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3-Day Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul (Group)2 Tours, Flights & Cave Hotel

Istanbul ✈ Cappadocia (2 nights) ✈ Istanbul · flights included

From €409 pp

€818 for 2 travellers

Flights, hotel & guided days included

Reserve with a 40% deposit by card: €327.20 for 2

Cancellation charges from 25% · Free date change up to 21 days before · Full schedule

  • 3 days · 2 nights

  • 2 flights includedIstanbul ⇄ Cappadocia

  • Cave hotel2 nights · breakfast

  • Shared groupEnglish-speaking guide

Next available: Wed 4 Nov · WhatsApp reply in ~1 h

Overview

Fly from Istanbul for a 3-day group Cappadocia trip with a free first day, then Red and Green tours. Visit Devrent, Paşabağ, Avanos, Zelve, Kaymaklı, Ihlara Valley and Selime, with flights, transfers and two cave hotel nights included.

Highlights

  • Spend the first day at your own pace
  • Visit Devrent, Paşabağ, Avanos and Zelve
  • Explore Kaymaklı Underground City
  • Walk through Ihlara Valley and visit Selime
  • Fly back to Istanbul after the Green Tour

Itinerary

3 days · Istanbul ✈ Cappadocia (2 nights) ✈ Istanbul

  1. Day 1Flight from Istanbul and a free first day in CappadociaAfternoon and evening at leisure
    Your driver collects you from your Istanbul hotel lobby (the exact time follows your flight and comes with your booking confirmation) for a domestic economy flight to Kayseri or Nevşehir. On arrival a shared airport shuttle takes you to your cave hotel. There is no tour today: the rest of the day is yours to settle in, walk around the village or simply rest before two days of touring. Lunch and dinner are not included.

    1. Istanbul hotel pickup

      A driver takes you from the hotel lobby to the airport for the domestic flight; the exact time follows your flight and comes with your booking confirmation.

    2. Istanbul to Kayseri or Nevşehir flight

      Economy seat with checked bag as per the fare, roughly an hour and a half in the air. Landing at Kayseri on a clear day, look for the volcanic cone of Mount Erciyes south of the city.

    3. Airport transfer to your hotel

      A shared airport shuttle meets your flight in arrivals and drops you at your hotel in Cappadocia.

    4. Check-in at your cave hotel

      Celestial Cave Hotel or similar, double room; check-in follows the hotel's rules.

    5. Afternoon and evening at leisure

      No fixed plan today. Göreme and Uçhisar are good for an easy evening walk and a view over the valleys.

    Istanbul hotel-to-airport transfer, domestic flight, shared Cappadocia airport shuttle

    Overnight: Cappadocia — Celestial Cave Hotel or similar

  2. Day 2Red Tour: Devrent, Paşabağ, Avanos and ZelveDevrent (Imagination) Valley · Paşabağ (Monks Valley) · Avanos pottery workshop
    The shared Red Tour collects you from your hotel between 09:30 and 10:20, depending on the part of Cappadocia you are staying in; the exact time is sent the evening before. Through the day you see the rock shapes of Devrent, the capped chimneys of Paşabağ, a potter at work in Avanos and the abandoned cave village of Zelve, with about 2.5 km of walking on uneven ground. Göreme Open-Air Museum is not part of the route. Pottery and carpet workshops are on the programme, with no obligation to buy. You are back at your hotel in the late afternoon.

    1. Devrent (Imagination) Valley

      Time here: about 30 min

      No churches or caves here, only pinkish tuff worn into forms that people read as a camel, a seal or a praying figure. A short, level photo stop.

    2. Paşabağ (Monks Valley)

      Time here: about 45 min

      Chimneys with two and three caps stand close together; one of them holds a chapel and hermit cell linked to St Simeon. Your ticket here also covers Zelve.

    3. Avanos pottery workshop

      Time here: 30–45 min

      A potter shapes red Kızılırmak river clay on a foot-driven kick wheel, a craft with roots in the Hittite period. Pieces are for sale, with no obligation to buy.

    4. Buffet lunch in Avanos

      Open buffet at a local restaurant with hot dishes, salads and desserts. Drinks are paid separately.

    5. Carpet Weaving Education Center (about 30–45 min)

      Weavers demonstrate the Turkish double knot and show how silk is reeled from cocoons and dyed with plants, over a glass of tea. Carpets are on sale; no obligation to buy.

    6. Zelve Open-Air Museum

      Time here: about 1 hr

      Three valleys of cave houses, chapels and a small rock-cut mosque, lived in until the 1950s, when erosion pushed families to nearby Aktepe.

      Tip: Paths are uneven and partly stepped.

    7. Back to your hotel

      Drop-off in the late afternoon; the evening is yours.

    Shared air-conditioned minibus with a licensed guide

    Meals: Breakfast, lunchOvernight: Cappadocia — Celestial Cave Hotel or similar

  3. Day 3Green Tour: Kaymaklı, Ihlara and Selime, evening flight to IstanbulGöreme panorama · Kaymaklı Underground City · Ihlara Valley walk
    Check out before the morning pickup (09:30–10:20, time confirmed the day before); your guide explains how luggage travels on this last day. The shared Green Tour is the longest of Cappadocia's day routes, with about 2¾ hours of driving. You go underground at Kaymaklı, walk around 3.5–4 km through Ihlara Valley beside the Melendiz, have lunch by the river in Belisırma and visit Selime Monastery at no extra fee. Onyx and leather workshops are part of the group day, with no obligation to buy. Tunnels are low, so this day is not ideal for claustrophobic guests. In the evening the group transfer takes you to the airport for a flight to Istanbul, around 20:00; the package ends on arrival in Istanbul.

    1. Göreme panorama

      Time here: about 15 min

      A short stop above Göreme for a last overview of the valleys around the town.

    2. Kaymaklı Underground City

      Time here: about 1 hour

      Four levels can be visited, linked by sloping tunnels, with stables, storerooms and a small church.

      Tip: Low, narrow tunnels; not suitable if you are claustrophobic.

    3. Ihlara Valley walk

      Time here: about 1.5 hours

      A riverside trail at the bottom of a canyon up to 150 m deep, passing rock-cut churches painted in both local Cappadocian and Byzantine styles.

    4. Lunch by the river in Belisırma

      Included riverside lunch; drinks are extra.

    5. Selime Monastery

      Time here: about 45 min

      A huge monastery cut into the cliff, with a church, kitchen and living quarters; included without an extra ticket.

    6. Onyx workshop (about 30–45 min)

      Watch onyx being cut and polished into decorative pieces; no obligation to buy.

    7. Leather workshop (about 30–45 min)

      See how locally made leather clothing is finished; no obligation to buy.

    8. Transfer to Cappadocia airport

      Group departure transfers are planned for flights leaving around 20:00.

    9. Evening flight to Istanbul

      Economy flight back to Istanbul, where the package ends at the airport. A private ride to your hotel can be booked on our airport transfers page.

    Shared air-conditioned minibus, airport transfer and domestic flight

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Download the day-by-day PDF

Flights and hotel

Flights

  • Istanbul → Cappadocia · day 1
  • Cappadocia → Istanbul · day 3

Economy class, checked bag as per the ticket fare. Have your own flights? Remove them when you book — the price updates.

Hotel

  • 2 nights in Cappadocia: Celestial Cave Hotel or similar, double room with breakfast

Pickup and route

Route of 3-Day Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul (Group) — 2 Tours, Flights & Cave Hotel1Istanbul Old City2Cappadocia
Route map is schematic — exact pickup and meeting points are in your confirmation.

What's included

Included

  • Licensed English-speaking guide on the Red and Green tours
  • Air-conditioned sightseeing transport, Istanbul hotel pickup to the airport, and Cappadocia airport arrival and departure transfers
  • Entrance tickets: Paşabağ and Zelve (one ticket), Kaymaklı Underground City, Ihlara Valley and Selime
  • Lunch on days 2 and 3 (on the tours)
  • 2 nights in Cappadocia: Celestial Cave Hotel or similar, double room with breakfast
  • Flight Istanbul → Cappadocia on day 1 (economy class; checked bag as per the ticket fare)
  • Flight Cappadocia → Istanbul on day 3 (economy class; checked bag as per the ticket fare)

Not included

  • Tips (optional)
  • Personal purchases
  • Drinks with meals
  • Dinner
  • Lunch on day 1
  • Transfer from Istanbul airport after the return flight

Optional extras

  • Hotel nights (2 nights)
  • Domestic flights

Good to know

Workshop stops: a carpet weaving centre, a leather workshop, an onyx workshop and a pottery workshop. Part of the programme, no obligation to buy.

Where you'll stay

Cappadocia

Celestial Cave hotel or similar

Before you go

  • Domestic flights are economy class. Your baggage allowance follows the ticket fare, and we confirm it with your tickets.
  • Travel with the passport you booked with: airlines check the name on the ticket against it.
  • Wear comfortable walking shoes: the valleys and rock-cut sites have uneven ground and steps, and the underground city has low, narrow passages.
  • Bring a hat and sunscreen in summer and a warm layer in spring, autumn and winter: mornings in Cappadocia are cool, and the underground city stays cool all year.
  • Vegetarian, vegan or other dietary needs at lunch: tell us when you book and we let the restaurant know.
  • Mobility needs or travelling with small children? Tell us before you book, and we tell you honestly which parts of the day suit you.
  • We send your final programme, hotel names and pickup times before departure, and you can reach us on WhatsApp during the trip.

Payment and cancellation

Today
€327.20 deposit by card (3-D Secure), for 2 travellers.
On arrival
€449.90 in cash, in euros, with the 5% cash saving on the total already taken off.
  • 91 days or more: The 25% administrative fee is charged. 61–90 days: 55% of the total is charged (30% + the 25% administrative fee). 31–60 days: 65% of the total is charged (40% + the 25% administrative fee). 16–30 days: 95% of the total is charged (70% + the 25% administrative fee). 15 days or less or no-show: 100% of the total is charged. Charges are percentages of the total booking value and include the 25% administrative fee retained on every cancellation; non-refundable flight, hotel or entrance tickets already bought are added, up to 100% of the total. Your deposit is applied to the charge: if the charge is higher than your deposit, you pay us the difference; anything we hold above the charge is refunded within 14 days.
  • If a hotel in your package is booked on a non-refundable rate, we tell you before you pay and that night's cost is retained on cancellation.
  • Request cancellation in writing, by email or WhatsApp; the cancellation date is the day we receive your message. Refunds go back the way you paid, within 14 days: card payments to the same card. Shore excursions are paid on the day, so nothing is collected in advance.
  • If unavoidable extraordinary circumstances at the destination make the trip impossible, you receive a full refund, less any mandatory taxes and genuinely non-refundable third-party payments, itemised for you.
  • Date changes are free when requested at least 72 hours before a day tour, 24 hours before a shore excursion, or 21 days before a package or a day trip by plane, subject to availability. For these, a date change 14–20 days before departure costs €50 per booking; under 14 days it depends on availability, and any airline or hotel change fees are charged at cost. Name changes (passing your booking to someone else at least 7 days before departure) are free except for any airline name-change fee, charged at cost.
  • If TurkeyVia cancels, including because the minimum group size is not met, you can choose a full refund or an alternative.

If we can’t book your flights or hotel for your dates, that counts as our cancellation: a full refund to your card within 14 days, or another date if you prefer.

Full cancellation policy

Your contract is with İlke Seyahat Turizm Ticaret Gıda Orman Ürünleri Gemi Acenteliği İthalat İhracat Sanayi Limited Şirketi, Turgut Ozal Bulvari 67/1, Kusadasi, Aydin 09400, Turkey — the company behind TurkeyVia. Terms

Frequently asked questions

What happens on the free first day in Cappadocia?

Day 1 is free after your flight; there is no scheduled tour.

Which Cappadocia routes are included?

The package includes group Red and Green tours. The Red route visits Devrent, Paşabağ, Avanos and Zelve; the Green route visits Kaymaklı, Ihlara Valley and Selime.

How much walking is there on the Green Tour?

The Ihlara Valley walk is around 3.5–4 km beside the Melendiz. The route also includes low tunnels at Kaymaklı.

Which workshops are on the itinerary?

The Red day includes pottery and carpet workshops; the Green day includes onyx and leather workshops. Each is about 30–45 minutes, with no obligation to buy.

Can I take a balloon flight on this trip?

No. Balloon flights are not included, and TurkeyVia does not sell them.

Does the return flight include a transfer to my Istanbul hotel?

No. The package ends at Istanbul airport after the evening flight; onward transport from the airport is not included.

  • Your guided days are run by our own local team
  • On WhatsApp within about 1 hour, 09:00–18:00 Turkey time
  • Download the day-by-day PDF
  • Sold by İlke Seyahat Turizm Ticaret Gıda Orman Ürünleri Gemi Acenteliği İthalat İhracat Sanayi Limited Şirketi

Next available: Wed 4 Nov · WhatsApp reply in ~1 h

Page updated

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Questions before you book? Message us on WhatsApp.

Tell us your dates, your ship or the tour you like. We reply on WhatsApp within about 1 hour, 09:00–18:00 Turkey time, and in the evening whenever we can.

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