Cappadocia Wild Horses Photo Tour
In collaboration with
2024, Dates to be announced
Price €4,100, single room accommodation
The name Cappadocia means beautiful horses’ country. The land has a stunning spiritual beauty that is due to its unique nature and history: tufa hills, deep ravines, fairy chimneys, rock-hewn churches, underground cities, hot-air balloons dotting the sky in the early morning hours. You won't find the atmosphere of Cappadocia in any other place in the world.
I visited Cappadocia years ago and always wanted to return, but didn't have an opportunity until Cappadocia Photo Tours asked me to lead a photo tour there. Nuri Çorbacıoğlu, the founder of Cappadocia Photo Tours and an internationally renowned photographer who has been photographing in the region for many years, will be leading this tour with me.
Below some of the highlights of this tour.
Hot-Air Balloons



Every day at sunrise, weather permitting, the skies of Cappadocia will be dotted with hundreds of multicolored hot-air balloons. These can be seen from everywhere, but the best location to take in this view, amidst one of the most unusual and stunning landscapes in the world, is the Love Valley.
Of course, you will have the option of taking a ride inside one of those balloons, if you’re not afraid of heights. Those pilots are extremely skilled and know how to ride the winds to make you fly close to the ground or higher in the sky. In both cases, you will be in the position to take some truly unique photographs.
The geological features of Cappadocia are just incredible! Amongst the more notables are the fairy chimneys: pinnacles of soft rock protected from erosion by a boulder of harder, basaltic rocks that sits atop them.
Underground Cities and Churches



Later in the day, when the sun is high in the sky and the light is too harsh for landscape photography, it is time to go underground.
Cappadocia has been inhabited since the dawn of time, but it was the early ages of Christianity and the Middle Ages that gave its distinct cultural and historical feel.
The tufa and pumice rock that originated from the eruption of Mount Erciyes, millions of years ago, and that covers most of the region, is very soft and can be excavated with ease.
This, combined with the need of people to hide from invaders, led to the building of whole cities underground. Nowadays, those have become archaeological sites that have no parallels anywhere else in the world.
Some of their appeal is due to dozens of rock-hewn churches, dug by early Christian communities and decorated with beautiful frescos, many of which survive to this day, thanks to having been hidden underground for centuries.
There is no place where this is visible in abundance than in the Göreme Open Air Museum, that includes 12 different churches within its boundaries. You will visit them with accompanied by an expert, certified guide who knows everything about the history of their construction.
Yılkı Wild Horses



The Turkish word Yılkı means ‘free horse living in its own environment’. The Yılkı Horses are hundreds of free, wild, noble and gorgeous Anatolian racehorses that have been living in the center of Turkey for centuries. Most of them live nowadays around the village of Hürmetçi, a short distance from Cappadocia. This area provides the horses with a natural environment with its green areas, wetlands and vast expanses where they can run freely. This is such a great opportunity for photographers who want to take some strong, cinematic pictures, with herds galloping at sunset and raising clouds of dust that glows in the sun, or crossing marshes in Spring. Today there exist still more than 300 wild and semi-wild Yılkı Horses and they are under protection.
Who is This Tour For?
This tour is for all types of photographers. Beginners and advanced amateurs will have lots of opportunities to learn new techniques, while even seasoned professional photographers will have access to locations and shooting situations that are not commonly found elsewhere or when joining tours that are not 100% dedicated to photography.
This tour is also spouse- and partner-friendly. You don't have to be a photographer to appreciated the beauty of Cappadocia and the majesty of its wild horses. As a non-photographer partner, you won't have to get up before sunrise, if you don't want to, but can still partake in the numerous activities that we include in the program, and savor the local cuisine.
Your Instructors
This tour is organized in collaboration with Cappadocia Photo Tours and Nuri Çorbacıoğlu.
Ugo Cei
Ugo Cei is a fine-art travel and landscape photographer from Italy. He is also an educator who helps photography enthusiasts sharpen their skills, so that they can take amazing pictures.
Ugo has a multi-year experience in leading photo tours and workshops. He loves to travel and show the beauty of the world and its inhabitants to everybody. He believes this is really an amazing planet we live on and every place and every culture possesses beauty that deserves to be shown.
Nuri Çorbacıoğlu
Nuri has organised photography tours in Cappadocia area for years. He has been organizing this particular Tour since 2018. He is an award-winning photographer on the national and international scene and teaches photography privately and at Kayseri University. He is also a documentary film-maker and has worked for national TV channels in Turkey.
Nuri loves horses and equine photography. He will be your guide for this tour and will offer his experience to create the perfect opportunities for stunning photographs and an unforgettable experience.
What they say about us
Itinerary
Day 1



Pick up at Kayseri Erkilet Airport
Hotel check-in
Photographing the Yılki Horses in their natural environment at sunset
Transfer to Kayseri
Dinner (local tastes from Kayseri Cuisine)
Night at your hotel in Kayseri
Day 2



Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to Sultan Sazlığı National Park for sunrise (1 hour away from Kayseri)
Photographing horses, local life and marshes
Transfer to Kapuzbaşı Waterfalls (1,5 hours away)
Photographing the waterfalls
Lunch (delicious fresh fish from waterfalls)
Transfer to other side of Sultan Sazlığı for sunset
Photographing the sunset with Erciyes Mountain and the marshes in the background
Return to Kayseri
Dinner at Bereket Develi Cıvıklısı (special Kayseri cuisine)
Return to hotel
Day 3



Breakfast at the hotel and check out
Transfer to Cappadocia (1 hour away from Kayseri)
Check in to new hotel and a little rest
A little trip around the district (Ürgüp, Göreme and Avanos)
Lunch (Aravan Evi Restaurant - special pottery meals of Cappadocia)
Continue touring the district and photography of the Cappadocia landscape
Dinner
Return to hotel
(Optional) night photography session amongst the fairy chimneys
Day 4



- Photographing the balloons, horses and horseman at the sunrise (Swords Valley or Love Valley)
- Breakfast at the hotel
- A little rest time
- Transfer to a horse farm in Avanos by the river
- Photographing the horses with the river in the background
- Lunch at the horse farm
- Special Turkish entertainment dinner with music and dance
- Return to hotel
- (Optional) night photography session amongst the fairy chimneys
Day 5



Landscape and balloon photography at sunrise
Breakfast at the hotel
A little rest time
Transfer to Salt Lake (About two hours)
Lunch in a restaurant in Aksaray (Special Turkish Steak)
Photographing horses or other special subjects model on the lake with their reflections at the sunset (3-4 horses)
Dinner along the way
Return to hotel
(Optional) night photography session amongst the fairy chimneys
Day 6



Landscape and balloon photography at sunrise
Breakfast at the hotel
Continuation of the district tour with Ihlara Valley, Kızılçukur Valley and underground cities
Lunch (Special Cuisine of Cappadocia, Kebap)
Visit to the real pottery workshops
Landscape photo session at sunset
Dinner (Kadıneli Special Turkish Cuisine)
Day 7



Sunrise landscape photography, if desired.
Breakfast at the hotel and check out
Transfer to a horse farm to shoot some horse portraits
Transfer to Kayseri
Lunch with Kayseri cuisine (Altınsaray Pöç, a special meat recipe)
Transfer to Kayseri Airport for departure
What is included
The price of the workshop includes:
What is NOT included
The price of the workshop DOES NOT include:



Workshop Price
The price for taking part in this exclusive workshop is €4,100.
The actual dates of the workshop for 2024 will be announced soon. If you'd like to be the first one to be notified when bookings are open, please leave your contact information using the form below.



Terms and Conditions
Basis of Rates: All prices are based on a single person occupying a room. All prices are quoted in Euros. In case you are traveling as a couple and would like a double room, please contact me. The rates are based on current exchange rates and are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances.
Eligibility: Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the entire journey.
Group Size and Booking Considerations
The tour will be confirmed only if a minimum number of 6 participants is reached. In order to keep the group size small and the experience enjoyable for everyone, the maximum number of participants I accept is 12.
Payment Schedule
- Your balance payment is due no later than 60 days before the starting date of the tour .
Cancellation Policy
The booking deposit will be refunded if participant numbers are not reached.
After your group has been confirmed, the deposits are non-refundable.
If you cancel 59 days or less before the start of the tour, you will forfeit 100% of the tour cost. Where the full cost of the tour has not yet been paid, it will be immediately payable on cancellation.*
* Note that if you cancel later than 59 days before the start of the tour and I are able to backfill your place, I may refund recoverable costs at my discretion.
Travel insurance
It is advisable to take out your travel insurance at the time of booking your trip as cover will commence for pre-departure cancellation from the policy issue date. This will therefore provide cover should you have to cancel your trip for an insured reason such as illness or serious accident.
I require that you and all members of your party are adequately insured, providing financial protection against unforeseen circumstances. Cover should include medical expenses, as well as repatriation, in the event of accident or illness. In addition, I strongly recommend that you have cover for personal belongings, delay at your outward or homeward point of departure, personal liability, overseas legal expenses and cancellation. If you are undertaking any sports or adventurous activities on your trip, including trekking, you should also make sure that your policy covers these. Please also ensure you read the policy conditions and exclusions.
Responsibility
Ugo Cei will provide education enrichment during photo tours. The other providers are solely responsible and liable for providing their respective services. Ugo Cei and its designated tour leaders shall not be held responsible for (A) any damage to, or loss of, property or injury to, or death of, persons occasioned directly or indirectly by an act or omission of any other provider, and (B) any loss or damage due to delay, cancellation, or disruption in any manner caused by the laws, regulations, acts or failures to act, demands, orders, or interpositions of any government, or by acts of nature, strikes, fire, flood, war, terrorism, sickness, theft, or any other cause(s) beyond their control. The participant waives any claim against Ugo Cei and its designated tour leaders for any such loss, damage, injury, or death. Ugo Cei reserves the right in their sole discretion to accept, decline to accept, or remove any participant on any photo workshop. Ugo Cei reserves the right, without penalty, to make changes in the itinerary whenever, in their judgement, conditions warrants, or if they deem it necessary for the comfort, convenience, or safety of participants.
You have assumed the responsibility to select an activity appropriate to your physical abilities and interests. You are personally responsible for being in sufficiently good health to undertake the activity.


