Cappadocia South Tour: Derinkuyu, Ihlara & Selime Monastery

Walk through eight centuries underground, then hike a canyon carved by monks

The Cappadocia South tour is a full-day guided sightseeing trip through the southern region of Cappadocia, visiting Derinkuyu Underground City, Ihlara Valley, Selime Monastery and Pigeon Valley viewpoint. A professional English-speaking guide leads the group in an air-conditioned vehicle, with hotel pickup included and lunch at a riverside restaurant in the valley. The tour runs 8 to 9 hours and suits all fitness levels, though it is not recommended for travelers with claustrophobia or spinal injuries.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each4 stops

1. Derinkuyu Underground CityEntry included1h
2. Ihlara ValleyEntry included2h
3. Selime MonasteryEntry included1h
4. Pigeon Valley30m

Explore southern Cappadocia highlights

• Start at Göreme Panorama viewpoint
• Visit Derinkuyu Underground City
• Walk 4km in Ihlara Valley
• Lunch at riverside restaurant in Ihlara Valley
• Explore Selime Monastery
• Stop at Uçhisar viewpoint over Pigeon Valley
• Visit onyx stone factory

The experience

If you've landed in Cappadocia and want to see the south without renting a car or navigating on your own, this tour handles the route, the timing and the entry to four major stops. You start at Derinkuyu Underground City, the region's biggest and deepest underground settlement, carved into the rock in the 7th and 8th centuries. Your guide takes you down eight interconnected levels through narrow tunnels and stone-carved stairways, pointing out the winery, church, kitchens, food storage areas and animal stalls that show how people lived underground for centuries.

From there you move to Ihlara Valley for an easy 4-kilometer walk along the river through a deep canyon scattered with cave churches carved by early Christian monks. The walk takes about an hour and ends at a riverside restaurant where you eat a Turkish kebab-style lunch. After lunch, you visit Selime Monastery, the biggest rock-carved monastery in the region, which once housed Hittite, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman civilizations. The final stop is a viewpoint in Uçhisar overlooking Pigeon Valley, where you see the pigeon houses carved from stone by ancient inhabitants. You also pass through Göreme Panorama viewpoint early in the day, where the guide explains how the landscape formed.

Three purchase options let you choose what suits your needs: the Classic Route with all inclusions (guide, vehicle, lunch and entry); the Classic Route without lunch if you prefer to eat elsewhere; or the guide-and-transfer option if you want to skip the lunch stop. Hotel pickup is included, and the guide speaks English throughout the day.

What’s included

• Professional English-speaking guide.
• air-conditioned vehicle with hotel pickup.
• entry to Derinkuyu Underground City, Ihlara Valley, and Selime Monastery.
• Turkish kebab-style lunch at a riverside restaurant (on the all-inclusive and lunch-included options).

Options for this experience

3 options

Classic Route Guide and TransferGuide in English · 09:30Visit with a licensed professional tour guide. Most companies operate with only a driver or an unlicensed guide. Usual/Classic Green Tour: We have been running the usual Green Tour for 17 years. You will drive 220 km in total. We do not skip any stops to lower the price. Transfer is included: some companies offer to meet at a specific point to cut prices, but we pick you up from your hotel and drop you back. Pickup is included.

Classic Route, lunch not includedGuide in English · 09:30Visit with a licensed professional tour guide. Most companies operate with only a driver or an unlicensed guide. Usual/Classic Green Tour: We have been running the usual Green Tour for 17 years. You will drive 220 km in total. We do not skip any stops to lower the price. Transfer is included: some companies offer to meet at a specific point to cut prices, but we pick you up from your hotel and drop you back. Entrance tickets included: This tour covers the usual Green Tour archaeological sites, and tickets are included. We do not skip any site to lower the price. Pickup is included.

Classic Route, everything is includedGuide in English · 09:30Visit with a licensed professional tour guide. Most companies operate with only a driver or an unlicensed guide. Lunch is included: we serve lunch beside the river at a local family restaurant, while most others stop at a simple restaurant to cut prices. Usual/Classic Green Tour: We have been running the usual Green Tour for 17 years. You will drive 220 km in total. We do not skip any stops to lower the price. Transfer is included: some companies offer to meet at a specific point to cut prices, but we pick you up from your hotel and drop you back. Entrance tickets included: This tour covers the usual Green Tour archaeological sites, and tickets are included. We do not 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

Lasts 8h–9h, runs every day at 09:30, from US$ 29 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 15 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (9 to 75 years) · Child (4 to 8 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Gorgeous Travel - Daily Tours & Balloon Flights

Is this one for you?Book the all-inclusive Classic Route if you want entry, transport and a meal arranged so you can focus on the sights instead of logistics. Choose the option without lunch if you prefer to eat at a place of your own choosing, or pick guide-and-transfer only if you're visiting some sites on your own and just need the ride and the guide for the stops that matter most to you.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 8 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

What exactly is Derinkuyu Underground City and how deep does the tour go?

Derinkuyu Underground City is the biggest and deepest underground settlement in the region, dating back to the 7th and 8th centuries. You descend eight levels connected by narrow tunnels and stone-carved stairways, seeing winery, church, kitchens, food storage and animal stalls while your guide explains daily life underground.

How long is the walk through Ihlara Valley and what will I see?

The walk through Ihlara Valley is an easy 4 kilometers along the river, taking about one hour. The canyon is scattered with cave churches carved by early Christian monks, and the walk ends at a riverside restaurant where lunch is served.

What is included in each of the three ticket options?

The Classic Route with all inclusions covers the guide, air-conditioned vehicle, entry to all sites and lunch at the riverside restaurant. The Classic Route without lunch includes the guide, vehicle and entry but skips the meal. The guide-and-transfer option provides the guide and vehicle only, with no entry fees or lunch.

What time does the tour start and when does hotel pickup happen?

Hotel pickup is included in the tour. The full day runs 8 to 9 hours, though the exact pickup time depends on your hotel location and the specific departure you book.

What happens at Pigeon Valley and Göreme Panorama?

Pigeon Valley is a final viewpoint in Uçhisar where you see pigeon houses carved from stone by ancient inhabitants overlooking the valley. Göreme Panorama is an early stop where the guide explains how Cappadocia's distinctive landscape came into existence, offering one of the best views in the region.