Cappadocia Green Tour: Underground City & Ihlara Valley

Walk through a canyon while a guide explains the underground city you just left behind

The Cappadocia Green Tour is a full-day guided sightseeing tour from Goreme that descends into Derinkuyu Underground City, walks the Ihlara Valley canyon, and visits Selime Monastery and Pigeon Valley. The tour runs eight to nine hours with a live guide in English, Spanish, Russian, Korean or another language, includes lunch by the Melendiz River, all entrance fees, air-conditioned transport, and hotel pickup. The itinerary can be arranged in Spanish if you book that option.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each4 stops

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

Explore Cappadocia's highlights

• View Goreme and Cappadocia panorama
• Visit Derinkuyu Underground City
• Walk in Ihlara Valley and visit Agacalti Church
• Lunch near Melendiz River in Belisırma Village
• Tour Selime Monastery
• See panoramic view of Pigeon Valley

The experience

The day starts in Goreme with a guide explaining the landscape and history of Cappadocia from a viewpoint, then moves to Derinkuyu Underground City: the largest and deepest of the region's subterranean settlements. You descend eight levels below ground, passing through sections the guide identifies: kitchens, sitting rooms, restrooms, tombs, stables, and a missionary school. The carved passages and chambers show how people lived underground, and the guide walks you through what each space was used for.

After Derinkuyu, the tour shifts to Ihlara Valley, the biggest and deepest canyon in Cappadocia. You walk roughly three to four kilometers alongside the Melendiz River from Agacalti Church down to Belisırma Village, passing through the natural landscape of the valley floor. After about ninety minutes of walking, you reach the village for lunch near the river. The pace is steady but not strenuous, and the guide points out the canyon walls and the river as you go.

The afternoon includes Selime Monastery, known as Cappadocia's oldest cathedral, where you see a kitchen, missionary school, church, and smaller chapels carved into the rock, though the frescoes are faint. The monastery sits on a hilltop with a panoramic view of the surrounding region. The final stop is Pigeon Valley, where you can photograph hundreds of pigeon houses built into the cliff face and feed the pigeons if you wish. The tour also includes two shopping stops: an Onyx Stone Art Craft Center and a Dry Nuts Center.

What’s included

• Lunch by the Melendiz River.
• all entrance fees to Derinkuyu Underground City, Ihlara Valley, Selime Monastery and Pigeon Valley.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• live guide in your chosen language.
• hotel pickup in Goreme.

Options for this experience

6 options

Group tour, museum tickets not includedGuide in English · 09:30includes pickup

Korean Guide without museum tickets09:30

Group TourGuide in English · 09:30includes pickup

See 3 more options

Korean-speaking guide, museum tickets included09:30

Private TourGuide in English · No fixed timeincludes pickup

Spanish-language group tour09:30includes pickup

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$ 35 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and Korean and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

AgesAdult (9 and older) · Child (4 to 8 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 18

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Korean

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by MyTrip Travel & Turkey Tours

Is this one for you?Book the group tour if you want the full day at a shared cost and don't mind the two shopping stops. Choose the private tour option if you prefer a dedicated guide and more flexibility with timing. If museum tickets are not a priority, the group option without museum tickets covers the same sites and reduces the price.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Korean.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 8 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Derinkuyu Underground City like when you get there?

Derinkuyu Underground City has eight levels carved beneath the ground, and you walk through different sections on each level: kitchens, sitting rooms, restrooms, tombs, stables and a missionary school. Your guide explains what each space was used for and how people lived underground in this largest and deepest underground city of Cappadocia.

How much walking is involved in Ihlara Valley?

You walk approximately three to four kilometers through Ihlara Valley alongside the Melendiz River, starting from Agacalti Church and ending at Belisırma Village. The walk takes about ninety minutes at a steady pace through the canyon floor, and lunch is served at the village afterward.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Yes, lunch is included and served near the Melendiz River in Belisırma Village after the valley walk. All entrance fees to the sites, air-conditioned transport, and hotel pickup are also included.

What is Selime Monastery, and why should I visit it?

Selime Monastery is Cappadocia's oldest cathedral, carved into the rock with a kitchen, missionary school, church, and smaller chapels inside. It sits on a hilltop with an excellent panoramic view of the surrounding landscape, though the frescoes inside are faint.

Can I feed the pigeons at Pigeon Valley?

Yes, at Pigeon Valley you can see hundreds of pigeon houses built into the cliff face, take photos, and feed the pigeons if you wish. It is the final stop on the tour and offers a unique panoramic view of the valley.