About us
We are BACKABUSH XPLORERS, much copied but still the original and best hiking and outdoor activity Meetup group!!!
Who are we and how did it all begin?
Backabush Xplorers is London's longest established hiking and outdoor adventure Meetup group. Our group was originally created back in 2002 (actually before we were on Meetup) by a multinational group of friends who loved hiking and wanted to get more out of our weekends and holidays. We wanted to share our heartfelt passion for the great outdoors and enthusiasm with others. For some years Backabush was an informal, unincorporated association managed by the founders for the benefit of its members.
Our group grew rapidly in those early years and in 2008, following legal advice we decided it would be wise and prudent to become a registered company to protect our organisers and our members. Following this review and the formation of the limited company, our members can now pursue their legitimate activities and aims with complete peace of mind.
Why do we do it?
We love the outdoors! The primary motivation is fun (not profit) which means that our trips offer exceptional value for money. We continue as a group with the same ethos of organising events and trips for the benefit of our members. This is what we love and we are passionate about what we do. We will always endeavour to be budget conscious and price our activities only to cover necessary expenses.
What do we do?
Over the years we have hiked and explored the National Parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty in Britain and abroad. It may all have started years ago with a few hiking friends gathering for a weekend in a scruffy camping barn somewhere rural and pretty but it has developed a lot from there.
Backabush has been hiking and enjoying outdoor adventure for well over a decade now and over this time we have organised literally hundreds of hiking trips throughout Great Britain. We have enjoyed visits to the Lake District, Snowdonia, Scotland, the Brecon Beacons, the Pembrokeshire Coast, Cornwall, the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, Dartmoor, Exmoor, the Lincolnshire Wolds, the Cambrian mountains, the Wye Valley, the Forest of Dean, the North York Moors, the New Forest, the South Downs, the Malvern Hills, the Shropshire Hills, the South Downs, the Cotswolds, the Chiltern Hills, the Jurassic Coast, the Gower Peninsula, the Pennines, the Isle of Skye, Loch Ness, Ben Nevis, Glen Coe, the Isle of Arran, Glen Shiel, Torridon etc, etc, etc.
National trails and long distance paths in Britain are another favourite of ours and to date we have completed the full length of Hadrian's Wall Path, the West Highland Way, the Cumbria Way, the Herriot Way and Wainwright's Coast to Coast. Although we have yet to complete the full length of many we have also enjoyed hiking sections of the Cotswold Way, Pennine Way, Offa's Dyke Path, Limestone Way, Allerdale Ramble, South West Coast Path, Great Glen Way, Monsal Trail, South Downs Way, Ridgeway, Thames Path and many, many others.
We were also trailblazers when it came to offering exciting outdoor adventures overseas. Back in 2009 we organised our very first foreign trip when we headed down into Africa to climb Mt Toubkal, the highest summit in Morocco. Next we trekked in Nepal, climbing over a 5000+ metre pass linking the Langtang and Helambu valleys. Since these early treks we went on to organise things like via ferrata holidays in the Italian Dolomites, or hiking trips to the French Alps and Jura mountains. We also love 'hut to hut' trekking and have so far completed every step of the Tour du Mt Blanc, summited Monte Perdido in the Ordessa National Park and trekked for days in the French Pyrenees to reach the awe inspiring Cirque de Gavarnie. More recently we even organised trips to Slovakia to seek out winter snowshoeing in the High Tatras and gorge scrambling in the Paradise National Park.
There are many other adventures we could mention. No other Meetup group offers adventure like this!
How do the logistics work?
We know our members are busy people so we do our best to provide a complete package for you. Backabush will research the locations, the hikes, book the accommodation and make a plan for all the meals. If you do not own a car we will help you to find transport or a lift share. You just need to communicate with the organiser who will help to co-ordinate things with you.
With a little co-operation from our members it all works very well and allows us to keep offering new locations and new hikes, year after year. Although we might return to some amazing National Parks quite regularly we always endeavour to find new venues and plan entirely new hikes. If you check out our past events you will see that we offer unrivalled variety in the locations we visit.
What are the hikes like?
On every Backabush trip we try to provide a choice of hikes each day. Obviously we will choose from the most beautiful and best loved hikes in any given area. These hikes tend to be of various length, duration and difficulty. The idea is that each person can choose the hike that best suits their fitness, experience and interests.
It is true that Backabush has a reputation within the Meetup community for offering longer and more challenging hikes but we always also offer more moderate options for those seeking a more relaxed day outdoors. Generally speaking we would say that anyone who can hike for 10 miles in hilly terrain should be fine on our trips. If you have any concerns please don't hesitate to contact us to ask questions.
What about safety?
Safety is always our number one priority. Although we can never make the outdoor environment entirely safe there are many steps that can be taken to minimise risk. Our team of outdoor activity leaders have many, many years of leadership experience and have received extensive outdoor training. Between all of our leaders we have years of military experience, ambulance work or mountain guiding.
Our principal leadership team are Mountain Leader trained at Plas-y-Brenin (the National Mountain Sports Centre) in North Wales and Winter Skills trained at Glenmore Lodge in Scotland. We regularly update our first aid qualifications and carry the required emergency aid equipment for wilderness situations. Some of us have taught or assisted on micro-navigation training courses and all have excellent route finding skills regardless of visibility or weather.
Additional our experience extends to high altitude mountaineering in several continents, be it summiting 6000+ metre peaks in the Andes, conquering the highest mountains in Africa or completing month long high altitude treks in the Himalayas.
We take our 'duty of care' of very seriously and are trained to deal with outdoor emergencies. Sometimes we hire in specific skills as necessary in the form of fully qualified instructors for things like rock climbing, caving, coasteering, kayaking, horse riding, ghyll scrambling or technical mountaineering. For some foreign trips we will either provide logistical support for safe self guided mountain trekking or hire International Mountain Leaders as deemed necessary.
Who joins our trips?
Although most people in the group are in their 20s, 30s and 40s age is not an issue to us - a fun loving and adventurous nature is more important. It is not uncommon to have over a dozen different nationalities represented in a single gathering.
Our groups of hikers and outdoor adventurers vary in size but on every trip some people will be regulars and some first timers. Its a great way to make new hiking friends and you need not worry about coming alone as you will always be made to feel welcome.
What we all have in common is a love of all kinds of outdoor activity including hiking, trekking, hill walking, mountaineering, scrambling, camping, canoeing, canyoning, kayaking, rock climbing, scuba diving, caving, coasteering, mountain biking and just about anything else that offers some outdoor adventure.
We are a very active bunch!
We hope YOU will join us sometime soon.
Positive vibes!
The Backabush Crew & Hiking Team
Contact Geoff & Nathan
Featured event
ISLE OF SKYE
Backabush is going back to Scotland, to the beautiful ISLE OF SKYE!
Group size - 18. Nights - 4. Accommodation - comfortable three start Tongadale Hotel in Portree.
Shared twin room - £629 per pesron
Double room for single occupancy - £899
The Isle of Skye holds the most impressive mountain scenery in Britain and offers endless possibilities for outdoor enthusiasts. Our plan is to explore this incredible Isle tackling as many of the classic mountain routes as we can over our 3 full hiking days. This is a trip for those seeking true mountain adventure!
Once on the Isle of Skye we will stay for 4 nights at the lovely Tongadale Hotel (twin share and single occupancy rooms) in the beautiful settlement of Portree. Our hotel is in a wonderful location with many shops, restaurants and takeaways in the immediate vicinity.
This is Britain at its best and is considered to be the only place in the country where the mountains are 'Alpine' in character. They are rugged, rocky and beautiful!
Classic hiking routes of the Isle of Skye include:
- Bruach Na Frithe (Black Cuillin)
- The Red Cuillin Horseshoe
- Bla Bheinn (Blaven)
- The Old Man of Storr
- Trotternish Peninsula
It is important to note that we intend to do challenging and exposed hikes on this trip. Therefore it is best suited to fit and experienced hikers with a good head for heights.
WHAT IS INCLUDED:
- 4 nights quality, three star hotel accommodation.
4 Breakfasts. - All transport in Scotland and Airport transfers from Inverness.
- Guided hikes. Our leaders are Mountain Leader qualified and first-aiders.
- Financial protection in accordance with the Package Travel Law 1992
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:
- Meals - there are many local pubs, restaurant and takeaways nearby
- Travel to Inverness
- Travel Insurance
MEETING DETAILS:
The meeting point will be at Inverness Airport on Saturday 20th June at 14:30pm or Inverness Train Station soon after that. We will drop you off at Inverness Train Station or Inverness Airport on Wednesday 24th June at around 13:00pm.
Our airport transfers will be timed to meet the following flights from Inverness:
Outbound - Saturday 20th June
easyJet - EZY847
Departs Gatwick - 12:25
Arrives Inverness - 14:10
Return - Wednesday 24th June
easyJet - EZY848
Departs Inverness - 14:55
Arrives Gatwick - 16:40
If you choose to make alternative travel arrangements, please bear in mind:
- We cannot wait for you if you plan to arrive into Inverness later than 14.30 on 20th June.
- We will only arrive back in Inverness at 13.00 on 24th June.
HOW TO BOOK A PLACE ON THIS TRIP:
To book onto this trip please email backabushxplorers@yahoo.com and send payment to the Backabush account. Please use SKYE as your payment reference.
Account Name: BACKABUSH XPLORERS
Sort Code: 090127
Account Number: 22440622
The following "terms and conditions" apply to all trip reservations:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ngc5A61k76qb6HGMeTK96AVaXn0565yPS9p42IPzIy8/
Your RSVP alone is NOT enough to secure your place. Payment is needed to make a reservation.
IMPORTANT NOTE: We consider safety to be our number one priority and while we never take unnecessary risks, we do recognise that any outdoor activity involves a danger of personal injury or death. Remember that you should be aware of and accept these risks as you are responsible for your own safety and you should not undertake anything beyond your abilities. It is also your responsibility to be correctly equipped for the weather and activity you have chosen to participate in.
Upcoming events
31
- £599.00
NORTHERN LIGHTS - SWEDISH LAPLAND
Kiruna Airport, Flygfältsvägen, Kiruna, SEDo you dream of seeing the northern lights? Join Backabush to hunt for the aurora borealis in Arctic Sweden!
Group size - 20. Cost - £599. Nights - 4. Accommodation - comfortable en-suite twin share rooms (please enquire about single supplement option)
The magical dance of the northern lights is a spectacular sight and a true bucket list experience. Over the next year aurora borealis activity should continue to be at its highest levels in over a decade as we are in a solar maximum, so now is the time to go and see this unique spectacle!
Abisko National Park in Swedish Lapland is located about 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle and is a dream destination for aurora seekers as it offers some of the best conditions in the world for northern lights watching. The unique climate of the area keeps the skies almost always clear, and light pollution is minimal.
Our plan is to walk to the best nearby viewing areas each night to hunt for the aurora borealis, for example at the shore of the fantastic lake Torneträsk. There is also the option to book a night visit to the Aurora Sky Station on one of the evenings, taking the chairlift up to its amazing viewing platform at 900m above sea level.
During the day we will have the opportunity to explore more of the national park, hiking to nearby lakes and waterfalls (weather and snow conditions permitting). There are many other exciting winter activities available to book including snowshoeing, ice climbing, dog sledding, cross-country skiing, ice fishing and snowmobile tours.
Come and join us on an amazing arctic adventure to the world's best place for the aurora borealis!
ACCOMMODATION:
We have secured comfortable en-suite twin share rooms at the wonderful STF Abisko Turiststation, at the heart of Abisko National Park. A delicious Swedish style buffet breakfast is included every day.
Limited single room places possible based on availability and room cost at the time of booking, please enquire.
The accommodation has an on-site restaurant, bistro and convenience store and there are self-catering facilities available. There is also a grocery store 2km away.
The on-site sauna is the perfect place to warm up and unwind after a day of exploring and our accommodation is perfectly placed for aurora hunting with many great viewing points nearby.
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
- 4 nights accommodation in comfortable en-suite twin share rooms (limited single supplement possible at extra cost - please enquire)
- 4 breakfasts
- Airport transfers
- An itinerary of organised walks to view the northern lights each evening and to explore the national park during the day (weather and snow conditions permitting)
- Access to on-site sauna
- Self-catering facilities
- Trip organiser
- Financial protection in accordance with the Package Travel Law 1992
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED:
- Lunches and dinners (a restaurant, self catering facilities and convenience store are available on-site and there is also a grocery store 2km away)
- Flights (see details below)
- Optional activities
- Travel insurance
- Single supplement (please enquire)
RECOMMENDED FLIGHTS AND TRANSFERS:
Airport transfers (included) are timed to meet the below recommended connecting flights with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) to/from Kiruna:
Outbound - Wednesday 28 January:
SK 1530 London Heathrow LHR 06:40 – Stockholm Arlanda ARN 10:05
SK 1042 Stockholm Arlanda ARN 11:55 – Kiruna KRN 13:35Inbound - Sunday 1 February:
SK 2899 Kiruna KRN 12:05 – Kastrup Copenhagen CPH 14:25
SK 1517 Kastrup Copenhagen CPH 16:40 – London Heathrow LHR 17:40It will be easy to break up your journey by spending a few nights in Stockholm/Copenhagen or arrive in Kiruna earlier/leave later to extend your stay, and make your own way to/from the airport to meet the group. There is also an overnight train to Kiruna/Abisko available from/to Stockholm although tickets only go on sale closer to the date.
A number of people in the group (including myself) will be staying in Kiruna at the STF Malmfältens Folkhögskola https://www.booking.com/hotel/se/malmfa-ltens-folkhapgskola.en-gb.html on the nights of Monday 26 January and Tuesday 27 January in order to visit the famous Ice Hotel as a day trip by public bus.
HOW TO BOOK A PLACE ON THIS TRIP:
To confirm your place on this trip use online banking. Your RSVP is not enough to reserve a space on this trip. Please use AURORA 2 as your payment reference. The account details are:
Account Name: BACKABUSH XPLORERS
Sort Code: 090127
Account Number: 2244062220 attendees - £669.00
LA GOMERA - Isla Mágica (the magical island)
Tenerife Sur Reina Sofia, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, CN, ESBackabush is heading back to the Canary Islands to visit La Gomera!
La Gomera is known as "the magical island" or "the Canary island that time forgot" because of its incredible natural beauty.
The second-smallest of the seven Canary Islands - nearly circular and only 25 kilometres across - La Gomera feels like the island that time forgot. It's still possible to drive through soaring ravines and sleepy mountain villages down to deserted rocky beaches without encountering a single traffic light. It is unquestionably the most unspoilt island of the Canary Islands, and is a walkers paradise. The landscape is characterized by rugged mountains, earth valleys and tropical misty forests.
La Gomera is also home to the National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site of La Garanjonay, a natural jewel in the Canary Islands archipelago. Here we can find species that are otherwise extinct in most destinations, dense forests, deep ravines and a prehistoric landscape that has been sculpted over millions of years.
The archipelago of the Canary Islands sit just off the coast of Africa and enjoy mild weather and sunshine throughout the winter months making them ideal for a hiking escape in February. There is a wealth of amazing hikes to explore.
The most practical plan would be to take any flight to Tenerife on Saturday 21 February and stay the night in Los Cristianos, the main port town on Tenerife's south coast. This is a popular beach resort with numerous accommodation options and it would be fun to gather for dinner and drinks in the evening. Our trip then officially starts when we take the morning ferry over to La Gomera. Whale sightings are common during this sea crossing.
We have the following room options:
Shared Twin Room - £669
Private Single Occupancy - £822We will base ourselves for 6 nights in a delightful 3 star hotel in the lovely port town of San Sebastián de La Gomera. By arriving on the morning ferry we can then enjoy 6 days of spectacular hiking on La Gomera island.
Come and join us for some welcome winter sun and fun in La Gomera!
This trip does not involve technical mountaineering but the hikes on the islands can be quite challenging so you need to have a good level of hiking fitness. A head for heights is also necessary in the mountainous terrain.
WHAT IS INCLUDED:
- 6 nights accommodation.
- All breakfasts.
- An itinerary of organised hikes for our 6 hiking days.
- Ferry tickets to and from La Gomera.
- Two trip leaders.
- Financial protection in accordance with the Package Travel Law 1992.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:
- Packed lunches (we will pick up supplies at the supermarket).
- Dinners (the local restaurants are excellent).
- Transport on the island. Cars can be hired cheaply and costs can be shared between passengers. (We will help to organise this and make sure everyone has a seat in the hire cars)
- Flights.
Meeting Details:
The trip starts on the morning of Sunday 22 February with a ferry crossing to La Gomera so we must aim to arrive in Los Cristianos on Tenerife the day before at the latest. Therefore you must book your own accommodation for the night of Saturday 21 February. There are many accommodation options in Los Cristianos for all budgets and great places to dine out. Los Cristianos is only a short taxi ride from Tenerife South Airport.
Which Flights:
Outbound - There are daily departures on Saturday 21 February from London, Bristol, Birmingham or Manchester. A taxi to Los Cristianos will cost about 20€ euros so we can match people on various flights to share the cost.
Return - We would like to catch the 13.15 ferry from La Gomera to Tenerife (14.05 arrival time) on Saturday 28 February. This means that you will be able to get to Tenerife South Airport for around 15.00 at the earliest.
Any of these return flights would work on Saturday 28 February.
TFS - LHR 15.15 - 19.30 British Airways
TFS - LHR 17.50 - 22.05 British Airways
TFS - LTN 17.55 - 22.20 easyJet
TFS - GTW 19.05 - 23.25 easyJet
TFS - STN 19.05 - 23.25 Ryanair
TFS - LGW 19.20 - 23.35 British AirwaysAlternatively, if you would like an earlier flight time, you could catch the 07.15am (08.05 arrival) ferry from La Gomera back to Tenerife. Of course it's also possible to enjoy another night on Tenerife and fly home at anytime on Sunday 1 March.
Please get in touch about your flights so we can book everyone on the correct ferry.
To confirm your place on this trip use internet banking. The account details are:
Account Name: BACKABUSH XPLORERS
Sort Code: 090127
Account Number: 22440622The following "terms and conditions" apply to all trip reservations:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ngc5A61k76qb6HGMeTK96AVaXn0565yPS9p42IPzIy8/
Only payment secures your place. Your RSVP is not sufficient for us to hold a place for you. Please email backabushxplorers@yahoo.com as soon as you send payment (using "LAGOMERA" as your payment reference) so that we can confirm everything with you. Thanks. :)
IMPORTANT NOTES
VISA: Please check with the Spanish embassy if you need a visa to travel to Tenerife. Spain is within the Shengen zone. It is your responsibility to obtain all necessary documents, including visa.
19 attendees - £669.00
TENERIFE - VALLEYS & VOLCANOES
Tenerife Sur Reina Sofia, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, CN, ESBackabush is heading back to the Canary Islands to visit Tenerife!
Tenerife is the biggest island in the Canaries and has a wealth of amazing hikes to explore. Although the island is more famous for its resort holidays, Tenerife actually has some of the best hikes in the Canary Islands. These islands sit just off the coast of Africa and enjoy mild weather and sunshine throughout the winter months making them ideal for a hiking escape in March.
We will be staying in the vibrant town of Puerto de la Cruz in a fabulous 4 star hotel which overlooks the ocean and is just 50m from the black sand beach. We can enjoy the hotel's 2 outdoor pools, terrace bar and sea-view restaurant - all evening meals are included. In the evenings we can also check out some of the popular bars in the local town. We have the following room options:
Shared Twin Room - £669 (fully booked)
Private Single Occupancy Room - £829 (fully booked)From our base on the north coast we will be well placed to reach the best of the island's hikes and can easily travel to many of the unmissable highlights of the island. Here are some hikes that we hope to include:
- An ascent of Guajara (2718m) with the best views of Mt Teide
- The Anaga mountain circuit to the remote village of Taganana and Playa de Tamadite
- The Risco Trail and Teno Alto Mountains
- Pine forests of the Orotava Valley
- Barranco del Rio and the Laurisilva forest
Tenerife is dominated by the towering Pico del Teide, a dormant volcano that sits at 3715m high (the highest peak in Spain!) The surrounding Parque National del Teide is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is formed of a vast crater with ancient lava flows and forests of Canary Pine.
As well as the striking national park and its moonscape volcanic features the island is also characterised by its plunging ravines, wild coastline and its unique 'laurisilva' or cloud-forest which has the largest number of endemic species in Europe and forms a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
DIFFICULTY
This trip does not involve scrambling but the hikes on the island can be quite challenging. Our hikes will include up to 900m of ascent and descent and up to 10 miles each day. The trails will often be loose gravel underfoot so boots with a deep tread to prevent slips are important. A head for heights is also necessary in the mountainous terrain.WHAT IS INCLUDED:
- 6 nights accommodation in a 4-star hotel.
- All breakfasts and evening meals.
- An itinerary of organised hikes for our 5 full hiking days.
- Two trip leaders.
- Financial protection in accordance with the Package Travel Law 1992.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:
- Packed lunches.
- Transport on the island. Cars can be hired cheaply and costs can be shared between passengers, we will help organise this. It has previously cost roughly £75 each for a car share.
- Flights.
GETTING TO TENERIFE
The meeting point is at Tenerife South Airport on Sunday 1 March at 16:30. We will return to the airport on Saturday 7 March at 12:45. Our airport transfer will be timed to meet the following flights:There are many flights to Tenerife everyday, feel free to book alternative travel and either meet us at TFS airport at 16:30 or make your own way to the hotel (approx 1hr drive). Please do not book a return flight departing before 14:45.
• OUTBOUND - Sunday 1 March
easyJet flight EZY 8035
Departs - 11:35 London Gatwick
Arrives - 16:10 Tenerife South• RETURN - Saturday 7 March
easyJet flight - EZY 8036
Departs - 14:45 Tenerife South
Arrives - 19:10 London GatwickHOW TO BOOK
To confirm your place on this trip use internet banking. The account details are:Account Name: BACKABUSH XPLORERS
Sort Code: 090127
Account Number: 22440622The following "terms and conditions" apply to all trip reservations:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ngc5A61k76qb6HGMeTK96AVaXn0565yPS9p42IPzIy8/
Only payment secures your place. Your RSVP is not sufficient for us to hold a place for you. Please email nathancapay@googlemail.com as soon as you send payment so that we can confirm everything with you. Thanks. :)
18 attendees - £499.00
CAPPADOCIA (EASTER HOLIDAY) - Turkey's Fairy-tale Valleys
Kayseri Erkilet Airport, Hilal, Mustafa Kemal Paşa Blv., Kocasinan, Ka, TRBackabush is heading back to Turkiye for the Easter holidays on another exciting trip exploring the enchanting landscape of Cappadocia.
Cost from £499. Nights - 5. Group size - approx 17. Cave Hotel Accommodation.
The rocky valleys surrounding the town of Goreme in Cappadocia have been sculpted by the wind and rain over many thousands of years to create a truly unique geological landscape of intricate folds. This area is famous for it's distinctive tufas or 'fairy chimneys' as well as the many ancient cave dwellings, pigeon houses, canyons and of course the vast numbers of hot air balloons that fill the dawn skies each day.
We have booked the exclusive use of one of Goreme's traditionally styled cave hotels, with bedrooms that are partly set back into the rock. We have options for shared rooms, private rooms and some larger, luxury private rooms with jacuzzi baths. Our hotel has all the amenities that you would expect, with en-suite rooms and a generous breakfast served each day. There is also an outdoor terrace seating area that overlooks the town, the perfect spot to view the balloon fights each morning.
Shared (mixed gender) 4 bed room - £499 - SOLD OUT
Shared twin room - £589 - SOLD OUT
Private room - £699 - SOLD OUT
Deluxe private room - £749 - SOLD OUTOur plan is to spend the Easter weekend around Goreme with 3 full hiking days to explore the surrounding valleys and villages. We will also have 1 rest day so we have the chance to take an optional hot air balloon ride and spend a bit more time checking out the town of Goreme and the famous frescos at the Open Air Museum.
Highlights of our suggested hiking itinerary include:
- Red Valley & Rose Valley, a dreamy landscape in a beautiful crimson colour.
- Love Valley & Honey Valley. Love valley has some of the most iconic, and also phallic, fairy chimneys in Cappadocia, hence the name.
- Pigeon Valley & the Uschisar Castle, littered with rock cut dovecotes and an intriguing castle perched on the highest point in the region with panoramic views.
- Zelve Valley & Goreme Open Air Museum - The museum covers a large area with over 30 rock cut churches from the 9th century onwards complete with frescoes.
- Derinkuyu underground city & the Ihlara Valley, visit an underground city built as a Christian shelter during the Byzantine wars and the only lush green valley in Cappadocia nourished by the Melendiz river.
DIFFICULTY
On this trip will be hiking up to 10 miles each day on rough trails. Although we will not be hiking up any mountains there will still be some moderate ascents and descents so a good level of fitness is required.
WHAT IS INCLUDED:
- 5 nights cave hotel accommodation (various room options available)
- All breakfasts
- 3 hiking days guided by an experienced local hiking guide
- Airport transfers and minibus transport to/from the hikes
- One trip organiser
- Financial protection in accordance with the Package Travel Law 1992.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:
- Lunches and evening meals (There are many local restaurants to choose from around our hotel)
- Flights (See below)
- Entrance fees into the sites (Ihlara Valley, Open Air Museum, Uchisar Castle, Underground city)
- Optional hot air balloon excursion
RECOMMEDED FLIGHTS:
Our airport transfers will be organised to meet these flights, if you choose to book alternative travel to Cappadocia then you will need to meet us at our hotel in Goreme, which is reletively straight forward as shuttle busses connect Kayseri Airport to Goreme regularly.
It is also possible to fly from several other UK Airports to Istanbul and then catch the same group connecting flight from Istanbul to take advantage of the the airport tranfers.
Outbound - Thursday 2 April
Turkish Airlines - TK1982 & TK2020 (connection in Istanbul)
Departs LGW London Gatwick 10:55
Arrives ASR Kayseri 19:55Return - Tuesday 7 April
Turkish Airlines - TK2013 & TK1997 (connection in Istanbul)
Departs ASR Kayseri 10:45
Arrives LGW London Gatwick 16:15HOW TO BOOK A PLACE ON THIS TRIP:
To confirm your place on this trip use internet banking your RSVP is not enough to reserve a space on this trip. Please use CAPPADOCIA as your payment reference. The account details are:
Account Name: BACKABUSH XPLORERS
Sort Code: 090127
Account Number: 22440622The following "terms and conditions" apply to all trip reservations:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ngc5A61k76qb6HGMeTK96AVaXn0565yPS9p42IPzIy8/
Only payment secures your place. Please email backabushxplorers@yahoo.com as soon as you send payment so that we can confirm everything with you. Thanks. :)
IMPORTANT NOTES
VISA - Please check if you need a visa to travel to Cappadocia. Turkey is NOT within the Shengen zone. It is your responsibility to obtain all necessary documents, including visa.
18 attendees
Past events
516
