Full-Day Cappadocia Green Tour with Ihlara Valley and Underground City
8 hoursCappadociaGroup tourDaily departures
- Direct operator priceBooked directly with us. We run the tour, so there is no commission on top.
- Guaranteed daily departuresYour dates run even if nobody else books.
- Starts and ends in CappadociaHotel pickup from about 09:00
- Moderate walkingUp to two to three hours on foot, with steps and uneven ground at some sites.
- Full-day Green TourPickup 09:00; finish around 17:00
- Ihlara river canyon walkExpect uneven paths, canyon steps and underground stairs.
- One underground cityDerinkuyu or Kaymakli admission
- Lunch and hotel transfersMeal, hotel pickup and return included
- Guided in EnglishAlso in Spanish and Italian on private tours.
- Group tourShared with other travellers, with a guide
Overview
Make Ihlara's river canyon part of your Cappadocia stay. Walk below its high rock walls, explore one underground city and stop at southern villages and viewpoints. The Green Tour includes a guide, site tickets, lunch and hotel pickup and return. Show more overviewShow less
Follow the river landscape of Ihlara Valley and explore an underground settlement on a full-day Cappadocia Green Tour. This southern route takes you beyond the central valleys, combining a canyon walk with village stops and wide views of the surrounding rock formations.
Your guide leads the visits to Ihlara, Belisirma, Esentepe, Yaprakhisar and Pigeon Valley, plus either Derinkuyu or Kaymakli Underground City. You visit one underground city, with its admission included alongside the other listed entry fees. A restaurant lunch breaks up the journey.
Hotel pickup and return are included, with vehicle transport between the sights and walking at the stops.
To add the Red and Yellow routes in one stay, choose our 3-day Cappadocia package with Ihlara, two hotel nights and airport transfers, booking your own flights to arrive before 09:00 and depart after 19:00.
Arranged for your Green Tour
- Guided visits and ticketsThe listed admissions include one underground city.
- Lunch during the routeYour restaurant meal is included; drinks are extra.
- Transport from your hotelThe vehicle connects the sights and returns you to your hotel.
Itinerary
6 places to visit
Ihlara’s river canyon and a city beneath the rock
Walk beside the river and explore an underground settlement
Schedule
- 09:00Pickup from your Cappadocia hotel
Meet the tour vehicle for hotel collections before travelling to the sights.
Approximate start of the hotel pickup round.
- 10:00Explore the Green Tour route
Visit Ihlara Valley, one underground city and the villages and viewpoints below with your guide. Stop for a restaurant lunch during the day.
Approximate sightseeing start after pickups.
Places you’ll visit
- Ihlara Valley
- Derinkuyu or Kaymakli Underground City
- Belisirma Village
- Yaprakhisar
- Esentepe viewpoint
- Pigeon Valley
About these 6 places
- Ihlara Valley
- Walk beside the Melendiz River beneath canyon walls with rock-cut churches. The route includes steps and uneven paths.
- Derinkuyu or Kaymakli Underground City
- Explore one underground settlement through connecting rooms, corridors and stairs. Your guide explains how people used these sheltered spaces; some passages are low and narrow.
- Belisirma Village
- See village homes and riverside life within Ihlara Valley, with the canyon walls rising around the settlement.
- Yaprakhisar
- View the pointed rock formations around the village and the layers of stone that shape this part of southern Cappadocia.
- Esentepe viewpoint
- Pause for an open view over the surrounding ridges and rock landscape.
- Pigeon Valley
- Look for the small pigeon houses carved into the valley walls, a reminder of the birds’ role in local farming.
- 17:00Finish the tour and return to your hotel
The vehicle takes you back to your Cappadocia hotel after the final visit.
Approximate finish; road conditions affect the hotel journey.
Optional at sunrise
Not included · add it while you book
Take this itinerary with you.The full day-by-day plan as a PDF, by email or straight to your device.
What's included
Included7
- Guided Green Tour through all six listed stops
- Admission to either Derinkuyu or Kaymakli Underground City
- Other listed site entrance fees
- Licensed guide
- Restaurant lunch
- Cappadocia hotel pickup and return, with transport between the stops
- Local taxes and service charges
Not included4
- Breakfast, dinner and drinks with lunch
- Optional balloon flight, balloon watching, ATV, horse or camel ride and Turkish Night
- Hotel accommodation, flights and airport transfers
- Personal expenses
Compare packages
Green is the route for Ihlara’s river canyon; Yellow combines central valleys with an underground visit, while Red focuses on the northern fairy chimneys and Zelve.
Swipe across to compare packages.
| Comparison | This tourFull-Day Cappadocia Green Tour with Ihlara Valley and Underground CityFollow the river through Ihlara and visit an underground settlement, with southern villages and viewpoints along the route. | Full-Day Cappadocia Yellow Tour: Underground City and Valley WalkChoose Rose Valley and Cavusin, with an underground visit and the option to skip the longer Gulludere walk. | Full-Day Cappadocia Red Tour with Zelve, Pasabag and LunchSee Pasabag’s capped pillars and Zelve’s cave settlement, with Avanos pottery and northern viewpoints. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main landscape | Ihlara river canyon | Rose, Pigeon and Gulludere valleys | Northern fairy chimneys and rock valleys |
| Other stops | Belisirma, Yaprakhisar, Esentepe and Pigeon Valley | Cavusin cave village | Pasabag, Zelve, Devrent, Avanos, Goreme panorama and Uchisar exterior |
| Underground visit | One city: Derinkuyu or Kaymakli | Included | Not on this route |
| Walking focus | Canyon paths and steps, plus underground passages | Gulludere walk of up to two hours is optional | Outdoor site paths and cave-settlement steps |
| Usual pickup and finish | Pickup about 09:00; finish about 17:00 | Pickup about 09:30; finish about 16:00–17:00 | Pickup about 09:30; finish about 16:00–17:00 |
| From price | €68per person | €40per person | €40per person |
| View tour: Full-Day Cappadocia Yellow Tour: Underground City and Valley Walk | View tour: Full-Day Cappadocia Red Tour with Zelve, Pasabag and Lunch |
Add a day devoted to Hittite sites?
Full-Day Hattusa and Yazilikaya Tour from Cappadocia with Museum VisitTravel from Cappadocia to Hattusa and Yazilikaya on a separate day, with a museum visit in the itinerary.
Good to know
Plan for the canyon paths, underground visit and hotel schedule.
Please note
- Hotel pickup starts around 09:00, with sightseeing around 10:00 and a finish around 17:00. Times depend on the collection route and road conditions.
- Ihlara has canyon steps and uneven walking paths. The underground city has stairs, narrow corridors and low ceilings; wear shoes with good grip.
- The route enters one underground city, either Derinkuyu or Kaymakli.
- For an optional sunrise balloon flight or ground-based balloon watching, arrive in Cappadocia the previous day. Choose one morning activity; hotel pickup and return are included. Confirm that the seasonal activity schedule fits your Green Tour pickup.
Show 4 more notesShow fewer notes
- Balloon flights last about one hour, have a minimum age of six and no child discount. Flights require suitable weather and aviation approval; weather cancellation refunds the balloon activity fee.
- Ground-based balloon watching includes a driver, vehicle and hotel transfers, with no flight or guide.
- After the tour, choose one optional one-hour ATV, horse or camel ride. Minimum age is ten and hotel transfers are included. Plan the ride for a day when you stay in Cappadocia that night.
- Optional Turkish Night has pickup around 20:00, dinner, unlimited local alcoholic and soft drinks, and a late hotel return. All optional activities are charged separately.
What to bring
- Walking shoes with grip
- Light layer
- Sun protection
Questions travellers ask
Do we visit both underground cities?
The tour visits either Derinkuyu or Kaymakli, with admission included. You explore one of the two on the day.
What are the walking conditions?
Expect canyon steps and uneven paths at Ihlara, plus stairs and low, narrow passages in the underground city. Shoes with good grip are useful.
Does sightseeing start at 09:00?
Hotel collections start around 09:00. Sightseeing begins around 10:00 after pickups, and the tour finishes around 17:00 with hotel drop-off included.
Is lunch included?
Yes, a restaurant lunch is included during the route. Drinks with the meal are extra.
Can I add a sunrise activity before the Green Tour?
A sunrise balloon flight or ground-based balloon watching may fit before the tour. Stay in Cappadocia the previous night and confirm that the seasonal activity schedule allows you to return before your Green Tour pickup. Both activities cost extra; balloon operations depend on weather and aviation approval.
Which languages and tour types is this tour available in?
| Guide language | Group tour | Private tour |
|---|---|---|
| English | Available | Available |
| Spanish | Not offered | Available |
| Italian | Not offered | Available |
Pick the combination that suits you when you check availability.
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