Day 1 Early morning flight from Istanbul to Nevsehir
or Kayseri. Transfer
by minivan to Goreme and check in at hotel. Lunch in Avanos.
Afternoon ride
to get to know horses. Dinner at hotel.
Day 2 Ride from Avanos to Sarihidir,
a tiny fishing village on the Red River, where you'll stop for
tea in a local cafe. Continue on to Sarihan, a beautifully restored
13th Century caravanseri, for lunch. In the afternoon ride amongst
Cappadocia's famed fairy chimneys to Zelve, Pasabagi and Çavusin,
where the horses will overnight. After leaving the horses, visit
the Göreme Open Air Museum to see the awe-inspiring painted
churches built by exiled Christians during the Roman era. Dinner
at hotel in Avanos.
Day 3 Ride from Cavusin through
the tranquil White Valley to Uçhisar. Stop
for lunch, then continue on to the villages of Kavak and Bahçeli
for a tea
break. Finish the day in Ayvali, a quiet town in the midst of
lush apricot
groves, where you'll overnight in a charming old hotel with
a 12th Century
church inside. After freshening up, visit a carpet shop to see
local weavers
at work and learn about this ancient craft tradition. Delicious
organic
dinner at hotel in Ayvali.
Day 4 Ride from Ayvali through
Mustafapasa, an old Greek village, to Lake
Damsabaraji for a picnic lunch. If the weather is warm, you
can take a dip
with the horses in the lake. After lunch return by a different
route on a
high plateau to Ayvali where you'll spend one more night.
Day 5 Ride from Ayvali to Ibrahimpasa,
an old village boasting exquisite
Greek architecture, then on to Ortahisar for lunch. If you have
the energy,
you can climb to the top of Ortahisar´s craggy rock fortress
for a beautiful view.
After lunch enjoy a long, exhilarating ride through the Red
and Rose Valleys on to
Cavusin and Avanos. Dinner at hotel in Avanos.
Day 6 Ride from Avanos to Ozkonak
where you'll visit one of Cappadocia's
largest underground cities. Return over Ziyaretdagi Mountain
to Avanos. Upon
return, if you'd like, you can visit a local pottery factory
to enjoy the
art form for which Avanos has been well known since the time
of the
Hittites. Final dinner at hotel in Avanos.
Day 7 Transfer to airport in
the morning for return flight to Istanbul.
Price $875
Price includes all riding,
accommodations and meals. Price does not include
the round-trip in-country flight (approximately $170), visa,
alcoholic
beverages and purchases of a personal nature.
