Cappadocia hosts Salomon Cappadocia Ultra-Trail 16-18 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 06:07 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Cappadocia (Kapadokya) will host the Salomon Cappadocia Ultra-Trail from 16 to 18 October 2026, with the event’s routes passing through the valleys and high plateaus around Göreme in Turkey. The official programme places the race within a landscape of fairy chimneys, rock formations and historic sites.
The event is a preview for travellers planning an autumn visit, although participation is reserved for registered runners. The race is spread across several days and connects Cappadocia’s natural scenery with a sporting programme that uses the region itself as the course.
Salomon Cappadocia Ultra-Trail runs from 16 to 18 October
The Salomon Cappadocia Ultra-Trail is scheduled for 16 to 18 October 2026. The organiser describes it as a trail running event across Cappadocia’s hills and valleys, with courses that pass through Ortahisar and Göreme National Park. The programme includes routes for different levels of endurance, from shorter mountain runs to an ultra-trail course.
The event’s official programme for 16 to 18 October identifies Cappadocia as the setting and presents the races as a way to cross the area on foot. Ürgüp serves as the main reference point for the race organisation, while the routes extend through neighbouring valleys and settlements.
Göreme National Park forms part of the race landscape
The sporting programme is closely tied to the character of the place. The routes use high plateaus, valleys, natural towers and fairy chimneys rather than a conventional urban circuit, so the landscape is part of the event’s subject as well as its setting.
UNESCO describes the World Heritage property as a landscape shaped by erosion, with rock-hewn sanctuaries, troglodyte villages and underground towns. Its UNESCO World Heritage description also records the area’s Byzantine art and traditional human settlement. This makes the October race a route through a protected cultural landscape, not simply a sporting course.
What the October race changes for a visit to Cappadocia
For visitors, the main practical effect is that several well-known valleys and settlements become part of a scheduled international trail-running event between 16 and 18 October 2026. Travellers staying in or near Göreme can encounter marked race routes and runners moving through the wider landscape during the programme.
The event also gives a clear focus to an autumn itinerary. The official organiser lists shuttle services to Cappadocia from Nevsehir Kapadokya and Kayseri Erkilet airports, while ĂśrgĂĽp provides the principal administrative base for the race. The wider World Heritage property extends across the region between Nev?ehir, ĂśrgĂĽp and Avanos.
Visiting Cappadocia: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Salomon Cappadocia Ultra-Trail takes place from 16 to 18 October 2026 across Cappadocia, with Ürgüp as the main race base and routes passing through Göreme National Park.
- Only registered runners can participate in the races. The event is therefore a scheduled sporting programme in the landscape, not a general walking tour or open-entry attraction.
- Cappadocia is in central Turkey. The organiser lists airport shuttle services from Nevsehir Kapadokya and Kayseri Erkilet airports for flights serving the region.
- The terrain includes high plateaus, valleys, fairy chimneys and narrow natural formations. Visitors following parts of the route should expect uneven outdoor ground and changing gradients.
- Turkey’s official language is Turkish and its national currency is the Turkish lira.
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Frequently asked questions about Cappadocia
When does the Salomon Cappadocia Ultra-Trail take place?
The event is scheduled from 16 to 18 October 2026. Its routes pass through the valleys and high plateaus of Cappadocia, including Göreme National Park.
Where is Cappadocia and how do you get there?
Cappadocia is in central Turkey, with Göreme, Ürgüp and Nev?ehir among the regional reference points. The organiser lists shuttle services from Nevsehir Kapadokya and Kayseri Erkilet airports.
What is Cappadocia known for?
The region is known for an eroded landscape of fairy chimneys, rock-hewn sanctuaries, troglodyte settlements and underground towns within the Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia World Heritage property.
