Pamukkale last part; Side trip to Aphrodisias Ruins

4-days Turkey Summer Solo Escapade
June 27 to July 03, 2014

Pamukkale 3rd part; Parachute gliding high above Travertine

How to go to Aphrodisias Archeological Site;
Side trip to Aphrodisias from Pamukkale has daily tours that starts every 0930H and ends around 1700H. Trip costs 30TRY($14.3) that includes aircon mini-bus round-trip transportation only. Travel time is around 2.5hrs. Admission to the site costs 15TRY($7.1). Photography and video taking (with monopod or tripod) is permitted inside. Estimated to finish roaming around at least 3 hours to see the site entirely. All locations are easily walkable and within a square kilometer of area.

Aphrodisias (sometimes Afrodisias) is located inland in the Southern Aegean region, about 30 km west of Denizli. As an archaeological site, it contains some of the most impressive Roman ruins in Turkey, and has perhaps more bang for your money than Ephesus. Aphrodisias was named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, who had here her unique cult image, the Aphrodite of Aphrodisias. 
http://wikitravel.org/en/Aphrodisias 

Aphrodisias Archeological site, a side trip from Pamukkale (Temple of Aphrodite)

Pamukkale 3rd part; Parachute-gliding High above Hierapolis

4-days Turkey Summer Solo Escapade
June 27 to July 03, 2014

Pamukkale 2nd part; Ancient Roman City of Hierapolis

I aimed my tandem paragliding adventure with my intended schedule (0830H) via walk-in query only and in bulk booking together with airport transfers and Cappadocia balloon flight for the next day. The cost of this activity was negotiated to 110TRY($52.4) that includes round-trip van transportation to the mountain from my hostel, gears and insurance. If booked online, paragliding costs 170TRY($81) that includes gears, round-trip transfers, insurance and a CD of photos and video's captured during the flight. Photos below came from the GoPro digicam owned by the Paraglider. I negotiated the CD of shots by 50TRY($23.8). The flight lasts about 15mins.

Tandem paragliders, designed to carry the pilot and one passenger, are larger but otherwise similar. They usually fly faster with higher trim speeds, are more resistant to collapse, and have a slightly higher sink rate compared to solo paragliders. In Pamukkale, the take-off runway mountain has 300m peak and its slope is wide enough for two wings to take-off easily at the same time. The Landing Runway is at the end of the flight track.

Parachute gliding high above Pamukkale

Pamukkale 2nd part; Ancient Roman City of Hierapolis

4-days Turkey Summer Solo Escapade
June 27 to July 03, 2014

Pamukkale 1st part; Walking to Travertine Terraces

How to go to Ancient City of Hierapolis;
From Denizli train station, I walked towards west for Denizli minibus terminal which has around 400m distance. Travel to Pamukkale is 30mins on 3.5TRY($1.67) fare. Minibus last stop is the Pamukkale bus station which is 500m walked to Traveltine Terraces. Admission fee is 25TRY($11.9) that includes entrance to Heirapolis Archeological Site, just right above the Travertine mountain. Only barefoot walking, any kind of footwear is not allowed. Photography and video taking is permitted. Monopod and tripod is also allowed.

Hierapolis was an ancient city located on hot springs in classical Phrygia in southwestern Anatolia. Its ruins are adjacent to modern Pamukkale in Turkey and currently comprise an archaeological museum designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The extensive ruins of the Roman mineral water spa city of Hierapolis include a grand theater, a vast North Necropolis, colonnaded street, baths, and numerous other ruined structures.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierapolis

Ancient Roman City of Heirapolis

Pamukkale 1st part; Walking to Travertine Terraces

4-days Turkey Summer Solo Escapade
June 27 to July 03, 2014

Selcuk last part; Temple of Artemis & train to Pamukkale

How to go to Pamukkale Petrified Waterfall / Travertine Terraces;
From Denizli train station, I walked towards west for Denizli minibus terminal which has around 400m distance. Travel to Pamukkale is 30mins on 3.5TRY($1.67) fare. Minibus last stop is the Pamukkale bus station which is 500m walked to Traveltine Terraces. Admission fee is 25TRY($11.9) that includes entrance to Heirapolis Archeological Site, just right above the Travertine mountain. Only barefoot walking, any kind of footwear is not allowed. Photography and video taking is permitted. Monopod and tripod is also allowed.

Pamukkale literally means "cotton castle" in Turkish. The Travertines of Pamukkale, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a set of bizarre calcium cliff bathing pools overlooking the town. You are required to remove your shoes in order to walk on them, so the travertines stay white as ever. This job is made tougher in winters when the water flowing down the chalky cascades is freezing cold. You can avoid the climb and take a taxi to the top of the hill and enter from the side of Hierapolis. But the real charm of the place lies in experiencing these travertines. Lower parts of the travertine cascades are reported to have better views than the top. 
http://wikitravel.org/en/Pamukkale

It can get quite hot in summer, a hat and especially sunglasses will certainly be very helpful against the sun and the reflecting sun rays from the chalky cascades. On the other hand, the cold winter climate could make the experience slightly uncomfortable because of barefoot walking.

Travertine Terraces of Pamukkale