WHAT IS THE TOUR LIKE?

I have not been involved in such an exploration tour before. How will I know what I am supposed to do during the tour?

We will meet with you and all other participants at the hotel where you will be staying, before we go on our tour. In this meeting, we will talk about the scope, content and theme of the tour, how to use the water closet and shower during the adventure, the food that will be served, what to do and not to do during the whole experience.

The theme of the tour is to understand more deeply and experience:
*The history of weaving in Turkey
and
*The cultural athmosphere of weaving; Nomadic life

For these two main subjects our tour will consist of two parts: One in Istanbul and one in Antalya, in the Western Taurus Mountains.

The tour will take 10 nights and 11 days. The first 4 days will be in Istanbul and the fourth day we will move to Antalya, to our nomadic encampment via an internal flight and a shuttle transfer. The fifth day of our tour will begin with a migration.

What happens each day?

On the migration days, we will wake up at 07:00 and get ready to migrate within 30 minutes. Each migration day, we will walk 10 to 15 kilometers, in two sections: in early morning, from 07:30 to 10:30, and from 16:30 to 19:00. (the times are the start times to walk and the durations may slightly change due to the climate and road conditions, as well as the overall performance of the group.). There is a choice to ride a horse or get in our truck in case of need or fatigue.

On the pasture (non-migration) days we will get up later towards 09:00 and enjoy the day in the pasture. (Please see our itinerary for the pasture and migration days) The tent will be used as a living room during the daytime and as a bedroom during the night. The team will demonstrate you how to use the tent as a living room and as a bedroom.

Shoes will be left outside of the tent at all times.

What equipment and supplies do I need?

The list of the supplies and equipment that participants will need to bring for the tour:

*hand and body towels
*Bath sponges or wash cloths (we will give some olive oil soap but if you prefer some special shampoos etc, please bring them )
*Hiking shoes/boots
*Raincoat
*A hoody-cardigan for chilly evenings
*We will use mats and duvets from silicone, so no need for a self-climate camp mat, etc...
*Walking sticks. If needed, we will chop some sticks from the forest.
*Some pain-killer pills
*Sanitary products for ladies
*Hats
*Sun protection cream, sunglasses
*Long sleeved hiking shirt for protection from the sun
*Band-aids
*Personal flasks for drinking water. (we will have big drinking water containers with us but flasks will be useful during hiking)
*Earplugs for snoring issues in the tent

Can I keep my luggage with me during the nomadic part of the tour?

You will be perpetually migrating as a novice nomad, and keeping your luggage around may tire you (you will be out of the hotel and there is no other place to store the empty luggage, ) so we will keep it in the truck that will accompny us. On the last day, we will give the luggage back to the participants so you can prepare your luggage for the trip back to Istanbul, then US. Meanwhile your belongings will be carried in the hand-woven nomadic bags that will be given to you, and your luggage will be given back at the end of the tour.

How will I pack my belongings? In multiple “sub”-bags?

You will put your belongings into the nomadic bag that will be given to you by the team. This bag will be carried on horse-back during the migration. The daily-use tools such as suncream, flask or sunglass will always be with you during the migration days.

How long will I have to walk during the migration?

Daily migration is around 10 to 15 km (6 to 9.5 mi) but please keep in mind that the distance may change due to unpredictable weather or other unforeseen conditions. We will walk this distance in two sessions, as morning and afternoon journeys, and we will benefit from the salutary chilling temperatures in the region early morning and late afternoon.

Can I ride on horseback if I get tired of walking?

There is a choice to ride a horse or get in our truck in case of need or fatigue during the migration hikes.

What will we eat and drink during the day?

We will have our water and snacks during migrations. All of our belongings and other necessary materials will be carried in traditional sacks and on horseback.

Meals to be served are determined and prepared by a nutritionist considering the energy required to cross the daily path, and there will b three mails, a day with several courses. Most of them are prepared using natural ingredients such as vegetables, olive oil, butter, wheat flour, legumes and protein sources such as dairy products and meat.

Please consider that there will be no tables and chairs for meals or otherwise. As a novice nomad, you will have to sit on a special cloth called a “sofra” and sit on the floor to eat, just like the real nomads do.

We will prepare the food for you, unless you prefer to cook your own.

I have a food allergy / I don’t eat specific ingredients / I am vegan. What should I do?

Kindly contact us and let us know so that we can make alterations or adjustments for you.

Will I have clean water to drink?

You mean “not bottled water”, right? We will bring bottled water for you.

PS. The water is NOT sparkling.

Where do I sleep? In the tent?

Yes, you will be sleeping in the tent during the night. We will separate the tent into sections via special textiles and there will be mattresses on the ground.

The black tent will be divided into 4 sections of 2 meters by 3 meters with handwoven tent curtains. In each section, two participants will be able to sleep with the pillows, mattresses, and duvets that our team will give. Each bedding set (pillow, duvet, and mattress) has a different color and the same colored bedding set will be used during the tour by the same participant. A sheet will be provided also to each participant during the nomadic tour.

For the guests who request to have a separate tent in which to sleep, we will provide modern camping tents: of 2 meters by 3 meters. The basic principle for the usage of the bedding set in the camping tents is the same.

What about my personal matters? (Yes, I mean toilet and shower.)

The water closet and the shower will be prepared in each stopping point. We promise to do our best to provide you the maximum privacy, comfort, and hygiene.

The Water Closet consists of a cabinet with a mobile closet seat with a one-time usable and biodegradable thick paper bag. After the usage, the disposal of the bag will be done by the participant by putting the used bag into a hole dug into the soil by the team members. The team will provide toilet paper.

The shower consists of a cabinet with a hose with a sprinkler, linked to a thick warm water bag linked to a pneumatic foot pump. The water is heated by fire by the team and put on the shower bag for the usage of the participants. Each evening of the migration day the shower cabinet is set up, and not moved on the pasture days.

What are the age requirements? I want to bring my children with me.

Participants aged 18 at the date of first travel are considered adults. An adult over the age of 18 can accompany a maximum of 2 children under the age of 18. The minimum age requirement is 12. All inquiries with respect to children are subject to review and approval by the Company [Barbarossa Tourism] that reserves the right to restrict the number of travelers under the age of 18 on tours. If the adult accompanying the child is not the child’s parent or the parents are divorced, then a “Parental Consent Guardianship Form” must be signed (or other documents provided as requested by the Company) by the parent or legal guardian and received by the Company prior to booking.

 have some physical limitations Can I join the tour?

Our nomadic tours require considerable walking, often on uneven ground. Many sites along the itineraries can only be accessed on foot and may involve stairs and inclines. We cannot provide individual assistance to travelers with wheelchairs or other mobility devices or who otherwise require assistance in walking, dining, or attending to other personal matters. If The Black Tent Project tours are not feasible for you due to your specific physical limitations, please inquire about more accessible tours.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any other questions or inquiries by emailing us at beyondeniz@gmail.com