In Cappadocia, nature and history comes hand in hand to form one of the most beautiful scenes of the world.  While wind and water formed the fairy chimneys (Peri Bacalari) in thousands of years, humanity built thousands of years old civilizations with carving houses and churches within these rocky pillars and decorating them with beautiful frisks. Cappadocia was derived from Katpatuka, which means "the land of beautiful horses" in the Hittite language. Besides a fantastic cycling in Cappadocia the next step is nice ‘around trip‘ in Taurus Mountains area. The Taurus Mountains are the Western branch of the great mountain chain that stretches across all of Asia. The Turkish section of this massive range follows the Southern border of Anatolia and is itself made up of four major sections.

Made of sedimentary material such as limestone and dolomites, the range reveals excellent examples of nappes, or folds in the layers of rocks. There are vast formations of karst as well as landscapes that reveal the effects of glacier and water erosion.

Tour highlights:

• Cappadocia – a land of extreme natural beauty, mystery and rich history
• The imposing rocky Taurus (Aldaglar) mountains with altitude exceeding more then 3500 m
• Small villages and towns with typical Anatolian architecture, culture and life
• Stunning underground cities, the deep Ilhara valley with numerous rock churches, monasteries cut in the rocks
• Delicous traditional Turkish cuisine
• The beautiful Mediteranean sea and coast

Departure dates:
1 May 2010; 02 October 2010, other date also possible upon request

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival in Kayseri and transfer to the hotel in Goreme for overnight.
Day 2: You start cycling from Goreme. At the beginning the road is a little steep, reaching an altitude of 1150m and further on after short ascents and descents you will enjoy the nice overviews over The Cappadocia Valley. You pass the towns of Ortahisar, Urgup and Mustafapasa. The next highlight - Keslik Monastery ( dug into the rocks) is really worth visiting. Most of the time the altitude of the road is between 1100 and 1250 m. The next settlements that we pass are Taskinpasa and Sahinefendi. For the next 9 km you’ll be cycling on a flat terrain at the top of a plateau and you’ll be surrounded by vast fields. Guzeloz and Tilkoy are the last villages before reaching Derinkuyu. Here you can visit the amazing Underground City which is absolutely unique, going 85 m in the ground and comprising 8 floors.
Cycling specifics: distance: 65 km, uphill/downhill cycling: 500/205m
Day 3: Starting from Derinkuyu and biking on an even road, you reach Gosterli. The altitudes vary from 1275 to 1390 m. In the charming Belisirma village the dirt road passes along some nice restaurants by the river, where you can have lunch. The small village, perched on the valley’s slopes is interesting with its stone houses with flat roofs covered with grass. After short ascent we reach Ihlara village. Some 15 km further just before Guzelyurt you see a sign for Yuksek Church to the right. We stay overnight in Guzelyurt.
Cycling specifics: distance: 69 km, uphill/downhill cycling: 315/180m
Day 4: In the morning you continue cycling towards Duvarli, Azatli , Melendiz and Sultanpinar. For the whole stage the track goes up and down slightly, running through a large area of oval hills. Further the track takes you to a dam in front of you where you follow the main road that climbs up nearby the dam. Then, just before reaching Tepekoy village you arrive at the highest point of the stage – 2120 m. At the end you enter the city of Nigde where we stay overnight.
Cycling specifics: distance: 53 km, uphill/downhill cycling: 630/740m
Day 5: The cycling starts just outside Nigde city. Some 7, 6 km from the start you enter the wonderful Gumusler Monastery, which is cut into the rock. After sightseeing the monastery you turn back and in another 19 km you reach the highest point for the stage - 1960 m a. s. l. In a short while you pass through Uckapili village. Then you leave the main road and cross the bridge. Just in front you can enjoy the magnificent view of a peak which is 3 750 m. a. s. l. In about 3 more km. you arrive in Demirkazik, situated in the foothills of these dramatic Aladaglar Mountains.  This is the final point for the day. We stay overnight in Demirkazik.
Cycling specifics: distance: 62 km, uphill/downhill cycling: 450/310m 
Day 6: Some 8,3 km from Demirkazik we enter Camardi. Already out of town you will be able to enjoy for a long time the stunning view of the mountain on your left (with some peaks reaching 3700 – 3800 m a. s. l.) and the river running on both sides of the road. For most of the time the track goes slightly downhill, at altitudes between 1200 and 1400 m a. s. l. before the beginning of Dagdibi and further – Menemecki. The next settlements along the road are Kamisli and Findikli before the town of Alpu where we stay overnight.
Cycling specifics: distance: 62 km, uphill/downhill cycling: 450/310m 
Day 7:  We start cycling from the beginning of Gulek. The supporting vehicle takes you there after having passed through Akcatekir. Later on we enter Camalan. After passing through some small villages we reach Kurtcucuru. Few kilometers further there is a small lake with a nice restaurant nearby very suitable for lunch or just a coffee break. From there the supporting vehicle takes you to the second starting point for the day which is 39,4 km. further up. At the top of a rise the supporting vehicle leaves you at 1035 m a. s. l. At that point you go straight along the ridge enjoying the superb views over the surrounding ridges. The road goes downhill, descending all the time to the Mediterranean Sea. After passing through Uzurkent, a refreshing swim in the blue Mediterranean waters is awaiting us.
Cycling specifics: distance: 78 km, uphill/downhill cycling: 350/985m
Day 8: Transfer to Adana airport for departure.

PRICE: 970 euro
Included: accommodation and boarding as mentioned; all ground transfers and luggage transportation; English-speaking guide/driver; rent of a bike and technical support. Excluded from the price: flights, travel insurance, entrance fees, additional meals outside the program, tips, alcohol drinks and other personal expenses.
Price of extra services: single supplement: 100 euro; rent of a helmet: 10 euro/week; rent of a rear saddlebag: 10 euro/week; rent of a handle-bar bag: 5 euro/week;
Accomodation and food:   We stay in family-run hotels, guest houses or pensions with private facilities, 6 days on fullboard (all meals included), 1 day on half board (breakfast and dinner included).
Practical information: 
BIKES: You can choose (depending on the availability) from 2 types of bikes: 1 hardtail performance mountain bike “RAM” with road tires, 24 gears and 80mm front suspension fork and 2. quality road touring bike “DRAG” with 21 gears, 28 inch rims and Shimano components.
TOUR INFO: All bikers receive a detailed roadbook and map. The guide with the supporting vehicle and the luggage inside checks several times a day if everything is OK with the group, waiting by crossroads, accompanying them for breakfast, lunch and dinner and giving them talks by the most interesting sites en-route. Bikers can always skip some harder stages using the supporting vehicle
RECCOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: We strongly recommend you wearing a helmet during the cycling. You can bring your own helmet or rent one from us. Cycling gloves are also advisable.
ROAD CONDITIONS: We use mostly two-way roads (one band per direction) with an asphalt covering. The country roads are quite peaceful, sometimes without any cars. The asphalt roads we cycle on are in a very good condition. As for cycling security recommendation for cyclists is to watch out with Turkish drivers. They just don't respect the traffic ordinance, especially in towns and villages. The itinerary is mostly on isolated asphalt roads, but it's always good to watch out.
FLIGHTS TO KAYSERI: Please check Turkish airlines website - http://www.thy.com/en-INT/index.aspx for information on flight schedules and prices.

Recommended travel period of the year:   March - April; September - November 

Tour type: IT+/GT

Difficulty grade: Moderate/Difficult. Tour for experienced bikers.

Group Size:   min. 4 persons