Below is a blog written by one of our inaugural guests – Dan from Let’s Wander The Globe.
We begin our adventure in Trabzon, a port city that has been home to many civilisations over the years and is just a short flight from Istanbul. After a quick meet and greet with our guide we hit the road and make our way to Sumela, a monastery perched on a steep rock cliff overlooking Altindere Valley. Built back in 386AD in honour of Virgin Mary Sumela, it must be seen to be believed, this was the perfect way to begin our tour.
After a short break and my first Turkish coffee, we head to Ataturk Pavilion which is more commonly known as Ataturk’s house. Ataturk is the founder of the Turkish republic and the house was given to him as a gift by the people of Trabzon. The house is still fully furnished with all its original contents and is surrounded by beautiful gardens. Although it was built over 100 years ago (1903) it is a very modern looking house and I was surprised to see it even had a central heating system.
We continue to learn about the history of Turkey and Trabzon as we discover Aya Sofya, a rare surviving example of Byzantine architecture dating back to the 13th century. Aya Sofya was once a Greek Orthodox church which was converted into a mosque in 1584 and has some amazing murals inside.
Our final stop is Boztepe, which is a hill about 3km away from Trabzon’s city centre offering amazing views of Trabzon and the coastline. It was a great spot to watch the sun go down on our first day and get to know our fellow tour members a little better.
Day Two
This morning we travelled through the Kamilet Valley where we drove through beautiful small villages that have been paused in time, walked over arched bridges that date back to the 18th century and after a short hike we discover Mencuna Falls, which is one of the highest waterfalls in Turkey.
We recharge our batteries at a local restaurant and head off to our next destination, Karagol, which translates into “Black Lake” in Turkish. Our driver expertly navigates his way around the narrow and windy roads and safely gets us to the drop off point. Unfortunately, it’s raining, but not hard enough to dampen our spirits as we make our way around this beautiful lake stopping at every vantage point to capture those postcard moments. With low cloud drifting in and out around the lake the landscape was constantly changing as the mountains surrounding the lake were slowly revealed and then hidden again, it was a very dreamy and moody spot and well worth the visit.
To finish off this incredible day we travelled up into the mountains on a road that can only be described as a stair way to heaven, as we make our way to the magical village of Macahel where we will stay the night.
Our host family that run and own this amazing guesthouse were so lovely and welcoming and served some of the most delicious food I have ever tasted. It was food cooked with love and hospitality from the heart. What a day!
Day Three
Today was all about taking in the wonders of Macahel and I was absolutely blown away by its unspoilt views of nature and natural beauty. One of the main reasons this region is so untouched is due to most of the sights being inaccessible by vehicle, so there is an element of hiking and adventure involved to be able to witness its true wonder.
The jewel in the Macahel crown is undoubtedly Maral falls. During the short hike from the drop off point your anticipation builds as the sound of water slowly gets louder as you approach. When you arrive at the falls you have two choices. You can sit and admire the fall while sipping a tea with some locals or for the more adventurous you can continue on and hike down to the bottom, where you can feel the force of the water as it falls 64 meters from above. After dipping our feet in and taking in all its beauty, we hike back to the bus and head to Georgia.
Georgia was once part of the former Soviet Union and has a history of conflict over a number of years as it fought for independence. However, that is all in the past and its now recognised as one of the next travel hotspots with its rich history, mix of Asian and European culture and diverse landscapes.
We are staying in Batumi, a Black Sea resort and port city that is extremely popular with Russian holiday makers. The first thing I notice is the amazing and unique architecture along the waterfront, this is where you will find the Alphabetic Tower, a 130-meter-high structure offering 360-degree views of the sea and the city and the most popular attraction Ali and Nino. Built in 2010 and originally known as the Love statue, Ali and Nino is a moving sculpture of a Man and Woman that briefly come together and embrace but pass through each other and go their separate ways. The entire cycle lasts approximately 10 minutes so if you miss the start, you don’t have to wait long for it to begin again. The real story behind this statue is quite sad as it represents the separation of Ali and Nino during the invasion of the Soviet Union.
There is plenty happening along the waterfront promenade with a Ferris Wheel and several boat tours leaving from the pier. A perfect spot to spend a few hours in the evening to watch the sun go down.
After checking in to our 5-star hotel with incredible waterfront views we head off on foot for a quick city tour where we are wowed by architecture of a different variety. The old town district is made up of old 19th century style buildings, its literally like going back in time and European Square is where you will get that glimpse of the past. The star attractions here are the statue of Medea and McDonalds, yes that’s right McDonalds. The McDonalds in Batumi could easily be mistaken for a five-star restaurant with its amazing design both inside and out. We wander around this amazing city for a couple of hours stopping for some dinner before retiring to our hotel to end what has been an amazing but epic day.
Day Four
Well I slept like a baby last night and I’m not sure if it was due to the enormity of the day before or because of the 5-star luxury that I’m not used to that is our hotel. With the batteries recharged our day kicks off with a visit to the Batumi Botanical gardens, which is one of the largest Botanical gardens in the world. Now gardens are not normally my thing, but I did find it relaxing and I was fascinated to see Australian Native plants growing there. There were also some nice views of the coastline with the Botanical Gardens located next to the beach.
It was now time to start making our way back to Turkey and after negotiating the border crossing, we begin the long drive to the picturesque town of Ayder where we will spend the final two nights of the tour. During the drive we pass by some amazing Tea Fields and we make an impromptu stop at one of the Tea farms where our guide speaks to the owners and they agree to show us around. It was an incredible and humbling experience. I have a newfound respect for the humble tea bag and the workers who carry out the hard work to provide us with Tea, with the work they do being very labour intensive with little machinery to assist during the process.
Back in the bus we continue the journey to Ayder and after a quick stop for afternoon tea at a beautiful little guesthouse we arrive just before dark. Ayder is a small town located in a valley surrounded by mountains and is a popular summer resort town where local go to enjoy their Summer break. The air is a little fresh as clouds drift in and out of the valley and it feels a bit like a ski resort town, it’s hard to believe we were in another country, by the beach just hours earlier.
Day Five
Now because we arrived in the dark last night, waking up this morning and looking out my window was a pleasant surprise, the view was amazing! It was also a welcome change to not have to pack my bag this morning given we are staying here for two nights so I enjoyed the additional 30-45 minutes sleep.
Our first stop today is Bulut (Cloud) Falls, which is one of the highest waterfalls in Turkey which would explain its name. It is about a 45-minute walk from the drop off point but its an easy walk as the track was all paved. The water flowed down into a nice calm swimming hole which was perfect for swimmers of all ages, so no doubt this is a popular spot for families in the summer months. As we walked back to the bus it was great to see all the families walking up to the falls with picnic baskets in hand ready to make memories and enjoy nature.
Our next stop was Zilkale, a medieval castle that was built back in the 14th century to protect a very important passage of the silk road. Zilkale was very impressive but equally impressive was the surrounding landscape. The castle is built on the edge of a cliff overlooking Firtina Creek and the views it provides of the forest and mountains of Fritina Valley took my breath away. It got a little crowded, so patience was required but all in all this stop was well worth it.
The third and final stop of the day was Palovit Falls, which marks the fourth major waterfall we have visited not to mention the other small ones along the way. You may be thinking seen one waterfall seen them all, however all of the waterfalls have been very different, and you can never get sick of waterfalls, they are good for the soul.
Palovit Falls is by far the smallest waterfall we have visited standing at only 15m high, but what it lacks in height it more than makes up for it in volume with the water flowing at a rapid rate. Visitors have the choice of climbing down and to experience the full force of these high flow falls or you can choose to stay up top and witness its beauty from one of the many advantage points while staying dry.
Another great day of sightseeing.
Day Six
Well how time has flown, its hard to believe today is the last day of the tour. After breakfast with a view I pack my bag for the final time, and we hit the road.
There is a sense of sadness amongst the group but the aim for today is to finish the tour on a high and that’s exactly what we do, literally.
Our destination is the Kackar Mountains, with the highest peak Kackar Dagi at an elevation of 3,972 meters and is the 4th highest mountain in Turkey. The Kackars are glaciated and with their snow-capped peaks all year round they make for an absolutely stunning backdrop to the village of Yukari Kavron. This is where we stop for a coffee and take some photos of the amazing scenery and observe village life.
We make our way up the bumpy, narrow and winding road to an elevation of 2,700 meters stopping several times to take in the amazing view of both the village below and the surrounding mountains. I take a moment to take it all in as I know the next stop is Trabzon Airport where the tour will wrap up. I reflect on what an amazing experience the last 6 days have been, the people I have met and the friends I have made along the way. I’m forever grateful and know what a privilege it is to travel, and I can’t thank Hidden Wonders Private Tours enough for the opportunity to explore this incredible country. Until next time Turkey, thanks for the memories.
Click here to check out the article on Dan’s site and enjoy reading about all of his other incredible adventures! You can also follow Let’s Wander The Globe on Instagram and Facebook.