+90 501 271 11 16İsali Gaferli Avcılar Mahallesi, Kuran Kursu Caddesi No: 11 / Z/1, Göreme Town, Merkez / Nevşehir 50180
The Derinkuyu underground city, a riverside walk in the Ihlara Valley, Selime Monastery and a Pigeon Valley viewpoint. Entrances and lunch included.
One of Cappadocia's odd gifts is how wide and open it feels above ground and how closed and deep it is below. The Green Tour puts both into a single day: in the morning an underground city that goes down about 60 metres, in the afternoon a canyon you walk through between poplars and a stream.
This is the longest and most active of our day tours: about nine hours, part of it on the road, part of it on your feet. You travel in a minibus of up to 14 with a guide in Turkish, English, German or Russian, grouped by language. The entrance fees, including the underground city, and lunch are included in the price.
Derinkuyu is about 60 metres deep and about eight levels are open to visitors. The corridors are low and narrow; you stoop in places and shuffle sideways in others. The coolness hits you at once, even in summer. Your guide takes you past kitchens, stables, a wine press and a small church, and you lay a hand on the round stone door that was rolled across the passage from the inside. The city is thought to have been enlarged in the Byzantine period as a refuge against raids, and a look down a ventilation shaft makes that easy to believe. Coming back up, the light and warmth outside feel like a small surprise; an hour down there makes you forget how deep you were. If closed spaces bother you, tell us when you book or at the entrance; you can choose to wait above ground.
By midday you are heading toward Aksaray. The Ihlara Valley is a canyon about 14 km long, and along the Melendiz stream you pass rock-cut churches, poplars and willows. You go down about 360 steps. At the bottom the sounds change: water, birds, gravel under your feet. You cross small bridges and hear frogs by the stream; even in summer heat the shade is cool, and the carved doorways high in the rock remind you that people prayed beside this river for centuries. The walk is about 3 to 4 km and takes an hour or two, with stops such as the Ağaçaltı Church along the way. It mostly ends at Belisırma, where the vehicle picks you up. Lunch is in Belisırma as well, in a restaurant built right over the stream.
The afternoon belongs to Selime. Selime Monastery is a huge complex carved into a cliff face, with a rock kitchen under a tall chimney, stables and passages leading to a church. There are stairs and uneven ground, so sturdy shoes matter. Stop for a moment in the big rock hall and listen to your own voice; sound lingers oddly long in there. On the way back there is a short stop at a Pigeon Valley viewpoint. The dovecotes carved into the slopes are said to have been built to gather valuable fertiliser for the vineyards, and across the valley the rock of Uçhisar Castle rises.
The Green Tour is rated "moderate": 360 steps, a canyon walk and narrow underground corridors. Closed, flat shoes are a must, and a thin sweater helps underground. Spring turns the valley bright green, autumn turns it yellow, and in winter the ground can be slippery. If you have knee, breathing or balance problems, or dislike enclosed spaces, the Red Tour is more comfortable. Pick-up is early, so we suggest not going to bed too late the night before; the Green Tour is best enjoyed with a rested body.
The Green Tour is a long day and lunch comes late: the Ihlara walk comes first, so lunch in Belisırma is at about 14:15 on the programme. Eat a solid breakfast; bring water and a snack. In Derinkuyu the corridors are narrow, so take photos at the open spots where your guide pauses. The drive of about an hour and a half to Ihlara is the day's rest. Walk the valley's 3 to 4 km at your own pace. At Selime, sturdy shoes matter on stairs and uneven ground. The short Pigeon Valley stop on the way home also rests the legs. Keep the evening and the next day light.
Pick-up is around 08:30 to 09:15, with short rest stops along the way. There is roughly an hour and a half of driving between Derinkuyu and Ihlara, which you can give to your guide's stories or to the window. You are back at your hotel between 18:00 and 18:30.
Your guide and minibus collect you at your hotel. The exact pick-up time is sent on WhatsApp the evening before; times below are approximate.
Explore the city, about 60 m deep with eight levels open: kitchens, stables, a church and the round stone door. About an hour.
A drive of about an hour and a half toward Aksaray, with your guide's commentary and a short rest stop.
Descend about 360 steps and walk along the Melendiz stream, stopping at churches such as Ağaçaltı.
A set-menu lunch in a restaurant built over the stream (drinks not included).
The rock-cut kitchen, stables and church passages. Stairs and uneven ground; sturdy shoes needed.
A short stop on the way back for the carved dovecotes and views toward Uçhisar.
Depending on traffic you are back at your hotel between 18:00 and 18:30.
Closed, flat walking shoes, a thin sweater (it is cool underground), a hat, sunscreen, a water bottle and small change. A small waist bag is easier than a backpack on the walk.
No payment is taken when you send a booking request; you pay on the day, in cash (EUR, USD, TRY) or by card. Requests are usually confirmed within 1–2 hours and always within 24 hours. The tour is rated moderate: about 360 steps and a walk of roughly 3 to 4 km at Ihlara, and low, narrow corridors at Derinkuyu. Closed, flat shoes are required. If you dislike enclosed spaces or have knee or breathing problems, the Red Tour is a better fit. Museum and underground-city entrances are included; mention a Museum Pass in your booking note. Groups are formed by guide language with a maximum of 14 guests. Times are approximate.
Hotel pick-up around 08:30–09:15 (time confirmed the evening before). Pick-up and drop-off are free. We send your pick-up time on WhatsApp the evening before.
Hotel pick-up (Göreme, Uçhisar, Çavuşin, Ortahisar, Ürgüp, Avanos)Open in mapsYou go down about 360 steps, then walk roughly 3 to 4 km on mostly flat ground. It's not hard for a healthy adult, but it can be tiring with knee problems.
Corridors are low and narrow in places. Tell your guide and you can wait above ground, and if you write to us when booking, we'll note it in advance.
Fine for children who walk, but it's a long day of about nine hours with lots of driving. For families with small kids the Red Tour is often easier.
Yes. Entrances to Derinkuyu, Ihlara and Selime and the set lunch in Belisırma are included; drinks with the meal are not.
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable for Ihlara; in summer the underground and the canyon stay cool. In winter the ground can be slippery, so wear sturdy soles.
You can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before the tour. No-shows are not refunded. If weather or road conditions prevent the tour, we'll rebook it with you for another day.
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