Akarbaşı Village brings together local culture and regional attractions in Karakoçan District. In the village, you can learn about everything from social traditions and languages to a rebuilt mosque. The wider area also offers thermal tourism, shrines and scenic landscapes. When planning your trip, you can consider village culture and regional destinations as distinct interests.

Village life and cultural identity

The way of life and religious beliefs in Akarbaşı are described as predominantly Kurdish-Alevi. According to the account, even families who adopted the Sunni faith remain influenced by Alevi culture and traditions. The village’s social traditions include wedding celebrations, Bayram festivities and communal work based on the principle of İmece.

Akarbaşı has three named hamlets: Ari Elê, Elbegyan and Hop. The distribution of languages also helps to define the cultural character of the area. Kurmanji Kurdish is spoken in the village centre and in Ari Elê; the Dersim variety of Zazaki is spoken in Elbegyan and Hop. This information is intended as a guide and is not a current count.

A local tradition says that Çak and his brothers, the founders of Akarbaşı, were students of the Alevi Pir, Pir Cemal Abdal. The mosque’s reconstruction is part of the village’s more recent history: the building in Akarbaşı Village (Çakan) had been severely damaged and destroyed by the earthquake. In 2025, it was rebuilt with the support of businessman Cemal Barut and opened for worship with the first Friday prayer.

Dishes from Akarbaşı

The local cuisine is described as being shaped by dough-based and meat dishes. Dishes associated with Akarbaşı include zılfet, girmiyadın, borani, patile, keşke, heyre, sir and lopıktır. Their names offer a concrete sense of the dishes linked with the village.

Regional destinations and scenery

Nearby are the Golan hot springs in the village of Yoğunağaç, on the Peri Çayı in Karakoçan District. They are a thermal tourism destination visited by numerous people every year. The Golan hot springs and the Peri Suyu create a scenic setting suited to relaxation and leisure. At certain times of day, mountain goats can be seen coming to drink opposite the Golan hot springs; however, a sighting is not guaranteed.

At district level, the Garip Baba tomb shrine, Pir Cemal Abdal Hazretleri and Sefkar Baba (Seyyid İbrahim) are among the most frequently visited shrines. The Urartian rock tomb, described as a place where Hızır Kureyş stayed, and Ziyaret Tepesi are also among the monumental cultural assets of Karakoçan District. These names help put the region’s religious and cultural features in context without conflating them with the village itself.

The Peri Çayı flows through the district, and the Özlüce and Kalecik dams are located along its course. The district is also rich in mineral waters. Together with the thermal springs, these features make the area a regional destination distinct from Akarbaşı’s traditions and local history.

Getting there and choosing accommodation

Akarbaşı’s transport connections are via the centre of Karakoçan District. When choosing accommodation, it therefore helps to decide first what you want to focus on: are you mainly interested in learning about the village’s culture and history, or would you also like to explore regional attractions such as shrines and thermal tourism? The local description of the village and the destinations at district level cater to different interests and can be included separately in your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Karakoçan, Elazig, Güzelyalı, Naldöken Village, Sivrice, Ilıncak Village, Altıoluk

For the broader travel overview: Elazığ.