4-Day Cappadocia Adventure from Istanbul

Day 1: Fly to Kayseri/Nevsehir from Istanbul with overnight in Cappadocia

You will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to Istanbul Airport for your late afternoon or evening flight (depending on availability) to Kayseri or Nevsehir. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Cappadocia. After checking in, the rest of the day is free for you to relax.

• Overnight in Cappadocia
• Included Meal(s): No meals are included on this day
• Accommodation: Heaven Cave House OR Zula Cave Hotel OR Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel or similar (Standard quality)

Day 2: North Cappadocia Tour

For an unforgettable start to your day, you can book an optional early morning hot air balloon ride, offering breathtaking aerial views of Cappadocia’s stunning valleys and unique landscape. 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 North Cappadocia Tour. Your first stop will be Devrent Valley, known for its otherworldly rock formations and fairy chimneys. Following this, you’ll visit Pasabag Valley (Monks Valley), where you’ll see the famous mushroom-shaped pinnacles, a truly iconic sight in Cappadocia.

After exploring these unique landscapes, you’ll head to the charming town of Avanos, renowned for its pottery craftsmanship along the banks of the Kizilirmak River. Here, you will stop for lunch and have the chance to experience some local flavors.

Next, you will visit the Zelve Open Air Museum, a fascinating complex of ancient caves and rock-cut churches, offering a glimpse into the region’s monastic history. Towards the end of the tour, you will stop at Uchisar for a panoramic photo opportunity to capture the stunning view of the natural castles and rock formations. While entrance to the interior of Uchisar Castle is not allowed, the exterior views from the vantage point are spectacular.

After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel around 4:00 pm, with the rest of the day free to relax, explore, or participate in additional activities.

For extra activities, you can choose one from the following options: a traditional Turkish Night show with dinner, a 2-hour ATV tour, a 2-hour horseback riding tour through the valleys, or attend a 1-hour Whirling Dervish show. Please note that all activities are available at an additional cost, and you can join only one due to time constraints.

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

Day 3: South Cappadocia Tour

After breakfast at the hotel around 9:30 am, you will be picked up and met by your tour guide to begin your full-day South Cappadocia Tour. Your guide will provide a briefing on the day’s activities before the tour begins.

Your first stop will be the Red Valley, where you’ll explore its famous rock-cut churches and enjoy a scenic hike of approximately 5 km through the beautiful Rose Valley (Gulludere Vadisi). This valley is renowned for its colorful rock formations and peaceful walking trails. Next, you will visit Cavusin Village, which is known for its ancient houses and the rock-cut churches of Christian clergymen, offering insight into the region’s religious history.

Around noon, you’ll break for lunch, after which you will continue to the Pigeon Valley (Guvercinlik Vadisi), named after the pigeon houses carved into the cliffs. In the afternoon, you’ll explore either the Kaymakli Underground City or the Ozkonak Underground City, both remarkable underground settlements where early Christians lived in hiding from persecution.

After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel around 4:00 pm. You will have the rest of the day free to relax, explore the city on your own,

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

Day 4: Green Cappadocia Tour – Fly to Istanbul

After breakfast around 9:30 am, you will be picked up from your hotel to join the full-day Green Tour of Cappadocia. The day begins with a visit to Esentepe, where you’ll enjoy a stunning panoramic view of Göreme. This viewpoint is perfect for capturing the enchanting landscape of the Göreme Valley and its fairy-tale-like scenery.

From there, the tour continues to the Derinkuyu Underground City, a remarkably well-preserved subterranean complex that dates back to the Hittites and was later used by early Christians. This ancient city, with its intricate network of tunnels, stables, kitchens, living spaces, and even chapels, offers a fascinating look into historical survival strategies.

Next, you’ll explore the Ihlara Valley, where you will embark on a scenic 4 km hike. This lush valley, with its stream and small ancient churches tucked into the cliffs, is a tranquil haven. After your hike, you will stop for lunch in Belisirma Village, a charming spot nestled by the river.

After lunch, the tour will take you to the 13th-century Selime Monastery, an impressive rock-cut monastery with stunning views over the surrounding landscape. The final stop of the tour will be at Yaprakhisar, famous for its breathtaking panoramic views and its use as a filming location for the “Star Wars” movie.

At the end of the tour, around 4:00 pm, you will be transferred to Kayseri or Nevsehir airport for your late evening return flight to Istanbul, departing between 7:00 – 10:00 pm (flight duration is approximately 1.5 hours). END OF OUR SERVICE and TOUR.

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
• 3 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
• Entrance fees mentioned by 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 and Dinner
• Travel insurance (recommended).

WHAT TO BRING:

• Hiking shoes
• Camera

IMPORTANT INFO:

• The order of the itinerary is indicative and subject to change, but all visits described will take place.
• 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.
• 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 1:00 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.