15 Raft the Raging Coruh
Don't let the sleepy little town of Yusufeli fool you: Right in its backyard is one of Turkey's most raging rivers. Run the Coruh River and you'll be taking on Class IV and V white water, with craggy mountain scenery surrounding you. Unfortunately, a proposed dam could soon wipe out this spectacular stretch of rafting. In that case, head south for the Dalaman River, near Koycegiz on the Mediterranean, where Class III and IV thrills are on tap from April to October.

16 Trek the Kackar Mountains
The Turks love their hot springs, which are especially satisfying after some tough mountain trekking. The Kackar Mountains in northeastern Turkiye provide the inviting backdrop; hike from the village of Barhal across the mountains to Ayder. This town's trump card is the hot springs, where you can soak away your aches and pains in waters of up to 133 degrees. In high summer, staying in Ayder also gives you a chance to get a glimpse of the culture of the Hemsin people, one of Turkey's little-known minority ethnic groups. Maps of the mountains are woefully inadequate, but you can easily hire a guide in Ayder or Barhal. To get to Ayder, take the weekly Turkish Maritime Lines ferry from Istanbul to Rize and head up into the mountains by bus. For Barhal, you'll need a dolmus (shared taxi) from Yusufeli or let us arrange everything you need.

17 Flamingos in the Sultan Marshes
Storks, spoonbills, herons: The Sultan Marshes, near Nigde, has them all. And in summer, the fringes of its twin lakes turn pink in a cloud of flamingos. The village of Ovaciftlik serves up basic accommodations where you can arrange boat trips out into the marshes. If you prefer to walk, bring sturdy shoes (there are snakes in the long grass). Goreme, Avanos, and Urgup travel agencies arrange bird-watching excursions; just be aware that the prices are pretty high unless you come in a group.

18 Snowshoe Through Cappadocia
Magical in summer, the Cappadocian landscape becomes even more wondrous when its cones and crevasses are blanketed in deep snow. In winter, Tourka leads snowshoe-wearing groups around the villages. Most nights you stay with local families, but the last is spent in a converted monastery in Guzelyurt, where you dine off long tables in the refectory like the long-gone Greek monks before you.

19 Canyoning in Saklikent Gorge
Cowards merely walk into the Saklikent Gorge, near Kas. So avoid that fate and rappel down from the rim of a canyon, with walls so steep that the sun never reaches the floor. Once at the bottom, you can hike 12 miles through the icy waters of the river and jump down assorted waterfalls along the way. After a long, cold day, it's good to know that local restaurateurs serve freshly cooked trout on wooden platforms suspended over the river. Some platform owners will even let you spread your blanket beneath the stars.

20 Explore Georgian Valleys
If you love ancient monuments almost as much as unspoiled mountain scenery, head up into the valleys off the main road leading from Erzurum to Yusufeli in northeastern Turkey. Here huge, crumbling churches serve as poignant reminders of a time when this region was part of the Kingdom of Georgia. In summer, any car can negotiate the dirt tracks to reach the churches; in winter, this is 4WD-only territory. Local guides will lead you on treks to the most remote churches, almost lost now in thick vegetation.