Riders: Burak Uzun & Serkan Yalniz,  An Adventure Project by Mudfolks (Sponsored by Urge Bike Products)

We started the trip with a calm and peaceful night at Seki Cave Hotel, unpacking the bikes in a room which had been carved into the ancient rock formations of Çavuşin. After a good rest, it was time to enjoy the famous terrains with our bikes. We loaded the bikes to our trustworthy Defender and started to explore Cappadocia. It is easy to figure out that the landscape is not the only thing to get lost in. The deep cultural background of the location also embraces you, with ancient caves and churches, friendly local people, tasty wines and delicious cuisine.

Day after day, we became more familiar with the natural terrain and the various shapes of it. Although there is not much of an altitude change in the location since the whole Goreme area is fairly flat, it’s not hard to find fast and flowy lines. The trails are generally hard packed and super fast, making it like a bike park riding type an experience, yet some dusty sections to slide on can also be found within valleys.

The Red Valley, which is one of the most recognizable and elevated parts of the Cappadocia, offers the most uninterrupted and long singletracks. The valley also has some great freeriding spots, many of which are closely located to each other. Considering that it took earth thousands of years to shape this beautiful location, it’s not legal to do any building and shaping work, but you will hardly find yourself needing to do so. Mother Nature has already created every type of shape you may need.

The routine in Cappadocia is something you dream about it. Getting up very early to see hot air balloons take off, riding alongside them while travelers cheering you when their balloons come close by, spending some time in chilly ancient caves when the sun is hot, then go riding again until it goes dark. Spending the night in the same location is also possible if you have a tent and sleeping bags. You will find yourself amazed by seeing the starry skies brighten up this majestic place. It is definitely​ a dream journey for any mountain bike enthusiast.