DAY 1- ISTANBUL TO CAPPADOCIA (Dinner)
You will be picked up from your Istanbul hotel and transferred to the airport for your flight to Kayseri. Upon arrival in Kayseri, you will be met at the airport for private transfer to your luxury cave hotel in Urgup/Cappadocia.
The Cappadocia region of delightfully whimsical rock formations and surreal panoramas flushed in a palette of rose, pink and beige will enchant you with breathtaking views throughout the day. The landscape of the region owes its splendor to the geology of Mount Erciyes (Argaeus), an extinct volcano rising to 3,916 meters above sea level, which you will be able to see in the distance as you are touring, weather permitting. Over the millennia, the various strata of volcanic ash compressed to form a bed of soft tufa stone across the region, which was then subject to continuous and perpetual erosion, shaping the tufa deposits into fantastic valleys, pyramids and cones, referred to locally as ‘fairy chimneys’. The tufa is easily chipped away and inhabitants of the region have been carving out and dwelling in caves for centuries. The entire region is now a warren of underground cities, caves dwellings, cave churches and chambers. Early trade colonies were established here by the Assyrians as long ago as the 20th century BC and Heroditus mentions Cappadocia in the 5th century BC. Christianity came early to the region when St. Phillip, and a few years later, St. Paul passed through and preached in Caesarea (now Kayseri). The early Christians appreciated the sublime beauty of the region while the harsh climate and difficult terrain must have been conducive to their ascetic lifestyle. Formal Christian communities were established beginning in the mid 4th century when St. Basil founded a monastery in Cappadocia and drafted his rules of monastic life. When the Arabs invaded Asia Minor in the 7th and 8th centuries, Cappadocia remained relatively undisturbed by the conflicts; perhaps due to the fact that the monks and local Christians went underground, literally, excavating the underground cities and richly frescoed cave churches which are open for exploration.
Your tour will begin by making a stop to take in the landscape of Devrent Valley after which you will view the striking fairy chimneys and other rock formations in the Monk’s Valley, where you will also see a chapel dedicated to the well known reclusive monk, St. Simeon as well as some small cave habitations that were carved and used by monks one thousand years ago. In Avanos, an artistic center that dates to Hittite occupation some 3500 years ago, you will have the opportunity to witness potters at their wheels. The red clay found at the Kizilirmak River, along the banks of which the village is located, has been used since the times of the Hittites to make functional and ornamental pottery. After a lunch break, you will move on to visit the Goreme Open-Air Museum where you will marvel at the numerous cave churches and monasteries with their richly frescoed walls painted by Orthodox Monks around 1000-1200 AD. See also the Uchisar Castle. Situated at the highest point in Cappadocia and providing superb panoramic vistas, it is a large rock formation full of interconnected rooms, stairs, tunnels and passages that have been carved from the tufa. Scattered throughout the immediate surroundings are several Roman tombs also cut from the tufa.
After the tour, at about 17:30, you will be transferred to your hotel. Rest and relax until you are ready for your dinner service. Overnight in Urgup. (B,L,D)
DAY 3- PRIVATE CAPTIVATING CAPPADOCIA TOUR (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Derinkuyu Underground City, Ihlara Valley, Selime Village
Today you will visit the famous underground city of Derinkuyu, which was carved out and created as a defense and hiding site during the spread of Christianity during its early period. Dozens of similar bunker style settlements have been discovered throughout the region and Derinkuyu is the most extensive of them all. There are hundreds of entrances from the outside, thousands of ventilation ducts and seemingly endless passageways connecting countless chambers used for dwelling, worship, cooking, stabling, and storage of all kinds. You will be enchanted and amazed by the subterranean inhabitants’ innovative engineering.
You will also descend into the Ihlara Valley for a hike along a meandering stream where you will, no doubt, feel as though you have been dropped into another geographical region. In a stark contrast to the rocky atmosphere above, this lush gorge, 100 meters deep in places, is an oasis full of native flora and fauna. You will come across a few small, cultivated garden patches that are tended by locals and you may even encounter a shepherd or two tending their sheep. You will find large boulders upon which to rest and soak up the sunshine next to the wonderful little stream that you will be hiking along and, if you will be in the valley during the summertime, you will find mulberry bushes loaded with the sweet purple fruit. Explore the many small cave chapels and churches, of which several are frescoed, that were dug out of the valley’s cliff walls during the time of Christianity’s early development.
Before the tour’s end, you will visit the monasteries at Selime village.
Lunch will be served at an appropriate juncture during the day and after the tour, around 17:30, you will be returned to your hotel.
After the tour, at about 17:30, you will be transferred to your hotel. Rest and relax until your pick up at around 20:00. You will be treated to a Turkish Night Show with a scrumptious dinner of traditional Turkish fare followed by traditional dance performances, unlimited drinks included. Overnight in Urgup. (B,L,D)
After breakfast and check out from your hotel, you will be picked up and privately transferred to the Kayseri Airport for your flight to Istanbul. As you exit baggage claim upon your arrival in Istanbul, you will be met by a True Blue representative for transfer to your hotel. End of services. (B)
Please make note of the following:
