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Asian Turkey Cappadocia Tour Guide
offered by supplier M05945 (view this supplier profile)
Key Information:
Group Size: 1
- 20
people
Destination: Nevsehir
Season: January - December
Languages: English
Minimum Cost: 100 Euro (EUR) Per trip
Maximum Cost: 120 Euro (EUR) Per trip
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CAPPADOCIA has been inhabited since prehistoric times. No one knows when the underground cities were dug out - some say it was the Hittites who began the process. In more recent times, the valleys became home to Orthodox Christian monasteries, and their beautifully decorated churches are one of the regions main attractions.
CAPPADOCIA GOREME HISTORY
- Devrent Valley
- Zelve Open Air Museum
- Pashabagi
- Cavusin Castle
- Avanos (pottery, ceramics, tiles)
- Love Valley
- Goreme Open Air Museum
- Esentepe Panorama
- Uchisar Castle Rockscape
- Pigeon Valley
- Ortahisar Culture Museum
- Urgup's Fairy Chimneys
- Red Valley Sunset.
CAPPADOCIA (Hot Air Ballooning) - The lunar landscape of Cappadocia can only truly be appreciated from a high vantage point, and a balloon trip starting at dawn is a breathtaking experience not to be missed. The balloon flight in Cappadocia is said to be the best in the world alongside the balloon flight in Kenya. It’s easy to fit in a balloon trip in with your other tours because they start very early in the morning - just don’t forget your camera!
The company picks you up from your hotel and offers you a little something before taking you to the launch site. It’s very exciting watching the balloon being inflated. There’s a brief lesson on how to take off and land safely... then you’re off!
CAPPADOCIA & TURKEY TOURS
SOLAR ECLIPSE TOURS (The central line of the 2006 Solar Eclipse passes through Cappadocia)
- Solar Eclipse in Cappadocia Tour - A special one-day tour with a champagne celebration of the solar eclipse from an optimal point in Cappadocia. Solar eclipses have coincided with important events in many faiths, and today we will visit a number of religious sights and learn about these connections.
- Solar Eclipse Cappadocia Grand Slam Tour - A special 4 days in Cappadocia exploring this spectacular and mysterious region. On the day of the eclipse we will go to a special vantage point and celebrate with champagne. Solar eclipses have coincided with important events in many faiths and we will learn more about these connections throughout the tour.
- Solar Eclipse Ancient and Traditional Culture Tour - A whirlwind tour of Anatolian culture from Neolithic times through various historical periods to today's traditional Turkish village lifestyle. The eclipse will be observed from a special point and celebrated with champagne.
- Solar Eclipse Tour of Central Turkey's Four Capitals plus Cappadocia and Istanbul - The archeology tour with a difference: visit Central Anatolia's 4 capitals (Konya/Seljuk, Hattusha/Hittite, Gordion/Phrygian and Ankara/Modern Turkey) as well as Neolithic Catalhoyuk, Cappadocia, Istanbul and more! The eclipse will be observed from a special point and celebrated with champagne.
CAPPADOCIA TOURS (Cappadocia from... to...)
- Antalya to Cappadocia (may be done in reverse)- Travel Antalya to Konya via Perge, Aspendos and Manavgat waterfalls. Overnight Konya. Visit Konya sights, Neolithic Catalhoyuk, Sultanhani caravanserai overnight Ihlara. Walk in Ihlara Canyon, Selime viewpoint, Guzelyurt, and Kaymakli underground city.
- Ephesus to Cappadocia via Pamukkale (may be done in reverse) - The house of the Virgin Mary, Aphrodisias, Pamukkale (overnight), Hierapolis, Kaklik caves, Egidir lake, Konya (overnight), Neolithic Catalhoyuk, Sultanhani caravanserai, Ihlara (overnight), walk in Ihlara Canyon, Selime viewpoint, Guzelyurt, Kaymakli underground city.
ANKARA TO CAPPADOCIA (may be done in reverse)
- Hittite Road - Visit the award-wining Anatolian Civilizations Museum in Ankara with splendid finds from Neolithic Catalhoyuk, Assyrian Kultepe, various Hittite sites, Phrygian Gordion, various Urartian sites, and many more. After this, travel to the Hittite capital Hattusha and their open-air temple Yazilikaya. Arrive Cappadocia in the evening.
- Mystic Route - Visit the award-wining Anatolian Civilizations Museum in Ankara with splendid finds from Neolithic Catalhoyuk, Assyrian Kultepe, various Hittite sites, Phrygian Gordion, various Urartian sites, and many more. After this, visit Hacibektas museum, Gulshehir mushroom rock as well as the Open Palace, mosque and Saint John's Byzantine cave church. Arrive Cappadocia in the evening.
- Thermal Spa Experience - Visit the world-famous Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara before traveling to a special thermal spa hotel in Kirsehir. Enjoy the hotel's thermal spa bathing facilities. On the second day, see the sights of Kirsehir, visit Hacibektas museum, Gulshehir mushroom rock, Open Palace, mosque and Saint John's Byzantine cave church. Arrive at central Cappadocian in the evening.
KONYA TO CAPPADOCIA (may be done in reverse)
- Ancient and Traditional Culture Tour - Visit Konya, Neolithic Catalhoyuk, Sultanhani Caravanserai, overnight Ihlara. Walk in Ihlara Canyon, Selime viewpoint, Guzelyurt, and Kaymakli underground city.
- Cappadocia to Mount Nemrut and beyond
- Mount Nemrut from Cappadocia Tour - This is a round-trip from Cappadocia to visit Mount Nemrut as well as Urfa, the birthplace of the prophet Abraham, and ancient Harran with its beehive houses.
- Nemrut and South-East Turkey - Kayseri, Kultepe, Karatayhan caravanserai, Kahraman Maras, Adiyaman (overnight), Mount Nemrut, Ataturk dam, Harran, Sanliurfa (overnight), Bald Ibis birds, Gaziantep (overnight) for Zeugma mosaics Yesemek, Antakya (2 nights) for Mosaic Museum, Saint Peter's Church, Saint Simeon's Monastery and Selecuia Peria, and finally Hittite Karatepe and Adana.
- Cappadocia, Mount Nemrut, and East Turkey - As well as Cappadocia and Mount Nemrut we shall visit Urfa (Abraham's birthplace), Harran (with its traditional beehive houses), Mardin, Diyarbakir, Hasan Keyf, Akdamar Island on Lake Van and other sights around Van.
CAPPADOCIA TO TRABZON
- Cappadocia and the Eastern Black Sea Region - Kayseri, Kultepe, Tokat, Amasya (overnight), Unye, Giresun, Trabzon (2 nights), Sumela Monastery, Uzun Golu, Camlihemsin, Ayder (overnight).
- Cappadocia and Eastern Turkey - Kayseri, Kultepe, Karatayhan caravanserai, Kahraman Maras, Adiyaman (overnight), Mount Nemrut, Gaziantep(overnight) for Zeugma mosaics, Bald Ibis birds, Sanliurfa (overnight), Harran, Mardin, Deyr-az-Zaferan Monastery, Diyarbakir (overnight), Hasankeyf, Van (2 nights), Akdamar, Cavustepe, Hosap Castle, Muradiye waterfalls, Dogubeyazit Ishakpasa Palace, Kars (2 nights) Ani, Artvin, Sumela Monastery, Trabzon (overnight).
CAPPADOCIA EVENING CHILL OUT (Turkish Dance Show) - For colorful, traditional regional costumes, folk dances, folk music and exotic musical instruments, this night show offers a spectacular cultural experience. In the setting of a huge underground cavern where the audience sit around tables full of snacks and drinks, a local dance troupe with their own musicians fill the evening with a colorful and exuberant display. The show never stops, as the interval is filled with either a display from a highly skilled belly dancer or some Whirling Dervishes.
Turkish regional dances are a living tradition. The dancers in these shows are frequently called upon to perform at local ceremonies and special events, and some are even involved in teaching dancing at local schools. This show therefore provides an authentic experience of culture as it is still enjoyed today.
CAPPADOCIA ARTS AND CRAFTS (Pottery, Ceramics & Tiles) - the red, iron-ore bearing clay deposited by the longest river in Turkey, The Kizilirmak, or "Red River", known to classical scholars as "The Halys", has been used to make pottery in Avanos for thousands of years. During the second millennium BCE, Avanos was inhabited by Assyrian traders, and it was later taken over by the Hittites, who called the river the "Marassantiya". Some of the techniques and designs used by potters today date back to this period.
At one time every house had a potters wheel, and no family would give their daughter in marriage if the groom could not make pots! Today, the best of the ceramics and tiles on sale in Istanbul and other major cities are made here. You can watch potters spinning their traditional kick-wheels with their feet, and even try throwing a pot yourself.
CAPPADOCIA TOURS (Cappadocia Cave Hotels) - There are a lot of hotels in Cappadocia. Three, four and five star hotels are very nice, but undoubtedly the most original accommodations are provided by the few Ottoman-style stone houses and traditional cave-house hotels. Since this region is full of cave houses dug out of the volcanic rock, staying in a cave hotel for a little extra payment seems logical.
Just keep in mind that cave hotels have between 3 and 20 rooms, they are mostly family-run, and are all very comfortable, but are all different from one another in terms of location, view, quietness, service styles and even building style.
Breakfast is a wonderful spread and includes the highest quality products, but because of the small number of rooms and guests, dinner needs to be booked in the morning. If planning ahead doesn't suit you, don't worry - this will give you a chance to sample dishes at the outstanding local restaurants.
ARCHAEOLOGY TOURS - If you're interested in archeology, these places combine the opportunity of seeing the most important Central Anatolian archaeological sites with experiencing the unspoilt Asian atmosphere of Turkey. This is an example of 7 days in central Turkey around Cappadocia which could start in either Kayseri or Ankara, both of which have airports.
Alternatively the Hittite sites are often combined with a transfer from Ankara to Cappadocia, Catalhoyuk is often combined with a trip to Konya from Cappadocia, and sites around Nigde and Kayseri are sometimes visited from Cappadocia.
ISTANBUL TOURS - The name Istanbul, the final destination of the Orient Express, conjures up a romantic, exotic and thrilling image befitting the only city in the world to span two continents. In fact, while it is a very modern city, the most densely populated of Turkey with a population of 12 million, the Byzantine and Ottoman origins of the city blend with present day cultures to create a sense of modernity that stands on two millenniums of richness, turbulence and intrigue.
It is no mistake that the historic areas of Istanbul are on UNESCO's World Heritage List. When planning your travels in Turkey, in order to better appreciate and comprehend this historical and cultural cacophony, why not go to the Asian side of Turkey first, (a good, easy starting point is Cappadocia) and then when you visit Istanbul for a couple of days before your return flight, the sights and museums will fit perfectly into your new-found feel for this country.
BYZANTINE - Haghia Sophia, Chora Church, Hippodrome, Basilica Cistern, Galata Tower, Mosaic Museum, Aqueduct.
OTTOMAN - Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, Blue Mosque, Suleymaniye Mosque, Rustem Pasha Mosque, Rumeli Hisar.
GENERAL - Archeology Museum, Turkish & Islamic Arts, Sadberk Hanim Museum, Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar, Maiden's Tower, Bosphorus Boat Trip, Princes Islands.
EASTERN TURKEY TOURS - A visit to the eastern part of Turkey passes through fascinating regions with impressive historical places as well as different traditional cultures and lifestyles, and the beauty of the countryside in all its variations is indescribable. Bear in mind that the three routes outlined here can be joined together if you have more time available. Alternatively, many people combine places listed here with others; for example, Cappadocia and Nemrut.
NORTH-EASTERN TURKEY - Trabzon, Sumela Monastery, Uzungol, Ayder, Rize.
EASTERN TURKEY - Erzurum, Kars, Ani, Dogubeyazit, Ishak Pasha Palace, Van, Akdamar, Chavushtepe,
Hoshap Castle.
SOUTH-EASTERN TURKEY - Hasankeyf, Mardin, Jacobite Monastery, Diyarbakir, Urfa, Harran, Bald Ibis, Gaziantep, Yesemek, Mount Nemrut, Karatepe, Antakya.
Notes:
- Prices for guiding the tour
- This price is just for guiding but I also have a comfortable a/c car
- I can make every other reservation at no cost to you. Asian Turkey Cappadocia Tours.
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