Most major population centers are connected by rail. From a ring around the Anatolian Plateau, rail lines radiate to Zonguldak and Samsun on the Black Sea; Istanbul, Izmir, and Bandırma in the west; and via Adana to Syria and Iraq in the south. Three lines go into eastern Anatolia. There is rail service connecting most European countries to Istanbul, and there’s also rail service within Turkey (it’s usually slower than bus service). Trains are available from Germany through Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria directed to its final destination Istanbul.

Another Train available is departing from Iran with the direction of Ankara. Planned improvements include limited privatization, upgrading of the Istanbul – Ankara trunk line to include highspeed trains, and improved rail links between Anatolia and Thrace. The Marmaray project, scheduled for completions, aims to improve rail transportation through Istanbul. It will include a railroad tunnel under the Bosporus. Plans call for some private railroad operations to supplement the state system in the future. Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir have metro systems.

The best place on the earth for hot air balloon tours is Cappadocia region. It is the place where nature and history come together most beautifully within the world. while geographic events are forming strange rock formations, during the historical period, humans had carried the signs of thousand years old civilizations with carving houses and churches within these earth pillars and decorating them with frescoes. there are many places that are ‘must see’ in Cappadocia, such as; the various ‘fairy chimneys’, goreme valley, goreme national park, rock churches, the underground cities of kaymakli, derinkuyu or ozkonak, zelve valley, avanos, with its pottery, the uchisar and ortahisar rock fortress, the ihlara valley, red valley and soganli.

Flight via balloon sport, whose initial existence in the world reaches to the end of 18th century, is also densely drawing attention in our country. For long years, as well as it is performed with the aim of individual sports, city tours with balloons are also performed during regional activities in touristic regions of our country. Balloon takes off with heating of liquid propane gas filled into it. You can stay on air for long periods with a calm flight under appropriate wind (under 10 km/h). Directing balloon, whose appropriate flight height is between 500 – 1500 feet, altitude gain and loss, change its speed can be made easily by an experienced pilot easily.

Structure of the Balloon
There are propane gas tubes, altimeter, thermometer, wireless for communication with airport, variometer and fire extinguishers in the basket, manufactured from “vimin”, generally a light and synthetic material, and which carries the passangers of the balloon. Propane tubes, with approximately 20 kg. weight each within the basket, includes propane gas maintaining the expand of the balloon. Each tube maintains an approximately 40 – 45 minutes of flight possibility to the balloon. Total lifting force of the balloon is around 1.700 pounds.

Taking off of the balloon is maintained with heating of propane gas filled into the balloon via furnaces under it. Furnaces can be 2 or 3 pieces according to the volume of the balloon. Heat within the balloon should never exceed 120 degrees. For maintaining landing with stopping flight, red rope is pulled within it. In this way, activated falling valve maintains the air within it run out rapidly. In case of insufficiency of emptying speed of the internal air emergency hole at the top of the balloon is opened.

Flight Rules for Foreigners
Prior to the flight via balloon, air vessel to be flight registration sign, flight aim, flight date, flight hour, flight region is informed and applied to Ministry of Communication, Civil Aviation General Directorate. In case of a flight via balloon exceeding 15 days in our country; licenses of foreign pilots should be validated by Ministry of Communication, Civil Aviation General Directorate.

As interest in nature oriented tourism activities rises, sports practiced without harming nature gain importance. Rafting is one of these sports which represents a most gentlemanly competition. Mankind for centuries has been attracted by the beauty of rivers and turned them into sources of life. Today, he is in need of challenging their exuberance and pitting body and mind against this natural force.

The birth of rafting doubtlessly began when man first grasped a branch floating on a river. Today, rafting is a popular sport in the Western world. This sport which is practiced in rapid rivers with 4 to 12 people on inflated boats made of thick latex material requires a combination of man’s physical energy, mind, geographical control and physical and psychological endurance. The only protection the sportsmen have in this struggle against nature is life vests and helmets.

Arriving at the goal is the ultimate fulfillment after struggling against the wild current of a river despite all difficulties. Exploring the unspoiled nature guided by the river is the greatest pleasure that one experiences with rafting. Many rivers in Turkey are suitable for rafting and canoe sports. Besides the river Coruh, the Firtina, Berta, Barhal, Oltu and Harsit Rivers in the Black Sea Region and the Goksu, Koprucay, Manavgat and Dragon Rivers as well as the Cehennem Stream in the Mediterranean Region are excellent routes for rafting.

Rafting is practiced with no harm to nature and without leading to over construction or pollution, and is truly nature friendly. The promotion of rafting will produce a positive effect in terms of both Turkey’s tourism, and the development of an awareness of nature conservation. The Great Adventure, the Most Exciting of Sports…

RAFTING IN CORUH RIVER
The rafting event to be arranged for the first time on the River Coruh, one of Turkey’s natural beauties, is going to draw attention to the touristic potential of the Black Sea Region, to the Coruh Valley as well as the natural and historical sites in the vicinity. Originating at the Mescit Mountains (3,225 m) and flowing 466 km before reaching the Black Sea in Georgia, Coruh River is one of the fastest flowing rivers in the world.

The small towns and villages located along the river are impressively authentic and interesting historically. The area as a whole represents the synthesis of the cultures of Eastern Anatolia and the Black Sea. Coruh River is frequented by local and foreign sportsmen, who travel each year to this area for canoeing, rafting and trekking in the Kackar Mountains. The best way to reach the summit at Kackar Mountains is via the villages of Yaylalar and Olgunlar. Dilberduzu makes an excellent campsite.

From there proceed to Deniz Lake and the summit at 3,9377 m. Local guides and mules to carry personal belongings may be hired. An alternative route is to the summit is to pass horizontally by Trans-Kackar on one of several trails. The natural habitat of Coruh River remains undisturbed. Colonies of red vultures, which are threatened with extinction, live among the rocks by the riverside.

The area surrounding the river is rich in wildlife, including gray bear, mountain goat with hooked horns, wild boar, wolf, jackal, fox, badger, marten, water sable, rabbit, partridge, wild rooster, woodcock, wild duck, stock dove, golden oriole, siskin, fieldfare, pigeon and wood pigeon. As the Coruh passes 150 kms through the province of Artvin, the river cuts through steep and impregnable mountains on its way towards the Black Sea.

COURSE
A trip down the Coruh starts at Bayburt, passing through Ispir and Yusufeli and on to Artvin, a distance of approximately 260 kms.

BAYBURT – ISPIR 0-106 KM
An ideal starting point for the expedition is the Dikmetas Bridge near Bayburt, which has good areas for camping on either side of the river. Aslandede and Laleli also make pleasant campsites. With a class 2-3 water, the trip from Bayburt to Ispir can be completed within three days on average. Approximately 3 kms before arriving at Ispir, the left bank affords a convenient campground. The nearby gas station and the shops in Ispir are useful for reprovisioning.

ISPIR – CAMLIKAYA 106-134 KM
Following departure from Ispir ( stabilized road entry: 0 km), one should watch the rapids at 3km, 6.6 km, 7.4 km, and 8 km. The small hut on the left side of the road before arriving at the road junction for Camlikaya at 28 kms makes a good rest stop. Drinking water can be obtained either from the brook flowing from the mountains, located 200 meters ahead on the left side of the road, or from the spring to the right of the transformer station past the concrete bridge at the Camlikaya road junction. Food can be purchased from Camlikaya (4 kms from the road junction). The Ispir-Camlikaya route is class 3-4-5 water.

CAMLIKAYA – TEKKALE 134-178 KM
After Camlikaya, rice plantations, vegetable gardens and fruit orchards prevail on the river banks. The river passes by Koprugoren at 48 km, coming to the hamlet of Alanbasi at 54 km. It is possible to camp there next to the brook that joins the Coruh on the left bank immediately before the village. Past the concrete bridge, the river becomes rockier, class 3-4-5 water. An old watch tower is visible before arriving at Cevreli.

The garden in front of the village primary school, to the right immediately after the concrete bridge, makes a good campsite. There are also places to overnight in Tekkale, 7 km ahead. From Tekkale, guides can take you up the mountains to see the historic Dortkilise, a medieval Georgian church. Fishermen will enjoy angling for speckled trout (alabalik) in the brook flowing nearby the church.

TEKKALE – ARTVIN 178-261 KM
From Tekkale, the expedition proceeds to Yusufeli, 6 kms away, where accommodations and simple cafes can be found. The Altiparmak, one of the major branches of the Coruh, joins the river close to Yusufeli. As the flow-rate of the river picks up speed, the route becomes increasingly challenging, class 3-4-5 water. Oltu Cayi joins the river 9 km after Yusufeli, near the Artvin-Erzurum highway junction, behind a concrete bridge. The rapids begin 22 km from Yusufeli.

This 100 meter stretch of white water, nicknamed ‘King-Kong’, cascades around sharp boulders with breathtaking velocity, making it the high point of the expedition. The water is dangerous here, class 5+ water, so less experienced expeditions should not plan to cross this section when the river is high. A large concrete sign inscribed with the letters EIE to the left of the highway identifies this section of the Coruh. Expeditions can make camp 33 km before Zeytincik, stopping to pick up any necessary provisions in the village.

At 43 km, the river enters a narrow 3 km long canyon class 3-4. The gas station and inn at Oruclu, at 57 km, provides a convenient finish for the trip. Boats can be pulled on shore here and there are a few rustic rooms and a cafe. Artvin is 20 km further on from Oruclu, with mostly class 1-2 water. Some groups prefer to extend the route right through to Artvin.

Important Subjects
International Difficulty Class
The following list of classes categorises the level of skill required to raft or canoe:
– Class 1: Small easy passes
– Class 2: Easy passes, regular flow, small rocks and waves
– Class 3: Hard, regular large waves, limited visual range, small falls, must be studied
– Class 4: Very Hard, large waves , Waters with counter-currents, long and unpredictable passes, dangerous rocks, big falls, must be studied.
– Class 5: Extremely hard, high flow and current, dangerous rocks, steep slopes, continuous falls, limited passes in advance, generally impossible.
– Class 6: impassable.

Agencies
To participate in watersports at which professional supervision is necessary, trips must be organised through the an approved agency.
Equipment
Participants must wear shoes and life jackets while rafting, and it is recommended to wear headgear and goggles.

Golf, which has a long history and is known for being the most environment oriented sport, is showing a great development in recent years in Turkey. About 50 million people of every gender and layer of society in nearly 30 thousand fields are playing golf, which is the oldest sports branch with written rules, and also one of the most profitable ones.

As golf enables the players to have a break from daily problems, by spending hours in the nature, it is an ideal recreation and for some, a way of life. That is why specialist attribute the improvement of the productivity and health of societies, to the increase of the number of golf clubs.

Golf In Turkey
Adopting an approach of diversifying tourist activities and expand those to the whole year, the Ministry of Tourism is attaching great emphasis on the golf tourism. To this end, the Ministry studied areas suitable as golf fields, which are near to our shores and the high-capacity accommodation plants. The planning on these areas has already been concluded. Golf is a kind of recreation preferred by the high income level foreign visitors.

Taking this into account, the Ministry has foreseen to include other sports facilities in planned golf fields and targeted at internationally compatible standards. The Ministry aims at holding international golf tournaments in our country in future years and determined 10 golf fields to this end. Under the Tourism Incentive Law No 2634, the Ministry determined some public areas to be turned into golf fields with all relevant environmental facilities and allocated these areas to investors.

Do see the movie Gallipoli, starring Australian Mel Gibson, for background on the terrible battle on Turkish soil… Do be prepared for the hard sell tactics of touts and commission boys, who will employ any ruse to get you into a carpet shop/restaurant/pension, etc.

Women may find themselves constantly hassled by would be gigolos who comb resort towns looking for likely prospects. We’ve found that the simplest way to get rid of pestering salesmen and coastal Romeos requires no language skills at all just tilt your head back quickly, close your eyes and lift your eyebrows.

It isn’t rude it just means “not interested” and works like a charm…Do dress very conservatively (cover shoulders, arms and legs) if you’re a woman traveling alone in Turkey… Do take showers in the evening if you’re staying in smaller hotels and want warm water: Solar heated water is considerably cooler first thing in the morning…Don’t be fooled into thinking every shop sporting the tourist office logo is reputable. Many are not… Do not back away from a price you’ve offered when bargaining—its considered extremely rude not to buy something after stating or accepting a price. Do bargain hard. If you are trying to buy a rug, you should offer 50%-60% of the asking price.

If a tout or guide accompanies you, he usually gets 10% of the price (which means you pay 10% more). If you are paying by credit card and you are not asked to pay the credit card fee, you probably didn’t bargain hard enough… Do take along a supply of toilet paper, but if you get caught without, the little tap at the back of the toilet is for personal hygiene the Turkish way. You turn the water on with the knob at the left of the toilet… Don’t enter conversations about politics lightly, especially if you are a Greek partisan.

Turkey’s feud with the Hellenes is bitter and deep… Do take more film than you think you’ll need. It’s often difficult to find… Do check the arithmetic on restaurant and hotel bills mistakes often occur. Be aware however, that runaway inflation sometimes renders it practically impossible for a vendor to give you exact change. In most cases, the dispute amounts to a negligible amount of money… Do be very careful to stay within the law while in Turkey (i.e., avoid drugs, even if it seems safe to use them).

However, if you are the victim of a crime (even being cheated in a shop), the police can be quite helpful. The sad exception is a complaint of rape or sexual attack there is a general assumption that foreign women are promiscuous… Do be on time for appointments… Do remove shoes before entering mosques and observe a respectful silence. Wear clothing that covers your legs and upper arms (which means no shorts or sleeveless shirts). Women should carry scarves to cover their heads… Do take a flashlight, especially to Cappadocia…

Do keep in mind that if you take a ferry to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, your passport will bear a stamp that will bar you from entry into the (southern, “Greek”) Republic of Cyprus and also into Greece itself. To avoid this problem, have the TRNC official stamp a separate paper instead…

Street Vendors, In touristy areas you may see some goods selling or shoe shining children, do not think they are homeless. They most probably have big families and they do help their family budget. If you are annoyed by street vendors trying to sell something to you, don’t look interested in their products and look the other way. Even if you start an innocent dialog, that might continue insisting to sell. up

If you like to contact or speak to local people especially kids, go ahead, they love it. Incase it seems to be an economic relation and some goods are trying to be sold (saying he would like to show you interesting things, or his shop or invite for a drink) just be careful this might not be a real hospitality.