Two riders cantering and enjoying an active trail riding holiday

Horseback riding holidays with Equus Journeys in Turkey

A horseback riding holiday in Turkey is an equestrian and cultural experience not to be missed. Horseback riders from Asia and Europe arrived in Turkey in waves and the country's history is an amalgamation of both. Follow trails through the grand landscapes of Cappadocia, with natural rock formations towering above you, and ancient carved caves beneath. Embark on an incredible trail ride through the unusual beauty of Capadoccia or the Taurus mountains, discovering the rich local culture and heritage with knowledgeable guides.
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From the horse’s mouth

  • Cappadocia Explorer
    July 2023 Antonia aged 22
    This trip is really just perfect as a whole. The landscape is remarkable and also so different every single day. Of course one gets to see als the spot that you know from the pictures, but you also get to ride through small rivers, wild valleys full of bushes and rough mountains. We even got to go for a swim with the... Read all
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  • Wonders of Cappadocia
    May 2023 Emely
    Amazing, fast-paced trip on spirited horses for strong riders. Loved the long canters. Beautiful landscapes, fascinating history and delicious food. The trip was well organized and Nico and Helena are amazing hosts. We had a great group and the group size was perfect with 6 riders. Would go back in a heart beat. My... Read all
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  • Wonders of Cappadocia
    October 2022 LYNN aged 67
    Iris recommended exactly the right trip for us, thank you! I rode Roman, an experienced mare, v fast, quirky in a good way!
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  • Wonders of Cappadocia
    March 2019 Myra aged 40
    One of the best equestrian vacations I’ve ever been on. Very well organized, outstanding horses, challenging and beautiful terrain, and plenty of flat out gallops. Accommodations and meals were also very good. Highly recommended. Definitely suitable only for confident and competent riders given the speed, length of... Read all
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  • Wonders of Cappadocia
    April 2018 Henrietta aged 61
    A dream of a trail, wonderful horses, very knowlegeable and amusing guides, fantastic local food, very comfortable accomodation (necessary as it is strenuous) and great organisation. I can’t praise it too highly. Everything I could have wished for. Spirited, positively fizzing at times but also an absolute sweetheart... Read all
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  • Trail riding in Cappadocia
    Trail riding in Cappadocia
  • Turkey riding holiday and trail riding
    On horseback in Turkey
  • Horse on a trail in Cappadocia, Turkey
    Between the ears in Cappadocia
  • Turkey trail ride and riding holidays
    Discover the beautiful landscapes of Turkey
  • Riders and troglodyte villages in Cappadocia
    Discover the troglodyte villages of central Turkey
  • Riding holiday in Cappadocia, central Turkey
    On horseback in Cappadocia
  • Riders and horses trail riding in Turkey
    Explore Turkey on horseback on a riding holiday
  • Trail riding in Cappadocia, Turkey
    The mysterious beauty of Cappadocia from horseback

Visa & Health

Formalities

British Citizens travelling to Turkey for tourist or business purposes are able to travel without a visa for visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

If you plan to remain in Turkey for a period of more than 90 days, you should either apply for a longer stay visa before you travel, or get a residence permit from the local authorities in Turkey before your 90 day stay has elapsed. If you intend to work in Turkey, ensure you have the correct permits. More information is available from the Turkish Ministry of the Interior. If you don’t abide by the terms of your visa or permit, you may be fined, deported and banned from re-entering the country.

If you’re entering Turkey via a land border crossing, make sure your passport has a dated entry stamp before you leave the border crossing area.
Turkish visit visas issued on arrival are valid for multiple stays up to a maximum of 90 days in a 180 day period. In case of problems with the computer systems at the Turkish port of entry, print off and carry a paper copy of your e-Visa, or make sure you have an electronic copy on a smart phone or other device to show to the immigration officer.

Passport validity
The Turkish government advise that your passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the date you enter Turkey and that there is a full blank page for the entry and exit stamps. You can find more detail about the requirements for entry into Turkey on the website of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkey/entry-requirements

Addresses of consulates

  • Consulats de Turquie
    184 bd de Malsherbes
    75017 Paris
    Tél. : 01 56 33 33 33
    Fax : 01.42.27.58.18
    parisbsk@wanadoo.fr
  • Consulat de Turquie
    87 rue de Sèze
    69006 Lyon
    Tél. : 04 72 83 98 40
    Fax : 04 78 24 86 75
    tclyonkonsolos@wanadoo.fr
  • Consulat de Turquie
    363 avenue du Prado
    13008 Marseille
    Tél. : 04.91.29.00.20
    Fax : 04.91.22.78.21
    marsilyabk@wanadoo.fr
  • Ambassade de Turquie
    16 avenue de Lamballe
    75016 Paris
    Tél. : 01 53 92 71 12
    Fax : 01 45 20 41 91
    paris.be@mfa.gov.tr
  • Ambassade de Turquie
    Case postale 34, Lombachweg 33
    3000 Berne 15
    Tél. : 031/359 70 70
    Fax : 031/352 88 19
    tcbern@tr-botschaft.ch
  • Ambassade de Turquie
    Rue Montoyer 4
    1000 BRUXELLES
    Tél. : +32 (0) 2 513 40 95
    Fax : +32 (0) 2 514 07 48
    info@turkey.be

Health

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), is not valid in Turkey. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.

Insurance

It is a condition of your booking with Equus Journeys that you have travel insurance which covers you for the riding activities to be undertaken. Your travel insurance should cover you for medical expenses and repatriation. Your guides will require your travel insurance details before they allow you to ride and may refuse to let you ride if you cannot provide them. You should take your insurance documents with you.

Budget and money

Turkish Lira is the local currency of the Republic of Turkey. Visitors can exchange their cash money for Turkish Lira at exchange tiles and banks. International credit and debit cards are widely accepted in shops and restaurants throughout Turkey. However it is advisable also to carry cash for the smaller shops and cafes, particularly in more rural areas.



Country information

Socio-economical data

Capital: Ankara
Largest city: Istanbul
Official langue: Turkish
Government: Unitary presidential constitutional republic
Area total: 783,356 km2
Population (2017 estimate): 80,810,525
GDP total: $909 billion (17th)
GDP per capita: $11,114 (60th)
Currency: Turkish lira
Calling code: +90

History

At various points in its history, the region has been inhabited by diverse civilizations including the Assyrians, Greeks, Thracians, Phrygians, Urartians, and Armenians. Hellenization started during the era of Alexander the Great and continued into the Byzantine era. The Seljuk Turks began migrating into the area in the 11th century, and their victory over the Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 symbolizes the start and foundation of Turkey. The Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm ruled Anatolia until the Mongol invasion in 1243, when it disintegrated into small Turkish principalities. Beginning in the late 13th-century, the Ottomans started uniting these Turkish principalities. After Mehmed II conquered Constantinople in 1453, Ottoman expansion continued under Selim I. During the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent the Ottoman Empire encompassed much of Southeast Europe, West Asia and North Africa.

In 1913, a coup d'état effectively put the country under the control of the Three Pashas. During World War I, the Ottoman government committed genocides against its Armenian, Assyrian and Pontic Greek subjects. Following the war, the conglomeration of territories and peoples that formerly comprised the Ottoman Empire was partitioned into several new states. The Turkish War of Independence, initiated by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his colleagues against occupying Allies, resulted in the abolition of monarchy in 1922 and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, with Atatürk as its first president. Atatürk enacted numerous reforms, many of which incorporated various aspects of Western thought, philosophy, and customs into the new form of Turkish government.

Turkey is a charter member of the UN, an early member of NATO, the IMF and the World Bank. Turkey is a secular, unitary, formerly parliamentary republic which adopted a presidential system with a referendum in 2017; the new system came into effect with the presidential election in 2018.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey

Geography

Turkey occupies a unique geographic position, lying partly in Asia and partly in Europe. Throughout its history it has acted as both a barrier and a bridge between the two continents.

Turkey is situated at the crossroads of the Balkans, Caucasus, Middle East, and eastern Mediterranean. It is among the larger countries of the region in terms of territory and population, and its land area is greater than that of any European state. Nearly all of the country is in Asia, comprising the oblong peninsula of Asia Minor—also known as Anatolia (Anadolu)—and, in the east, part of a mountainous region sometimes known as the Armenian Highland. The remainder—Turkish Thrace (Trakya)—lies in the extreme southeastern part of Europe, a tiny remnant of an empire that once extended over much of the Balkans.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/place/Turkey

People, culture and traditions

Capital: Ankara
Largest city: Istanbul
Official languages: Turkish
Total area: 783,356 km2
Population, 2016 estimate: 79,814,87
GD, 2018 estimate: $2.249 trillion
Currency: Turkish lira
Time zone: UTC+3
Phone code: +90

Useful words

Hello : merhaba
Good evening : iyi aksamlar
Goodbye : allaha ismarladik
What is your name? : Adiniz ne?
Yes : evet
No : hayir
Please : Lütfen
Thank you : Tesekkürler ou saol
Excuse me : affedersiniz
Sorry? : Ne ?
Where is? : nerede ?
Where is the hotel? : bir otel nerede ?
Rom : oda
Toilet : tuvalet
Restaurant : lokanta

Choosing the right riding holiday

Choosing the right riding holiday

Turkey is filled with such strong history, Ancient Greece, Persian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires have all left their mark on this eclectic country.  With a landscape more fitting to a fairytale, what better way is there to experience the beauty of the Cappadocia region than from horseback?

The distinctive rock chimneys oozing out above ground are as well known as the fascinating cavern architecture that is below ground. Riding over 200km on robust and sure-footed Arab and Arab crosses, our rides in Turkey offer a pacey riding adventure with plenty of opportunities for canters and gallops across the sandy terrain. Enjoy wonderful local cuisine and lots of Turkish black tea along the way.