Goreme Green Tour: Derinkuyu & Ihlara Valley Day Trip

Eight levels down, then a canyon walk: Cappadocia's south in one day

You get picked up from Goreme, descend into an 8-level underground city with a guide explaining its history, walk 4 kilometers through a river canyon past ancient cave churches, visit the region's largest rock monastery, and end at a viewpoint over Pigeon Valley. Transport, guide, and all entry fees are included. You just show up and follow the schedule.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Derinkuyu Underground City1h
2. Selime Monastery1h
3. Ihlara Valley1h
4. Pigeon Valley30m

Explore southern Cappadocia sights

• Visit Göreme Panorama viewpoint
• Tour Derinkuyu Underground City
• Walk through Ihlara Valley
• Explore Selime Monastery
• View Pigeon Valley from Uçhisar

The experience

The moment you step into Derinkuyu Underground City, the air changes. It's cooler, quieter, and suddenly the scale of what you're standing in hits. This isn't a small cave, it's a whole city carved down eight levels into the bedrock, dating back to the 7th or 8th century. Your guide walks you through narrow stone stairways, past winery chambers and food storage areas, explaining how entire families lived down here, hidden from raids. The tunnels are tight enough that you feel the weight of the rock above, which is the whole point. It's not claustrophobic if you're ready for it, but it's real.

After you climb back up and your eyes adjust to daylight again, the Goreme Green Tour shifts gears completely. You drive to Ihlara Valley and walk about 4 kilometers along a river that cuts through a canyon so deep the walls tower above you. Early Christian monks carved churches right into the stone centuries ago, and you pass them as you walk: some with faded frescoes still visible, some just dark openings in the rock. It's an easy walk, nothing strenuous, but the landscape does the work. The guide points out details you'd miss alone: which caves were living quarters, which were prayer spaces, how the monks chose their spots based on water and light.

The day starts at Göreme Panorama, where the guide explains how this whole landscape formed (volcanic eruptions, wind, water, time), and then you move through the stops in order: the underground city, Selime Monastery (the biggest rock-carved monastery in the region), the valley walk, and finally Pigeon Valley in Uçhisar, where you see the stone dovecotes carved into the cliffs. An air-conditioned vehicle takes you between each stop, so you're not managing transport yourself or figuring out timing. The whole thing runs about eight hours, and by the end you've moved through three different kinds of Cappadocia: underground, carved into cliffs, and carved into canyons.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup in Goreme, a professional English-speaking guide, air-conditioned vehicle transport between all stops, entry fees to Derinkuyu Underground City, Selime Monastery, Ihlara Valley, and viewpoints at Göreme Panorama and Pigeon Valley. You'll also walk the 4-kilometer valley route on your own pace with the guide present.

Options for this experience

3 options

Usual program with guide and transferGuide in English · 09:30You will travel with a licensed professional tour guide, while most companies offer only a driver or an unlicensed guide. Usual/Classic Green Tour: we have run the usual green tour for 17 years, covering 220 km in total. We don't skip any sites to lower the price. Transfer is included: some companies offer meeting at a specific point to reduce prices, but we collect you from your hotel and return you there. Pickup is included.

Usual program, lunch not includedGuide in English · 09:30You will travel with a licensed professional tour guide, while most companies offer only a driver or an unlicensed guide. Usual/Classic Green Tour: we have run the usual green tour for 17 years, covering 220 km in total. We don't skip any sites to lower the price. Transfer is included: some companies offer meeting at a specific point to reduce prices, but we collect you from your hotel and return you there. Entrance tickets included: this tour covers the usual Green Tour archaeological sites, and tickets are included. We don't skip any site to lower the price. Pickup is included.

All-inclusive usual programGuide in English · 09:30You will travel with a licensed professional tour guide, while most companies offer only a driver or an unlicensed guide. Lunch is included: we serve lunch beside the river at a local family restaurant, whereas most others stop at a simple restaurant to cut costs. Usual/Classic Green Tour: we have run the usual green tour for 17 years, covering 220 km in total. We don't skip any sites to lower the price. Transfer is included: some companies offer meeting at a specific point to reduce prices, but we collect you from your hotel and return you there. Entrance tickets included: this tour covers the usual Green Tour archaeological sites, and tickets are included. We don't skip any site to lower the price. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (5 to 80 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 18

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Cappadocia Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Cappadocia's main historical sites in one day without arranging separate transport, tickets, or timing. The fixed itinerary handles all three, and the guide explains what you're looking at as you move through it.

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Top questions

How long is the Ihlara Valley walk?

About 4 kilometers along the river, taking roughly 1 hour. It's an easy walk, mostly flat, following the canyon floor.

What's included in the tour price?

Professional English-speaking guide, air-conditioned vehicle transport, and entry to all attractions (Derinkuyu, Selime Monastery, Ihlara Valley, viewpoints).

Is the underground city suitable if I have claustrophobia?

No, it's not recommended. The passages are narrow and you descend eight levels underground, which can feel confining.

How many hours is the full tour?

Approximately 8 hours from pickup to return.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels. The main activity is a 4km walk through Ihlara Valley, which is easy and mostly flat. The underground city involves stairs and narrow passages but no climbing.

What's the difference between the Green Tour and other Cappadocia tours?

The Green Tour focuses on the southern region of Cappadocia, including the underground city, valley hike, and monasteries. Other tours may cover different areas like the fairy chimneys or northern sites.