Photo Tour of Western Turkey

Day 1 - ISTANBUL
Arrival in Istanbul and transfer to Hotel in the Blue Mosque Area. Our hotel is situated within walking distance of the must-see places in Istanbul. The tour starts at 5:00 pm in the lobby of the hotel. After a short introduction we will visit the Blue Mosque and have dinner. Overnight at Hotel Ayasofya.
( Depending on your time of arrival this schedule might change)

Day 2 -ISTANBUL
Photograph old Ottoman Houses, Bosphorus, Cemetery, Sinan's mosque interiors and much more. Overnight at Hotel Ayasofya. Depending on the request of the group, we can make time for visiting the Topkapi Palace, the Turkish Islamic Art museum, the Basilica Cistern. these places are see must historic sites of Istanbul. However, if the photography group prefers not to do museum visits we can avoid them.

Day 3 - Istanbul,
Be ready for some fantastic photo ops. Aya Sophia, street shots, market interior shots, mosaics in the Chora Church, etc.

Sun Set on Mount Erciyes by James Caldwell

Guzelyurt Monastary at sun set by James Caldwell

CAPPADOCIA

Photography in Cappadocia will be hectic driving from one wonderful site to another stupendous photo op. Depending on the time of the year, the sun rise is between 05:30 to 06:30. The best way of catching the best sun rise in Cappadocia is having a hot air balloon ride. The balloon ride will be optional in the tour. The tour members can pay the balloon company directly with their credit cards. in 2009 the price was EURO 160.- per person. However, we do need to make reservation ahead of time. So those interested in the balloon ride please make sure you indicate your interest when you make your tour reservation or at least two days prior the balloon ride.

Day 4 - Cappadocia
Morning flight to Cappadocia. Cappadocia is a land where nature and man have competed with each other to create the unusual and the most beautiful landscape. A hike takes us to 10th and 11th century churches, monasteries, and houses carved into the rocks, and where we visit a family who live in one of the ancient rock dwellings. The moonlike terrain of Cappadocia with its endless natural artwork is a photographer's delight. Overnight at Hotel in Uchisar Cappadocia.

Day 5 - Cappadocia
We will visit home(s) in Cappadocia. Visit the most stunning, today abandoned, cliff dwelling town with its spectacular monumental monasteries, churches, mill and more. On the program is a visit to a vineyard where shots of blooming vines along with discovering some local Turkish liquid history is in store for us. Overnight at Hotel in Uchisar Cappadocia.

Day 6 - Cappadocia
Since Cappadocia is also the crafts center of Turkey we will visit the craftsmen and women at their work shops and photograph their talented hands at work. In the carpet center of Turkey, we have scheduled a visit to see how the world-renowned art of Turkish carpet making by hand along the use of natural dies is kept alive.

Day 07 Guzelyurt
A visit to the underground city of early Christians is also on our program. In Belisirma village we will have our best village shots. We will see the"mother of Cappadocia"-" The volcano, Hasan Dag, which is one of the two volcanoes that had created Cappadocia. Overnight in Guzelyurt in a hotel that was built as a Christian girl's school in 1853. We can arrange a home stay for those who choose to stay with a family. tomorrow morning we will all have breakfast at this house.

Day 8- Konya
We will have breakfast at a home in the village to learn more about the village life, to see the unique architecture and to taste the best home made breakfast. We will start the day with a short walk to the most scenic location of Guzelyurt, where we will capture 10,000 years of history in the gorge where houses were built on arch upon arch. Hikers can take a morning hike to the oldest monastery valley in Christian history. If you do not hike, you can stay in town and enjoy locals absorbing the local atmosphere meeting with the locals with whom you can easily make friends. After Lunch, depart for Konya, stopping en route at a 12th century Caravanserai. Konya is the first capital of the Selcuks, the oldest Turkish Empire in Anatolia. It is also known for being the homeland of Rumi, a 13th century poet-philosopher and one of the earliest humanists. The ambiance of the city has not changed much for the past 800 years. Overnight at Hotel Rumi- walking distance to the Rumi Mausoleum and the market.

Day 9- Egirdir
In the morning a stop at the mausoleum of philosopher and the poet, Rumi, a place made for great people and art shots. Then, time for market shots in the thousand-year-old market place of Konya. We get to Egirdir in time to see how the fading sun makes this lake and mountains a photographer dream of dramatic effects unfolding right in front of the lens.Overnight stay by the lake.

Day 10 - Pamukkale
We will leave Egirdir after breakfast. via Isparta we will drive to Pamukkale En route we will stop at the Kaklik Caves for stunning shots of this amazing cave which looks like an underground version of Pamukkale. The afternoon drive takes us to Pamukkale where we catch the setting sunlight magically illuminating the white cliffs as well as yellow travertine walls of tombs and monuments. Pamukkale (ancient Heirapolis) is singularly the most unusual natural phenomenon of Turkey. The Turkish name literally means - "cotton castle" - and refers to the extraordinary surface of the snow-white cliffs, shaped over millennia by accumulation of calcium deposited by mineral springs. Overnight at Pamukkale Pam Hotel

Day 11 - Didyma Miletus Kusadasi
Through the Meander Valley we will drive to the largest standing ionic temple of the world, the Temple of Apollo. Our next stop will be the Biblical city of Miletus. for those who are interested in photography of architecture, these two sites will be overwhelming. Overnight at Kusadasi

Ephesus by James Caldwell

Day 12 � Ephesus
We will have 2 days for Ephesus. Our first visit will be in the afternoon and the next day for those who choose to return for the morning light, we will have time to enjoy photography of Ephesus. We will also visit the house of the Virgin Mary and the 13th Century Mosque of Isa Bey. Ephesus is the best-preserved classical city in the eastern Mediterranean and today ranks among the best places in the world to get a feel for what life was like in Roman times. While sitting in the theater of ancient Ephesus you can visualize 35,000 Ephesians listen to silversmith Demetrius shout..."great is Artemis of Ephesians"� in reaction to St. Paul's preaching� "there shall be no man-made gods."Overnight at Kusadasi

Day 13 - Selcuk / Kusadasi/ Sirince village
Transportation will be arranged for those who are interested in going back to Ephesus for morning light, others can have alternative short itineraries or visit the well known and historic Kusadasi. Or they can go to sirince. Transportation will be available for different choices.Overnight at Kusadasi

Day 14 � Tire market/ Istanbul ( Tire is the name of the town where the farmer's market is)A visit to the Saturday Selcuk farmer's market is followed by a late flight from Izmir (7:00 pm) to Istanbul. Transfer to and overnight at Hotel at the blue Mosque area.

Day 15 � Flight home
The tour officially ends after transfer to the international airport for the connecting flight out of Istanbul returning to USA

Tour Price
The price will vary according the size of the group
15 to 18 people in the group US$ ......
10 to 14 people in the group US$ ......
Single Room supplement US$ 300

CAPTURE
      THE
           LAND
               THROUGH
                           YOUR
                                   LENS

LEARN ABOUT THE PEOPLE THROUGH INTERACTION WITH THE LOCALS

ITINERARY

CAPTURE THE LAND THROUGH YOUR LENS

LEARN ABOUT THE PEOPLE THROUGH INTERACTION WITH THE LOCALS

ITINERARY

CAPTURE
THE
LAND
THROUGH
YOUR
LENS