Explore Istanbul and the Turkish
Mediterranean by Sea and Land
June 13-24, 2007
Turkey is a rapidly modernizing country with one foot in Europe and one in the
Middle East. It's not all oriental splendor, mystery, intrigue and whirling
dervishes, but it is a spicy maelstrom of history knocking up against the
present. The Turkish people have an unrivalled reputation for their hospitality,
cuisine, and their coastline. This 11-day trip will include 3 days of sightseeing
in Istanbul, followed by a 8-day round robin sail along the Turkish
Mediterranean from Gocek to Kekova. The vessel: a 16-passenger Turkish
yacht, traditionally termed a gullet. We will explore several ports and local
villages along the route hike in the Gulf of Fethiye.
Detailed Itinerary
Our trip begins with 3 days of sightseeing in Istanbul. Straddling the Istanbul
Strait, its skyline studded with domes and minarets, Istanbul’s history traces
back from Byzantium, to Constantinople, to its place at the center of the
Ottoman Empire. Today, it hums as Turkey's cultural heart and capital. In this
sprawling, continent-spanning city, you can tramp the streets where crusaders
and janissaries once marched; admire mosques that are the most sublime
architectural expressions of Islamic piety; peer into the sultan's harem; and
hunt for bargains in the Kapalı Çarşı (Grand Bazaar).
Our overnight flight from New York will land in Istanbul during midmorning,
and, after a short rest and walk near our hotel, we will meet up for our
welcome dinner, preferably at a rooftop restaurant with a view of the city.
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The next day will be a full
day tour of the city of
Istanbul, including
transportation and lunch.
We'll start at the Blue
Mosque in Sultanahmet,
famous for its beautiful
tiling. We'll visit the 6th century Haghia Sophia museum, built during the reign
of the emperor Justinian. We’ll continue to the hippodrome and Grand Bazaar.
After lunch, we’ll visit Topkapi Palace, the imperial residence of Ottoman
Sultans, exhibiting Chinese porcelain, weapons, calligraphy and more. The last
stop will be the Suleymaniye Mosque, masterpiece of Sinan, the chief architect
of the Ottoman Empire, built in the name of Suleyman the Magnificent during
the 16th century and considered the best amongst the imperial mosques. The
final day in Istanbul will be yours to explore new sites or revisiting others.
Next, we’ll take a short flight to Dalaman International Airport, close to the
Mediterranean Coast to begin our ocean journey. We will be transported to
Gocek and board our boat. After beginning in Gocek we will sail towards
Kekova (an underwater city), where we can swim or snorkel in the middle
underwater historical remains. Along the way we will make half-day visits to
historical cities such as Xanthos, Patara and Letoon, whose history dates back
thousands of years. We may also visit and hike into the famous Canyon
Saklikent, a gorge 20 km long and hundreds of feet deep (below left).
We may also stop in Demre, where we can visit the church of St. Nicaluas.
Some people believe that Santa Claus did not exist but truth is that old Father
Christmas did in fact exist as a historic personality. He did not come from
beyond the North Pole where Reindeers roam, but lived under the warm Lycian
sun as Bishop of Myra. His church and ex-tomb continue to
exist as places of pilgrimage in this Turkish town.
We will also visit the famous port city of Fethiye, a pretty
town at the hillside of Mount Mendos, which is part of the
Tourus Mountain chain. Here we will have the opportunity
to do some hiking. Oludeniz, 7 miles from Fethiye, boasts
some of the most pristine water in the world. Omitting the
salt, this water is regarded almost as clean as your tap.
Here we will have time to participate in other water
sports, such as canoeing and kayaking.
We will end our journey Gocek and be transported the next day back to
Dalaman Airport for our journey back to New York.
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Region where our voyage will take us!
Accommodations and Meals
In Istanbul we will stay in a three or four star hotel. We hope to stay at the
Hotel Albion, located in the historical heart of Sultanahmet –
www.albionhotels.com/info-en.htm. While sailing, we will spend 7 nights
aboard a Turkish gullet, in double occupancy rooms. Until we fill the trip we
won’t know for sure which gulet we will be able to charter, but, at the time of
this publication, we are hoping to get the Kaya Guneri III, a 30 meter vessel
(see picture to the left). Kaya Guneri III accommodates sixteen guests in eight
cabins with private facilities and is fully airconditioned. There are four cabins with a double
bed and four cabins with twin beds. The
cushioned sundeck offers ample space for
sunbathing while the sun shaded aft deck is ideal
for relaxation and dining. In the dining salon
there is a bar. Recreational equipment is also
available on board.
In Istanbul we will have a full buffet breakfast at the hotel. We will also have a
welcome dinner and lunch provided on the tour. All other meals in Istanbul are
your responsibility. While sailing we will have breakfast and lunch on board.
Each day we will go into a different port and stay until after dinner, so we will
eat our meals at local restaurants. At least three of those dinners will be
provided, depending upon where we are and the logistics of accommodating a
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larger group. We will purchase an assortment of non-alcoholic drinks to keep on
board, and you are welcome to buy beer and wine to bring on the cruise.
Transportation
There will be a group flight arranged from New York to Turkey. This will also
include the domestic flight to Dalaman Airport. It will be your responsibility to
get yourself to New York for the outbound flight, but we will assist you in
making arrangements. Expect the flights cost to be between $1100-1400 – rates
for group flights are not certain until we put down a deposit. We will have an
airport pick up and drop off in both Istanbul and Dalaman. While in port we will
use a combination of local buses and hired shuttles. You can also rent a jeep in
many places if you would like to go exploring on your own.
Estimated Costs and Cancellation
The estimated cost of this trip will be $2050 plus $1100-1400 for the airfare.
This will include:
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3 or 4 star hotel in Istanbul
All day city tour of Istanbul (including lunch)
Welcome dinner in Istanbul
All airport transfers
Gulet accommodations
Half board – breakfasts and lunches on board
Three dinners while in ports
Non-alcoholic drinks
Local transportation in ports
Some entrance fees to historical sites in ports
Transit log fees and harbor dues
within Turkish waters
Crew's service and salary
Fuel for up 4 hours cruising
under engine per day
Bed linen and towels
Use of recreational equipment
available on board
Turkish taxes
Medical evacuation insurance
Plan to bring about $400-500 for additional lunches and dinners, the tourist
visa, and personal spending money.
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The approximate $2050 cost for the excursion is based on estimates for trip
expenses. The final cost of the trip will be adjusted in accordance with the
best arrangements the leaders can make. Any savings they achieve, as well as
any cost increase, will be returned or assessed to you, respectively.
Please be aware that, in accordance with AMC policy, you are subsidizing a
portion of the leaders’ expenses, but not all of them. In accordance with AMC
rules, the leaders may not realize a profit from this excursion. Any unspent
funds resulting from negotiating better rates for lodging, local transportation,
etc. must be refunded to all the participants. The trip fee also includes an AMC
overhead cost to cover administrative expenses of offering Major Excursions,
including the trip’s publication in the Outdoors and liability insurance.
A registration deposit of $825 is due with the application. You must also submit
the registration form, the Confidential Medical form, and the signed
Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risk and Release form for the AMC. The
rest of the payment will be due 90 days in advance of departure, which is
March 13, 2007. Please make check payable to the Appalachian Mountain Club.
Our cancellation policy is based on the precept that your cancellation shall not
raise the cost to any of the other participants or the leaders. Therefore, if you
cancel, we will refund any money you have paid, less any expenses already
incurred, or future expenses that will be incurred, that have been the result of
your registration and that cannot be avoided. Refunded money will also be less
a $100 cancellation fee. However, if you cancel and the trip still realizes full
participation, then any and all fees you have paid will be refunded to you, in
full, minus the cancellation fee. If you cancel after your airline tickets have
been purchased, you still own the ticket and will be subject to the airline’s
cancellation policy.
When registration is complete, we will send all participants the names,
addresses and phone numbers of those going on the trip. We will be using email
as our primary source of communication. If you prefer snail mail and/or
telephone communication, please note that on your registration form.
If you have any questions, please call us so that we can discuss them. Our
numbers are: Stacia Zukroff at szukroff@yahoo.com or 781-648-5503 or Wyatt
Biel at wyattbiel@excite.com or 781-648-5503.
About the leaders
Stacia Zukroff leads about 2-3 trips per year, some of which have included
hiking and backpacking trips to the Canadian Rockies, a backpacking and
kayaking trip to New Zealand and Alaska, a trekking trip to Nepal and Tanzania
(Mt. Kilimanjaro). Her most recent trips have been to Wyoming (backpacking
and horsepacking) and Patagonia (Chile). She is the chair of major excursions
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and a member of the Boston Chapter. She is Advanced Wilderness First Aid
certified. Stacia works at a local Boston area college
sending students to other countries.
Wyatt Biel is also a leader with the Boston Chapter. He
has led trips throughout New England and American
Southwest. He recently completed his first major
excursion to the Canadian Rockies. He is a registered
nurse and currently a family nurse practitioner student.
Experience and risks
Physical Preparation
While there is no strenuous hiking, people should be prepared to do a
significant amount of walking and relatively light hiking. There will be
opportunities for more strenuous hiking in some of the ports, but people can
opt out if they are not in the best shape. People should also know how to swim,
as there will be abundant opportunities to take dips in the Mediterranean and
snorkel and kayak.
Weather
The weather in June is some of the best you will find all summer. The days will
be in the 70s and 80s and the evenings in the 50s and 60s. While at sea we will
be sailing closer to shore, so if weather becomes very bad there will be
opportunities to seek shelter in local harbors.
Terrorism
Turkey has a very stable government, but over the past four years terrorists
have struck religious, government, government-owned, political, tourist and
business targets in a variety of locations in Turkey. We will be monitoring State
Department travel warnings prior to departure. We will stay at a local, nonwestern hotel and be on the water for the duration of the trip. We will avoid
all Western restaurants and places of recreation.
Clothing and Gear
No special equipment or clothing is required, but you should be prepared to
bring a variety of different, interchangeable layers, good walking shoes or trail
runners, and a small backpack. Women should avoid bringing short skirts or
shorts and should bring at least one long skirt or pair of pants (not jeans) and a
long-sleeve shirt for visiting holy sites. A more detailed list of clothing, as well
as some information on cultural sensitivity of Islam, will be sent to you prior to
departure.
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