Cappadocia in Turkish means the land of beautiful horses, and the name is ancient, Persian, given long before the valleys became a tourist destination. Horses are still kept here, and a ride out of Göreme is not a fairground attraction but a normal way of moving through country where the trails run between rocks into places no car will reach.

Routes usually go through the Rose and Red valleys, past dovecotes hollowed into the tuff and chapels cut into the rock. Length runs from an hour to half a day; the sunset ride is timed so that the last hour falls when the stone turns from grey to pink. Camel walks are shorter and simpler — a circuit of the valley, most often for photographs and for children not yet put on a horse.

What matters. Riding experience is not required: horses are matched to the rider, a beginner is given a calm one and led at a walk, while a canter needs a separate route and confirmation of skill. Footwear must be closed, with a heel or at least a firm sole, and long trousers are obligatory. In summer people ride early in the morning and in the evening; in the middle of the day the open plateau is hard on rider and animal alike.