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CAPPADOCIA & ALADAGLAR (2 WEEKS) |
This well established trek in central Turkey offers you a chance to explore the sculpted valleys and hidden churches of Cappadocia and the soaring limestone peaks of the Aladaglar (Crimson mountains). Day walks in the historical Cappadocia region give you a taste of the uniquely fantastic landscape and cosmopolitan culture. This is followed by a continuous trek through stunning scenery of the Crimson mountains, camping alongside the nomads with their flocks. The highlight of the trek is an option to climb mount Emler (3625 m), towering above the plateau of Seven Lakes. After a descending trek alongside rushing water, the holiday ends with a transfer to Kayseri. |
Departure Dates for 2010 |
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ITINERARY |
Day 1: Flight to Kayseri and transfer to pension in Goreme.
Day 2-5: Cappadocia walks & visits
Day 6-13: Mountain walks in the Aladaglar
Day 14: Transfer to Kayseri Airport
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EQUIPMENT |
Trekkers need good walking boots, daysack (approximately 40Lt), warm clothing, sunglasses, sunhat, suncream, raingear (preferably breathable such as goretex), sleeping bag. Walking sticks are recommended. |
accomodation and meals |
Accommodation: 6 nights in pension, 8 nights camping; trekkers are expected to help pitch/strike their own tents. All tents are good quality dome tents with two doors. Camp sites in the Aladaglar have simple bathroom facilities.
Meals: Meals in Cappadocia will be in local restaurants. In Aladaglar lunches will be picnics. Each trekker is expected to carry some part of the food for lunch. Evening meals in camp will be hot soup or salads, a main course with pasta or rice and fruit. |
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GRADE |
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Grade C with optional D
Grade C: Demands a bit of experience and fitness to tackle steep slopes and narrow, stony paths for up to
8 hours per day.
Grade D: For experienced trekkers who can keep up a steady pace for 8 hours or more and tackle some easy scrambling.
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PRICE |
780 €. Min 6 max 16 pax. For groups under 6 people, a surcharge of 100€ is added to the price.
Prices include all meals, guide, transfers and mule support. Tea and coffee are included, but alcoholic
and soft drinks which are available at camps or restaurants and entrance fees to historical sites and
museums are excluded.
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Day 1: Transfer from Kayseri Airport to our pension in Goreme. |
Day 2: We take a short drive to the beginning of our walk. Today we walk up the white valley with spectacular views of tall “fairy chimneys” to the rock cut castle of Uchisar. After exploring the castle, buffet lunch in Uchisar. After lunch we walk down the Pigeon valley, with sheer cliffs honeycombed with decorated pigeon lofts; explore tunnels and lofts en route to Goreme. Dinner in restaurant. |
Day 3: We walk from Goreme to Ortahisar visiting the hidden churches of Cappadocia. From Ortahisar, we take a short transfer to Kizil Cukur. (Red Valley) We will have home-food lunch in a family run restaurant, near Uzumlu Kilise; a church with wall paintings that predate the iconoclastic period. Then we walk down to Cavusin. Dinner in a local restaurant and overnight at the same pension. (5-6 hrs walk).
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Day 4: After a short morning transfer to Cavusin Village, we ascend through the deserted houses to reach the little known church of John the Baptist, with its unique paintings. Our path continues to the summit of Bozdag mountain where a panoramic view of the region awaits, we follow a smooth path over the plateau and descend for lunch at the same restaurant in Red valley. This time we continue our afternoon walk from a different valley: The Rose Valley. We visit the pigeon houses and the Cross Church near the end of our walk in Goreme. |
Day 5: Starting from Goreme, our transfer takes us to Ihlara town centre (1.15 hours). After a short tea break, we walk about 3.5 hours and en route visit three rock-cut churches.
After a late lunch, we continue walking by the river down to the monastery at Selime Village which is famous for its 300 steps. On the way back we drive to a volcanic crater lake and stop for a quick swim. Returning to Goreme, we have dinner in a nice local restaurant. Overnight at the same pension. (6 hrs walk). |
Day 6: Today we leave goreme and drive to Aladaglar, visiting the Kaymakli underground city and the early Christian Orthodox monastery of Gumusler en-route. Lunch in a traditional house in Cukurbag village. After lunch we take a short transfer to the beginning of our walk and we walk to Sarimemedin Yurdu, the first camp site at the mountains, camp supper. (2 hrs walk). |
Day 7: A circular walk, from the camp site, partly through pine forest, up to Alaca plateau where we may meet some semi-nomadic families depending on the season. After a picnic lunch we descend to the same camp via a different path. (600 m ascent & descent; 5-6 hrs walk) |
Day 8: We have breakfast and walk past Aksampinari spring where we take a close look at the 180 metres high rock tower of "Parmakkaya": the "Fingerrock". Then we walk to Eznevit summer pasture (2400) and walk to Sokullupinar spring (2000m.) (6-7 hours walk). Night at permanent campsite at Sokullupinar, Dinner at camp. |
Day 9: We have breakfast and start walking to Arpalik Pasture (2400m) and down through the Cimbar valley to Demirkazik village. After lunch in a village house we walk back to camp site via a different route. |
Day 10: Today we have an early start for the highest camp. We climb up the Karayalak valley, heading towards Mount Emler, and stop for lunch at Celikbuyduran spring. (3350 m) An optional non-technical climb of Mount Emler (3625 mt) (6-7 hours), is followed by a short descent to our camp on Seven Lakes plateau. Many semi-nomadic families camp around the seasonal lakes. (1400 m ascent, 400 m descent) |
Day 11: An optional rest day, or a short walk around the lakes, with the possibility of swimming. |
Day 12: Descend from the plateau, walking southeast through the Hacer valley to our third camp site
at Sogukpinar (cold spring) . We will have lunch in a forest of huge pines. (1200 m descent, 5-6 hours) |
Day 13: We continue to descend towards the Ulupinar river. We stop for lunch and a swimming break on the bank of Ulupinar river then we walk 2 hrs more to camp near the waterfalls. (5 hrs trek). |
Day 14: Transfer to Kayseri airport.
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