Cappadocia Green Tour: North & South in One Day

Hike Ihlara Valley and descend into an underground city carved by Romans

A private full-day tour of Cappadocia combining the region's north and south in one itinerary: Pigeon Valley, Derinkuyu Underground City, Ihlara Valley with a 3.5-kilometer hike, lunch by the river, and Selime Monastery. Your English-speaking guide handles the route and commentary while you move between four major sites.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Derinkuyu Underground City1h · entry included
2. Ihlara Valley1h · entry included
3. Selime Monastery30m · entry included

Explore Cappadocia's highlights

• Climb to Selime Monastery
• Rest and learn en route to Pigeon Valley
• Visit Pigeon Valley
• Drive to Derinkuyu Underground City
• Explore Derinkuyu Underground City
• Drive to Ihlara Valley entrance
• Hike 3.5 km in Ihlara Valley
• Lunch by the river in Ihlara Valley
• Visit Selime Monastery
• Visit onyx factory in Uchisar
• Return to hotel

The experience

The tour starts at Pigeon Valley, where locals carved houses into the slopes centuries ago to shelter birds whose eggs and droppings served practical purposes in Cappadocia's economy. After about an hour to rest and hear stories about Anatolian traditions, you drive 40 minutes to Derinkuyu Underground City. This multi-level excavation began as a natural cold storage and later sheltered residents from Arabian invasions. You spend roughly an hour exploring the passages with your guide's explanations of how the Romans used the space.

The centerpiece is Ihlara Valley, a 14-kilometer canyon formed over millions of years by volcanic action and river erosion. You hike 3.5 kilometers through the valley floor, passing carved churches and painted chapels left by Christians who once lived in the canyon walls. The hike takes about an hour and fifteen minutes and ends at a restaurant where you eat lunch by the Melendiz River: soup, salad, a choice of main dishes, and seasonal fruit. This break falls roughly in the middle of the day, so you have time to recover before the afternoon sites.

After lunch, the tour moves to Selime Monastery, which resembles a castle from a distance but contains the rooms, chapels, storage areas and cathedral that reveal its monastic purpose. The final stop is an onyx factory in Uchisar, where a craftsman demonstrates how volcanic stone is shaped and polished. The tour ends with hotel drop-off. The full day runs between four and seven hours depending on traffic and how long you spend at each site.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• entrance fees to Derinkuyu Underground City, Ihlara Valley and Selime Monastery.
• lunch with soup, salad, main dish and seasonal fruit.
• English-speaking guide throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 10:00 and 11:00

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

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 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Stoneland Travel

Is this one for you?Book this if you have only one day in Cappadocia and want to see both the north (underground cities) and south (Ihlara Valley, Selime Monastery) with private transport and an English-speaking guide included.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3).

What is the hike in Ihlara Valley actually like?

Ihlara Valley's hike covers 3.5 kilometers along the canyon floor and takes about an hour and fifteen minutes. The path follows the Melendiz River past carved churches and painted chapels left by early Christians. The canyon itself is 80 meters deep and stretches 14 kilometers in total length, though you walk only a section of it before reaching the lunch restaurant.

Can I visit Derinkuyu Underground City if I'm uncomfortable in tight spaces?

Derinkuyu Underground City involves descending into multi-level passages carved into rock. The operator does not recommend this site for people with claustrophobia, so if enclosed underground spaces cause you anxiety, you may want to ask about alternatives or skip this portion of the tour.

How much walking and climbing is involved across the whole day?

The tour includes climbing to Selime Monastery (which the operator notes can be tiring), the 3.5-kilometer hike through Ihlara Valley, and walking through Derinkuyu Underground City. The operator states the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though the monastery climb and valley hike are the most demanding sections.

What's included in the lunch?

Lunch is served by the river in Ihlara Valley and includes soup, salad, a choice of main dishes from a list, and seasonal fruit. The meal is included in the tour price. Drinks are not.

Does the tour visit both the north and south parts of Cappadocia?

Yes. The operator designed this tour to combine both regions in a single day: Pigeon Valley and Selime Monastery represent the north, while Derinkuyu Underground City and Ihlara Valley represent the south. Normally these require two separate days, but this itinerary fits the highlights into one route.