Top Ten Turkey Off-the-Beaten-Path Adventures

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. Don't expect much in the way of facilities hereabouts—pack a picnic and expect to backtrack to Barhal or Yusufeli for the night.