Why scientists say this stunning ancient lake in Turkiye might as well be on Mars

A general view of an exposed island of old microbialites in Lake Salda. (Umit Bektas/Reuters via CNN Newsource)

With its vivid turquoise, green and blue waters, it’s no surprise Lake Salda is often promoted as the “Maldives of Turkiye.”

Extraordinary to look at, peaceful and surrounded by an abundance of wildlife, it’s little wonder if has become a significant, if lesser-known attraction, located deep in the country’s southwest.

But there’s so much more to this gorgeous body of water and its white-sand beaches than just beauty to get tourists excited. According to scientists, Lake Salda is the only place on Earth that’s analogous to the Jezero Crater on Mars.

It’s a fact that has piqued the interest in space scientists at a time when humankind is increasingly turning its attention to the Red Planet as a possible destination for a crewed mission.

It’s also helped increase environmental awareness around this fragile treasure, which is facing existential threats from pollution and decreasing water levels.

Briony Horgan, a professor at Purdue University’s Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Department, travelled to Turkiye in 2019 with NASA’s Perseverance rover team to study the mysterious lake, and was struck by its resemblance to a distant planet.

“It’s really just an incredibly unique place,” she tells CNN Travel.

“And in many ways, it actually felt like standing on the shores of ancient Lake Jezero on Mars.”

In space exploration, a planetary analog is a place on Earth that’s considered similar or comparable to the conditions found on another planet or moon. Horgan says finding a Mars analog here is particularly challenging because of the high levels of iron and magnesium that make up the composition of the Red Planet, and “they’re very primitive.”

However, she says Lake Salda’s basin is “of that composition that was created at the bottom of an ocean when the oceanic crust ripped apart and made new crust straight out of the interior of the Earth.”

This process, says Horgan, is to credit for Lake Salda’s Mars-like environment.

Nurgül Balcı, a professor in Istanbul Technical University’s Geological Engineering Department, also took part in NASA’s Lake Salda studies. In addition to helping scientists better understand Martian geology, she says the lake also offers insights into our own planet’s history.

For instance, the microorganisms in the water have built microbial structures that are at least 2 million years old, some of which have been exposed due to decreasing water levels on the lake.

These carbonate forms, resembling cauliflowers, hold crucial clues to our own origins.

“Salda contains a lot of information that can help us understand life that started and evolved 3.5 billion years ago,” says Balcı.

Greater protections needed, say experts

Last year, the International Commission on Geoheritage (IUGS) announced the inclusion of Lake Salda on its list of the world’s Top 100 geological sites.

Balcı was among the major contributors who presented evidence to support its addition to the list.

“We prepared a file (showing) that Salda contains important information about Mars and the early Earth and that if they are lost, we will have difficulty finding and understanding such information,” she explains.

In recent years, environmentalists and lawyers have been vocal about the need to increase protections and awareness about the value of the lake beyond its physical beauty.

While some experts are optimistic that being on the IUGS list will have a positive effect on these efforts, others are still skeptical, like retired lecturer Erol Kesici of Süleyman Demirel University’s Eğirdir Water Resources Faculty. Founder of the Turkish Water Institute, Kesici is also a scientific advisor to two environmental associations, the Association for the Protection Of Turkiye’s Nature and the Nature and Sustainability Association.

“Despite Lake Salda having numerous sensitive and protected areas, such as natural conservation areas and other conservation statuses, there are serious issues in practice,” he says.

“The excessive pollution and contamination caused by the construction of ponds and dams are causing the lake’s ecosystem, turquoise water, and (endemic) species to disappear gradually.”

Professor Horgan expressed similar sentiments, noting that Lake Salda is “a wonderful location that I hope many people get to see. But it’s the kind of place we should make sure we appreciate responsibly.”

A treasure trove for nature lovers all year long

Lake Salda is home to 301 plant species, two of which are endemic and grow in the lake basin, as well three endemic fish species, and over 30 water bird species, among more common animals like wild boars and foxes. These make Lake Salda among the best places in Turkiye for nature photography and hiking.

“The best season to visit Salda is spring and early summer,” notes Hasan Gülday, a tour guide based in western Turkiye.

“The harmony of the green trees around, the white shores of the lake, and the turquoise color emerges best in this period.”

However, you can visit Lake Salda at any time of the year, including the winter. In fact, the road to the nearby Salda Ski Center offers the best panoramic view of Lake Salda and its surroundings, so stunning many assume images taken there were photoshopped.

If you plan your journey around July and early August, you can admire the purple lavender fields southwest of the lake, where locals make lavender-scented soap and fragrances, some of the best souvenirs to bring back home.

People are permitted to swim in the lake, and many do, but opinions on how to best protect the body of water from these visitors are mixed.

“I want time restrictions and capacity limits to be set for activities like swimming,” says guide Gülday.

Scientific advisor Kesici, meanwhile, is entirely against people getting into the water because “it’s a closed lake, all waste remains within (it).” Also, he says some people take mud baths, believing it can help heal some skin conditions, but this can damage the lake’s delicate ecosystem as well.

Exploring the area

Lake Salda is located in Burdur, close to the city borders of Denizli, which hosts another gem of Turkiye, Pamukkale — only about a 1.5-hour drive northeast. The region is referred to as the Turkish Lake District or Turkish Lakeland.

Gülday also recommends visiting the ancient cities of Kibyra and Sagalassos, both of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

Kibyra is a settlement that dates back to the early Iron Age, about a 1.5-hour drive south of Salda. The city has been at the crossroads of important trade routes for centuries, and Hellenistic, Roman, Lydian, and Pisidian cultures influenced the settlement.

Sagalassos’s history dates back some 12,000 years, and it was left to its fate after the 6th century due to epidemics, raids and natural disasters, such as earthquakes.

It’s one of the best-preserved archeological sites in Turkiye because its remote location prevented it from looting, and the settlement was quickly covered by vegetation and soil due to erosion.

Getting there: Many travellers opt to rent a car to better explore the area’s scenic drives. The trip from Antalya to Lake Salda takes about 2.5 hours. Tour companies also offer tours of the area, including the lake.

Article written by Ali Halit Diker, CNN