Description
Salomon Cappadocia Ultra-Trail, Turkey 2023
13 – 18 October 2023. 38km / 63km / 119km
“An unforgettable trail running experience where dreams blend with the reality in heavenly lands”
Packages available from R21,500 per person sharing
Entry Includes:
Return Internal flight Istanbul / Nevssehir (Cappadocia) / Istanbul
Return airport / hotel transfers Cappadocia (NAV airport)
3 nights’ accommodation Cappadocia on a bed & breakfast basis
Race Entries (38km, 63km or 119km)
Welcome Dinner Cappadocia
Runners Buffet Dinner in Urgup as part of your entry package (after the run)
Farewell Celebratory Dinner & Whirling Dervish Ceremony in Cappadocia, including return transfers
Return airport / hotel transfers Istanbul (IST airport)
2 nights’ accommodation Istanbul (4*) on a bed & breakfast basis
Welcome dinner Istanbul on the Bosphorus River, including return transfers hotel / restaurant
Farewell dinner Istanbul at the Underground Cistern Restaurant including return transfers hotel / restaurant
Sunrise Pilates & Yoga Sessions on tour
Entry Excludes:
Long-haul flights to Istanbul. We have excluded flights as participants may wish to do their own pre/post arrangements or one may have access to voyager miles / other discounted fares
Additional optional excursions ie) Hot Air Balloon Urgup / Half day Cappadocia Tour / Full Day Istanbul Tour.
Visa – all participants are responsible for their own visa arrangements, but this is a very seamless and easy transaction for Turkey with an online application.
Travel Insurance – depending on who you bank with or where your medical resides, travel insurance can often be activated very easily through one of these means eg) FNB or Discovery
Items of a personal nature & any items not mentioned / included in the above itinerary will be for your own account such as spa, laundry, drinks, additional meals, additional excursions, transfers to race village if required etc
Gratuities / porterage fees
If you are travelling solo & prefer to share a room, we will do our utmost to find a suitable sharing candidate. Alternatively, single supplement charges are available on request
Route:
There are 3 different races which pass through the valleys and trails of Cappadocia. Please take note of the mandatory equipment required to run as well as the cut off times. Both elements vary according to your chosen distance;
CST 38km (1120m total ascent) 07 hours cut off
CMT 63km (2030m total ascent) 12 hours 30 minutes cut off
CUT 119km (3730m total ascent) 24 hours cut off
General Information Cappadocia:
Cappadocia is located in the middle of a once-active volcanic area of central Anatolia. Millions of years ago, three of its mountains – Erciyes, Hasandag & Golludag were active volcanoes and the eruptions were so severe that the lava went up to 150m thickness in some places. Over time, volcanoes, wind, rain & ice sculptured Cappadocia to what it is today. As the landscape eroded, basalt stones remained and formed conical structures with some reaching as high as 45m; locals referred to these unique rock formations as ‘fairy chimneys’ and the name has remained ever since.
Nature was the first artist and then the Anatolian man carved rock, built houses & churches. Many groups of Christians fled the Roman persecution & moved to the inaccessible wilds of Cappadocia seeking refuge where they carved into the soft volcanic tuff, expanded caves and linked cities underground with over 500 Churches & chapels being hidden within its landscape
Goreme National Park – one of Unesco’s World Heritage listing lies in the town of Nevsehir Province of central Anatolia. It flaunts a spectacular landscape entirely sculpted by erosion. Goreme Valley & it’s surrounds contain rock-hewn sanctuaries from the Byzantine era. The prehistoric cave dwellings and underground cities date back to the 4th Century. 20km from the centre of Nevsehir you will find Urgup, the centre of the race village and where the race will start & finish. This sinuous terrain extends into infinity, boasting enigmatic & artistically magnificent churches, pyramids, cones, mushroom and hats referred to as the fairy chimneys
Terrain:
For much of the time, the athletes are running through Unesco territory, which is not something you get to do very often. This is also autumn in the region, and despite its outwardly desert-like appearance the valleys are well watered and lush, hence the seasonal colours are incredibly vibrant. The days are mostly dry and sunny – but not too hot, while the evenings can be decidedly chilly. The trails here are generally fast but not to be underestimated.
About Us:
We’ve opened this up to a small group of like-minded runners (max 30 pax / 15 rooms in total) & for those who know us well, it’s not about the hardened athlete but more about the Experience so we’ve created an itinerary which we believe will allow you to experience a little bit of everything in Turkey with the freedom to travel at your own pace. There’s distances & challenges for everyone so we hope you can join us on our next adventure.
We’ve based the above itinerary on our personal travel schedule and we do this as a small group to simply have fun & support one another Internationally. If you wish to arrive earlier or depart later, we are more than happy to assist with this.
T&C’s:
All prices are indicative & are subject to change without prior notice due to currency fluctuations. Costs are based on the current rate of exchange. Should the ROE differ at time of final confirmation and full payment, the package price may be adjusted accordingly. In order to secure a place, we will ask that a 25% deposit be made to secure accommodation & race entries. Note : Booking changes and cancellation conditions are applicable.
Enquiries:
For those who are genuinely interested, we’re happy to send you more info along with a detailed itinerary. We really hope you’ll join us for what promises to be quite an experience in Turkey in 2023. If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us on explore@wildafricaexperiences.co.za / 083 642 6698 / 081 018 2320
To secure your spot, please register here (registration fee R250 pp)
