Cappadocia Ride

Day 1

Evening transfer from Kayseri airport. You will be met and transferred to your accommodation in central Cappadocia (aprox 50 min), where you will have dinner with your guide. (D)

Day 2

Ride over the crests to reach the cave churches of Gomede Valley. Follow the stream, then ride through orchards and vineyards and over rolling hills of white tufa leading you up to the village of Ibrahimpasa. After your first gallop on the sandy tracks, you reach Ortahisar where you stop for lunch. Here, you can either take a siesta on the terrace or visit the village's old troglodytic quarters. In the afternoon, you explore the valley of Karaman and other small canyons off the beaten track. You return to the ranch in the early evening, stopping en route to admire a panorama over south Cappadocia. Transfer back to your guesthouse. (B,L,D)

Day 3

You reach the more touristic part of Cappadocia after an hour ride through the valley of Yatak and over the twin 'summits' of Cappadocia. Sneak your way through the tunnels and arches of the beautiful Green Valley then onto the pretty troglodytic village of Uchisar. From the restaurant's terrace, the view is breathtaking. After a visit to the village's rock fortress and fairy chimneys, you ride through the rocky labyrinths of the White Valley and onto the famous Love Valley and its gigantic phallic rock formations. Trot and canter back to the ranch through fields and gardens, via the villages of Goreme and Ortahisar. Transfer back to your guesthouse. (B,L,D)

Day 4

Today is free to spend at your leisure - additional activities that can be arranged and paid for locally include Hot-air ballooning, visit to Göreme Open Air museum, excursion to underground cities, mountain biking, steam bath and massage. (B,D)

Day 5

The trail begins through the lush canyon of Uzengi, where abrupt rock walls shelter troglodytic citadels of dovecotes. Using a muleteer track carved in the rock, you reach Mustafapasa for lunch; beautiful mansions and churches testify of the Greek past of the village. In the afternoon, the landscape changes radically as you ride across Avlak mountain. Here, large expanses of bare lands resemble the Mongolian steppes; there, rocky hills could provide the perfect background to a Western movie. You cross the deep canyons that spread at the foot of the mountain to return to the ranch as the sun is slowly setting. Transfer back to your guesthouse. (B,L,D)

Day 6

Today's ride takes you on an excursion to the majestic Red Valley. You launch into a fast canter to reach the foot of mount Boz Daga, then ride through the tortuous paths and tracks over the crests of the Red Valley. Stop to visit the cave churches nested into the valley's red, pink and ocre rock walls. You reach the charming village of Cavusin for lunch. After a siesta on the restaurant's comfortable terrace, canter along the tracks overlooking the valley of the Roses and its soft colours, then sneak your way through the valley of Pancarlik before returning to the ranch. Transfer back to your guesthouse. (B,L,D)

Day 7

Today can either be spent at leisure (optional activities can be arranged and paid for locally) or a final days riding can also be arranged at a supplement. If you choose an additional days riding, you will ride through the maze of paths, orchards and small canyons of the valley of Urgup. Cross Devrent valley and its forest of strangely shaped rock formations. Lunch is by the abandoned village of Zelve, which you can still visit. Passing Pasabag and its fairy chimneys once inhabited by hermits, you reach a scenic path carved in the red rock that leads you to Cappadocia's most famous panorama spot. You trot and canter back to the ranch through yet another route through the green countryside, crossing narrow streams, winding your way through gardens and orchards. Transfer back to your guesthouse. (B,D)

Day 8

After breakfast, departure to Kayseri airport. (B)