Macchael Saf Kafkas Arı ve Bal festivali

The Macahel Pure Caucasian Bee and Honey Festival is a festival held at the end of August in the Camili (Macahel) Basin in the Borçka district of Artvin, promoting the pure Caucasian honey bee and the honey produced by this bee. The festival is organised by the Macahel Education, Culture and Solidarity Foundation and the Borçka District Governorship; the 19th festival took place on 24 August 2025.

Where is Macahel, and why is it important?

Macahel is a mountainous basin in the Borçka district of Artvin, on the border with Georgia, made up of six villages: Camili, Düzenli, Efeler, Kayalar, Maral and Uğur. The basin's official name is Camili; in some years the festival has also been announced as the "Camili Pure Caucasian Bee and Honey Festival".

• Biosphere reserve: In 2005 the Camili Basin was declared Türkiye's first biosphere reserve under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme.
• Gene centre for the Caucasian bee: In 1998, by decision of the Ministry of Agriculture, the basin was declared an isolated area (gene centre) for the Caucasian bee race and closed to the entry of all bees and bee products from outside.
• Rich flora: The basin's plant diversity is both the resource for beekeeping and a reason for its protection.

What are the characteristics of the Caucasian bee?

The Caucasian bee (Apis mellifera caucasia) is a honey bee subspecies native to the Caucasus and north-eastern Anatolia. Beekeepers know it for the following traits:

• Long tongue: It has one of the longest tongues among western honey bee races; it can take nectar from deep flower tubes.
• Gentleness: It is generally a calm bee that stays quiet on the comb.
• Heavy propolis use: It coats the hive heavily with propolis.
• Colour: It is a dark, grey-toned bee.
• Build-up rate: Its spring build-up can be slower than that of some races; this should be taken into account when planning breeding and choosing a region.

Caucasian breeder queens have also been produced in Macahel since 2014. There are other conservation areas for the Caucasian bee in Türkiye as well (e.g. some parts of Ardahan).

What happens at the festival?

• Honey stalls: Producers from the basin present and sell their honey.
• Glass hive display: Visitors can watch bees making honey in glass observation hives.
• Competitions: Bee breeding and honey competitions are held.
• Cultural programme: Songs in Turkish and Georgian by local artists, and folk dances; folk dance groups from Georgia took part in 2019 and 2025.

The most recent festivals that can be verified: the 18th festival was held in August 2019 and the 19th festival on 24 August 2025. We have not been able to confirm from an official source whether it was held in the years in between.

Tips for beekeepers and visitors going to Macahel

1. Do not bring bees or queens: The basin is an isolated area; bringing in bees, queens, used comb or equipment from outside is prohibited and endangers the pure race.
2. If you want to buy queens: Buy from a licensed breeder, with documentation and by order.
3. Roads and weather: The basin is reached by a mountain road; check road conditions in advance in wet weather.
4. Protect nature: Do not leave litter in the biosphere reserve and use marked trails.