3-Day Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul with Flight

Day 1: Fly to Kayseri/Nevsehir from Istanbul – Zelve Open Air Museum & Fairy Chimneys Tour

You will be picked up from your hotel in Istanbul around 4:00 am and transferred to the airport for your flight to Kayseri or Nevsehir, departing between 6:00 and 7:30 am. Upon arrival, you will be greeted and transferred to Cappadocia, where your full-day North Cappadocia tour will begin.

Your first stop will be Devrent Valley, known for its unique fairy chimneys and rock formations that resemble various shapes, sparking creativity and imagination. Next, you’ll visit the impressive Pasabag Valley (Monks Valley), where you’ll see towering mushroom-shaped rock formations, one of Cappadocia’s most iconic sights. Afterward, you’ll head to Avanos, a town famous for its centuries-old pottery-making tradition, where you can watch skilled artisans craft pottery.

After lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll visit the Zelve Open Air Museum, home to ancient rock-cut churches and cave dwellings that reflect the region’s deep monastic history. The last stop of the day will be Uchisar Castle, where you can take panoramic photos of the surrounding valleys, though entry into the castle itself is not allowed.

The tour ends at approximately 4:00 pm when you will be transferred to your hotel in Cappadocia for check-in, giving you time to rest and settle in.

In the evening, you can optionally attend a Turkish Night show with dinner, where you’ll enjoy traditional Turkish music, folk dances, and a variety of local dishes. Please note that this is an optional activity and is subject to an additional charge.

• Overnight in Cappadocia
• Included Meal(s): Lunch
• Accommodation: Heaven Cave House OR Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel OR Romantic Cave Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 2: Rose Valley & Underground City Tour

For an optional extra, book an early morning hot air balloon ride and experience breathtaking aerial views of Cappadocia’s stunning valleys. Please note that this activity comes at an additional cost.

After breakfast, around 9:30 am, you will be picked up from your hotel to begin your full-day tour of South Cappadocia. Your first stop will be the Red Valley, where you’ll explore its famous rock-cut churches. You’ll then embark on a scenic 5 km hike through the Rose Valley (Gulludere Vadisi), known for its beautiful rock formations and peaceful landscapes.

Next, you will visit Cavusin Village, a historic village known for its cave houses and churches that were once home to Christian clergymen. After lunch at a local restaurant, the tour continues with a visit to Pigeon Valley (Guvercinlik Vadisi), where you can enjoy panoramic views of the valley and the pigeon houses carved into the cliffs.

In the afternoon, you will explore either the Kaymakli Underground City or the Ozkonak Underground City, both used by early Christians as refuges during times of persecution.

The tour ends at approximately 4:00 pm, and you will be transferred back to your hotel for a relaxing evening.

For additional activities, you can choose a 2-hour ATV tour, a 2-hour horseback riding tour through Cappadocia’s valleys, or attend a 1-hour Whirling Dervish show, where you can witness the enchanting Sufi tradition. All these activities are available at an extra cost.

• Overnight in Cappadocia
• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: Heaven Cave House OR Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel OR Romantic Cave Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 3: Derinkuyu Underground City & Ihlara Valley Tour – Fly back to Istanbul

After breakfast, you will check out from your hotel, and around 9:30 am, you will be picked up to start your full-day tour. The first stop is the Derinkuyu Underground City, a vast refuge carved by early Christians to escape persecution. This underground city, with its many levels, provides insight into how ancient communities survived.

After Derinkuyu, the tour continues to the beautiful Ihlara Valley. Here, you’ll hike approximately 4 km through the valley, exploring its rock-cut churches and stunning natural surroundings.

On your way back, you’ll visit the monasteries in Selime Village (Guzelyurt), where you can see more remarkable examples of Cappadocia’s cave architecture.

At the end of the tour, around 3:30 pm, you will be transferred to Kayseri or Nevsehir airport for your return flight to Istanbul. The flight is scheduled to depart between 7:00 – 10:00 pm, depending on availability (flight duration is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes). END OF OUR SERVICE and TOURS.

Please note that transportation from Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) to your hotel in Istanbul is not included in the tour price.

• Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Accommodation: No accommodation is included on this day.

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• Pick up from Istanbul hotel and transfer to Istanbul Airport (on the European side of Istanbul only)
• Domestic flight tickets from Istanbul to Kayseri or Nevsehir and from Kayseri or Nevsehir to Istanbul only
• 2 nights in Cappadocia at a cave hotel including breakfast
• English-speaking guide during the tours
• Meals as mentioned in the itinerary: (B) breakfast, (L) lunch
• Visits and entrances fees as indicated in the itinerary
• Local taxes and service charges

NOT INCLUDED:

• Drop off transportation service from Istanbul New Airport OR Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Istanbul Hotel upon returning to Istanbul
• Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride.
• Optional tours mentioned in the program, they will be provided at an additional cost.
• Services not mentioned in the program.
• Drinks with meals.
• Travel insurance (recommended).

WHAT TO BRING:

• Hiking shoes
• Camera

IMPORTANT INFO:

• This is a regular group tour, but if requested at cost can be provided as a private tour.
• The regular group tour has shopping stops included in the tour.
• The order of the itinerary is indicative and subject to change, but all visits described will take place.
• For 1 traveler: 1 Single Room Accommodation
• For 2 travelers: 1 Double/Twin Room Accommodation
• For 3 travelers: 1 Triple Room Accommodation
• For 4 travelers: 2 Double/Twin Rooms Accommodation
• For 5 travelers: 1 Double/Twin Room and 1 Triple Room Accommodation
• Vegetarian lunch option available upon request.
• The normal arrival time in Istanbul is between 8:00 – 10:00 pm. If you are planning on reserving your plane back home that same day, we recommend you book a plane ticket from 12:30 am onwards, to avoid missing your flight.
• On flights luggage allowance is 15 kg per person for checked in luggage. For carry-on, you can take up to 8 kg per person. One carry-on is allowed per person.
• We offer hotel pick-up services for drop-off at the airport from locations on the European side of Istanbul, specifically in the districts of Taksim, Şişli, Sultanahmet, Eminönü, Fatih, Beşiktaş, Karaköy, and Bakırköy. Pick-ups are scheduled around 3:50 a.m., but this can vary based on flight schedules. If you’re situated on the Anatolian side or outside of these districts, you’ll need to arrange your own airport transportation.

WHEN TO BOOK?

• Book as soon as possible to guarantee availability, especially during public holidays and festivities.
• You can book up to 2 days before (Istanbul local time) if there are still places available. If less than 2 days before start of your requested tour date, please contact us by email or phone as it would be a last-minute booking that will need to be checked for availability before your tour reservation is confirmed.