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Cappadocia Green Tour (Small Group)Ihlara Valley & Kaymaklı

Cappadocia1 DayGroup tourEntrance tickets & lunch included
  • About 9 hoursFull day

  • 09:30–10:20Pickup from your hotel

  • Tickets & lunchIncluded in the price

  • Licensed guideEnglish-speaking

From€59per person, based on 2 travellers

Pay nothing now · Free cancellation up to 72 hours

Pick your day

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On WhatsApp within about 1 hour, 09:00–18:00 Turkey time

Run by our own local team, no reseller+90 507 357 58 94Office in Kuşadası

Infants under 2 travel free · Children 2–7: free site entrances (seats and flights at adult rate)

Upgrade to private — same itinerary, from €159
  • Duration1 Day

  • Tour typeGroup tour

  • PickupHotel pickup in Cappadocia (Göreme, Uçhisar, Ürgüp, Avanos and Nevşehir area) between 09:30 and 10:20, depending on the area; exact time the day before.

  • CancellationFree cancellation up to 72 hours

Overview

Join a full-day small-group Green Tour from your Cappadocia hotel to Kaymaklı Underground City, Ihlara Valley, Belisırma and Selime Monastery. A guide, entrance tickets and lunch are included; pay cash on the day.

Highlights

  • Go underground at Kaymaklı Underground City
  • Walk 3.5–4 km beside the Melendiz in Ihlara Valley
  • Have lunch by the river in Belisırma
  • Visit Selime Monastery
  • See onyx and leather workshops with no obligation to buy

Itinerary

The shared Green Tour is the longest of the daily routes: about 9 hours, including roughly 2¾ hours of driving southwest toward Ihlara. Hotel pickup runs from 09:30 to 10:20 by area (Göreme, Uçhisar, Ürgüp, Avanos, Nevşehir), and your exact time arrives the day before. You go underground at Kaymaklı, walk about 3.5–4 km along the Melendiz river in Ihlara Valley, eat lunch by the water in Belisırma and visit Selime Monastery, included at no extra fee. Onyx and leather workshops complete the group program. The day is not suitable for guests with claustrophobia or real walking difficulty.
  1. Göreme panorama (Esentepe)

    Time here: about 15 min

    A first photo stop on the hill above Göreme, looking over the town's fairy chimneys and cave hotels.

  2. Kaymaklı Underground City

    Time here: about 1 hour

    Open to visitors since 1964, Kaymaklı has four levels open to the public, with stables, a chapel, kitchens and storerooms. Tunnels are low, so expect to stoop.

    Tip: Carry a light layer; it stays cool below ground.

  3. Ihlara Valley walk

    Time here: about 1.5 hours

    After stairs down into the canyon, you follow the Melendiz stream for about 3.5–4 km to Belisırma, stopping at a church cut into the cliff with Byzantine wall paintings.

  4. Riverside lunch in Belisırma

    Lunch at a restaurant beside the river in Belisırma; drinks are extra.

  5. Selime Monastery

    Time here: about 45 min

    Often called the largest rock-cut monastery in Cappadocia, carved in the Byzantine period, with a cathedral-sized church, a kitchen and stables. Entry is included at no extra fee.

    Tip: Some sections involve a short scramble over rock.

  6. Onyx workshop (about 30–45 min)

    See raw onyx turned into vases and ornaments by local craftsmen; no obligation to buy.

  7. Leather workshop (about 30–45 min)

    A quick look at jackets and bags made from Turkish leather and how they are finished; no obligation to buy. On a long day the guide may shorten either workshop.

Air-conditioned group vehicle; about 2¾ hours of driving in total

Meals: Lunch

Pickup and route

Pickup
Hotel pickup in Cappadocia (Göreme, Uçhisar, Ürgüp, Avanos and Nevşehir area) between 09:30 and 10:20, depending on the area; exact time the day before.
Pickup time
We send you the exact pickup time the day before.
Pickup areas
Hotels in Göreme, Uçhisar, Ürgüp, Avanos and Nevşehir.
Airport transfer
Optional, from Kayseri (ASR) or Nevşehir (NAV) — add it when you book. Flight delays: see transfer terms

What happens after you book

  1. 1
    Reserve online, no card

    Choose your date and tell us your hotel and WhatsApp number. Nothing is charged.

  2. 2
    We confirm

    We confirm on WhatsApp or by email, usually within about 1 hour (09:00–18:00 Turkey time). Your e-voucher follows by email.

  3. 3
    Pickup time the day before

    The day before, we message you the exact pickup time: 09:30–10:20, by hotel area.

  4. 4
    Pay cash on the day

    Pay in cash on the day — euros or US dollars.

What's included

Included

  • Licensed English-speaking guide
  • Air-conditioned transport
  • Entrance tickets: Ihlara Valley, Kaymaklı Underground City
  • Riverside lunch in Ihlara Valley
  • Selime Monastery — no extra ticket

Not included

  • Tips (optional)
  • Personal purchases
  • Drinks with meals
  • Dinner

Good to know

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

Other ways to see Cappadocia

Before you go

  • 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.

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 72 hours

  • 72 hours or more: Full refund. 24–72 hours: 50% of the tour price is refunded. Under 24 hours or no-show: No refund.
  • 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.
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

Why book direct with us

  • One clear price The total you see before you book is the total we charge — no booking fee.

  • Pay nothing now Pay cash on the day · no card needed

  • Free cancellation Up to 72 hours before the tour.

  • Licensed local guides Our tours are led by licensed local guides.

  • Book with the local team No reseller in between: you book and talk directly with the team that runs your tour. We reply on WhatsApp within about 1 hour (09:00–18:00 Turkey time).

Frequently asked questions

What time does the Green Tour pick up from Göreme and Ürgüp hotels?

Pickups run 09:30–10:20, depending on the area: Göreme, Uçhisar, Ürgüp, Avanos or Nevşehir. You receive the exact time the day before; the Green Tour returns in the early evening, about 9 hours later.

Is entry to Selime Monastery included on the Green Tour?

Yes. Selime Monastery is included, with no extra fee on the day. Tickets for Kaymaklı Underground City and Ihlara Valley are included as well.

How fit do I need to be for the Ihlara Valley walk?

The valley walk covers about 3.5–4 km on a mostly level riverside path, after a long flight of steps down into the canyon. It is easy to moderate for most people but not suited to guests with real walking difficulty.

Is the Green Tour suitable for claustrophobic guests?

Not really. Kaymaklı's tunnels are low and narrow, and you walk bent over in places. If confined spaces bother you, the Red Tour may suit you better.

Why does the Green Tour take longer than other Cappadocia tours?

Ihlara and Selime lie southwest of central Cappadocia, so the day includes roughly 2¾ hours of driving in total. Expect around 9 hours from pickup to drop-off.

Does the group Green Tour stop at workshops?

Yes: an onyx workshop and a leather workshop, about 30–45 minutes each. There is no obligation to buy, and your guide may keep them short if the day is running late.

Red, Green or South: which Cappadocia tour should I choose?

Choose Red for fairy chimneys and the Zelve cave village in the north, Green for Ihlara Valley and Kaymaklı Underground City in the south-west, and South for old Çavuşin and Özkonak Underground City. With two days, the 2-Day Red & South tour combines two routes.

How do I book and pay for the Cappadocia Green Tour?

Reserve now, pay in cash on the day (euros or US dollars) — no deposit and no card needed. Tell us your hotel and a WhatsApp number; pickup is between 09:30 and 10:20, depending on your hotel's area, and we send the exact time the day before your tour.

What is the cancellation policy for the Cappadocia Green Tour?

Free cancellation up to 72 hours. 72 hours or more: Full refund. 24–72 hours: 50% of the tour price is refunded. Under 24 hours or no-show: No refund. Full terms: cancellation policy.

Planning guide

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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.