If nature, history, culture and / or faith tourism are the subject certainly, Cappadocia will be named as one of the important centers in Turkey. During the recent years due to the variety of services proposed, the enterprises are increased. Under the frame of sustainable tourism, thermal tourism, congress tourism and sports tourism are the variety of alternative tourism of the region.
In sport tourism, the sportsmen or the team, the audience, managers and the couches are accepted as the part of this type. The football tournaments, organized in Cappadocia during summer right after the football league, are part of the sport tourism in the region. Some of the big hotels in Cappadocia have already worked on constructing football yards and necessary premises in order to take an interest in this type of tourism.
Beside this, outdoor sports and outdoor activities from the most important part of sport tourism in Cappadocia The variety in this field is quite high. Moreover hot air ballooning and cross golf can only be performed in Cappadocia. The variety in the activities as well as their being able to be performed during the whole year, turn Cappadocia into an important center for outdoor sports and activities.
Outdoor sports and outdoor activities
First of all let’s have look at the definitions of outdoor sports and outdoor activities. Outdoor activity definition has a broader content as a concept. Almost any activities done outdoor can be evaluated under this topic. For instance, scientific aimed excursions, bird watching, collecting butterfly, mushroom researches, and activities aiming photography, entertainment and promenade as well as hunting can be included. Among these, some of them might be done with an aim of training but not fitting the definition of outdoor spotrs because outdoor sports have a narrower definition. In order to accept an activity as an outdoor sport, all of the below mentioned characteristics should be included;
1 – Having an aim of sport
2 – Being performed in an area not limited artifically
3 – Not being used engine power
4 – Not being used animal power
5 – Not including competition elements or these elements not being surpass.
Within this approach, we can define outdoor sports as mass activities which are performed by using physical and mental abilities in the nature or in an area not limited artificially but without any engine and animal power support and whose main aim is doing sports but without surpass competition elements.
Outdoor Sports of Cappadocia
1 – Trekking
2 – Mountain Biking
3- Camping
4 – Mountaineering
5 – Rock Climbing
6 – Abseiling
7 – Snowshoeing
8 – Rafting
9 – Canoraft
10 – Ski Touring
11 – Snowboarding
Outdoor Activities of Cappadocia
1 – Hot air ballooning
2 – Horse safari
3 – Camping caravaning
4 – Cross Golf
5 – ATV safari
6 – Jeep safari
7 – Motosafari
8 – Skiing
9 – Orienteering
The Opportunities of Cappadocia for Outdoor Sports
Outdoor sports and activities not being developed in Cappadocia, with an unique geograpy and geological structure, cannot be thought. Mount Hasan and Erciyes as well as Bolkar and Ala Mountains are the important centers for winter sports like skiing, tour skiing ans snowboard. Almost all of this mountains have winter sports centers and accommodation premises. If we accept Ürgüp as a center of touristic Cappadocia, Ürgüp is almost 75 and 150 km far away from these mountains.
The same situation is valid for mountaineering, rock climbing, trekking, snowshoe, camping and abseiling. Ala Mountains, one of the most famous mountaineering centers of Turkey are situated within the Cappadocia region. If you dont have any special requirements for trekking, snowshoe,camping and abseiling, you don’t need to visit the mountains around. Cappadocia can offer you many opportunities. Almost all of the valleys of Cappadocia are natural trekking racecourse at the same time.
Cappadocia is also world famous for mountain bike racecourses. Let me remind you that European Mountain Bike Championships was being held in Cappadocia. For flights by hot air ballooning, Cappadocia is again an important center. Most of the people are visiting the region just to experience hot air balloon. Cross golf in Turkey, respectful and protective to the environment, can only be performed in Cappadocia. Horse riding and camping caravaning are quite developed in the region. Zamantı River, with its 13 km racecourse and 3rd degree difficulty, is the rafting center of the region. As orienteering, ATV and jeep safari and motocross are added to the activities of the region, we understand that Cappadocia has the richness of outdoor sports and activities.
