Multi Activity School Adventure in Turkey

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1 Europe Multi Activity School Trip Highlights Exploring the spectacular and dramatic landscapes of Cappadocia including Red Valley and White Valley Camping under the stars in the Aldaglar Sightseeing in Istanbul Mountain Biking in Kas White Water Rafting at Koprulu Canyon National park Sea kayaking in Kas Kekova Boat Tour to Simena Castle Whirling Dervishes Museum in Konya Welcome to World Youth Adventures Thank you for your interest in our Multi Activity School Adventure in Turkey trip. At World Youth Adventures we are passionate about sharing our experience in providing off the beaten track experiences and the thrill of coming face to face with untouched cultures as well as wilderness regions of great natural beauty, with students and young adults as you prepare yourself for life s challenges ahead. We are also committed to making sure that our range of unique itineraries are well researched, affordable and tailored for the enjoyment of our small groups or individuals philosophies that have been at our core since 1975 when we began operating adventure holidays. The itineraries will give you the very best travel experience, designed by people with incredible local knowledge who share our vision of authentic exchange and real exploration with a responsible tourism approach. We hope you will join us on this life changing experience, in the meantime join our community at Facebook.com/ WorldYouthAdventures Trip Duration 18 days Trip Code: SOG1949 Grade Moderate Activities Trekking, Mountain Biking, Sea Kayaking and Exploring Accommodation 18 day trip, 12 nights hotel or guest house and 5 nights camping Why travel with World Youth Adventures? World Youth Adventures (WYA) is a specialist division of World Expeditions that provides overseas adventure experiences for youth and young adults. We ve providing safe, quality travel experiences for students for over 20 years, in which time we ve designed and operated literally hundreds of fun, educational, adventurous, original & safe itineraries to more than 25 countries. If you are a student looking to try your first overseas adventure, travelling with WYA is a sound first step. You ll join like minded youth from across the world, utilise our decades of experience to tailoring unique experiences and benefit in terms of safety, price and value thanks to our unrivalled overseas network. Your parents will be pleased to know that your duty of care is our number one priority. We are financially protected with adequate bonding and financial safeguards taken out in Australia, New Zealand, North America and the UK. Refer to our website to learn more about our industry leading risk management procedures. Our tours for young people will not just open your mind to a new world of thinking, by choosing to travel with World Youth Adventures your tour will actually benefit the local peoples you ll interact with, safeguard the ecosystems you ll explore and contribute to the sustainability of travel in the regions you ll experience World Youth Adventures - Victoria Earl 6/08/2013 6:35:50 PM

2 Important Notes Trip Dates The Trip A journey to capture the diversity of landscapes and cultural pulse of Turkey. We combine the classic highlights with forays into some of the country s more unusual places. After time to explore the Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosque in Istanbul we journey to Cappadocia, famous for the underground cities and extraordinary rock formations scattered throughout the Goreme Valley. Konya, famous for its Whirling Dervishes, and Antalya are next for some white water rafting. From here we continue to Kas for more adventurous activities including Mountain Biking, Sea Kayaking and & boat tour to Simena Castle & Sunken City before returning to Antalya where our adventure will finish. At a Glance Day 1 Arrive Istanbul Day 2 Istanbul Sightseeing Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome Square Ankara Day 3 Ankara Sightseeing Salt Lake Ihlara/Selime Day 4 Ihlara Valley & Selime Monastery Cappadocia ( walking 5 hrs, approx. 8 km) Day 5 Goreme Meskendir Valley, Red & Rose Valley Cavusin (7 hours walking 15kms) Day 6 Cappadocia Akvadi Zemi Valley El Nazar church (4 hours walking 11 kms) Day 7 Cappadocia Derinkuyu Aladaglar National park Karagol Lake (walking 3 hours) Day 8 Karagol Teke Kalesi (3.517m) Yedigoller Plateau (walking 8 hours) Day 9 Edigoller Plateau Emler Summit (3.723m) Yedigoller Plateau (walking 6 hours) Day 10 Celikbuyduran Pass Sokulupinar (walking 5 hours) Day 11 Sokulupinar Eznevit Yaylasi Siyirmalik Valley Emli Valley (7 hours walking) Day 12 Emli Valley - Konya Mevlana Museum- Konya Day 13 Konya - Antalya Day 14 Antalya Koprulu Canyon National park Wild Water rafting Aspendos Antalya Day 15 Antalya Phaselis Kas Mountain biking (20km) Day 16 Kas Sea Kayak Day 17 Kas Ucagiz/Kekova Boat Tour Simena Castle & Sunken City Antalya Day 18 Depart Antalya What s Included 17 Breakfast, 16 Lunches, 17 Dinners Expert English speaking guide throughout Experienced trek staff & driver International group flights (based on a minimum of 10 participants) Comfortable hotels on a twin share basis, mess tent, toilet tent, mattresses and all necessary Kitchen Gears & Dinnerware All internal ground transport International airport transfers by private vehicle Sightseeing as per the itinerary Group medical kit Industry led Risk Assessment World Youth Adventures - Victoria Earl 6/08/2013 6:35:50 PM

3 Detailed pre departure information Free of charge place for a teacher based on a minimum of 10 participants Taurus Mountains Aladaglar National park Entrance & Camping fees White Water rafting Koprulu river including equipment and safety briefing Mountain biking in Kas including equipment and safety briefing Sea Kayak in Kas including equipment and safety briefing Boat Tour in Ucagiz/Kekova Detailed Itinerary Day 1 arrive Istanbul Upon arrival at Istanbul Ataturk Int. Airport you will be met and transferred to the group hotel. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore before you meet for a group briefing and your first group dinner. Meals: D Day 2 Istanbul Sightseeing Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome Square Ankara Istanbul, formerly known as Constantinople, was the hub of the Ottoman Empire, and many of the grand buildings of this period are present today. You could easily spend a week in this city and still not have seen all the sites. Today we will explore the old Sultan Ahmet Area, The Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. In the late afternoon we will transfer by bus to Ankara where you will overnight. Day 3 ankara Sightseeing Salt Lake Ihlara/Selime Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country s second largest city after Istanbul. Centrally located in Anatolia, Ankara is an important commercial and industrial city. It is the centre of the Turkish Government, and houses all foreign embassies. We will explore the old city before visiting the renowned Anatolian Civilizations museum. The museum has a number of exhibits of Anatolian archaeology. They start with the Palaeolithic era, and continue chronologically through the Neolithic, Early Bronze, Assyrian trading colonies, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian, Greek, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. Afterwards we drive approximately 5 h (including breaks) until we reach Ihlara. On the way we will make a short break at the Salt Lake (Tuz Golu). The Salt Lake is the second largest lake in Turkey with its 1,665 km2 (643 sq mi) surface area and one of the largest hyper saline lakes in the world. Afterwards we continue to Ihlara (Selime) where we spend the night at a small Hotel. Day 4 Ihlara Valley & Selime Monastery Cappadocia ( walking 5 hrs, approx. 8 km) Today we start walking in the Ihlara Valley, a 14km long canyon with hundreds of rock cut rooms and churches. This valley proved to be an ideal place for Monks to worship in seclusion, as well as provide a safe hideaway and place of defense for people during times of invasion. There are numerous dwellings, some of which are connected by tunnels and corridors. The decorations in the churches date from the 6th to the 13th centuries. After having Lunch in Belisirma village we drive to Selime to visit the Selime Monastery. A visit to this complex of buildings on a steep mountain slope is a must in the region. Afterwards we drive to Cappadocia where we will overnight. Day 5 Goreme Meskendir Valley, Red & Rose Valley Cavusin (7 hours walking 15kms) After breakfast we begin our days trek through some of the most beautiful valleys in Cappadocia. The Christian people at the heart of the Cappadocia realized that the soft rocks could be easily carved out to form houses, churches and monasteries. These Christian sanctuaries contain many World Youth Adventures - Victoria Earl 6/08/2013 6:35:50 PM

4 Fast Facts Countries Visited: Turkey Visas: Please check visa requirements with your reservations consultant* Vaccinations: Please consult a travel vaccination specialist for up to date information Private Groups: Private group options are available for this trip* Singles: A single supplement is available for this trip* Group Size Min: 6 Group Size Max: 16 Leader: Expert local leader Brochure Reference: Africa, Middle East *Ask our staff for more information. examples of Byzantine art from the post iconoclastic period. The frescoes inside the Goreme Open Air Museum are a unique artistic achievement from this period. After visiting the Goreme open air Museum we continue trekking into the Meskendir Valley. We follow the path littered with old Cave houses and complexes from the old Christian civilization. From the Meskendir Valley we cross over to the Red Valley, another stunning valley with its spectacular formations and colours. We will soon enter the Red and Rose valleys and make our way towards Cavusin, which is one of the oldest settlements in the Cappadocia Area; a small village made up of rock cut dwellings and elegantly carved stone houses. From Cavusin village we continue on small walking paths to the Zelve Monastery Valley. Zelve does not have the rich frescoes of Goreme, but is spread out over three valleys, of which two are connected by a tunnel. After visiting the Pasabaglari area we will continue to our trek through vineyards and on stabilized roads back to Cavusin. Here we will meet our vehicles and return to our hotel after a fantastic day trekking. Day 6 Cappadocia Akvadi Zemi Valley El Nazar church (4 hours walking 11 kms) After having breakfast we drive to the trail head to meet our trek staff at the beginning of the Akvadi (The White Valley). Our trek follows the old river bed used today for vineyards. We will arrive around lunch time at Uchisar village where we will stop and visit the high viewpoint known as The fortress. The top of the Citadel provides a magnificent panorama of the surrounding area. After taking photos we will continue our trek and enter into the Zemi Valley, a green valley with wind eroded volcanic rocks and tall poplar trees. At the end of the Valley and depending on time there will be the opportunity to visit the El Nazar church. The church was carved from one piece of a rock in a T shape. The frescoes show scenes which follow each other in chronological order. The church can be dated to the end of the 10th Century. Our vehicle will pick us up at the end of the Valley to transfer us back to our hotel. In the early evening it is optional possible to try a traditional Turkish bath, better known as Hamam. Day 7 Cappadocia Derinkuyu Aladaglar National park Karagol Lake (walking 3 hours) Today we drive to the Taurus Mountains Aladaglar National park. On the Way we visit the incredible underground city of Derinkuyu,carved way back in the past as a shelter in times of siege and continuous raids, a huge hidden city under the plains of Central Anatolia. Upon arriving in the Taurus Mountains Aladaglar National park we will have Lunch at a traditional Fish farm. After Lunch we start our walk from the Pinarbasi village and trek to our first Camp at the Karagol (Black Lake). Day 8 Karagol Teke Kalesi (3.517m) Yedigoller Plateau (walking 8 hours) We leave our Camp and follow the path that leads up to the green pastures to the southeast of the Karagol. During the summertime it is possible to see Semi Nomadic Families with their flocks pass by. Our walk to the foot of the Teke Kalesi will take approximately 2 hours. Here we will rest for a bit and enjoy the surrounding area, before continuing up to today s highest Point, the Teke Kalesi (3.517m). You will be rewarded with a great view and a picnic lunch. You will then descend down to the Seven lakes Plateau (3.100m) and follow the path to the next camp, which will take about 2 more hours. Day 9 Edigoller Plateau Emler Summit (3.723m) Yedigoller Plateau (walking 6 hours) We climb up to the Celikbuyduran Pass (3.450m) and ascend from there to the Emler Summit (3.723m) this morning. From the peak it is possible to see the Mt. Erciyes (3.917m) to the North, the Mt. Hasan (3.268m) to the West, and the Bolkar Range to the South, all important Summits of the Aladaglar Range. After a picnic lunch we will descend back to our camp at the Yedigoller Plateau World Youth Adventures - Victoria Earl 6/08/2013 6:35:50 PM

5 Responsible Travel The environments that you ll travel through are fragile. It is our responsibility as visitors to minimise the impact of our presence. Learn how you can minimise your impact by downloading our Responsible Travel Guidebook from our website. While you re there learn more about our sustainable travel policies. Important Note These trip notes represent the most current information for this itinerary, and may supersede any information in the current brochure, including but not limited to the itinerary and price. The itinerary should be seen as a guide only. This itinerary may change at any time due to inclement weather, forces of nature and other circumstances beyond our control. Day 10 Celikbuyduran Pass Sokulupinar (walking 5 hours) After our luggage is loaded on the Mules we will climb up to the Celikbuyduran Pass again but this time we will descend to the Sokulupinar Camp Side, which will take about 5 hours. We should be comfortable with our daily treks now and enjoying the diverse landscapes. Day 11 Sokulupinar Eznevit Yaylasi Siyirmalik Valley Emli Valley (7 hours walking) After breakfast we start today s trek and leave the Sokulupinar Camp and climb up to the Sakartas Pass (2.300m). From here we walk through Eznevit Yaylasi where we reach a lookout point with a beautiful panoramic view to the Siyirmalik Valley. At this amazingly place we will have lunch before we climb down to the Siyirmalik Valley and walk through its forest to our camp for our final night under the stars at Emli Valley. Day 12 Emli Valley - Konya Mevlana Museum- Konya We leave the Aladaglar National park and drive to Konya where we will have Lunch and visit the Mevlana Museum. The Mevlana museum, located in Konya, is the mausoleum of Jalal ad-din Muhammad Rumi, a Sufi mystic also known as Mevlana or Rumi. It was also the dervish lodge of the Mevlevi order, better known as the whirling dervishes. The members of the Mevlevi order had a prolific impact throughout the Ottoman Empire in classical poetry, calligraphy, visual arts and music. We spend the Night in Konya at the Hotel in the city centre. Day 13 Konya - Antalya After breakfast we continue to Antalya. It is uncertain when the site of the current city was first inhabited. Attalos II, king of Pergamon, was believed to have founded the city around 150 BC, naming it Attalia and selecting it as a naval base for his powerful fleet. However, excavations in 2008 in the Dogu Garaji district of Antalya have uncovered remains dating to the 3rd century BC, suggesting that the city was founded earlier than previously supposed. Antalya became part of the Roman Republic in 133 BC when King Attalos III of Pergamum willed his kingdom to Rome at his death. The city grew and prospered during the Ancient Roman period. The city includes sites with traces of Lycian, Pamphylian, and Hellenistic -but mainly Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottomanarchitecture and cultures. Day 14 antalya Koprulu Canyon National park Wild Water rafting Aspendos Antalya In the morning we will drive to the Koprulu Canyon National park for Rafting. Rafting is one of the most exciting and adventurous sports and you ll be amazed with the beauty of the natural canyons and the level of adrenalin you will experience. The rafting route will be 12 km and will take around 4 h and lunch will be taken beside the river. In the late afternoon we will drive back to Antalya via the ancient ruins of Aspendos. According to later tradition, the (originally non-greek) city was founded around 1000 BC by Greeks who may have come from Argos. The wide range of its coinage throughout the ancient world indicates that, in the 5th century BC, Aspendos had become the most important city in Pamphylia. At that time the Eurymedon River was navigable as far as Aspendos, and the city derived great wealth from a trade in salt, oil, and wool. Aspendos is known for having the best-preserved theater of antiquity. Day 15 antalya Phaselis Kas Mountain biking (20km) Phaselis, which has three harbours: the Northern Harbour, the Battle Harbour and the Protected (Sun) Harbour, of which the last is the most important today. A 24-metre-wide ancient street runs through the middle of the city. Kas is a small fishing, yachting and tourist town, and a district of World Youth Adventures - Victoria Earl 6/08/2013 6:35:50 PM

6 Antalya Province of Turkey. As a tourist town it is relatively unspoiled with its blue sea and narrow streets scented with jasmine flowers. There are plenty of little guest houses and quiet cafes serving home cooking. The terrain in the hills above Kas is superb for mountain-biking and you will cover about 20 km. After an initial climb of a couple of kilometers the morning is mostly spent on a long easy descent into Kas along little used roads and paths offering breath taking views over the coast. Day 16 Kas Sea Kayak We start our kayaking adventure off right by learning essential paddling and safety skills on calm water. You will cover equipment, paddling technique & basic skills ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable learning experience. The adventure begins from Big Pebble Beach or Kas harbour. While beginners are being informed about sea kayaking, experienced ones can paddle for warm-up exercising. We then begin to kayak all together to reach the isolated Sebeda coasts, which are not reachable by any other vehicle. We stop for lunch on Limanagzi Beach famous for its turquoise waters. In the afternoon, we kayak from Inceburun to Kas and thus test our recently acquired skills in the open water. On a lucky day, we may have an encounter with Mediterranean Monk Seals (Monachus monachus) and Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta). If the sea conditions are favourable and your performance allowable, this tour may extend to the islands of Antiphellos Archipelago. Day 17 Kas Ucagiz/Kekova Boat Tour Simena Castle & Sunken City Antalya The Kekova area is a great place for coastal scenery and archaeological sites that are well preserved because they are not easily accessible. We will take a pleasant excursion by boat to the ruins on the northern coast of Kekova island. By boat, we go round the island, where you can see remains to 2 meters deep, in the bluish light on the seabed. We walk up to the Simena castle rewarding us with a view all around, and on numerous rock tombs. You will fully appreciate this day with a stroll on the Tersane Island. Afterwards we continue to Antalya. In Antalya we will take time to visit the old part of the city and ancient port area before our final dinner and celebration meal. Day 18 Depart Antalya Transfer to the Antalya airport for your flight home. Meals: B This Itinerary Is Subject To Change With Any Change In Community Regulations As Well As Governmental Changes And Natural Circumstances Beyond Our Control. Country Information Turkey is a natural bridge between the two worlds of the West and the Orient. It displays an amazing diversity in its geography, geology and climate, varying from extremes such as the subtropical forest of the Black Sea coast to the evergreen pine forests of the Mediterranean, snow capped mountains, rolling steppe and rich agricultural valleys. Cappadocia is a surreal landscape of conical shaped, limestone formations. Its contrasting moonscapes and valleys filled with rock hewn churches and dwellings and fairy chimneys are nestled under the snow capped mountains of Mount Aergius. It is primarily an agricultural region due to its rich, mineral laden soil; however, much wealth is generated from its famous carpet weaving and tourism. Turkey s population is nearing 70 million. More than 95% of the population is Islamic. The original nomadic people, the Yoruk, or Black Tent Dwellers, still keep their original culture and way of life, alternating between the summer and winter pastures of the Taurus Mountains. Their Mongolian faces can distinguish them and they commonly wear loose baggy trousers, as they do in other regions of Central Asia World Youth Adventures - Victoria Earl 6/08/2013 6:35:50 PM

7 Climate The Central Anatolian region of Cappadocia has hot and dry daytime temperatures of between degrees Celsius and cool nights between degrees Celsius. The Aegean experiences a hot and humid climate during summer (May September) with temperatures rising to over 40 degrees Celsius at times. Average temperatures for this period are between 15 and 32 degrees Celsius. Rainfall at this time is at its lowest. The Mediterranean experiences similar weather patterns to the Aegean, although temperatures are slightly hotter ranging from degrees Celsius between May and September. Again, May to September is the dry season. What you Carry In your daypack you will need to carry extra warm clothing (depending on the altitude, location and weather), a rainjacket, water bottle, camera gear, valuables and personal items such as sunscreen, lip balm etc. Equipment Required Specialist gear required include walking boots and day pack (a comprehensive gear list is provided in the pre departure information provided on booking). Protecting the Environment World Youth Adventures has factored into the cost of each adventure an offset of one tonne of carbon caused by the international air travel component. Additionally we ensure that the land content of all WYA itineraries is carbon offset. This is achieved by calculating the carbon emissions produced on each trip by internal flights, road transport, accommodation and food and then including the equivalent offset amount in the cost of the trip. WYA have aligned with Climate Friendly to calculate and offset carbon emissions. What s not Included Transport other than that stated in the itinerary Additional sightseeing, entrance fees and meals other than that stated Single supplements Bottled water, aerated and alcoholic drinks Items of a personal nature such as beverages, phone calls, laundry, etc. Visa Travel Insurance Tips Subscribe to our e-newsletter Stay in touch with World Youth Adventures subscribe to our newsletter at worldyouthadventures.com or Like our page at Facebook.com/WorldYouthAdventures. You can also follow us on or read our blog on our website. Social Networking You can make sure your up to date with all our latest information by liking or following us on the following social networks: Facebook.com/WorldYouthAdventures Twitter World Youth Adventures - Victoria Earl 6/08/2013 6:35:50 PM