Dates May 17—Jun 1, 2008
Leaders Mehmet Özbalci
and Len Rue, Jr.
Fee $5,395 from Istanbul, Turkey
Deposit $400
Limit 16
Terms and Conditions

There is truth in the old Turkish proverb: “A good companion shortens the longest road.” On our Continental Crossroads tour you can join like-minded photography-oriented companions on a rewarding journey to photogenic Turkey—an historic, cultural and trade crossroads straddling two continents, and former capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires.

As photography destinations go, Turkey is hard to beat! For starters, Turkey has more Greek and Roman ruins than Greece and Italy, combined. Its extraordinary architecture, sun-drenched seacoast, dramatic scenery
and unusual natural wonders— along with a fantastic cuisine and first-rate infrastructure— provide all the ingredients for an extraordinary photography vacation. The Turkish people have an unrivaled reputation for hospitality, and for many travelers, the memory of Turkey that lingers longest is the incredible friendliness of the Turks themselves.

The former Constantinople, 2,600-year-old Istanbul gives us our first exceptional taste of Turkish photography, as well as its famous cuisine. From the warm early morning light on the domes of Suleymaniye Mosque with the Golden Horn in the foreground, to sunset silhouettes of Haghia Sophia and the iconic minarets and
domes of the Blue Mosque—and all the vibrant colors and exotic sights of the Spice Market and the Grand Bazaar in between—Istanbul offers an endless array of enticing photo subjects.

In the heart of Cappadocia we photograph erosion-sculpted volcanic tuff—a fabulous geologic “moonscape” of sinuous shapes and imposing “fairy chimneys.” Wildflowers, especially red poppies, may carpet the roadside. Against a backdrop of the carvedrock citadel of Uchisar, we capture vivid shots of vibrantly-colored hot air balloons drifting on an early morning breeze. One of the many highlights of our travels is an early morning walk to the top of fabled Mt. Nemrut where, as the sun rises, we photograph enigmatic colossal statues of Hellenistic gods and animals strewn amid this ancient open-air temple built in the first century. Our southeastward travels take us to the ancient stone city of Mardin. The city is set in a strategic location on the rocky slope of a hill looking south to the Mesopotamian plains of northern Syria. Known for its distinctive Arab-style architecture, one of its most impressive buildings is the thirteenth-century Zinciriye
Medrese with its striped domes, commanding minaret and monumental main gate. Our locations will also include the ruins of Ephesus— the best-preserved Roman city in the Mediterranean area—where we will also photograph storks in their nests atop a Roman aqueduct.

Join us on a remarkable tour to an exciting country clearly positioned with one foot in Europe and one foot in Asia. In addition to outstanding photography opportunities, we’ll explore the dramatic contrast of Turkey’s ancient and modern worlds, sample one of the world’s great cuisines, stay in charming accommodations, and appreciate the friends we make along the way.



Day 1
Depart on overnight flights from the US to Istanbul.

Day 2 (May 18)
Arrive and transfer to our hotel in the Old City. (D)

Day 3
Photograph Suleymaniye Mosque in early morning light. We visit the New Mosque and the Spice Market. We photograph the skyline silhouettes of this remarkable city at sunset. (BLD)

Day 4
Fly to Diyarbakir. Drive to Mardin and explore the old bazaar and photograph the dome and minaret of Zinciriye Medrese. (BLD)

Day 5
Early morning photography in the Old City before we continue to Sanliurfa. (BLD)

Day 6
Drive to Harran to photograph the ruins of the oldest mosque in Anatolia at sunrise. Drive to Adiyaman, stopping to photograph along the Euphrates. (BLD)

Day 7
Very early departure to Mt. Numrut. A half-hour hike takes us to the top for sunrise photography of the giant statues and open-air temple. City photography in the late afternoon. (BLD)

Day 8
A scenic drive to Cappadocia, with a very good chance for fields of wildflowers. Our overnight is in a remarkable hotel carved in the volcanic tufa. (BLD)

Day 9
We photograph the volcanic citadel at Uchisar in morning light, explore the rock-hewn churches of Göreme, and the unique fairy chimney landscape before returning to Uchisar. (BLD)

Day 10
Explore scenic villages and valleys of the area. Whirling dervishes and folk dancers perform after dinner. An optional (additional cost) hot-air balloon ride is available in the early morning. (BLD)

Day 11
Depart for Konya, home of the whirling dervishes, stopping at the museum of Mevlani Rumi. Continue over the Toros Mountains to Antalya. (BLD)

Day 12
Early morning departure for the impressive ruins of Perge and the best-preserved Roman theater in the world at Aspendos. (BLD)

Day 13
We drive to Kusadasi. (BLD)

Day 14
The Roman city of Ephesus offers an opportunity to photograph nesting storks on top of the ancient aqueduct. We photograph the winding cobblestone streets and traditional architecture in the pastoral mountain village of Sirince. (BLD)

Day 15
Fly to Istanbul. Afternoon photography at the Topkapi Palace, the Haghia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar. (BLD)

Day 16 (June 1)
Depart on flights home today. (B)


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