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Ecological &
Trekking
 Sekizyap
- Bakcha Horse Trek
7-day
ride in the Kopetdag mountains on Akhal Teke Horses
Turkmenistan's horses
are some of the most elegant creatures on the planet and
have claimed their fame throughout Asian history. The
experience of riding these beautiful hot-blooded animals
in their native setting of endless plains and valleys
is something no visitor of Central Asia should give a
miss.
 Our
intensive 7-day riding itinerary is suitable for both
advanced riders as well as horse-lovers with limited experience
making most of your riding time spent in Turkmenistan.
We have chosen the location in the Kopetdag Mountains
some 80 km west of Ashgabat for the beauty of its vast
countryside and the excellent and diverse riding possibilities
on the plateaus and the gorges of the two valleys. Changing
our camp once and a daylong trekking break will help make
this active trip even more interesting. The programme
has been adapted to the needs of demanding riders, the
possibilities of terrain and horses and to the heat in
the southernmost Central Asian country.
Day 1
Drive from Ashgabat to Sekizyap Horse Camp
 Your
first horse camp is located in the Sekizyap Valley some
60 km west of Ashgabat in the Kopetdag Mountain range.
Leaving in the morning from your Hotel in Ashgabat by
4WD van the drive takes us through the outskirts of the
city and along the foothills of the mountains and detouring
into Firuza Gorge, a fascinating landscape with cliffs
climbing up some 200 m into the sky. We continue through
the picturesque river valleys of Chuli towards Geokdepe
with the blue dome of its magnificent Mosque. After a
further 10 km we enter the dusty tracks of the valleys
above Geokdepe where after a further 1½ hour car-ride
we will arrive at our horse camp Karagachi at the Sekizyap
river. On this first day we will take time to become acquainted
with the personnel and the horses and settle in at our
camp at the cool stream.
Day 2
30 km ride along the foothills of Dushak
 Considering
the hot climate both in your own as well as in the interest
of the horses we leave the camp in the early morning to
return before noon. This will give us a good 6 hours riding
time every day and time to rest by the river in the hot
hours of the day. In the first morning in the camp we
take off on a circular ride onto the Aksu Plateau stretching
along the northern foothills of the Dushak mountain, the
highest peak in the area. Along the 25-30 km trek we have
opportunities for both trot and gallop returning to the
camp through one of the picturesque canyons typical for
the area. Most of the horses we use are purebred Akhal
Teke and Yomud Horses - valued for their endurance and
adaptation to the harsh climate in the region. The horses
are striking in their beauty, and are very easy to handle
even for the inexperienced rider. After lunch and siesta
we relax nearby the stream where there is also an excellent
possibility for trout fishing.
Day 3
40 km ride across the Western Plain
 On
the second day on horseback we go into the opposite direction
further across the western plateau giving excellent us
opportunities for gallops covering some 40 km distance.
Like everyday we spend the evening together at the campfire
and keep ourselves busy in the afternoon taking care and
feeding our horses and helping with the work in the camp.
Day 4
15 km hike to Sekizyap Waterfalls through Bilik Gorge
 The
next day we let the horses relax and explore the Bilki
Canyon along the Sekizyap river by foot. The 15 km hike
takes us along the picturesque waterfalls and beautiful
cliffs of the gorge. Relaxing at the waterfalls we return
to our camp in the afternoon.
Day 5 40 km ride to Bakcha River CampAfter packing up
on the 5th day we leave Karagachi Camp moving by horse
to our second horse camp 40 km west across the plateau
at the spring of the Bakcha river. The river forms another
beautiful gorge in the Kopetdag mountains. The tents,
baggage and provisions are transported to the camp by
truck.
Day 6
30 km ride through Kyzyl Kaya Valley
 From
the Bakcha camp we explore the nearby Kyzyl Kaya Valley
and the spectacular landscape surrounding the canyon on
a 30 km circular ride. In the evening we have a big farewell
dinner.
Day 7
45 km ride through Digermendzhik gorge to Bakharden Underground
Lake, return to Ashgabat
On the 7th day we leave the camp at Bakcha river continuing
40km through Digermendzhik Gorge to Bakharden Underground
Lake, Kov Ata, with an excellent view of the Karakum desert
when descending from the mountains. The underground lake
is formed by a hot spring in a cave 60 m below the ground
and stretches over several kilometres. Only the first
70 metres are accessible and sufficiently lit and provide
the occasion for a dip in the 36°C water before the
returning 100 km back to the Capital. We are picked at
up by our van and return to Ashgabat in the late afternoon.
Click here for a complete account of a previous trip
of one of our clients: http://www.akhalteke.cc/eberretttrip.html
Click here
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