MARVELS OF CAPPADOCIA

(7 days, lodging in B&B's)

This easy trek will allow you to see some of the most beautiful valleys, canyons and fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. You'll walk through moonlike and canyon landscapes, hardly believing your eyes.  Every evening, you'll arrive at your campsite that our team will have prepared in advance and savour a homemade meal.


Day 1: You’ll be expected in Kirkit pension, Avanos, for dinner and overnight.

Day 2: We’ll head of from Avanos through the Dereyamanli valley with a 6^th century church and magnificent fairy chimneys and through the valley  of   Baglidere to Karan Kemer where we’ll camp for the night next to a Byzantine hermitage.  5 hours of walking.

Day 3:  We’ll climb the rocky outcrop of Uçhisar for a great panoramic view over the area.  Then we’ll cross the valley of Vasildere,climb up towards a plateau that will lead us to the shady valley of Gemildere with its meringue shaped rocks.  Then we’ll go down to the famous open air museum of Göreme and we’ll camp in the gorgeous valley  of Kizilçukur. 7 hours of walking.

Day 4: having explored some of the most beautiful valleys of Cappadocia, Kizilçukur et Güllüdere, we’ll  of  the cliff of the impressive abandoned rock village, which harbours the 6^th century church of John Baptist and then follow a small goat’s track leads us up to a high plateau for a great view over the rock village  of  Zelve. We’ll camp next to a water source in the fairy chimney valley of Devrent. 5 hours of walking.

Day 5:  Short transfer to the village of Cat.  We’ll walk along the Cat  Valley  that has dovecotes and rock houses carved in rocks as tall as buildings.  Return to Avanos; Lunch.  After lunch, we’ll visit the old billage, the potters and a weavingworkshop for an explanation about the ancient tradition of Anatolian carpets and kilims.   Dinner and overnight in Avanos.  4 hours of walking. 

Day 6: Transfer  of one hour by car to the village  of Ihlara.  On the way, you’ll visit the underground city of the area ,  Derinkuyu,8 floors deep. We’ll hike along the splendid canyon  of Ihlara , along the shady Melendiz river and we’ll visit some of the some hundred churches in the canyon.  Camp next to the river. 5 hours of walking. 

Day 7: We’ll walk on to arrive in  Selime where you can clearly see how fairy chimneys are formed.  Short transfer to the village  of Ilisu with a river rushing through the village. We’ll follow a small path across a plateau where sheep often graze where the magnificent Monastery  Valley starts, carved out the rock by natural erosion.  The valley rises till the 6^th century Red Church, a jewel of Byzantine architecture and the last standing built church  of Cappadocia .  We’ll descend toward the traditional village of Gûzelyurt, 4 hours of walking.  End of our hike.

Transfer back to Avanos, dinner and overnight in a family pension.

The given program is an indication of a possible itinerary. It may change according to technical, security or weather imperatives. Only Kirkit’s guide can make the necessary decisions.

Rates:

2  persons             :  630 € per person
3-4  persons         :  550 € per person
5 & plus                 :  485 € per person

We can organise buses, domestic flights or personal transfers to Cappadocia.

 The price includes:

* The services of an English speaking guide and a cook
* A minibus to carry your luggage from campsite to campsite
* Meals and acommodation during the hike from dinner day 1 to dinner day 7 (picnics for lunch and hot meals prepared at the campsite in the evenings)
* Tents, floor mats, plates, bowls and cutlery. You must bring your own sleeping bag. 

The price does not include:

*  Entrance fees 
*  Drinks and personal expenses
*  Insurance