Turkey. Eastern Europe. Proposal for Abingdon School Cappadocia & the Taurus Mountains

Transcription

1 Turkey Eastern Europe Proposal for Abingdon School Cappadocia & the Taurus Mountains July 2011

2 Contact Information The Specialist Travel Consultancy should be your first point of reference for any queries you may have about your itinerary. Itinerary reference: AS Turkey.v1 Your travel plans are being coordinated by: Adrian Ferraro The Specialist Travel Consultancy Dix s Field Exeter Devon EX1 1QA Tel: Fax: adrian@thestc.co.uk About Us: The Specialist Travel Consultancy provides free, impartial advice to schools, colleges and families looking to arrange tours, expeditions or holidays with a difference. As an independent travel agency working with over 35 of the UK s best tour operators, we add value to your experience through our passion for travel and knowledge of the market place. We arrange subject related tours, school expeditions, adventure holidays, tailor made journeys, family adventures and a whole lot more. As a travel agency, our services to our clients are completely free. Adrian has travelled and trekked extensively from an early age. His first independent trip was to New Zealand, aged just 16, which was soon followed by a month long exploration of Europe by train. His first major expedition was a six month overland journey from London to Nairobi, crossing the Sahara into West Africa en-route to the jungles of Central Africa Republic and Zaire, before emerging into the game parks of Uganda and Kenya. He graduated from Birmingham University with a degree in Exercise Science before embarking on a four month trip through South America from Ecuador to Argentina which included remote trekking in the Peruvian Andes. Recent years have seen visits to Nepal, South Africa, Turkey, Finland, Croatia and a return visit to Morocco. Before setting up the STC in 2006, Adrian spent six years working in an independent adventure travel agency arranging holidays, charity treks and school trips to countries as diverse as Mongolia, Namibia, Peru and Laos. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and has an OCR Certificate in Off-site Safety Management. When not in the office he enjoys mountaineering, climbing, skiing and surfing, as well as introducing his two young children to the delights of foreign travel. 2

3 Your Travel Provider World Expeditions is an Australian company and one of the world s original adventure travel companies. Starting as a Himalayan trekking company in 1975, they have evolved into one of the leading authorities in the field of adventure tourism. They now have ten offices around the world including Sydney, Perth, Auckland, San Francisco, Ottawa and London. Since the early days their product range has expanded significantly and now covers all continents, with trips ranging from adventure touring to introductory trekking and cycling adventures, to sea kayaking and mountaineering trips. They have earned a reputation throughout the industry for the unique experiences that they provide in the field, an environmental philosophy of minimal impact travel, and for a policy of giving something back to the communities they visit. Why is the STC recommending World Expeditions? Suitability: World Expeditions are very experienced in operating in Turkey and have taking hundreds school groups on adventurous treks and itineraries the world over. They have the ability to tailor-make itineraries to individual requirements and have a comprehensive safety and back of office management system that ensures our clients get the very best experience in country. Experience, Quality & Safety: World Expeditions have been operating trekking holidays and expeditions for nearly 35 years. Their established ground agents in Turkey provide experienced back up and support. They are used to dealing with tailor-made group itineraries and have successfully dealt with many school groups in the past. They have a continuously manned emergency telephone number and highly established emergency response procedures that have been refined over their many years. They would provide a comprehensive risk assessment for this trip should you decide to go ahead with our proposal. ATOL Financial Protection: World Expeditions hold a full ATOL licence (No. 4491) meaning any money that is paid to them is 100% safe. ATOL protection is provided in the form of a bond lodged with the Civil Aviation Authority, and is currently the only 100% safe form of financial protection in the UK for flight inclusive travel, covering all eventualities from operator or airline failure to changes in foreign office advice. All payments for this trip would be payable directly to World Expeditions. The STC only ever recommends our clients to book flight inclusive travel with an ATOL protected company. Responsible Tourism: World Expeditions have a dedicated approach to sustainable travel and have won a major award for their Responsible Travel Guidelines booklet. This detailed guide to responsible & sustainable travel is provided to all World Expeditions clients before they travel. See page 5 for more information on their Responsible Tourism policy. In the 2006 First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards World Expeditions were highly commended in the Best in a Mountain Environment category. Projects: As part of their commitment to Responsible Tourism, World Expeditions have links with many different charitable organisations and communities around the world and so are able to offer us a range of project options that are highly beneficial to local communities and school groups alike. More information on the suggested project for this trip is given later in the proposal. Western and Local Leaders: World Expeditions have access to both western and local leaders and are flexible in meeting the needs of clients. For Turkey, their local leaders are highly experienced and fully trained Turkish mountain guides, meaning there is no need for them to use expensive UK group leaders. All World Expeditions guides are trained in emergency 1 st aid appropriate to the environment being visited. No hidden extras: World Expeditions provide us with a quote that includes many of the things that are given as additional costs by other tour operators (e.g. park entrance fees and food). This is especially useful for schools groups who would otherwise have to carry large sums of money around with them. Please note: there are some meals not included in this itinerary. 3

4 Brief Description Highlights of the trip Istanbul - One of the biggest metropolises in the world and the bridge between East and West. Derinkuyu Underground City - A complete city under the ground. It was the hiding place for the first Christians escaping from persecution of enemies. Aladaglar mountain range A moderate trekking route in the beautiful remote area of a national park. Cappadocia - An unbelievable and unique landscape. The Turquoise Coast: Exploring the bays and spectacular landscapes of Turkey s stunning coastal region. Istanbul is Turkey's most populous city, and its cultural and financial centre. The city covers 25 districts of the Istanbul province. It is located on the Bosphorous strait, and encompasses the natural harbour known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country. It extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia) side of the Bosphorous, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world which is situated on two continents. In its long history, Istanbul served as the capital city of the Roman Empire ( ), the Byzantine Empire ( and ), the Latin Empire ( ), and the Ottoman Empire ( ). The city was chosen as joint European Capital of Culture for The "Historic Areas of Istanbul" were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in The Taurus Mountains are the Western branch of the great mountain chain that stretches across all of Asia. The Turkish section of this massive mountain range follows the Southern border of Anatolia and is itself made up of four major sections. Forming part of the central Taurus range, the Aladaglar massif boasts the region s highest peaks (Demirkazik summit, which stretches to 3756 m). The geology of the area is responsible for the interesting rock formations and waterfalls. The erosion of limestone has created a fascinating karstic topography and hydrography, especially in the Yedigoller valley, where the karstic underground rivers and caverns collect the surface water. Both the Mediterranean and Anatolian weather systems influence the climate of the Aladaglar Massif, bringing warm summers and cold winters to the area. During summer time, entire families move up to the Yaylas (high meadows) of Aladaglar massif where they pitch their tents for the season. During their stay, their main occupation is to graze their flocks, to make milk-based products, and to produce carpets and kilims. Cappadocia is undeniably a nature fantasy and almost another planet with its geological formations nearly unique in the world. During millions of years wind, rain and frost have sculpted the volcanic rock into this amazing landscape. The result is indescribable, and trekking within the valleys allows you to fully experience its magical atmosphere. Lycia was a region in Anatolia in what are now the provinces of Antalya and Mugla on the southern coast of Turkey. It was a federation of ancient cities in the region and later a province of the Roman Empire. The Lycian League was the first federation in the world with democratic principles which later influenced the United States Constitution. 4

5 Safety When considering tour operators for particular expeditions or destinations, safety is always our number one priority. We take great pride in working only with the UK s leading adventure travel and school expeditions companies and feel confident when we say you couldn t be in better hands. World Expeditions have a comprehensive safety management system which has been established over the years of their operation. In addition to World Expeditions safety management systems, here at The Specialist Travel Consultancy, we provide our clients with comprehensive assistance in the build up to your trip. Please see the Why use the STC? page for more details. A summary of the safety management practices that World Expeditions employ is given below. Experience & local knowledge: Experience of the destination is a key factor in being able to identify potential risks and be able to manage them effectively. World Expeditions have been running trips to central Turkey for many years and use reliable and trustworthy in country agents. Local Operators: For the majority of their trips, World Expeditions use specialist local tour companies to make the in-country arrangements on their behalf. World Expeditions contract these companies for the services they provide with clear requirements so that quality and safety of services can be ensured. Leaders: An experienced leader, qualified in remote first aid and comprehensively trained by World Expeditions, would accompany the group whilst on this expedition. For this trip, World Expeditions use the services of a fully qualified Turkish Mountain Guide for the trekking sections as well as qualified raft guides and other leaders for other activities. Risk Assessment: A detailed risk assessment for this trip would be provided prior to departure. Emergency Response Plans: World Expeditions have 34 years experience in operating adventure tours and expeditions around the world and they have an established emergency response plan for each area of their business. Details of their 24hrs hour emergency contact numbers would be provided prior to departure.. On Going Reviews: Feedback from returning clients is used to update and review trips on a regular basis, ensuring that they are of the highest standards. Participant information: All appropriate information such as pre-existing medical conditions and allergies is requested prior to departure so that informed decisions can be made on any special care or assistance that may be required. Insurance: World Expeditions hold comprehensive public liability insurance. It is a requirement of joining a trip that all participants are adequately insured. 6

6 Suggested Itinerary Day 1 Istanbul Hotel Meet at the airport with World Expedition s team. Afterwards drive to the Hotel for overnight. ( Day 2 Day 3 Istanbul Ankara Night Train In the morning, we will visit famous Hagia Sophia Church and the Grand Bazaar, the greatest trade centre of the Ottomans, and finally visit the Egyptian Bazaar (Spice Bazaar). After lunch, we will return to the hotel to collect our luggage and catch the ferry to the Haydarpasa Train Station on the Anatolian side of Istanbul. In the early evening, we will catch the overnight train to Ankara. (BD) Ankara Cappadocia Hotel We will explore the old city before visiting the renowned Anatolian Civilisations museum. Afterwards we will visit the Ataturk mausoleum, where the founder of the Turkish Republic is buried. 5 hours transfer via the salt lake (Tuz Golu) to Selime village near Ihlara Canyon in the Cappadocia area. Overnight local pension. (BD) 7

7 Day 4 Cappadocia This morning we will drive to Ihlara Canyon for a half day hike. Ihlara is one of the nicest walks in the region, with a river running in the middle of a gorge of 100 m high steep walls. We will have time to visit couple of churches and have lunch in the middle of the valley at a river side restaurant. In the afternoon we will drive to Goreme village via Derinkuyu underground city. This was built to hide away from enemies, going up to 80 metres deep underground, and has been best described as being in a very big Swiss Cheese. Overnight at Ciner Hotel or similar standard. ( (BLD) Day 5 Cappadocia This morning we will drive to the trailhead point at the beginning of the Akvadi (The White Valley). We will walk along this valley following an old river bed used today for vineyards. In this valley the fairy chimneys are particularly slim. At noon we will arrive in Uchisar village to visit the high viewpoint known as The Fortress. In the afternoon we will walk in the Pigeon Valley, so-called because of the numerous pigeon houses built during the 18th century. Then we will continue to Avanos to discover the handicrafts of Cappadocia with a pottery and carpet-making demonstration. You may even wish to wash away the day s dirt in a Turkish bath! Overnight hotel in Goreme. (BLD) Total walking time: 4/5 hours. Day 6 Aladaglar Region We will drive to the Aladaglar region for about 2 hours to Marti Village, a remote village set beneath the backdrop of impressive mountains. After lunch we will visit the school to have a briefing with the teacher and school officials to plan the project days (where everyone can present their own ideas), and to purchase the project materials. Overnight at village house or camp in Marti Village. (BLD) 8

8 NOTE - For the next 4 nights in Marti Village, the group will have the choice of sleeping within the village house, or camping outside in the gardens. The village house has 2 rooms, 1 living room for meals, 1 kitchen and 1 shower. The group will be using the same shower. Day 7 Marti Village Local Village School (Project Day) Today after breakfast we will start our first project day at the Marti Village primary school which has approximately 20 pupils aged between 7 to 13 years old. Today we will paint the walls and the classrooms; repair the desks and the chairs of the classrooms; and install bookcases and pictures on the walls. We will have lunch in the school garden in form of a picnic with the local school kids. Overnight at village house or camp in Marti Village. (BLD) Day 8 Day 9 Marti Village Local Village School (Project Day) Today we will work on the outside of the school by cleaning the shaping the school garden. We will also build a little sapling plantation with the local school kids and may also build a little monument to commemorate our project. As part of the fundraising you may also wish to further assist the school by purchasing gifts in form of books, pens and school equipment. We will have a celebratory lunch in the school with local guests and traditional village food. Overnight at village house or camp in Marti Village. (BLD) Project Day for Camardi Aladaglar National Park to Plant Saplings Camardi is a quiet town and district of Nigde Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey, at the foot of Aladag in the Taurus Mountains and reached by winding mountain roads. Population is 20,302 of which 4,086 live in the town of Camardi. Lots of local people come to Camardi in order to spend their summer holidays in the green and quiet countryside. Camardi is one of the largest producers of apples and cherries. 54,524 hectares in this area have been declared as a National Park since In order to protect this amazing landscape and the various types of local wildlife, we will plant different saplings in this area. Overnight at village house or camp in Marti village. (BLD) 9

9 Day 10 Marti Village Karagol (Black Lake) Camp After breakfast we will take the minibus for about 15 minutes to Pinarbasi Village and commence our trek to Meydan Yayla Camp (2800m) via Maden Gorge where we might have the opportunity to observe the rare Caspian Snowcock in the early morning. The campsites are fixed sites with a kitchen tent, mess tent and 2 or 3 man tents already set up. Overnight camp. (BLD) Total walking time: 5-6 Hours. Ascend: 1300m. Day 11 Karagol Yedigoller - Camp A bright and early start today hiking up to Karagol (Black Lake) and via Yildiz Lake onto Teke Kalesi (Goats Castle 3517m). The beautiful panoramic view over seven lakes and summits is a wonderful stop for lunch in the meadows. We will then descend to Hasta Hoca Lake past the seven lakes to our campsite at 3100m beneath a rock tower. Overnight camp. (BLD) Total walking time: 7-8 Hours. Ascend: 717m. & Descend: 417m. Day 12 Yedigoller Emler Summit 3723m Sokulupinar Camp An easy ascent of approximately 2 hours to the top of Emler peak (3723m) will give us a fascinating view over the Aladaglar range and Bolkar Mountain Range, Erciyes Volcano and Hasan Volcano. We will then commence the long scree descent through the Celikbuyduran pass at 3450m and down to Sokulupinar camp at 2000m. Overnight camp. (BLD) Total walking time: 6-7 Hours. Ascend: 623m. & Descend: 1723m. 10

10 Day 13 Sokulupinar Emli Valley Camp After breakfast we will ascend gently to Sakartas (2300m) and traverse to the Eznevit seminomad campsite (2538m) where we may meet some traditional farming families grazing their flocks. After lunch we will descend to the beautiful Siyirmalik valley, the only forested valley (cedar and juniper trees) on the western side of the Aladaglar Mountains. Overnight camp. (BLD) Total walking time: 6-7 Hours. Ascend: 538m. & Descend: 700m. Day 14 Alaca Hike Today we will trek up to the Buyuk Mangirci valley where we will have a lovely panoramic view of the southern part of the Aladaglar range. After ascending Ortaburun 2400m, we will descend through the Kucuk Mangirci valley and Oluk Sekisi semi-nomadic camp back to our campsite in the Emli Valley. During this hike we may meet semi-nomadic families or shepherds grazing their flocks up on the mountains. Overnight camp. (BLD) Total walking time: 6-7 Hours. Ascend & Descent: 650m. Day 15 Drive via Konya to Antalya This morning we will transfer by minibus to Konya city (approx 4 hrs) and visit the famous Whirling Dervishes Museum. Afterwards, we will drive over the dramatic Taurus Mountains to the Antalya area. Overnight bungalows in the Koprulu Canyon area. (BLD) 11

11 Day 16 Rafting Antalya In the morning we meet our rafting team and have a briefing about the route, rafting instruction and safety. Then we will head to the starting point and commence rafting. At the end of the rafting trip we will have lunch in one of the local restaurants, and transfer to Antalya city. After check in at the hotel we will visit the old city and ancient port area. (BLD) Day 17 Antalya Kas (Mountain Biking Seyret Trail) Today we transfer to Kas and check into our hotel. After lunch a short transfer takes us up into the mountains before saddling up for our day s ride. Today has a few challenging climbs in between the big downhills and our route passes through ancient cedar forests. Being nearer the coast, the route has many fine views over the Mediterranean and the Kas peninsula. Ride approx 20km; 3-3.5hrs. Overnight at hotel in Kas. (BLD) 12

12 Day 18 Kas - Ucagiz Aperlai Kas (Sea Kayaking) Early morning we have a short drive to the starting point for the sea kayaks. We'll get geared up and have an introductory briefing before launching our kayaks into the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean. We will paddle though the magical world of Kekova islands area and the Aperlai City, only accessible by boat. Just below sea level there are ruins with mysterious chambers, and steps and walls carved directly into the rocks. We will spend some time on terra firma here to explore these ruins on foot. We will finish with a paddle to Ucagiz Village, discovering the ecological and geological diversity of the Lycian shore. Upon reaching the shore, we will drive back to our hotel in Kas. (BLD) Day 19 Half Day Boat Trip in Kas area Today we will take a boat trip from Kas across the surrounding calm and clear waters. From the water we can more fully appreciate the dramatic and beautiful coastline. We plan to enjoy a barbecue lunch before returning to Kas later in the afternoon. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight at hotel in Kas. (BLD) Day 20 Snorkelling Antalya In the morning we will go snorkelling in the bays of Kas town and enjoy the warm waters of the Mediterranean. In the afternoon we will drive to Antalya. Overnight hotel. (BLD) Day 21 Return to UK Transfer to Antalya END OF SERVICES Please note: Very occasionally, it may not be possible to follow the itinerary as planned. This may be for a variety of reasons climatic, political, physical or other. In these circumstances World Expeditions will make the best alternative arrangements possible that maintains the integrity of the original itinerary. 13

13 Turkey: Country Information Full Country Name: Republic of Turkey. Area: 780,000 sq km (483,000 sq ml). Population: Approx 68 million. Capital: Ankara. People: Majority Turks. Recognised minorities: Jews, Armenians and Greeks. Other minorities include Kurds, Circassians and Bosnians. Language(s): Turkish (official), Kurdish. Religion(s): Muslim. Currency: New Turkish Lira (YTL). Government: Parliamentary Republic. Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Time: GMT + 2 hours. Regulations & Red Tape A full passport, valid for 6 months after your return date, is required for travel to Turkey. British passport holders do currently need a visa for stays of up to 90 days in length, but this can usually be obtained on arrival in the country. The visa currently costs 10 for British citizens. Customs Although the west and the south of the country are very used to tourists it should always be remember that Turkey is a Muslim country. In the central regions and certainly in the east of the country, clothing should be conservative: avoid skimpy shorts or tops. Long sleeves and loose trousers or a long skirt will be more comfortable in the heat. Left hands are considered 'unclean' in Islamic cultures. Offering money with the left hand is especially insulting. The Muslim month of Ramadan (dates vary) involves fasting from dawn until dusk. Foreigners and non-muslims are exempt, but consideration should be shown by not eating in public between these times. National Holidays Jan 1: New Year's Day. Mar 21: Nevruz - ancient middle eastern spring festival celebrated by Kurds and Alevis, now a national holiday. April 23: National Independence & Children's Day. May 19: Youth & Sports Day. Aug 30: Victory Day. Oct 29: Republic Day. Oct-Nov: Ramazan (dates vary). Nov Jan: Kurban Bayrami (date varies). Geography & Climate: Turkey stretches from Europe to Central Asia and encompasses a wealth of diverse regions and geographical features. The north of the country is dominated by a large fault line resulting in occasionally severe earthquakes. The general terrain of the rest of the country is mostly mountainous but with some narrow coastal plains as well as a central high plateau (Anatolia) that rises steadily eastwards towards the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. Turkey's diverse regions have a wide variety of climates. The Aegean and Mediterranean coasts have cool, rainy winters and hot, moderately dry summers. The central Anatolian plateau is much more subject to extremes with winter temperatures of -30 C to -40 C and prolonged snow cover and hot (30 C to 40 C) summers. Generally May is the wettest month and July and August the driest. Turkey can be visited all year round, but the best time is generally considered to be early summer or autumn, when the weather is generally good, but it isn t main tourist season. 15

14 Health Information The information on this page has been provided by 'fitfortravel' ( - a public access website provided by the NHS (Scotland). It gives travel health information for people travelling abroad from the UK. Remember that you should always discuss your particular needs with your own doctor or nurse. Advice for All Destinations The risks to health whilst travelling will vary between individuals and many issues need to be taken into account, e.g. activities abroad, length of stay and general health of the traveller. It is recommended that you consult with your General Practitioner or Practice Nurse who will assess your particular health risks before recommending vaccines and /or antimalarial tablets. This is also a good opportunity to discuss important travel health issues including safe food and water, accidents, sun exposure and insect bites. Many of the problems experienced by travellers cannot be prevented by vaccinations and other preventive measures need to be taken. Ensure you are fully insured for medical emergencies including repatriation. The 'T7' leaflet (from Post Offices) gives details of health care agreements between countries and is accompanied by an application form for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The completed form must submitted about 6 weeks before you plan to leave to allow the card to reach you on time. The EHIC entitles travellers to reduced-cost, sometimes free, medical treatment in most European countries. For Travel Safety Advice you should visit the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office website ( Health Advice for Turkey: Confirm primary courses and boosters are up to date as recommended for life in Britain - including vaccines given to special groups because of risk exposure or complications (e.g. hepatitis B for health care workers, influenza and pneumococcal vaccines for the elderly). Courses or boosters usually advised: hepatitis A; typhoid; diphtheria; tetanus. Vaccines sometimes advised: hepatitis B; rabies. No vaccine certificate required. Malaria Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease transmitted by mosquitoes. You cannot be vaccinated against malaria. Malaria precautions Risk is exclusively due to benign malaria and occurs from March to November, mainly in the southeastern part of the country, the Syria and Iraq borders and in Amikova and Cukurova Plain. There is no malaria risk in the main tourist areas in the west and south-west of the country. Malaria precautions are essential. Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net. Check with your doctor or nurse about suitable antimalarial tablets. Chloroquine or proguanil is usually recommended for those visiting risk areas during the transmission season. If you have been travelling in a malarious area and develop a fever seek medical attention promptly. Remember malaria can develop even up to one year after exposure. If travelling to high risk malarious areas, remote from medical facilities, carrying emergency malaria standby treatment may be considered. 16