Cappadocia Green Tour | Underground City & Ihlara

per person

Cappadocia Green Tour: Derinkuyu & Ihlara Valley

Underground city, canyon hike and Selime Monastery

Highlights

About This Tour

Detailed Itinerary

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A full day across southern Cappadocia: descend into Derinkuyu Underground City, walk the Ihlara Valley canyon along the Melendiz stream, and visit the rock-cut Selime Monastery, with lunch by the river.

From EUR 75

Duration: 8-9 hours

Group: Max 14

Languages: EN, TR, DE, FR

Difficulty: Moderate

Highlights

Descend into Derinkuyu, one of the deepest underground cities open to visitors
4 km canyon walk along the Melendiz stream in Ihlara Valley
Selime Monastery, the largest rock-cut religious complex in Cappadocia
Lunch beside the river in Ihlara village

The Green Tour covers the southern side of Cappadocia and pairs underground history with open valley scenery. You begin in Derinkuyu, one of the deepest underground cities open to visitors, descending through narrow tunnels past ventilation shafts, old kitchens and the large rolling stone doors that once sealed each level. From there the day moves to the Ihlara Valley, a green canyon cut by the Melendiz stream, where the walk passes rock-cut churches still showing their frescoes. After lunch beside the river you reach Selime Monastery, the largest rock-cut religious complex in the region, with halls and a chapel carved straight into the cliff. A local guide is with you throughout and explains each site as you go.

Included

Air-conditioned vehicle with hotel pickup and drop-off
Licensed local guide (English and Turkish)
Lunch at a restaurant by the stream in Ihlara
Entrance fees for Derinkuyu and Selime
Bottled water

Itinerary

09:30 - Hotel pickup from Goreme, Urgup or Uchisar
10:30 - Derinkuyu Underground City: tunnels, ventilation shafts and rolling stone doors
12:30 - Lunch by the stream in Ihlara village
14:00 - Ihlara Valley walk past rock-cut churches with frescoes
16:30 - Selime Monastery and its cathedral-size halls
18:30 - Return to your hotel

Not Included

Drinks with lunch
Gratuities for guide and driver

Frequently Asked Questions

Standard flights: 60-75 minutes in the air. Deluxe flights: 90-120 minutes. Total experience is 3-4 hours including pickup, pre-flight briefing, inflation show, flight, landing celebration, and return to hotel. Flight duration depends on wind conditions.

Standard baskets: 16-20 people (divided into 4-5 compartments). Deluxe baskets: 8-12 people for more space and comfort. Private baskets available for 2-8 people. Basket assignment is done by weight distribution for safety and balance.

Modern balloons land very gently - like stepping off a curb. Our experienced pilots ensure smooth landings 99% of the time. Baskets have handles and padding for safety. You'll receive safety briefing before flight. Most passengers are surprised how gentle the landing is!

Our balloon tours start from €299 per person for Standard flight. Deluxe flights are €399 per person. Prices include hotel pickup, professional pilot, flight certificate, and champagne celebration. Group discounts available for 4+ people.

We accept all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express), PayPal, bank transfers, and cash payments. You can pay 50% deposit online and remaining 50% on tour day. All transactions are secured with SSL encryption.

Booking is simple: 1) Select your tour and date 2) Fill in passenger details 3) Choose payment method 4) Confirm booking 5) Receive confirmation email with pickup details. You can also book via WhatsApp or call us directly.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before tour start. Cancellations within 24 hours: 50% refund. No-shows: no refund. Weather cancellations: full refund or reschedule. Refunds processed within 5-7 business days.

WhatsApp: +90 555 123 4567 (24/7), Phone: +90 384 271 2525, Email: info@westtravel.com. Our office in Goreme is open 8:00-20:00 daily. Emergency contact available 24/7 during your tour dates.

Red Tour covers the northern region including Goreme Open Air Museum and Devrent Valley. Green Tour focuses on the southern area with underground cities and Ihlara Valley.

No experience needed. Our guides provide a short training session before the tour starts. The ATVs are easy to operate and suitable for beginners.

The drive from Kayseri Airport to Goreme takes approximately 1 hour. We monitor your flight and adjust pickup time if there are delays.

Not at all. You can use any camera or even your smartphone. Our guide will help you find the best angles and lighting regardless of your equipment.

Comfortable walking shoes with good grip are essential. Dress in layers as temperatures can change. Bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.

Yes, lunch is included in all our daily tours. We stop at local restaurants where you can taste authentic Cappadocian cuisine.

Yes, we provide 24/7 airport transfers. No matter what time your flight arrives, we will be there to pick you up.

We pick you up about 1 hour before sunrise. The exact time changes by season. In summer it is around 4:00 AM, in winter around 6:00 AM.

Yes, our horses are calm and trained for tourist rides. Guides match you with a suitable horse and stay with you throughout the tour.

Day tours usually include 5-7 stops at major attractions. Each stop allows enough time for photos and exploration.

Yes! Free hotel pickup is included for all tours within Cappadocia region (Goreme, Urgup, Uchisar, Avanos, Nevsehir). Pickup time will be confirmed via WhatsApp 1 day before tour. For hotels outside this area, we can arrange pickup with additional cost.

We keep groups small for personalized experience. Balloon baskets: max 20 people (usually 16-18). Daily tours: max 14 people per vehicle. Private tours available for couples and families. Large groups (20+) can be arranged with advance notice.

Comfortable walking shoes, warm layers (mornings can be cold), camera, sunglasses, hat, water bottle. For balloon tours: avoid high heels, bring warm jacket. We provide: professional guide, entrance fees, lunch (full day tours), insurance coverage.

The show includes traditional folk dances from different regions, belly dancing, a whirling dervish performance, and an open buffet dinner with local dishes.

Of course! Your handmade pottery is yours to keep. We carefully pack it so you can safely take it home as a unique souvenir.

The cooking class takes about 3-4 hours. You will learn to prepare several traditional Turkish dishes and enjoy eating what you cook.

April-June and September-November are ideal with mild weather and fewer crowds. July-August: hot but longest days. December-March: cold but magical snowy landscapes and lower prices. Balloon flights operate year-round except extreme weather days.

Fly to Kayseri (ASR) or Nevsehir (NAV) airports. Kayseri is 70km (1 hour drive) to Goreme, Nevsehir is 40km (45 minutes). We can arrange airport transfers. Alternatively, fly to Istanbul then domestic flight, or bus from major Turkish cities.

Must-try: Pottery Kebab (Testi Kebabı) cooked in clay pot, Manti (Turkish dumplings), fresh Turkish bread, Cappadocian wine, Turkish delight, and local honey. Our tours include traditional lunch at authentic restaurants. Vegetarian options always available.

Safety first! If tours are cancelled due to weather (especially balloon flights), you have 3 options: 1) Full refund within 5-7 days 2) Reschedule to another date (no extra cost) 3) Credit voucher valid for 1 year. Decision made by Civil Aviation Authority for balloons.

All our pilots are licensed by Turkish Civil Aviation Authority with 1000+ flight hours. Balloons inspected daily. We use only certified equipment. Full insurance coverage included. Ground tours use licensed vehicles with professional drivers. First aid trained guides on all tours.

Yes! All tours include comprehensive liability insurance up to €1,000,000 coverage. This covers accidents during tour activities. We strongly recommend personal travel insurance for medical expenses, trip cancellation, and baggage protection before traveling to Turkey.

4.5/5 from 26 verified reviews

5/5 ★

Perfect for photography enthusiasts

The photography workshop exceeded all my expectations! Our instructor was a professional photographer who knew all the secret spots for the best shots. The sunrise and balloon photos came out incredible. Small group size allowed for personalized guidance.

Yuki Tanaka from Japan

4/5 ★

Balade à cheval magnifique

La balade à cheval dans les vallées était magnifique! Les chevaux étaient bien dressés et dociles. Notre guide connaissait parfaitement la région et nous a menés à travers les plus beaux paysages. Une expérience authentique!

Sophie Dubois from France

5/5 ★

Wanderung durch Märchenlandschaft

Die Wanderung durch die Täler war wie ein Spaziergang durch eine Märchenlandschaft! Unser Guide war sehr sachkundig und hat uns viel über die Geologie und Geschichte erzählt. Moderate Schwierigkeit, perfekt für Familien.

Alex Mueller from Germany

5/5 ★

Perfect for photography enthusiasts

Professional photographer guide helped me capture stunning shots I never thought possible. Small group size allowed for personalized attention.

David Chen from USA

5/5 ★

Мастер-класс по керамике

Мастер-класс по керамике в Аваносе был потрясающим! Местный мастер показал нам традиционные техники изготовления керамики. Мы создали собственные горшки на гончарном круге. Очень аутентичный опыт турецких традиций!

Elena Popov from Russia

4/5 ★

Great combination tour

The Blue Tour was a great combination of history and nature. Selime Monastery was fascinating, and the Ihlara Valley hike was refreshing. The underground city was mind-blowing - how did they build such complex structures? Great value for money!

James Wilson from Australia

English Türkçe

Cappadocia Green Tour: Derinkuyu & Ihlara Valley

Underground city, canyon hike and Selime Monastery

Highlights

About This Tour

Detailed Itinerary

Includes

Excludes

Important Information

Payment & Booking

Cancellation Policy

Select Your Date

Reserve Your Tour