A Photography Experience: In Junction of Two Continents

Itinerary

Day 1: Istanbul Arrival

Stop At: Istanbul Airport Transfer, Prof. Muammer Aksoy Cd. Gokalp Mahallesi, Istanbul 34020 Turkey
Transfer to your Hotel Palace Dlx Category or similar 5*****
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel Pera Palace Dlx

Day 2: Istanbul : Street photography day

Stop At: Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul Turkey
Guided visit
Duration: 1 minute

Stop At: Kapali Carsi, Eminounu Eminounu, Istanbul 34126 Turkey
Guided visit
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Misir Carsisi (Spice Market), Rustem Pasa Mahallesi, Erzak Ambari Sok. No:92 Eminonu - Fatih, Istanbul 34116 Turkey
Guided Visit
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Sirkeci Station, Sirkeci, Istanbul Turkey
Guided visit
Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Marmaray, Istanbul Turkey
Passage to Asian side by underground tunnel under Bosphorus
Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: KIz Kulesi, Uskudar, Istanbul Turkey
Photography of Maiden tower
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Kadikoy Carsisi, Caferaga Mahallesi Kadikoy, Istanbul Turkey
Free time
Duration: 1 hour

Pass By: Karakoy Rihtim, Rihtim Caddesi Karakoy, Beyoglu, Istanbul 34560 Turkey
Guided

Stop At: Istiklal Street Taksim Beyoglu, Istanbul Turkey
Guided visit of Istiklal avenue and Beyoglu
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Cicek Pasaji, Huseyinaga Mh Beyoglu, Istanbul Turkey
With a free drink inside
Duration: 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Pera Palace Dlx

Day 3: Istanbul / Adana / Aladağlar Expedition

Stop At: Aladaglar, Kayseri 01000 Turkey
After breakfast transfer to the airport for a flight to Adana. Upon arrival departure to Aladağlar National Park following a very scenic road. Lunch and briefing before walking the camp area. (4 km) we will have mules to carry our heavy equiptments.

Upon arrival installation and preparation for sunset shots. Dinner (lunch boxes) around the camp fire. We will have coffe and tea. Overnight in mountain camper house when available or in tents (provided by us) however you are encouraged to bring your own sleeping bag keeping warm until until -10°C (14°F)

Region, Fauna and Flora

The name “Ala-Daglar” (Crimson-Mountains) comes from the rusty colour of its hills in the sunset. Aladaglar National Park hosts the tallest mountains of the Central Taurus Mountains of Turkey. The area covers four regions as Demirkazik, Yedigoller, Kaldi and Torasanlar, which have their highest peaks respectively as; Demirkazik (Demirkazık) 3756 m, Kizilkaya (Kızılkaya) 3771 m, Kaldi (Kaldı) 3688 m and Vayvay 3565 m.

Depending on the season, you’ll be encountering everything from floral bouquets and goat herds to heavier snow nearer the limestone peaks. Besides these highland beauties the woodland shelters red pine, black pine and fir trees. Aladaglar National Park is also the home of the famous Capra ibex, and other animals like wild boar, wolf, weaser and coyote. Bird watchers all around the world visit Aladaglar as well, to spot the various wild and singing birds(Caspian Snowcock, Crimson-winged Finch, Red-fronted Serin, Snowfinch, Wallcreeper, Radde's Accentor, Alpine Accentor, Horned Lark, Alpine Chough, Red-billed Chough, Rock Thrush, Finsch's Wheatear, Ortolan Bunting, Chukar, Ortolan Bunting, Black Redstart) of the region. More than fifty endemic plant species have been observed in the area, which was declared a national park in 1995. Nine of these are seen solely in this area. The Aladaglar National Park present rich diversity in terms of bird and butterfly pecies. Some of the birds of prey one can see are the rock eagle, bearded vulture, and peregrine falcon. Wildlife

includes wild goats, bears, lynx and sable.

Included Meals: Breakfast , lunch and camp dinner in form of small lunch box. Tea and Coffe in the camp site.
Duration: 10 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Aladaglar Bungalows

Day 4: Aladağlar – Cappadocia

Stop At: Love Valley, Goreme 50180 Turkey
Sunset photography
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Aladaglar National Park, 51660 Demirkazık/Çamardı/Niğde, Turkey
After the camp breakfast , we start to descend the valley on our own rythm until our bus waits for us. Before proceeding to Cappadocia, we will take our last shots from this unique area. Upon arrival to Cappadocia region, transfer to your Hotel Acropolis or similar charming cave hotel in Ürgüp village. Briefing and departure for sunset shots in Love Valley. Dinner in Ürgüp.

Included Meals: Camp breakfast lunch and dinner.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Acropolis Cave Hotel or similar cave hotel

Day 5: Cappadocia

Stop At: Goreme National Park, Goreme Turkey
Early morning departure (04:00 am) before sunrise to photography the take-off of hot air baloons. Cappadocia has been choosen by National Geographics as the best place to fly over in a hot air baloon, therefore we will also experience it. We offer you this unforgettable experience because we want to embrace the region from another angle. The landscapes that are offered to the eyes are absolutely incredible: green valleys, steep plateaus, numerous canyons, rocky peaks, fairy chimneys and rocks whose troglodyte dwellings can be seen in a beautiful palette of colors marvelously completed by the farandole of balloons.

Return to the hotel for the breakfast.

Departure from hotel afternoon to overview of the most visited sites in the region: discover small churches troglodytes of the Goreme valley, and stop in front of the Avcilar Valley rocky peak. This journey will end in Uçhisar with a friendly moment around a glass before taking our sunset shots.
Duration: 6 hours

Stop At: Uchisar Castle, Uchisar Turkey
Sunset photography
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Acropolis Cave or similar cave hotel

Day 6: Cappadocia – Beypazarı

Stop At: Lake Tuz, Sereflikochisar Turkey
After breakfast departure to photography Mount Hasan, inactive stratovolcano in Aksaray province with an elevation of 3,268 m. Continuation to Tuz Gölü to photography the lake. Lake Tuz is the second largest lake in Turkey with its 1,665 km2 (643 sq mi) surface area and one of the largest hypersaline lakes in the world. (It exceeds our imagination; 1500 kms2 of salt and twice as large as Singapore).
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: İrfan Gümüşel Caddesi, Beypazari Turkey
Lunch during visit and continuation to Beypazarı that still preserves the magical atmosphere of an Ottoman town. Houses like white boxes lean against the slope, their plaster facades delineated by dark wood beams and adorned with wooden doors and windows. Named the town of carrots and nurturing a deep respect for the orange vegetable, nearly 70 percent of Turkey's carrots are grown in Beypazarı.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Beypazarı Hotel or Zerde Konak

Day 7: Beypazarı – Nallıhan – Istanbul

Stop At: NallIhan Bird Sanctuary, Ankara NallIhan Yolu Near the bridge, Nallihan 06920 Turkey
After breakfast continuation to Nallıhan Bird Paradise which is one of the most valuable freshwater sites in Turkey with respect to nature photography; bird, butterfly and plant observation; eco-tourism activities; and also increasing nature conservation values. Nallıhan Bird Paradise is an ideal place for nature photography and bird watching due to presence of large number of birds all seasons and it’s geological and landscape values.

A 425-hectare area which was located at the junction of Aladağ Stream and Dam of Sarıyar,

has been set as a Wildlife Development Area due to it’s intense bird population and hunting is prohibited in this area. Different ecological habitats such as willow grove, reeds and tamarisks

which grew near the Aladağ Stream, extensive farmlands, groves, steppe areas, rocky cliffs and hills and presence of rich nutrient provides shelter for different bird groups in the area. 191 bird

species have been observed to date in Nallıhan Bird Paradise.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner: Farewell dinner at Karaköy Lokantası Restaurant
Accommodation included: Pera Palace Dlx

Day 8: Istanbul Departure

Stop At: Istanbul Airport Transfer, Prof. Muammer Aksoy Cd. Gokalp Mahallesi, Istanbul 34020 Turkey
Transfer to the airport
Duration: 45 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.