Captivating Cappadocia

This one-week walking holiday is a grade 6 where we can expect moderate difficulty with full days of walking, up to 4 – 6 hours and between 6-10 miles a day. Paths can sometimes be in remote areas but the overall landscape is relatively flat with minimal ascents and descents.. Some areas have soft ground whilst others will include rough terrain. One day will involve short sections of scrambling on rocks. Our walks will be exhilarating, the terrain will be rocky in many places and uneven under foot, walking poles will be useful.

We have teamed up with one of Turkeys best trekking and mountaineering agents whose experienced guides specialise in particular hiking areas within the country. Our Cappadocia guide lives in the area and is very passionate about hiking and nature. We are in for a treat as our guides wealth of knowledge will take us on some of the best walks Cappadocia has to offer. We will be given an introduction into the intriguing history, fascinating geology, and very unusual architecture of this region.  Our guide will accompany us throughout the tour. We have mini bus support throughout this holiday so some walks may be shortened if you wish. Please speak to our tour leader and local guide for more information. 

All local transport costs in conjunction with the advertised activity programme are included in the holiday cost. There may be occasions where additional visits or excursions are added to enrich your experience, these will be paid for locally by you if you choose to participate. Local transport can be a mix of private hire coaches, taxis, local buses and ferries depending on the itinerary.

A range of local excursions and activities may be available to book at your destination through a local operator. We have no involvement in such activities or excursions which are not run, supervised or controlled in any way by us. Your contract will be with the local activity supplier and we accept no responsibility for their actions or omissions.

When budgeting for your holiday, you will need to consider drinks, any meals not included in the holiday price, non-included entrance fees, optional excursions you may choose to participate in locally and any souvenirs or additional services such as laundry. A general guideline for lunches and drinks is £10-£20 per person per day.

Turkish Lire. Euros are sometimes accepted in shops and hotels. Turkish Lire is more convenient for for entrance fees, food, tips, drinks etc. They can be obtained from ATMS in larger resorts but not so available in smaller rural resorts. Euros, pounds or dollars in cash are more difficult to change.

Although entirely at your own discretion, tipping is an important aspect of tourism and hospitality life and expectations are fairly high. In order to simplify tipping, we strongly recommend that you allow your leader to take care of making sure tips are given to hotel and restaurant staff and to local guides and drivers. This will be done using some funds provided by us together with, if you wish, a contribution from you, which he/she will collect during the holiday.

Your tour leader makes the world of difference to your holiday and ours are as passionate about discovering the world on foot as you are. They're resourceful, organised and widely travelled. They will handle all the local administration and other needs that might arise to ensure that you don't have to worry about planning your days and you can enjoy your holiday. Although leading group holidays, they won't forget that every group is made up of individuals. Each tour leader has their own individual style, talents and professional backgrounds and all are trained, qualified, experienced and dedicated to making your holiday as enjoyable, interesting and inspiring as possible.

Each evening, your tour leader will discuss with you the programme for the following day. This will be your opportunity to discuss the details and ensure the planned activities suit your walking ability. If you have concerns on clothing or equipment, this can be discussed then also. If you do not wish to join the organised group programme, please let the leader know.

To enhance your experience, as well as your tour leader, each holiday will be accompanied by a well qualified and knowledgeable English-speaking local guide.

We fly from London Heathrow to Kayseri, via Istanbul. Our transfer to our first hotel is by private coach. Our flight usually arrives into Kayseri in the evening but a small dinner has been arranged for your arrival at the hotel. Transfers on a daily basis are maximum 45 minutes and by private coach or minibus. The transfer from Goreme to Ihlara Valley is the longest at 1 hour 30 minutes. 

If you wish to organise your own flights from a non-UK or provincial airport or travel by rail or car to your holiday destination, 'land only' reductions are often available. Please contact us for details.

Before finalising any independent travel arrangements, please check with us first - especially if doing so 12 weeks or more before your intended date of travel. If you do intend to join your holiday locally please do tell us at least 14 weeks in advance.

If you are joining and leaving your holiday overseas we assume, unless you advise us otherwise, that you will join and leave the holiday at your hotel.

Although airport transfers are not included for those making their own independent travel arrangements, if you wish to join the group at the overseas airport, depending on your flight arrival time, you may be able to be included on the group's transfer. Please contact us at least 5 weeks before departure for more details. 

Please note that your flight must arrive within 30 minutes of the group flight to be able to join the group transfer. We also need your flight number, arrival time and departure point so that the group leader is able to meet up with you.

Regional Flights (R3). We offer regional flight options on this holiday and there will be one or two transfer vehicles between the airport and hotel to minimise any waiting time at the overseas airport on the outward or return journeys.

For all those booking a flight or rail inclusive holiday, details of your travel arrangements and baggage allowance will be confirmed in your travel documents, sent to you approximately 10 days prior to departure.

To ensure that we can accurately administer your holiday arrangements, please confirm that the personal details we hold for you are up to date and that you have provided the information we need to secure your holiday travel and accommodation arrangements. Please check your passport details, date of birth and any other important details necessary for us to properly manage your holiday booking. You can view and update information already provided, and add details not yet asked for, by using the Manage My Booking facility on our website www.ramblersholidays.co.uk, or by calling our Sales and Reservations team on +44 (0)1707 331133. When you receive your booking confirmation please check the details as soon as possible.

It is a good idea to carry photocopies of the personal details pages of your passport. Should you lose your passport, this may assist with the issue of replacement documents and your return to your home country.

Passport and visa requirements can change at any time. It is your own responsibility to ensure that you inform yourself from a professionally qualified source on, and comply with, such requirements.

General travel and destination advice for UK nationals is available from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at www.fco.gov.uk/travel and at www.gov.uk/travelaware.

From 2 March 2020, British nationals travelling for tourism or business purposes will no longer need a visa to enter Turkey for visits of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. The Turkish government advise that your passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the date you enter Turkey and that there is a full blank page for the entry and exit stamps. If you plan to remain in Turkey for a period of more than 90 days, you should either apply for a long stay visa before you travel, or get a residence permit from the local authorities in Turkey before your 90 day stay has elapsed, please see details below. 

A visa is required if clients are travelling before 2 March or staying for a period of more than 90 days. It is recommended that an e-visa is applied for using the Republic of Turkeys e-visa website www.evisa.gov.tr/en/ . The exception is for cruise ship passengers with ‘British Citizen’ passports who arrive at sea ports for tourist visits to the port city or nearby cities, provided that the visit doesn’t exceed 72 hours. An e-visa costs $35 and you can pay using a credit or debit card. You should apply at least 48 hours before travel and can apply up to 3 months in advance of your travel date. Turkish visit visas issued on arrival are valid for multiple stays up to a maximum of 90 days in a 180 day period. If you have any queries regarding e-Visas call the Visa Contact Center: https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/feedback/

Some unauthorised websites may charge for information about e-Visas, and for submitting applications. These websites are not endorsed by or associated with the Turkish government. Be wary of such sites and businesses, particularly those that seek additional fees for other services. Some unauthorised websites have also issued fake e-Visas.

In case of problems with the computer systems at the Turkish port of entry, print off and carry a paper copy of your e-Visa, or make sure you have an electronic copy on a smart phone or other device to show to the immigration officer.

All breakfasts, lunches and dinners are included in the holiday cost. Dinner on day 1 is not included in the holiday price due to the late arrival time in our resort. We recommend you purchase food before or on the flight. We enjoy breakfast at our accommodation, usually buffet style with a variety of traditional Turkish food and continental dishes. We dine in local restaurants for lunch and dinner where we sample the Turkish cuisine. Some restaurants will be buffet style whereas others will be waiter service. Many of these locally run restaurants use locally sourced or home-grown ingredients. Sometimes we may even be eating out of traditional Turkish clay pots! 

Drinking or cleaning teeth in unboiled water is not recommended.  While bottled water is available to purchase locally, you may wish to consider an alternative to single-use plastic bottles such as a refillable bottle with its own water filtration system. Water-to-Go offers re-useable bottles that use a 3-in-1 filter system that you can fill up from any source. Each filter gives you the equivalent of 260 – 400 plastic water bottles.

Lightweight waterproof walking boots with a good moulded sole (such as Vibram or similar) and a deep tread and which provide ankle support are strongly recommended and may be essential for some walks. 

We recommend that you either wear your walking boots or shoes or pack them and some waterproofs in your hand luggage as in the unlikely event that your hold luggage is delayed, you will still be able to participate in the holiday programme.

Outdoor activities are always safer and more enjoyable if you are prepared.

If you have not travelled with us before the following list might be of use:

• Waterproof jacket (Goretex or similar) and trousers
• Lightweight quick-drying trousers
• Walking T-shirt/shirts
• Walking socks
• Fleece or jumper
• Sun hat, sunglasses, lip salve and sun block
• Warm hat and gloves (if appropriate)
• Swimwear (if appropriate)
• Day sack (this should be able to carry all you would need for the day's activity)
• Day sack liner
• Water bottle - at least 1 litre capacity (more than 1 bottle may be required)
• Basic first aid kit
• Lunchbox
• Walking poles (should you find them useful)
• Sit mat

This list is not exhaustive and every walker is different and may have their own preference.

We suggest that you take a mixture of lighter and thicker layers; whilst the days can be pleasantly warm the late afternoons and evenings can become quite cool. Waterproofs, umbrella, and a hat plus sun protection are useful. Although Turkey is a secular state that assures complete freedom of worship, 98% of its population are Muslim and people tend to be quite traditional in the more rural areas. Ladies should wear knee length skirts or trousers and also cover their arms and heads when visiting mosques. Shorts are not really appropriate for either sex in religious sites. Binoculars and a torch will be useful for some of the smaller churches and underground city.  You may also want to bring a plug for the basin in your room, as they do not always contain one.

Documents and Information to take with you:

• Passport (make sure it's yours and valid)
• Your travel tickets or e-ticket itinerary
• Any visa or electronic travel authorisation (if required)
• Holiday money
• Credit or debit cards (and separate details of who to call if lost)
• Car parking ticket and car park directions (if prebooked)
• Coach or rail travel tickets (if prebooked)
• Your holiday Booking Confirmation document
• Your travel insurance details
• Alternative form of identification (such as a driving licence)
• Photocopy of the personal details pages of your passport
• A valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if relevant
• Details of any medical condition or allergy your holiday leader should know about

Electricity is supplied at 220 Volts. If you wish to use electrical equipment you will need a European two pin adaptor with round pins. More information can be found at  https://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/

An alternative to bottled water from single-use sealed water bottles is filtered water from a refillable bottle containing its own water filter such as a Water-to-go bottle available from www.watertogo.eu. Just fill up from any water source and save the environment from disposable plastic bottles.

We have negotiated an exclusive 15% discount with our partners Water-to-Go for you as a thank you for helping the environment. Please go to their website at www.watertogo.eu and enter the code RWH17 when ordering. In addition, Water-to-Go will match the discount with a donation to our charity, Heart & Sole, which will allow us to continue to make a difference in the countries you visit on our holidays.

There are a variety of TV programmes, online maps, guides and books on Cappadocia. Below are just a few examples. 

Joanna Lumley's Silk Road Adventure - Episode 1 see's Joanna venture through Cappadocia on her way through to the famous silk road. Available on ITV Player. 

Simon Reeve's Explore Istanbul and Anatolia - Includes exploration of the Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia 

Captivating Cappadocia: The comprehensive guidebook to the heart of Turkey by Duke Dillard

www.turkeytraveljournal.com/cappadocia-map/ 

www.turkeytravelplanner.com/Maps/cappadocia_map.html 

Maps and guidebooks relating to the areas you will be walking in may be bought before your holiday from The Map Shop at www.themapshop.co.uk

Visit the following websites for an idea of the climate in your destination:

• Weather2 - www.myweather2.com
• BBC Weather - www.bbc.co.uk/weather

Health requirements can change at any time. It is your own responsibility to ensure that you inform yourself from a professionally qualified source on, and comply with, such requirements at least 6 to 8 weeks before departure. Advice on vaccinations is available from your GP.

No compulsory immunisations are required for visits to Turkey. You should be up to date with the usual immunisations recommended in the UK. You may wish to consider immunisations against Tetanus, Hepatitus A, Hepatitus B and Rabies. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), is not valid in Turkey. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation. Malaria risk is low and from May to October in all areas including the province of Mardin. Sporadic cases were reported in 2013. There is no malaria in the main tourist areas, including the places we visit. 

For further advice please visit:

• The National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) travel health website at www.travelhealthpro.org.uk
• The NHS 'Fit for travel' website at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk
• The Foreign Office Travel Advice Website at www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
• Or a local travel health clinic.

You might wish to take a small bottle of antibacterial hand gel with you for times when you're unable to wash your hands.

You must be adequately insured to join our holidays. We do not insist that you insure with us but we require that you are adequately insured for the nature of your holiday. You will be unable to participate in our local walking and other activity programmes without being able to demonstrate that you have valid travel insurance.

Please ensure that as a minimum your travel insurance policy covers you for travel to your holiday destinations (country and geographical region) and for medical expenses, mountain rescue (including helicopter rescue) and emergency repatriation to your home country in the event of illness or injury. Your policy should also provide adequate cover for the activities, included and optional, you are likely to participate in during your holiday.

See our brochure or website for further advice regarding holiday insurance.

Whoever you insure with, please ensure that you take full details, and ideally the policy itself, with you on holiday and provide our tour leader with your insurer's name, the policy number and emergency assistance contact numbers.

Please note that it is very difficult to obtain travel insurance once your holiday arrangements have started.

The UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office provides up to date information on security and local laws for travellers, together with current passport and visa information, at www.gov.uk/travelaware. Please take a few minutes to look at the current advice on your planned destination.

Please be aware of what's going on around you, take sensible precautions with your credit cards and passport and avoid displays of wealth such as wearing expensive jewellery or watches. Do not carry more cash on you than you will need for each day, and we recommend that a money belt is used.

We're committed to ethical tourism in all our destinations. Our holidays are designed for you to discover the essence of the country you are visiting. Travelling in small groups not only gives you an up close and personal experience of your destination, but minimises your impact on the immediate environment. We feel that the most important starting point to protect the environment is to be out in it. For more details visit our website.

Unlike many tour operators we have our own trust through which RWH Travel’s profits are channelled back into a variety of outdoor, walking-related or environmental conservation projects in the UK. The focus of the Trust’s financial support is Britain’s leading walking charity, The Ramblers, and their role in promoting the benefits and importance of walking to the British public. In addition the Trust welcomes applications for small grants from local organisations in the UK who need support for walking-orientated activities. This includes the establishment of footpaths and bridleways, funding for rebuilding bridges and renovating huts, as well as bursary funding for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for children who could not otherwise afford to do it. Please visit the ‘About Us’ section of our website and click on the Charitable Trust link for more details.

We appreciate that we are in a fortunate position to be able to use our profits to help make a difference to people's lives. Heart & Sole is a venture managed by our office staff, whose aim is to reach the heart of the communities in the countries we visit. Through Heart & Sole, we hope to make more of a long term, direct impact to these communities, particularly in less developed countries where even a small amount goes a long way. See our website for more information and details of some of the projects we support.

Please do provide us with a mobile phone contact number. We will only use this to contact you with important information relating to your holiday arrangements. 

Do keep your mobile phones switched on and readily available when travelling to the airport or if delayed in transit so that we can contact you with any last minute information relating to your travel arrangements.  

As a matter of courtesy, please switch off your mobile phone during walks, or endeavour to minimise its use. Please also try to minimise the use of mobile devices during group meals.