Cappadocia Private Tour: Goreme, Underground City & Castle

Walk through Goreme's oldest cave churches, then descend into a multi-level underground city.

A private tour of Cappadocia based in Goreme, visiting the region's cave churches, fairy chimneys and an underground city with your own guide and transportation. Start at the Goreme Open Air Museum to see frescoed cave churches, then explore the multi-level Özkonak Underground City with its ancient apartments and air circulation system. The day ends at Uchisar Castle overlooking the valleys, with stops in Devrent Valley and the pottery village of Avanos.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Monks Valley1h
2. Devrent Valley1h
3. Göreme Open-Air Museum1h 30m
4. Uchisar Castle30m
5. Özkonak Underground City45m

Explore Cappadocia highlights and underground city

• Visit Nevsehir city overview
• Panoramic view from Goreme highest point
• Visit Avanos village and have lunch
• Tour historical Urgup village
• Explore Devrent Valley rock formations
• Visit Goreme Open Air Museum cave churches
• See Uchisar Castle viewpoint
• Explore Ozkonak Underground City

The experience

Goreme sits at the heart of Cappadocia, and this tour uses it as a base to reach the region's main sights without switching guides or vans. You get picked up from your hotel and spend the day with one guide who knows the stops and can answer questions as you move between them. The route covers the Goreme Open Air Museum's cave churches with their original frescoes, the fairy chimneys of Devrent and Pasabaglar Valleys, and the small riverside village of Avanos known for its pottery and clay work along the Kizilirmak River.

The Özkonak Underground City is the tour's centerpiece. Unlike a surface walk, you descend into a multi-level cross-structured city carved into the rock, moving through apartments, storerooms and cooking rooms. The ancient builders engineered an air circulation system that still works: a detail that sets it apart from other underground sites in the region. Uchisar Castle, a watchtower perched above the valleys, comes last, giving you a panoramic view of the landscape you've spent the day exploring.

The tour runs 8 hours and includes your own transportation and guide. You choose between a 1-day or 2-day option at checkout. Your guide speaks English, Spanish or German, and can arrange other languages on request. Comfortable shoes, sunglasses and a hat are essentials. The walking is moderate but the sun exposure is real. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, so logistics are settled before you book.

What’s included

• Your own private guide and van for the full day.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• access to all the stops on the route including Goreme Open Air Museum, Özkonak Underground City, Uchisar Castle, Devrent Valley and Avanos village.

Options for this experience

2 options

Private guide and van for one full dayGuide in English, Spanish or German · 8 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 12:00Spend a full day with your own private guide and van. Pickup is included.

Private guide and van for two daysGuide in English, Spanish or German · 8 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 12:00Two days with a private guide and van, pickup included

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day8 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 12:00

Book up to2h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and German

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 49 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Guided Istanbul Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the 1-day option if you want the main sights in a single outing, or the 2-day version if you prefer a slower pace and want to spend more time at each stop. The private van and guide mean you set the rhythm: no group schedule to follow, and your guide can linger where you have questions.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

7 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and German.

What are the cave churches in Goreme Open Air Museum like?

Goreme Open Air Museum holds the region's oldest cave churches, carved into the rock with frescoes still visible on the walls. Your guide walks you through them to explain the history and the artwork.

How deep does the Özkonak Underground City go?

Özkonak is a multi-level underground city, so you descend through several floors. The ancient builders created apartments, storerooms and cooking rooms below ground, along with an air circulation system that allowed people to live and work safely underground.

What's the view like from Uchisar Castle?

Uchisar Castle sits at the highest point in Goreme village and overlooks the entire region. From the watchtower you see the valleys, fairy chimneys and the landscape you've visited during the day.

Can I visit Avanos on this tour?

Yes, the tour includes a stop in Avanos, a small village on the Kizilirmak River famous for its pottery and clay work. You have time to walk around and see the workshops.

What are fairy chimneys?

Fairy chimneys are the distinctive rock formations scattered across Cappadocia's valleys. Devrent Valley has shapes that resemble an eagle, dolphin and mushroom, and Pasabaglar Valley has more of these cone-shaped rocks.