Strabo Photo Tour Collection

Turkey: Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Anatolia

The tour includes opportunities to photograph some of Turkey’s most visually exciting places. Turkey, and especially Istanbul, has been the classic East-meets-West location for centuries. It is where the treasures of the Silk and Spice routes met their markets. It is the site of Agia Sophia (temple of wisdom), the Blue Mosque, the Topkapi Palace of famous harems, and the fabulous Spice and Grand Bazaars. You will travel from Istanbul by train to Cappadocia, then on to Anatolia by coach, with a flight back to Istanbul to maximize time for photography at each location.
Cappadocia, an area almost in the center of the country is full of weird landscape, almost lunar in quality. It promises to be a highlight for photography of both landscape and people. If you can imagine the hoodoos in Southwest Utah and then place troglodyte churches and houses inside them, you have an idea of the culture in central Turkey. Whole cliff-sides are honeycombed with cave dwellings, some dating from pre-Hittite times. The reflective volcanic tufa seems to change color with the time of day, and is especially glorious at sunset.
Eastern Anatolia is a vast region of Turkey, relatively undeveloped and unspoiled making it a natural target for the more adventurous. This journey takes us to Mount Nemrut, designated as the eighth wonder of the world by UNESCO. Exploring the terraces built by King Antiochus I Theos, 69 – 36 BC, as a sanctuary for worship. A short climb takes us to the top at sunrise and sunset, when the soft light highlights the king’s statues.
Frank Lavelle has been a photo educator for the past thirty years, teaching all levels of black & white and color photography, as well as alternative printing and other specialty courses. He has teaching experience at such institutions as Corcoran School of Art, Trinity College, Northern Virginia Community College, and University of Delaware, where he earned an MFA in Photography. Frank was the Director of Photographic Education for the Smithsonian Associates in Washington, DC, overseeing a program that offers approximately eighty-five courses per year.
In addition to teaching and producing fine art work, Frank has continuously worked in the commercial field. His photography utilizes many formats including pinhole, plastic cameras, 35mm, panoramic, medium format, and view camera; printing with traditional black & white materials, platinum and palladium, gum bichromate, cyanotype, and type C color. Most recently, Frank has become interested in using Photoshop’s “digital darkroom” as an alternative to the traditional darkroom.

Itinerary

September 9: Home - Istanbul

Board your overnight flight to Istanbul, arriving the next day, September 10.

September 10 - September 12: Istanbul

Afternoon arrival to Istanbul Airport, you will be met on arrival and escorted to your hotel. There will be an orientation tour on foot late this afternoon, or early evening. We will then enjoy a welcome drink overlooking the Istanbul skyline, followed by a welcome dinner. Overnight three nights Sultanahmet Hotel with breakfast served on roof top terrace. (D)

Istanbul provides us with wonderful warm people to photograph, exceptional cuisine to enjoy, and most importantly the most outstanding city photography in Turkey. We will explore this vibrant city on foot and utilizing the public transportation. The first day we begin with the warm light of morning on the Byzantine architecture (sixth century) of the Haghia Sophia, reflections of the Basilica Cistern, and the Rustem Pasha Mosque. Ara Guler is a well-known Turkish-Armenian photographer; we will visit his photo gallery, and enjoy lunch at his outdoor café.

After lunch we will photograph the Florist Passage, a local market, and hidden churches. As the sun gets lower, we will photograph the breathtaking silhouette of the city from the Galata Bridge. (B, L, D)

More photography abounds on our second morning in Istanbul, including the, Topkapi Palace and Harem, the impressive architecture of the Blue Mosque, and the sights and sounds of the Spice Market and the Grand Bazaar (be sure not to miss the back streets between the two). The photo subjects are endless. The guides will entice you with as much as possible, considering the interests of the entire group. After dinner we will board the overnight train to Cappadocia. (B, L, D)

September 13 - May 15: Cappadocia

The train arrives in Konya at approximately 9a.m.; we will disembark and continue on 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 tenth and eleventh century churches, monasteries, and houses carved into the rocks. The moonlike terrain of Cappadocia with its endless natural artwork is a photographer's delight.

The lunar-like landscape of this region is eerie, yet beautiful. Over thousands of years, the rain has eroded the land to give rise to strange rock formations known as "fairy chimneys." Many of these have homes and churches carved into them. Grottos magnificently decorate the walls with colorful frescoes.

Participants may choose to participate in an optional hot air balloon ride over this vast region, or choose to photograph the vivid colors against the stark landscape. We will visit the underground city of Kaymakli, carved out underneath a rock hill, Ihlara Valley, with its sixty chapels, monasteries, and hermits’ caves dating from the eleventh century, Selim Village, Pasabag, Dervent, and Goreme Open Air Museum. Another highlight may entail an early morning hike to the top of Mt. Nemrut where we photograph the carved statues amidst the sunrise. Overnight Yunak Evleri. ((B, L, D three days)

September 16: Malatya

We depart after breakfast this morning and travel to Anatolia. There will be impromptu photographic stops along the way. Malatya is best known for the interesting bazaars. We will visit the apricot bazaar, and copper bazaar near the central mosque. Traditional tradesmen and carpet vendors will show us their craft, as we photograph, and shop among them.

Eski Malatya houses the Great Mosque, built around a tiny courtyard, its graceful interior divided into separate summer and winter areas. Overnight Anemon Hotel. (B, L, D)

September 17 - September 18: Kahta

Moving on to Kahta this morning, which is our base for visiting Mount Nemrut. The huge stone heads on the summit (elevation approximately 7000 feet is reached by 20 minute walk on a dirt trail) of Mount Nemrut were built by King Antiochus I Theos, 69 – 36 BC. To glorify his rule, the king had three enormous terraces cut into the mountaintop, colossal statues of him and the major gods of the kingdom were placed on the terraces, and the summit became a sanctuary where the king was worshipped. We will have two evenings here, to take advantage of both sunsets and sunrise. UNESCO declared Mt. Nemrut the eighth wonder of the world.

The Cendere Bridge, on the Kahta-Old Kahta road is the one and only bridge over the Kahta stream and it is one of the oldest bridges known in the world and still in use. It was built approximately 200 BC. Karakus Hill is actually a tumulus believed to be the grave site for the Kings of Commagene, according to some experts it is the last resting place for the women of the, Commagene Royal Family. On one of these columns is an eagle statue from which the village also derives its name, Blackbird Village (Karakus). Overnight two nights Zeus Hotel (B, L, D)

September 19: Istanbul

This morning there will be free time to relax on your own, perhaps taking in a Turksih Hamam, or more photography. We meet later this afternoon to enjoy a two hour boat cruise down the Bosphorous, seeing the banks lined with castles and mansions. Disembarking at the Anadolu Kavagi fishing village, we walk up to the Byzantine Castle. It is the last stop on the Bosphorous and quite possibly one of the prettiest villages you will ever see. You will be rewarded with a breathtaking sight with the European shore, the Black Sea, and Istanbul in the background. We enjoy our last night together at a traditional Turkish restaurant. (B, D)

September 20: Istanbul - Home

Transfer to airport for flights home. (B)

Accommodations

Please contact us for more details.

Guides

Please contact us for more details.

Food & Drink

Please contact us for more details.

Notes

What to Expect
This tour is designed to be a photo tour, and, as such, we must be flexible in our scheduling. Much of what we do, and when we do it, will depend upon weather, light, and the permission of specific on-site locations. In the event that changes may occur, we will need to be flexible, which will also allow us to take advantage of new photographic opportunities.

Turkey has made great strides in tourist accommodations and services in recent years, but please remember that it is still a developing country, so we may experience occasional inconveniences. All of the accommodations will be clean and comfortable, with private baths. The hotels have been chosen for your comfort as well as their proximity to prime photographic locations.

Health and Fitness
Tour participants should be in good health and good physical condition to get the most out of the trip. Although we will not be running marathons, we will be taking long walks in order to reach the prime photographic locations. Mount Nemrut does require a twenty minute walk up hill at an elevation of 7500 feet.

Pricing Info

Tour land cost: $4,595 US Dollars based upon minimum of 11 paying participants. There is a small group surcharge of $400 if 5-10 paying participants. All our program prices are based on double occupancy unless noted in exceptions.

Single room supplement: $525; single rooms are subject to availability and are not guaranteed. We try to accommodate travelers who request single accommodations, as well as travelers who are looking for a roommate. If a single room is requested, or if we are unable to find a suitable roommate, you will be required to pay the supplement.

Note: The land costs on international tours is based upon current exchange rates. Although the rate has been relatively stable, should it change, there may need to be an adjustment in the land cost.

General Tour Info (includes, excludes and other details)