Tour Overview
Three and a half kilometers of canyon walking and eight floors underground, both in the same day. The Cappadocia Green Tour reaches the two landscapes that the Red and Yellow routes skip: the deep gorge of Ihlara Valley and a multi-level underground city at Derinkuyu or Kaymakli, with a riverside lunch in Belisirma village midway through the route.
Esentepe Panorama Point opens the day with a wide view over southern Cappadocia, and Yaprakhisar Panorama closes it with a contrasting one. Along the gorge, the trail passes Byzantine churches with frescoes carved straight into the rock, while the underground city reveals kitchens, wine cellars and halls of worship cut below the surface.
Tour Highlights
- Ihlara Valley on foot, not from a viewpoint: 3.5 km through a volcanic canyon with Byzantine fresco churches carved directly into the walls.
- Underground city at Derinkuyu or Kaymakli: descend through narrow tunnels to kitchens, wine cellars, and worship halls carved eight floors below the surface.
- Riverside lunch inside the gorge at Belisirma: wooden platforms over the stream, where cliff walls replace any reminder of main roads.
- Esentepe panorama to open, Yaprakhisar panorama to close: two elevated viewpoints with wide, contrasting views of southern Cappadocia.
- Hotel pickup, entrance fees, guide, and lunch all arranged, nothing needs to be sorted on arrival or paid separately on site.
- Pair this with the Cappadocia Red Tour for the northern fairy chimneys and rock valleys on a separate day. If you are visiting from Istanbul, the 2-day Cappadocia tour from Istanbul combines a cave or stone hotel stay and both guided days in one booking.
Itinerary
A guided day through southern Cappadocia: hotel pickup, Esentepe Panorama, an underground city, Ihlara Valley, lunch in Belisirma, and Yaprakhisar Panorama.
Lunch and entrance fees are included.
Pick up from your hotel in Cappadocia.
Your driver meets you at the hotel lobby and the group sets off toward the southern edge of the Cappadocia plateau. Pickup time may change.
Esentepe Panorama Point
Esentepe is a plateau edge at the southern boundary of the Cappadocia tourist zone, and the view it gives reveals something the other tours' photo stops do not: the full scale of what lies further south. From here you can see the flatland that hides the underground city and the valley corridor you will walk through later. It is the only stop on the Green Tour where you see both of the day's main destinations from above before entering either one.
Derinkuyu Underground City or Kaymakli Underground City
Kaymakli and Derinkuyu are the two most accessible of Cappadocia's more than 200 known underground cities, and the tour visits whichever one is open that day. Each descends at least eight floors through a system of narrow tunnels, ventilation shafts, animal stables, wine cellars, and communal halls that once sheltered thousands of people during Byzantine-era raids. The logic of the space becomes clearer the deeper you go: the widest areas served communal living while the narrowest passages were defensive bottlenecks designed to slow armed groups trying to push through.
Ihlara Valley
The descent into Ihlara Valley starts at the top of a 400-step staircase that brings you from the plateau down to the river running along the canyon floor. Once inside, the walls on both sides rise between 80 and 100 meters above the trail, and the path follows the Melendiz River for roughly 3.5 kilometers before reaching Belisirma Village. At least a dozen Byzantine cave churches are built into the cliff faces at various heights along the route, some accessible, some visible only from below, all original rather than reconstructed.
Belisirma Village
Belisirma is a small village that sits at a natural rest point in Ihlara Valley and has hosted hikers and pilgrims for centuries. Lunch here is at a riverside restaurant where the seating sits on wooden platforms cantilevered over the stream, you eat within a meter or two of flowing water, with canyon walls rising on both sides. The combination of cool air, moving water, and total absence of road noise makes this the most genuinely remote meal stop of any guided Cappadocia tour.
Yaprakhisar Panorama
Yaprakhisar lies on the return road toward central Cappadocia and its rock formations are structurally different from the grouped chimneys near Goreme, here they stand as isolated spires and columns across a wider, more open plain. The afternoon sun brings out warm rust and ochre tones in the tuff that photographers specifically look for, and the uncluttered horizon makes it easy to frame images without crowds in the foreground. After hours spent inside tunnels and a canyon, the open setting of Yaprakhisar gives the day one last visual full stop before the drive back.
Transfer back to your hotel.
After the final panorama stop, the group returns to Cappadocia and you are dropped off at your hotel.
What's Included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Cappadocia
- Professional English-speaking licensed tour guide
- Lunch at a local riverside restaurant in Belisirma Village
- All entrance fees to underground city and Ihlara Valley
- Air-conditioned group transportation throughout the tour
- All local taxes and service charges
Not Included
- Personal expenses
- Drinks at lunch
Good to Know
- The Ihlara Valley section involves a 3.5 km walk on uneven terrain. Comfortable shoes with good grip are strongly recommended.
- The underground city contains low passages, narrow tunnels, and steep stairs. Guests with severe claustrophobia should consider whether this section suits them before booking.
- Vegetarian meal options are available at Belisirma Village. Please mention any dietary requirements at the time of booking.
- Hotel pickup and drop-off are included and arranged within Cappadocia. Pickup time may shift slightly based on your hotel location.
- The underground city stays cool year-round regardless of surface temperature. A light layer or jacket is recommended even in summer.
- Pick-up times may vary depending on your hotel location and seasonal conditions.
- Optional add-ons: Hot Air Balloon Flight and Balloon Watching Tour can be requested during booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does this tour start and end?
It starts at 09:30 and ends at about 17:30.
Is hotel pick-up included?
Yes. Included: Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Cappadocia.
Are meals included?
Included: Lunch at a local riverside restaurant in Belisirma Village. Not included: Drinks at lunch.
Are entrance fees included?
Yes. Included: All entrance fees to underground city and Ihlara Valley.
What will you see on this tour?
Esentepe Panorama Point, Derinkuyu Underground City or Kaymakli Underground City, Ihlara Valley, Belisirma Village and Yaprakhisar Panorama.
What is the difference between the Cappadocia Green Tour and the Cappadocia Yellow Tour?
Compared with this tour, the Cappadocia Yellow Tour (another route): visits Red Valley and Rose Valley; 1 hour shorter. From €44 per person (€24 less than this tour).
In which languages is the tour guided?
Guides are available in English, Spanish and Italian. Prices may vary depending on the selected language.
Does this tour depart every day?
Yes, it departs daily and there is no minimum number of participants.
