Cappadocia Hiking
(8 days)

Cappadocia Hiking Tour Overview

Ancient Cappadocia, situated just an hour's drive away offers the opportunity for some of the most fascinating day walking to be enjoyed anywhere in the world. The famous troglodyte (underground) villages and the amazing scenery are best enjoyed on foot. The lunar landscape of Cappadocia is formed from tufa compacted volcanic ash which erodes easily and is very suitable for making caves. Since the earliest times men have burrowed into this rock, making underground houses, churches and even large cities. There are dramatic cave houses at Zelve and Uchisar, and a complete underground monastery at Goreme. The insides of the caves are decorated with religious frescoes in the Greek Orthodox style, almost a complete record of Christian art over almost 1,000 years. One of the oldest and largest settlements in Cappadocia is Derinkuyu, a complete underground city, with seven levels of tunnels said to extend for 14 kms.
Which we will explore on this trek is this huge area.

Cappadocia Hiking Tour Plan

Cappadocia: Day 1 Ankara

Meet at the airport and transfer to hotel. Stay overnight at Hotel.

Cappadocia: Day 2 Ankara to Cappadocia

We have a look at the old city. Then possibility for those who want to visit the famous and rich Anatolian civilizations museum where are exposed many objects and tools, found during archaeological excavations in Anatolian historical sites. 4 h drive to Cappadocia area through the Anatolian plateau, via the Salt Lake (Tuz Golu). Before arriving in the heart of Cappadocia, we have a stop to visit to the agzikarahan Seljuk caravanserai from the 12th century. The caravans travelling on the silk-road used this as guest-hotel. The masonry is an example showing the Seljuk art.
Then our minibus drives us to derinkuyu for visiting the incredible underground city (8 floors, going down to 57 m under the ground).
After this visit, we drive to mustafapasa charming city, which was inhabited by orthodox Greek, until 1923. At this date, turkey and Greece signed the Lausanne treaty, concerning exchange of population between the two countries. Today, you can recognize Greek masonry on the face of old houses.
Stay in pension for overnight.

Cappadocia: Day 3 Tahtali, Uzengi And Pancarlik Valleys

After breakfast in the pension, our minibus drives us to the trailhead point of our walk. We walk down to the tahtali, one of most typical of Cappadocia. Millions years ago tuff, a soft stone comprised of lava, ash and mud have been thrown out to place by volcanoes. The erosion made the unnatural work rock formations out of a fantasyland rise up before you at every turn and entice you to look longer and wonder at their creation…
Then through small valleys and plateaus, we go down to the valley of uzengi bordered with a high cliff of white tuff where there are thousands of pigeon houses.
Our lunch break will be on the way as a picnic.
Our pathway takes us into the pancarlik valley. It is a fantastic landscape, a tumble of waves with pastels colors, patchwork of vineyards and small gardens in terraces. We are in front of sarica and kepez churches, carved in the heart a fairy chimney. They are interesting for their architecture.
Stay in pension for overnight.

Cappadocia: Day 4 Valleys Of Avcilar And Kiliclar Goreme

Short drive to the beginning of avcilar valley. In the heart of Cappadocia, this is a very beautiful valley, with poplars, fruit trees and gardens between two walls of color tuff. We follow all the meanders; the colors change quickly, the white dominate, the abandoned gardens fall down in this strange land.
Then our way continues into the kiliclar valley. Like mushrooms, fairy-chimneys are standing up and we walk through them. Simple rock-cut churches, cones and unusual rock formations are the highlights of this part of the trek. Picnic be served for lunch.

Cappadocia: Day 5 Zelve, Pasabag, Cavusin, Kizilcukur, Goreme

Transfer to zelve and visit, an old cave-dwellings-village, today used as an open-air museum. It was inhabited until 1950, but the government moved the population because of erosion. Walk to pasabag valley (also called priest valley). We walk on the Cliffside dominating the most famous fairy chimneys of Cappadocia: some are getting destroyed, whereas some others have still three "heads"... We cross cavusin village village, one of the first christian settlement. We visit here the old church dedicated to St. John the Baptist, where you can still recognize the fresco of Salomé dancing for Herodias. Afterward we continue onto kizilcukur (red valley), this valley is certainly the most beautiful in Cappadocia with its formations and red colors during millions years ago, rain and wind worked together to erode the soft volcanic rock; you will see here that the result is really fairy. Small valleys, cones, peaks and fairy chimneys alternate harmoniously on our way. Because he needed to become integrated into this extraordinary landscape, man built into this, cave dwellings, frescoed churches. We will visit some of them en-route..

Cappadocia: Day 6 Guvercinlik, Akvadi, Goreme

We walking the goreme valley, which will get us to the pigeon valley (called so because of the numerous "pigeon houses" built in the 18th century). After lunch-breach in uchisar village, visit the high viewpoint known as "fortress": this offers a splendid view all over Cappadocia. In the afternoon we walk in the akvadi valley following an old river (today dry), with fruits gardens and vineyards. In this valley, the fairy chimneys are particularly slim.
Overnight in cave Hotel in goreme.

Cappadocia: Day 7 Goreme to Ihlara Valley, Selime and Ankara

Walk in the ihlara valley, along the melendiz with the rhythm of birds songs. This valley is particularly rich with flora due to presence of water. We will see here cave dwellings and rock-cut churches from the Christian period. We visit certainly ones of the most beautiful orthodox churches (from 6th and 12th century) with good conserved frescoes on the rock faces of the valley. We arrive in belisirma village where we have lunch-break at the bank of the river.
Then drive to Ankara (4 hours) to hotel for the night

Cappadocia: Day 8 Ankara to Home

Breakfast and end of service.

What is Included on a Climb ?

Included:

Climbing permit and fees,
Hotel accommodation with breakfast,
First day dinner in Dogubayazit,
Celebration party and Dinner in Dogubayazit,
Professional certified local guide,
Professional licensed Mountain guide on climb (One guide for each 8 person),
Cook on climb,
Insurance,
Transport in private vehicle to the trailhead,
Sightseeing entrance fees,
Porters for personal gear (20kg for one person),
Full trekking support,
Sleeping mattress,
Climbing ropes,
Base Tents,
Personal Tents (one tent for two people),
Crampons,
All hot meals and soft drinks during the climb,
Staff supports establishing camps,
Touring staff/guides on the trek,
All group technical gear,
All National Park entry fees,
All Sightseeing, Museum entrance fees,
All support staff,
Summit certificate,

Not Included:

Personal climbing equipment,
Any alcoholic beverages,
Meal in the town,
Country visa costs,
International and domestic airfares (We can arrange air ticket if you wish),
Personal laundry,
Carry your own small daypack,
Personal evacuation and medical insurance,

You will need the following personal equipment:

Sleeping Bag,
Cold weather gear,
Climbing boots,
Sunglasses,
Rucksack and daypack,
Walking stick / hiking poles,
Thermal underwear
Water/Windproof Pants,
Water/Windproof Shell,
Underwear (quick-dry),
Socks (summer and expedition weight),
Winter hat (cover ears),
Gloves (water/wind proof),
Glove liners,
Neck warmer or scarf,
Head light,
Swimsuit
You may also consider taking Diamox for high altitude

Group Size:

Minimum 5 persons with a maximum of 16.

Tailored Trips

Please see itinerary for group trip. However if you need transfer and hotel in Istanbul or Van we can arrange these for you. If you would like to climb Mt Ararat at a different time, we can arrange a tailor made trip to suit your needs.

For Price, Booking and more information

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