Went to the lake and enjoyed local tea and snacks. The landscape is lovely and was a relaxing time. There are a few stops on the road around the lake where you can have refreshment but would suggest one lower down where it is close to the lake.

There are many descriptions of the beauty of Hirkan Park online. All praise - rightly so - the unique vegetation, the incredible fauna, etc. None of them provide useful indications on how you may discover the park by yourself. If you're lucky, you can go to the "park center" (so-called MP office), pick up some information there on possible routes and then enter the park from there. But beware that the center is often closed on weekends (even in spring/fall, which is tourist peak season). So, if you're facing a closed visitor center, you'll have to invent your own hike itinerary. Although the park is huge and there's a road which goes far inside, it appears impossible to get any information on possible trails. There are no maps alongside the road, no markings or arrows, no useful suggestions online or in travel guides (even Mark Elliot is silent on the subject), nothing. And you'll quickly notice that the map of Hirkan provided on the official website is utterly useless. It's a pity, a missed opportunity since Hirkan is really beautiful and worth discovering. Marked hiking-itineraries would protect the fauna and flora : now tourists are forced to go off-trail and inevitably disturb the wildlife. There is currently (2019) a Czech government project to create trails within Hirkan, but it may take some time before being operational. Of course, you can always hire a local guide if you manage to find one. If you're reading this because you're frenetically looking for a way to see at least some of the park by yourself, I may recommend a fairly easy hiking route (3h30-4h) which goes from the main road to the beautiful Xanbülan lake. Start and finishing point is on the road from Hirkan to Bellebur (Dastatük yolu), at the "Zirva" teashop. Park after the white arch spanning the the road, walk south past the teashop and you'll find a cow-road/trail which meanders towards the lake.Follow the tracks and aim for coordinates (38°39'29''N, 48°45'49"E) where you'll reach the lake. There's a very nice (little) sand beach there. You can go back by either following the lake's coastline (which can be easy or hard, depending on the water-level) or simply turn round. For those who are not interested in going inside the forest, there are a lot of tea-shops alongside the road. You can sit there, drink tea and look at the trees (while cars pass behind you).