Photo: Peter Calingaert Treasures of Central Turkey Highlights:
Includes:
Trip Number: 09660A Price: Deposit: $200 Capacity: 15 Leader: Peter Calingaert
The Trip  Photo: Tourism Turkey More than two dozen civilizations have flourished in this Turkish heartland over the last ten millennia. In splendid natural settings ranging from wooded regions bordering the Black Sea, to the valleys of the Kizilirmak and Euphrates rivers, to the high Anatolian plateau and neighboring mountains, we will admire many of these civilizations’ artifacts. These range from the hieroglyphic inscriptions at a three-millennium old Hittite site, to a Roman bridge, to modern dams. We will also hike through varied natural settings. Traveling in late spring, chiefly by private bus, we will enjoy long days, warm temperatures, and colorful wildflowers. The Turkish state is secular rather than religious, and (despite the geography)
European rather than Asian. The people are almost all Muslims, observing the
holy month of Ramazan and avoiding pork, yet brewing beer and distilling spirits – and
drinking them. The Turkish land (despite the politics) is Asian rather than
European; the Anatolian plateau is reminiscent of the steppes of Central Asia.
Some Turks travel to market in donkey carts; others operate the fifth-largest
(in fleet size) European airline. One can buy Turkish handcrafted jewelry in
the world’s oldest shopping mall (Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar) and
Turkish machine-made socks at Wal-Mart.
Day 1: Magnificent Istanbul, of which a 7 square mile historic area has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Trip members will be met individually upon arrival at the airport and transferred to our hotel, a converted Ottoman house located in the Sultanahmet district. The trip starts at 5:00 p.m. with an introductory meeting to get acquainted and discuss issues related to the group’s travel. We will then visit Sultanahmet Square, formerly the Hippodrome of the Byzantine city, and the Blue Mosque, famous for its six minarets and the beautiful blue Iznik tiles used in its interior decoration, before taking dinner nearby. Overnight in Istanbul. Day 2: We descend from Sultanahmet to the Spice Bazaar, with its domed and vaulted shops selling spices and herbs, then visit the nearby Rustem Pasha mosque, a small gem built by the great master Sinan. Then to the pier for a Bosporus cruise. We start in the Golden Horn and sail up the waterway separating the two continents, Asia and Europe, with the possibility of taking pictures of the marble palaces and Ottoman wooden villas. Afterward, we visit Aya Sofya. This great marvel of architecture was constructed as a basilica by the Emperor Justinian in 536. The church was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in the 15th century, and later into a museum. Overnight in Istanbul. Day 3: Early departure by bus into the Black Sea region, stopping at Lake Abant for a two-hour, mainly level hike around the lake. We hope also to have a discussion with local residents about their relation to the forest economy and erosion. Continue to Safranbolu for overnight.  Photo: Tourism Turkey Day 4: Leisurely visit to this UNESCO World Heritage Site; Safranbolu has some of the best-preserved Ottoman houses anywhere. We may need to split up for lunch to squeeze into some tiny local restaurants in one of the narrow streets. Scenic drive to Ankara, Turkey’s modern capital, for overnight. Day 5: Explore the award-winning Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, whose artifacts include the world’s oldest Earth Mother, visit the Ataturk mausoleum and its historical museum, and then drive to the sleepy village of Bogazkale for overnight. Day 6: Visit the archaeological UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hattusa, capital 1375-1200 BCE of the Hittites, whose empire flourished around 2000-1000 BCE. Visit the natural rock galleries of Yazilikaya, and then drive to Cappadocia for overnight in Goreme.  Photo: Peter Calingaert Day 7: In the Goreme Open-Air Museum, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we will hike to fresco-filled churches, chapels, and monasteries cut into the rocks between the 8th and 11th centuries. Later we visit a family that uses a rock dwelling as part of their house. We will then drive to Avanos, where people have been making pottery since the time of the Hittites, and visit a local potter. Today or tomorrow, weather permitting, participants may take an optional early morning balloon ride over the moonlike landscape of Cappadocia, at additional cost. This ride is not part of the Sierra Club trip. Overnight in Goreme.  Photo: Tourism Turkey Day 8: Our major activity today will be a gentle nine-mile hike down the Ihlara Valley, one of the most beautiful canyons of Cappadocia, studded with painted churches amidst a background of wildflowers. On the way to Ihlara, we visit Derinkuyu, a multi-level underground city built by the early Christians. Overnight in Goreme. Day 9: Drive east across the 4,000- to 6,000-foot high Anatolian highlands via Kayseri, passing near Malatya, on our way to Kahta. Admire Ataturk Lake, created by damming the Euphrates River. This is part of the 22-dam Southeastern Anatolia Project, or GAP (its acronym in Turkish). Overnight in Kahta. Day 10: Rise at 2:00 a.m. for the drive to nearby Mt. Nemrut National Park, yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hike a short but steep path almost up to the summit (7,052 feet) to watch the rising sun light up the faces of the colossal statues built by the megalomaniac king Antiochus I Epiphanes in the first century BCE. Walk back down in daylight, then drive to a second-century Roman humpback bridge. After lunch, continue to Gaziantep for overnight.  Photo: Tourism Turkey Day 11: Visit the large city of Gazi (“War Hero” for having withstood a 10-month French siege in 1920-21) Antep, baklava capital of Turkey (and perhaps of the world!). Climb up to the citadel, probably Roman but reconstructed by the Byzantines and the Seljuks. Visit craftspeople making such artifacts as copper items, mother-of-pearl inlay art, and dolls made of the famous kutnu kumas cloth. Visit also the museum that holds superb mosaics removed from the nearby Roman site of Belkis-Zeugma, part of which was flooded by a different GAP dam. Overnight in Gaziantep. Day 12: Included morning airline flight from Gaziantep back to Istanbul. We begin our afternoon exploration at the Topkapi Palace, built in the 15th century by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. This imperial residence of Ottoman sultans houses 600 years of memorabilia. Instead of the touristy Grand Bazaar (which is nevertheless available as an option), we continue with a visit to the Caferaga Medresesi handicrafts and music center. We conclude with a drive up the Golden Horn to drink traditional Turkish tea or coffee in the famous Pierre Loti café, with its superb views of the Golden Horn. Overnight in Istanbul. Day 13: Our last full day in Istanbul begins with another church/mosque/museum. The Chora Church is known chiefly for its Byzantine art: stunning mosaics and superb frescoes. Afterward we visit the complex of the leader’s favorite large Istanbul mosque, Sinan’s great Suleymaniye. In the afternoon, we turn to Beyoglu, the heart of 19th-century Istanbul, to admire the European influence on the capital. From the bustle of Taksim Square we walk pedestrian-only Istiklal Caddesi. A farewell dinner in a selected restaurant brings the day to a close. Overnight in Istanbul. Day 14: The trip ends after breakfast with individual transfers to the airport. Getting There Participants wishing to spend extra time in Istanbul or elsewhere in Turkey may wish to arrive early and/or leave late. Those who prefer to do so on their own can obtain myriad suggestions from the trip leader. Those who would rather be shown the sights can engage the services of the outstanding travel company contracted to the Club for the main tour.
We will stay in modest hotels, usually locally owned and operated. Our clean, comfortable rooms will have private baths. Breakfast at the hotel will usually be a light buffet. Lunches and dinners will be taken sometimes at hotels and sometimes at independent restaurants. Food will be plentiful and varied, and will accommodate vegetarians as well as omnivores.
We will do a lot of walking: urban hiking in Istanbul, Safranbolu, and Gaziantep; rural hiking in the Black Sea region and Cappadocia, and climbing a steep trail at Mt. Nemrut; and slow walking through markets, museums, and archaeological sites. The hikes are low to moderate in difficulty, and optional. The highest elevation is about 7,000 feet, but most of the time we will be much lower. Good general physical condition is more important than specific hike training. No special athletic ability is required, but you do need what a trip leader colleague calls “museum stamina”.
Except for the pre-dawn hours at Mt. Nemrut, temperatures will be mild, with
normal highs from mid 70s to upper 80s (although Gaziantep can be hotter),
normal lows between 50 and 60, and not much rain. The leader will send you
a detailed suggested packing list.
The following books will get you started. Participants will receive an extensive reading list.
Conservation The 22-dam Southeastern Anatolia Project has introduced new means of transportation and new economic activities, especially fishing, but at the cost of dislocating villages and disrupting downstream water supplies. We will examine the extent to which these forces are kept in balance.Unidentified ships believed to come from Russia and from Italy have been dumping radioactive barrels into the Black Sea; Turkey is trying to put an end to this activity. We will consider the effect of this dumping on agriculture and on tourism. Ancient archaeological sites are a natural attraction to tourists, whose spending supports the economy of nearby residents, but the settlements become vulnerable to population growth as everyone wants a share of this growing economy. It is difficult to achieve a balance between protection of the sites and development of the economy. A few major shipwrecks due to weather or piloting errors have occurred in the Bosporus, which is narrow and hard to navigate. Spills of toxic material endanger the marine life, including fish caught for food, and pollute the city of Istanbul. We will discuss the local politics behind regulations on Bosporus traffic, and well as the underlying international political and ecological question of how best to transfer oil from wells in the east to consumers in the west. Turkey is reducing its dependence on anthracite coal by turning to solar energy.
Approximately half its people now use solar energy, at least for heating water.
This trip requires a $200 per-person deposit. An additional payment of $300 per person is due six months prior to trip departure. International trip prices are subject to change and are based on double-occupancy or group accommodations as described above. Single rooms may not be available or may cost more than the listed price. If you have any questions regarding double occupancy, please contact the trip leader. See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner. The Sierra Club accurately and fairly budgets and prices our trips. However, unforeseen costs such as devaluation of the dollar compared to other currencies and fuel surcharges assessed by our international providers may necessitate adjustment in trip price. We will make every effort to mitigate and absorb these fees. If a price increase is necessary, however, you will have 14 days after announcement to cancel without penalty.
 Peter Calingaert has lived in five foreign countries, traveled to scores of others, and speaks several languages (including a smattering of Turkish). A frequent visitor to Turkey, he is delighted to be leading his third Sierra Club trip there. He has also led Sierra Club trips to Costa Rica and Peru. His outdoor experience includes trekking, river rafting, and leading bicycle rides and local Sierra Club day hikes. A retired computer professional, his principal non-travel activities are contra dancing, playing classical music on the piano, and attending plays and concerts. His travel interests include the architectural, natural history, and cultural aspects of his destinations. He looks forward to sharing his knowledge and experience, and welcomes your questions about the trip. E-mail: pc@cs.unc.eduGeneral Notes About Sierra Club Trips
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