits given to them by nature itself, and quite often come to the lake to rinse themselves, and at the same time to improve the body.
Origin
About two hundred thousand years ago, the Nemrut volcano woke up, as a result of which the resulting avalanche flow, which had a length of more than 60 km, blocked the outflow of water from the Van basin to the Mushskaya, thereby leading to the appearance of a reservoir. Now the lake is located in the deepest part of the basin and is surrounded by high mountain ranges of long-extinct volcanoes. Scientists believe that after some time Lake Van will begin to decrease and, probably, will subsequently disappear altogether from the face of the earth. This will happen due to the fact that the expanding erosion of the Eastern Taurus is gradually establishing a new flow of water into the basin.
Location
The lake is located in the Armenian Highlands - this is the eastern part of modern Turkey. The place where Lake Van is located is raised to a height of 1648 meters. The area of the lake itself is 3574 km². It has a rather unusual shape, somewhat similar to a triangle, and its depth in some places can reach 451 m. This is the most impressive lake in Turkey, with a total water volume of 576 km³.
It has an incredibly huge number of small and very beautiful islands, and the largest and most famous island of Lim lies in the northern part of the reservoir. No soda lakes in the world can be compared with it in size. That is why the foundation pit is rightly called the lake-sea.
Peculiarities
Four small rivers flow into the lake: Bendimakhi and Zeylan-Deresi on the northern side of the reservoir, and Karashu and Michinger on the eastern side. They feed Lake Van. It is rather remarkable that in the mouths of these rivers the water is in addition to the fact that the total salinity of the water (taken from the very bottom) is 67%, which is 2 times higher than in the sea. The level of salinity in different parts of the lake varies greatly in concentration.
Also, somewhere from April to June, the reservoir receives an even larger portion of fresh water, replenished by melting snow near the lying mountains and prolonged spring rains. By July, the water level reaches its maximum mark.
Experts say that the water of Lake Van is much healthier than the Dead Sea precisely because of its unsurpassed chemical composition. Tourists and people living near the reservoir even treat diseases such as arthritis and rheumatism with it.
Climate
Due to its high location on the lake, rather mild weather conditions have been established. In winter, it is not as cold here as in other regions of Turkey, and in summer there is no intense heat. Surrounded by a ring of mountain peaks, it is completely protected from strong winds, therefore Lake Van is always calm, there are no unrest here, it is always quiet here.
For its part, lake water of such a large volume also significantly softens the climate around it. This makes it possible to grow a huge number of heat-loving fruit trees in this area. Therefore, stunning apple, peach and olive orchards bloom along the shores of the lake, creating a complete sense of magic and some kind of unreality of what is happening.
Due to the high concentration of salt, the water in the lake practically does not freeze, except perhaps in the area of small areas on the northern side of the reservoir. In summer, the temperature at the surface rises to +20 ° C, in winter it cools down. But at a depth of more than 50 meters throughout the year, the water temperature does not change, keeping at around +3 ° C.
Miracles
The local water is extremely saturated with carbonate, sulfate and sodium chloride, which makes it absolutely unsuitable for drinking and unsuitable for fish. But, surprisingly, Lake Van boasts the most unique fish, the only one that can live in its halls, and you will not find it anywhere except on this lake. This fish is called the pearl mullet, and it belongs to the cyprinid species, however, its appearance resembles more of a herring. The fish feels great both in fresh and salt water with a salt concentration of up to 23%, but spawns only in the mouths of rivers and streams flowing into the lake, where
And the region of Lake Van is famous all over the world for the rarest breed of cat that lives here. Her main difference is that she simply loves to swim and is absolutely not afraid of water. And her eyes are most often of different colors - blue and green. Here is such an unusual cat.
Turkish Lake Van is truly one of the most unusual places in the world, which is definitely worth a visit. It is distinguished by its incredible beauty and unique beneficial properties.
