In today's world where urbanization is increasing, people want to get away from the noise, stress and chaos of the city and leave themselves in the arms of nature. However, the time allocated to rest and being alone with nature is often limited. Finding a natural area close to the city to escape from the city is also important. How many cities do you think will have a beautiful natural area with these features together? One of these rare places is in Bursa: Uludag. Uludas is one of the biggest blessings given to Bursa with its clean air, rich vegetation, plateaus, icy waters, winter tourism and proximity to the city. Uludag, the pearl of Southern Marmara and Bursa, comes to mind first when Bursa is mentioned. Uludag, an old extinct volcano, was formed as a result of the lava coming from the depths of the earth rising and solidifying through fractures and cracks. The mountain has become its current form as a result of tectonic movements in later stages. Its peak is 2543 meters high and it is the highest point of Western Anatolia. Uludag, which is very easily accessible, is only 34 km from Bursa's downtown. Uludag was turned into a national park in 1961 by the National Park Directorate. One of the most important features of Uludag is its unique flora and fauna structure. It is also of great scientific value with its extraordinarily beautiful plant species and some flowers and animals that are not seen in any other part of the world. TREES There are 168 kinds of trees and shrubs from 128 different sets in Uludag National Park. During a trip to Uludag, the following forest zones can be seen respectively:Lauretum zone: laurel, alder, thuja, sycamore, olive, redbud, chestnut, linden, maple, blackberry, ash.Castanetum zone: chestnut, hornbeam, elm, hazelnut, walnut, oak, beech, aspen, larch, lime, maple, blackberry.Pinatum zone: larch, oak, hornbeam, beech, aspen, hazelnut, cranberry.Fagetum zone: beech, hornbeam, aspen, mountain ash, larch, fir.Abietum zone: fir, beech, larch, aspen, Bearberry.Alpinietum zone: Dwarf junipers, herbs and lichens. FLOWERS Approximately 700 species of herbaceous and stem plants from 250 different groups can be seen in Uludag National Park. Uludag turns into a flower paradise between May and August. The most important flower types; Crocus, yellow crocus, centaury, musk onion, snow thistle, androsas, speedwell, altay violet, yeast grass, oregano, horngrass, achamber. WILD LIFE In Uludag National Park; reptiles as well as many mammalian species; snakes, lizards and chameleons. Among the birds, the bearded vulture, which can be seen very rarely due to overfishing, lives in Uludag, Besides predators such as mountain eagle, falcon, hawk, and hawk, many small bird species also live. Deer breeding activities are carried out at the "Green Field Deer and Roe Breeding Station", which was established in 1962 and has an area of 80 hectares. Among the 46 species of butterflies in Uludag, the Apollo butterfly, an endemic species unique to Uludag, can be seen for only 1 week a year. FACILITIES 1. DEVELOPMENT ZONE (Hotels zone)It is the most active area for winter sports. There are a total of 29 facilities in this region, 14 of which are recreational facilities owned by official institutions and 15 privately owned tourist hotels. Total bed capacity is around 6400. 2. DEVELOPMENT ZONE: This region was declared a tourism center on 5 August 1986 with the decision of the Council of Ministers. The total bed capacity of the facilities to be built here is expected to be around 5000. There is 1 private sector facility here. Uludag has been a highly preferred place for nature sports in recent years. Previously known only for skiing, the region has recently hosted different nature sports. It offers very good opportunities, especially for hiking and camping. It has many tracks of varying degrees. If your condition is not bad, it is possible to reach Bakacak and lakes area on foot. Uludag is also a preferred place for mountaineering sports. Due to its proximity to big cities such as Bursa and Istanbul, many mountaineering clubs offer climbing training in the region. Although Uludag has not developed fully yet, paragliding sport has also been started in recent years. There are areas suitable for flying, especially in Bakacak and its surroundings at an altitude of 1700m. Uludag continues to host nature lovers with its magnificent nature and richness. We should pay attention to the protection of this unique beauty, do our best to leave a legacy to future generations and keep our Uludag alive. This article with photos was published on our tchayat magazine in 2005. This is the translation of the article. Original version is here: http://www.tchayat.org/sayilar/kasim-2005/140-kayak-zirvesi-uludag