Cappadocia Big

Our first day is organizational, the day of meetings, acquaintances and moving. The group meets at Kayseri airport. From there we move in an organized manner to the start of the pedestrian part of our route, to the small village of Yhlara. that it is located in the upper reaches of the canyon of the same name. We distribute food and public equipment and, after admiring the magnificence of the Musa volcano, we move to our first stop. We will set up camp on the river bank.

Over the next two days we will have to walk about 15 km. It doesn’t seem like much, but take your time, we have to visit the canyon! Ykhlara is a narrow gorge in a massif of volcanic tuff, winding along the river. The path goes up and down and winds between boulders along the riverbed. We will start with the most interesting “museum” part of the canyon. Having bought tickets, we go into the canyon and move along the path, under the canopy of trees. We stop periodically, throw off our backpacks, and walk or climb into the cave temples. We have a snack right there on the trail, and you can drink tea or coffee in a cafe on the shore. By the end of the day we will leave the protected part of the canyon, and spend the night in a wide clearing not far from a thermal spring, in the warm water of which you can rinse off. We cook dinner over the fire, then take a well-deserved rest after the first day of walking.

After breakfast, we break up camp and continue moving further along the canyon. Once again we admire the views and admire the cave temples and entire monastery ensembles that we meet along the way. We will also visit the only cave mosque, original of its kind, and still used for its intended purpose. At the exit from the canyon, a literally “cosmic” landscape awaits us, which was used by director Lucas in one of the Star Wars episodes. We will set up a camp in a clearing, not far from a picturesque medieval bridge spanning a river.

Today we are moving. But before getting on the minibus, lastly, let’s visit another museum object - the cathedral monastery, located in the village of Selimiye. Then we move to another beautiful place in Cappadocia, the town of Goreme. On the way, we have a transfer in the ancient city of Aksaray, where you can see the modern Turkish hinterland with your own eyes, and at the same time have a snack. Arriving in Goreme, we will camp at camping. Here we will already have a set of basic amenities, including a shower. Those who find it very difficult to live in tents will be able to choose one of the hotels, of which there are plenty in Goreme. In the evening you can stroll around the village and visit one of the many cafes.

The morning in Goreme is beautiful in itself, but if we are lucky and there is flying weather, then we will be treated to an amazingly beautiful spectacle, the flights of hot air balloons. Several dozen multi-colored balls simultaneously fly into the predawn sky. It is worth getting up early and taking an “observation point” on the heights in the surrounding area. Gorgeous photos guaranteed. After breakfast, we stock up on a snack, put on comfortable shoes and set off through the labyrinth of valleys, rocks, ravines and man-made caves of which there are many. We'll start with the Goreme Open Air Museum. Then the Valley of Love, Uchisar Fortress and Pigeon Valley await us. In the evening we return to the base, where we cook dinner, relax and exchange impressions.

In the first half of the day we are scheduled to visit one (or two) of the underground cities of Cappadocia. For example Derinkuyu or Kaymakli. These man-made caves amaze the imagination with their volumes, truly underground cities! In which several thousand people could live fully without going to the surface. We will return to Goreme for lunch, and then go back to explore the amazing landscapes of Cappadocia. This time, we will go up to the observation deck above the Red Valley. We'll drink coffee with a magnificent view, go to the Cavusin Monastery, and then walk to the camp along the ravines of the Red and Rose Valleys. Returning to the camp, we will organize a farewell dinner with a bonfire and late-night gatherings.

Our route, unfortunately, has come to an end. After breakfast, we pack up camp. Before the dolmushka departs for the airport, there is a little time that can be spent buying souvenirs or just walking around Goreme. Finally we get into the minibus and leave for Kayseri airport.