Outdoor today can mean anything from glacier climbing in New Zealand to leisurely walks through Scotland to kite surfing in Costa Rica. There are different levels of adventure travel (slow hiking versus rock climbing), different size groups (a dozen per group or one-on-one attention) and different providers (customized, luxury trips to classic tent camping).

Turkey is truly a land of history and adventure. Here you can scale the icy heights of remote Mount Agri (Ararat) in search of Noah’s Ark, cross the historic Euphrates and Tigris rivers, follow in the footsteps of St Paul or simply relax on the golden Mediterranean sands of Patara beach. Vibrant Istanbul, straddling the blue waters of the Bosphorus separating Europe from Asia, beckons with its skyline pierced by countless minarets, chaotic bazaars and a history redolent with harem intrigue and despotic Sultans.

Bird Watching-Ornithology
Turkey, the meeting point of 3 continents, forms a natural bridge between the bird breeding areas in the north and the bird's winter quarters in the south. The area between Izmir and Cesmealti was declared a natural heritage region in 1985, because of its importance as a vital stop for migratory birds. May is the best month for birding. Other important areas include: Buyuk Menderes Delta around Aydin, Lake Seyfe (near Kirsehir), Sultan Marshes (near Kayseri), Manyas Lake (near Bursa) and Goksu Delta.

Caving-Spelunking
The most beautiful and interesting caves are located in the Toros regions along the Mediterranean coast, southeast, northwest Anatolia and Thrace. With an approximate number of 40.000 caves and caverns present, Turkey is like a paradise of caverns and spelunking when compared to other countries. An important geologic - geomorphologic fact in the formation of caverns is karstification (karstic fields) and this karstification is present especially in Western and Central Taurus Mountains (Mugla, Antalya, Isparta, Burdur, Konya, Karaman, Icel and Adana). The longest (Pinarozu Cavern, 16 km west of Beysehir Lake) and the deepest (Cukurpinar Sinkhole, 1880 meters at the south of Anamur) caves of Turkey are present on this mountain belt. The exact number of caves investigated and documented by all local and foreign cave explorers is approximately 800 so far.

Fauna and Flora
A wide variation of flora is found, from semitropical to temperate, and desert to alpine. In the mountains of southern, southwestern, and northern Turkey there are extensive coniferous stands of commercial importance and some deciduous forest. Licorice, valonia oaks, and wild olive trees grow in the southwest. Principal varieties of wild animals are the fallow deer, red deer, roe deer, eastern mouflon, wild boar, hare, Turkish leopard, brown bear, red fox, gazelle, beech marten, pine marten, wildcat, lynx, otter, and badger. There is a large variety of birds, including the snow partridge, quail, great bustard, little bustard, widgeon, woodcock, snipe, and a variety of geese, ducks, pigeons, and rails. About 30 species of snakes are indigenous. Bees and silkworms are grown commercially.

Fishing
Fishing can be done without a license in non-prohibited and non-military areas as long as you're an amateur, using amateur and noncommercial equipment, muIti-hooked lines, and fishing nets not weighing more than 5 kilograms. Commercial fishing by foreigners might result in heavy penalties. Latest details concerning fishing zones, the minimum sizes of fish that can be caught, and the numbers of fish that can be caught per person, can be obtained from the Department of Fisheries at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Especially Aegean and Mediterranean seas are rich fishing areas.

Flying & Ballooning
Plane gliding, hang gliding, parachuting, paragliding and single engine flights are catered for as well as services that provide instruction courses. Best areas are Fethiye, Eskisehir, Pamukkale, Ephesus and Istanbul. Hot air Balloon rides can be taken daily over Cappadocia near Nevsehir. Each flight is a fantastic experience as you float intimately amongst the fairy chimneys and soar over the magnificent Cappadocian landscape. They usually carry between 6 and 16 passengers and depart very early in the morning to catch the sunrise and gentle winds, lasting for about 1-1.5 hours. 

Golf
In recent years, as golf courses with international standards have opened up, Turkey has become an elite golfing centre where players from around the world can meet in an environment of quality and prestige. Especially the area of Belek, 30km east of Antalya, is a potential for golf tourism with the unique bonus of the cultural, historical and natural sightseeing of the region. Top-class courses are also being planned for Istanbul, Ankara and Mugla. In Turkey, most courses are in the vicinity of tourist resorts, around the coastal regions which have the necessary facilities like accommodation, restaurants and entertainment. The Ministry of Tourism plans to establish other 11 golf courses in these tourist  areas.