Turkomen Steppe Ride - Spring
Itinerary 
Forest Ride - Summer & Autumn
Itinerary
GTS (Ghara Tepe Sheikh) Trek - April
- September
Turkoman Steppe Ride - Spring Itinerary:
Day 1: Depart London
Day 2: Arrive Tehran early morning. Transfer from Tehran by private vehicle across the splendid Alborz mountains. Lunch en route. Arrive Ghara Tappeh Sheikh mid-afternoon. Time to relax, meet the horses and have a shower. Turkoman supper. O/N Turkoman felt tent, "Alachekh"
Day 3: Morning ride to match horses to riders, check and adjust tack and to learn about Turkoman horses. Ride to village of Ghara Tappeh Sheikh (affectionately known as GTS) and to the Gorgan River. Picnic lunch and siesta. Afternoon ride to "Alexander's Wall" (actually built at earlier periods to repel attacking steppe tribes) and to the prehistoric mound of Ghara Tappeh with a chance for gallops. Check and pack guest saddlebags. Last chance for showers. Kebab supper.
Day 4: Saddle up and ride north across "Alexander's Wall" into the Steppe. Pass a Scythian burial barrow, and through fields of wild flowers into the foothills of the Gukchedaq mountains. Lunch in a Turkoman summer pasture camp. Ride on to the hamlet of Gachsu. O/N under canvas.
Day 5: Early start. A more demanding ride with beautiful views, further up into the mountains to Khaled Nabi. This is an ancient shrine on the summit of the highest peak in the Gukchedaq range, looking north into some of the remotest areas of Central Asia. Picnic lunch among primitive stone phallic burial markers. Afternoon ride on to the isolated mountain village of Gharaghach. O/N under canvas.
Day 6: Ride down through the grazing lands of Kurdish and Turkoman tribes to the Atrek river, which marks Iran's northern border east of the Caspian sea. During our ride we should see the tribal herds of camel and huge flocks of sheep that range across the lush green pastures. O/N under canvas.
Day 7: We ride south west in gently rolling country perfect for cantering or galloping. There are beautiful views of the Kopet Dagh mountains to the north in Turkmenistan. Picnic lunch. A short ride to our campsite in a sheltered green meadow with only wild tortoises, wild cats and eagles for company. Campfire supper. O/N under canvas.
Day 8: An easy ride, with fantastic views back up towards Khaled Nabi, to the village of Uch Ghuy. The women of this village weave beautiful traditional Turkoman carpets and felt mats. O/N on a hill overlooking the village.
Day 9: We ride through the mountains, looking across towards the Golestan forests and the Alborz mountains. Picnic lunch. In the afternoon, we reach a spring hidden at the base of a cliff. Kestrels nest in the rocks around us. We rest and water the horses before a short ride on to our campsite. O/N
Day 10: A relaxing day with a gentle ride out of the hills and across the steppe back to the farm at GTS. Lunch and a siesta. A chance to wander around the village.
Day 11: An early breakfast and return to Tehran to continue on the rest of the Iranian programme.
Day 12: Morning flight back to London
OR: For Trip extension P.T.O
Day 12: Day in Tehran, visiting the Archaeological museum, crown jewels, and carpet museum. Flight to Isfahan. O/N Abbasi Hotel.
Day 13: In Isfahan. Visit the Royal Square, Imam and Sheikh Lotfollah Mosques, Ali Qapu Palace, Si-o-She Pol and Khaju Bridges. O/N Abbasi Hotel.
Day 14: In Isfahan. Visit the famous 5 km long Bazaar, Friday Mosque, Chehel Sotoun (Forty columns) Palace. Evening flight to Shiraz. O/N Homa Hotel.
Day 15: Excursion to the magnificent ruins of Persepolis and Naghshe Rostam. O/N Homa Hotel.
Day 16: In Shiraz visiting Shah Cheragh mosque, the Bazaar and the mausoleums of Hafez and Sa'adi. Evening flight to Tehran. O/N Laleh Hotel.
Day 17: Morning departure for London.
Cost includes arranging your visa plus the £40 visa stamp fees, airport transfers, transportation to and from the village of Ghara Tappeh Sheikh (GTS) (car and driver), riding and all meals.
Extension cost £750 includes all airport transfers, internal flights, hotel accommodation and breakfast (5* in Isfahan, Shiraz and Tehran) inclusive of local taxes and service charge.
This price does not include return airfare to Tehran (£445), insurance and tips.
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