Ride Overview

This incredible ride starts between Urgup and Ortahisar, in the heart of the national park and traverses the full breadth.  It’s a fast paced progressive trail that takes you on a 6-day tour around Cappadocia.  From the peasants’ Cappadocia of the south to the most beautiful valleys of the north, a succession of fantastic rock formations, lush canyons, high plateaux, steppe-like landscape, along with vineyards and orchards, compose a surprisingly varied route – each day is special and unique in its own way!  The villages reflect the Anatolian way of life while frescoed churches and other troglodytic treasures testify of the diverse and rich past of the area.

Accommodation is in charming guesthouses in Cappadocia’s prettiest villages, with your horses just outside.

And, for those interested, it’s possible to include a hot-air balloon flight over Cappadocia’s surreal landscape at sunrise, as well as a Turkish bath experience (steam bath and massage at Urgup’s traditional hammam at the end of the week).

This trail is for fit, ‘active’ and riders with independent seat and hands.  The itinerary includes difficult passages where you will be asked to get off your horse and lead it, sometimes up steep paths. The effort is rewarded by stunning views, but a good physical condition is absolutely essential.  Riders also have the chance to care for their horses and are asked to tack and untack, to water and feed their horse and to take care of their tack.  NOTE:  This ride is not suitable for the riders who have vertigo.

Dates:  September 07-15, Sept. 28-Oct. 5, Oct. 11-18, Oct. 19-26
Rates:  $3,750.00 USD or 3000€ per person in a shared room.  Single Supplement not available.

Included

  • 7 nights accommodation
  • 6 days of guided trail riding (5-6 hours/day)
  • All meals
  • Horse and all tack
  • Guiding services
  • Airport transfers from the local airport (Kayseri) at pre set time
  • All local taxes

Not Included

  • Airfare (international or local)
  • Travel Insurance (highly recommended)
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Optional activities (hot air balloon, hammam, Open Air Museum of Gorëme)
  • Gratuities for the team at the end of the stay

The description below is an example of a trail most often followed, but for reasons like the weather forecast or a safety matter, the guide may chose to alter the itinerary as needed.

Day 1: Arrival Day

Arrival at Kayseri airport. You are met by your chauffeur and transferred about an hour to your guesthouse in Urgup, where you have dinner with your guide.

Day 2: Akkoy

You are driven to the ranch in the morning to meet your horse, and get acquainted with the riding equipment. You will have time to try your horse on a training course going around the farm.

The trail begins with one hour of riding through lush vegetation and along the stream of the Uzengi Canyon. Very quickly, the first long canter brings you to Avlak Mountain, with a magnificent encompassing view of Cappadocia.

The rocky hills could provide the perfect background to a Western movie... Cantering on this high plateau will bring us to the lunch break. Olives, hummus, vegetables, different cheeses, a traditional yogurt dish, turkish black tea - all are served on a table, in a Canyon; surrounded by our happily grazing horses.

Day 3: Mustafapasa

We start this day by cantering through fields of the high Anatolian plateau (1600 m high) : barley, wheat, oat and beans fields surround us.

We dismount for 20 minutes of a steep walk on a single trail down to Damsa Lake, where we have lunch.

Mounting back up, we pass by and overlook a valley of fairy chimneys, the afternoon scenery is made of bare hills surrounding the lake.

In the afternoon, we arrive in the center of the old Greek village of Mustafapasa and visit t on horseback.

After a short ride, we arrive to the hotel in Ayvali.

Day 4: Golgoli

In the morning, a quick start with a fun canter brings you to visit the underground village of Golgoli.

Your sure-footed horse takes you off the beaten tracks along a scenic path through rock formations, vineyards and orchards surrounded by table-mountains.

Arriving in Keslik Monasteri, villagers cook lunch for us - a wonderful traditional meal.

Afterward, you canter along tracks of soft red clay leading you to the village of Ayvali through a hidden canyon, and end at the hotel.

Day 5: Uchisar

Leaving the hotel on horseback, you can enjoy varied scenery of narrow tracks, small canyons, farmed land, and the wide-open spaces of Subasi, where shepherds lead their flock.

You wind your way along the lush, narrow canyon of a remote village, before galloping on large sandy tracks. You will visit a second and different type of underground village : “Kirkule”.

A fun long canter leads us through vineyards and orchards and over rolling hills of white tuffa to reach the fairy chimneys of Gomeda Valley, then more fun riding awaits you in the narrow corridors and arches of the canyon of Gumuslu.

The trail begins with a one-hour ride through lush vegetation and along the stream of the Uzengi Canyon. Villagers cook lunch for you at the foot of troglodytic citadels of dovecotes carved out the abrupt rock walls.

After lunch, you ride uphill to reach the village of Ibrahimpasa. From this picturesque village, you start ascending the ‘twin hills’ of Cappadocia to reach a panoramic viewpoint encompassing northern Cappadocia and the towering rock fortress of Uchisar.

As you ride towards the village, you can admire the multicolored rock formations of the famous Pigeon Valley, and Uchisar’s picturesque fairy chimneys. Your reach your panoramic guesthouse on horseback and enjoy a drink on the terrace.

Day 6: Valley of Roses

Optional hot-air balloon flight in the early morning: this is really a must do - you travel with the wind over Cappadocia’s magical landscape at sunrise. It's truly magnificent and serene.

Back on your horse, you wind your way through the rock tunnels, arches and small woods of the spectacular, 4 km-long canyon called the Green Valley. You make a detour through the famous Love Valley and its gigantic phallic rock formations, then into the Sword Valley and Red Valley. With its citadels of red, pink and ochre rock, and its beautiful troglodytic churches, this is Cappadocia’s most spectacular ensemble of geological formations.

A cave cafe located in an ancient monastery welcomes you for lunch. In the afternoon, you keep exploring the Red and Rose Valleys, then ride out into the fields, surrounded by the rocky hills of north Cappadocia.

The winding paths of the Shepherd’s Valley take you back with a long canter to your guesthouse in Uchisar, in time to admire north Cappadocia in the sunset light.

Day 7: Boz daha’ plateau

This morning, you enter another beautiful canyon called the White Valley, after the color of its rock. You ride through stone labyrinths and lush vegetation, and pass the impressive fairy chimneys of yet another Love Valley ...

Crossing the picturesque village of Cavusin, you dismount for a short walk to reach the plateau of Boz daha, you canter on the crest overlooking Red Valley on one side and Devrent Valley on the other, with its strangely shaped fairy chimneys on the other side.

You enjoy more long canters through the maze of woody, sandy paths of the valley of Urgüp before reaching the valley of Pancarlik and its multicolored rock formations, gardens and orchards.

You return to the farm in the afternoon and bid your horse farewell before a short transfer back to your guesthouse in Urgup and farewell dinner.

Day 8: Departure

After breakfast, departure to Kayseri (or Nevsehir) airport for your flight to Istanbul.