World heritage in Turkey: Cappadocia, the magical realm of fairy chimneys and hot air balloon rides and horses. Well, grab your imagination and travel with us to one of the most magical places on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list: Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia

Covered in fairy chimneys, Byzantine art and rock churches, this week’s UNESCO World Heritage Site of Turkey takes us into the whimsical and mysterious region in the central Anatolian plateaus where you can get lost in the history and beauty of Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia. You might have seen the social media posts of travel bloggers and amateurs alike creating the picture-perfect shot at sunrise in Cappadocia amidst the dry, rugged rocks and bright, colorful hot air balloons in the sky. But this region has a much richer and longer history than the Instagram fame it has gathered over the past several years.

No doubt that horseback trail riding the best way to discover Cappadocia and its the most unforgettable activities you can do in the area, but Cappadocia has a lot more to offer. Be it trekking, be it hot air ballooning or even the town of Göreme and mount Erciyes next to it, Cappadocia and its vicinity with so much to offer is definitely well worth a visit. We are pretty sure that experiencing Cappadocia on horseback with us will make you want to come back and take up on another offer this area is famous with. Before you jump onto thinking about other activities you can do in your next trip, we assure you we will have an unforgettable horse riding holiday in Turkey. Riding 4-5 hours daily on well mannered, high-spirited Arab and Anatolian-Arab breeds with experienced riders will have you enjoy your time.

This tour is intended for advance level riders. There are routes along the route and some routes need hard gallop. It may be required for you to dismount and walk the horses. Don’t worry. our horses are fresh and energetic enough to take care of themselves. In this case, what we prioritize your own convenience. For this reason, we must kindly remind you that this tour is not suitable for you unless you can mount and dismount on your own.

DAY 1: Arrival 

You will arrive at either Kayseri Erkilet Airport Airport or Nevşehir Kapadokya depending on your flight you will be picked by a shuttle from the airport and transferred to our horse themed – The Saddle Cave Hotel, located in the historic town of Mustafapaşa. If you would like, you can take a stroll around the town and until dinner time or relax in your room. Depending on your arrival time, we will have our first night dinner together with your tour guide.

DAY 2: Ride from Mustafapaşa to Golgoli

Good morning! You get to enjoy your authentic Turkish breakfast between 8.30-9.30. After breakfast you’ll be driven to the ranch which is 4 minutes away. You get to see our beautiful little ranch and your horse is ready to mount, with 2 water bottles, you can also place anything inside the bags, which is comfy! First we will ride through Golgoli, which is one of the oldest sites of Mustafapaşa. You will have a tour of through the ancient city Golgoli with the Damsa Dam view. Every step you take will be a priceless moment. Then you will pass by the Keşlik Monastery from 6th century if you like we can stop by for some pictures. Once we passed through we will stop for lunch. We will gallop back to the ranch, one the way back you’ll pass by a nice river. You will have a rest at the hotel and end the day with dinner. Note – the speed of the tours depend on the group, we adjust to the group and we decide with the majority.

DAY 3:  Ride from Mustafapasa to Golgoli Mountain

Once you are done with your breakfast we will be riding through the village in Mustafapaşa towards Ayvali. There we will ride up the highest point of Ayvali, the Golgoli Mountain, once we achieved the top we get to enjoy the mesmerizing unique view, its truly a hidden gem! After a short break we will ride down into the village and enjoy great authentic home made Turkish lunch, followed by a cup of tea or coffee. Then we continue our journey through the very fascinating valley where you can see many pigeons nests in caves. We will ride by beautiful scenes with rivers. The atmosphere is so unique, its our favorite trail! We then ride back to our ranch in Mustafapasa and we will be taken to the hotel. You will have a rest at the hotel and end the day with dinner.

DAY 4: Ride from Mustafapasa to Göreme

After breakfast we will be riding through the village in Mustafapaşa, we’ll head first to Tavşanlı Valley which has a mesmerizing view and from there we will head towards Kızılçukur after having delicious lunch in Ortahisar. Here you get to enjoy the panoramic view of Güllüdere Valley, we ride towards Göreme Valley, once we arrive in Göreme we will leave our horses there and be picked up by car to go back to the hotel. You will have a rest at the hotel and end the day with dinner.

DAY 5: Ride from Göreme to Avanos

After breakfast, you will start riding from Göreme, pass through Paşabağı and Zelve and have lunch near the monasteries from 13th century. It will be a refreshing break both for you and the horses. Once you enjoyed the view, we will gallop through the fishermen village called Sarıhıdır and finally we’ll ride clean through the Kızılırmak River, we stop there to let the horse drink some water. From Kızılırmak we will finish the day at second ranch in Avanos. You will then be picked up and transferred back to the hotel for the evening. You will have a rest at the hotel and end the day with dinner.

DAY 6: Ride from Avanos to Mustafapaşa

Breakfast done, and time to ride from Avanos to the top of Aktepe Hill. From here you will get to enjoy mesmerizing view of Cappadocia from the top. We then continue our ride from Aktepe, where you will see the beautiful Ürgüp stream on the way back to the ranch in Mustafapaşa. You will have a rest at the hotel and end the day with dinner.

DAY 7: Departure Day

You’ll get to enjoy our authentic Turkish breakfast for the last time, and we will be sad to see you go! Checkout time is at 12 afternoon. Your transfer will pick you up from the hotel and take you to the airport. If you flight is later in the evening, you are welcome to stay in our lobby. We wish you a safe flight home and you will have additional luggage to take back home with you – which is: priceless memories!

ABOUT THE ACCOMMODATION & FOOD

We are convinced that you will enjoy stay at our very own charming Saddle Cave Hotel in Mustafapaşa. Full-board accommodation with local specialities also cover non-alcoholic drinks served during meals. We kindly would like to remind you that picnic-lunches as well as entrance fee for Göreme Open Air museum and Whirling Dervish Show are also included in the price to have you enjoy your tour to the fullest.