| Istanbul has a history that goes back many millenia and has been enriched and
influenced by its key location lying on a cross roads between north and south -
Africa and
Europe, and between east and west - the Black Sea countries and the
Mediterranean. Known initially as Byzantium its strategic position was
recognised by Emperor Constantine in AD 324 created the great city of
Constantinople and made it the capital of his empire. In 1453 the Turks
conquered the then Christian city which by the middle of the 16th century
became the powerful heart of the Ottoman Empire under its modern name of
Istanbul. As there are many flights to all destinations in Turkey passing through
Istanbul it is easy to stop off for a day here. Sadly this does not really do
justice to this varied and rich city.
We have selected the following programmes in Turkey that we consider the best
for combining trekking and mountaineering with a taste of the rich culture. All
could be combined with Istanbul. There are many hotels we could recommend in Istanbul. As good a start as any is
the Yaşmak Sultan Hotel.
It is centrally located and offers a good service. - Tauros, Cappadocia and Mount Ararat. Trekking in the Taurus offers a good acclimatisation period before the ascent
of Ararat. Both areas have a rich local nomadic culture which add to the
interest of both regions. The trek finishes in Van where there is a day to
relax by the beautiful Van lake.Sample Trip Details
- Mount Ararat. This trip is suitable for those who have previous high altitude experience
and know they acclimatise well. As with the previous Taurus - Ararat programme
it includes visits to Istanbul and Van. Ararat Details
Note: Ararat requires the use of crampons and walking poles but previous
experience in the use of them is not essential. In fact Ararat is an excellent
training mountain for those interested in going on to higher and more demanding
sumits such as Elbrus, Peak Lenin or Kilimanjaro. - Cappadocia. This trip is designed as a short break that can be taken at any time of year.
It can even be done in winter on snow shoes! Cappadocia
- Cappadocia and Taurus. This combines easy hotel-based walking through the magnificent and magical
scenery of Cappadocia with some more demanding camping-based trekking in the
Taurus. The trek in the Taurus is fully mule supported and involves walking
from one permanent campsite to another. Details.
- Yacht and trek. This combines the luxury of life on a yacht (a journey referred to as the
Blue Cruise or Blue Voyage) with short (generally half day) treks on beautiful
coastal paths visiting ancient ruins, churches and other sights of interest
along the way. Plenty of time to relax and or swim. Yacht and Trek Cappadocia, Yacht and Trek
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Mount Ararat
Cappadocia
Yacht Trekking
Taurus (Toros) Mountains
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