In Cappadocia, we will be riding with Ahmet Diler of Kirkit Voyage, who organizes horseback riding and other adventure activities in Cappadocia. He grew up in Avanos, where we will base ourselves for the first part of the trip. Ahmet is a horse lover, whose takes great care of his Arabian horses. Many are a mix of Arabian and Barb and many are full Arabians.

Ahmet picked us up from the airport and we drove to Avanos to visit the stables and scout for the upcoming days. We’re staying in Kirkit Pension, ... ...

Our first stop was Dereyamanli Valley, where fairy chimneys abound, with a visit to Yamanli Church, a 6th century Christian church. The church was interesting inside. Like many of the churches and homes in Cappadocia, it is carved out of a rock.

Riding through Dereyamanli Valley, I noticed a lot of small vineyards. In Cappadocia, a lot of people have their own little vineyard. The soil is fertile from the area volcanic activity, making it a good place to grow grapes. We met an old woman working her ... ...

People are so friendly and generous in this part of Turkey. A man who owns a nearby vineyard offered our horses water on the trails. After our horses drank, we rode over to an apricot tree, where we picked sweet apricots from the branches, before continuing our trek.

The scenery changed on our ride through Kiliclar Valley on our way to the Red and Rose Valleys (Gulludere and Kizilcukur) in Cappadocia, Turkey. Here there are white ice cream cone formations and narrow passageways between the white domed rocks. Our horses took the sometimes challenging rocky terrain with stride, much more surefooted than I would have been on these trails.

The lookout point over the Red and Rose Valleys wowed me, and Ahmet said it was one of his favorite spots as well. It was late ... ...

Chavusin’s old rock homes and churches are carved into a large high, cliff. They are situated in what looks almost like a castle. We were able to ride up on top of these dwellings, stopping below the St. John the Baptist Church from the 7th century. Above us there were also these cubbyholes carved into the rocks. These are what the locals call pigeon houses. They paint the rocks around these indentations red to attract pigeons to these spaces. The locals collect the pigeon droppings and use them ... ...

Ahmet’s stables in Guzelyurt are right on the edge of the village. We arrived the night before to pick our horses for the next days trek. I have ridden a lot of different breeds, but before this trip to Turkey had not ridden many Arabians. This breed is prized for its endurance, spirit and intelligence, and I was a little worried before I traveled here that the horses might be too spirited! I am glad to say that the Arabians that I have ridden in Turkey have been just right. For the past few days, ... ...