To compliment your ballooning experience in Cappadocia, we recommend a number of day tours to further explore this vast region. Ideally, plan to spend a few days in Cappadocia in order to take full advantage of what the region has to offer. All group tours include a private guide, pick up and drop off from hotels, and lunch. Tours can also be arranged for private groups.
North Cappadocia Day Tours
Goreme Esentepe: This viewpoint is the perfect first stop for a panoramic view of the Goreme region of Cappadocia. From here you can see many of the fairy chimneys, as well as the dwellings that have been carved directly into these rock formations. This is a great spot for photos.
Goreme Open Air Museum: The Goreme Open Air Museum is a highlight of the Cappadocia region. Here you will find homes, churches, and monasteries carved directly from the rock faces and pillars that cover this area. The landscape here is impressive, attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
Monks Valley: Known as “Pasabag” in Turkish, Monks Valley is famous for its unique three-headed fairy chimneys that are surrounded by a vineyard.
Devrent Valley: From Monks Valley, the tour continues with a short drive to Devrent Valley, which is scattered with many small, pointed fairy chimneys. Here you will have the chance to walk around the area and take in these particularly unique rock formations.
Avanos Pottery Workshop: Avanos is a small town where an ancient terra-cotta industry began in 3,000 BC. A river winds through the town that produces a red clay that is still used today. On this tour, you will visit a traditional pottery workshop, witnessing the craftsmanship that still exists after thousands of years. Here you will have a chance to experiment with the clay and see the work of both apprentices and masters.
Three Beauties: The Three Beauties is a name given to three particular fairy chimneys near the town of Urgup. These beauties have become the symbol of Urgup. The day tours will conclude with a visit to this unique spectacle.
South Cappadocia Day Tours
Meskendir Valley: Here we will take a short hike through the incredible landscape of Meskendir Valley. This is a shady trail lined with multiple cave dwellings, tunnels, and chapels with engravings.
Rose Valley: Rose Valley is also home to many hidden churches and dwellings carved directly from the rock that covers this isolated valley. The rose-coloured rocks are dramatic and form a web of trails for your wandering pleasure.
Red Valley: This is an incredible area to walk around and is especially beautiful at sunrise and sunset. The setting for many photographs, Red Valley is an important part of the South Cappadocia tour.
Cavusin Valley: Cavusin Valley is home to a very ancient village and is famous for its many cave homes and the church of John the Baptist. This church from the fifth century is the largest in all of Cappadocia.
The Underground City: This incredible networks of dwelling, wineries, kitchens, common areas, and corridors is an incredible human feat, an entire underground city carved out of stone. This city was used by Christians during the times when they had to escape from persecution by the Roman Empire. You can still explore this huge space, a lovely and cool break from the heat of the Cappadocia summer!
Pigeon Valley: This is a unique site where many pigeon house can be carved directly into the stone. Farmers in this region once use pigeon manure to fertilize their crops.
Uchisar Castle: In the center of Uchisar village is a large rock that once was known as Uchisar castle. From this peak you will witness incredible views of the Cappadocia region and Mount Erciyes.
Love Valley: A popular destination in Cappadocia, Love Valley consists of naturally formed phallic fairy chimneys that resulted from the erosion of volcanic rocks millions of years ago.
Ihlara Valley & The Underground City
Derinkuyu Underground City: This incredible networks of dwelling, wineries, kitchens, common areas, and corridors is an incredible human feat, an entire underground city carved out of stone. This city was used by Christians during the times when they had to escape from persecution by the Roman Empire. It is the largest underground city in Cappadocia. Inside you will find storage rooms, wine cellars, churches, stables, study rooms, common rooms, and family dwellings. Today, 10% of the city is open to tourists. You will be amazed at the space that just 10% of the city consumes! If you happen to be visiting Cappadocia in the summer, the coolness of the underground city will be a welcome break from the summer heat.
Ilhara Valley: This part of the tour consists of a 2.5 hour walk through the Ilhara Valley, where the Melendiz river runs through, to Belisirma. In Belisirma, there will be a stop for a buffet lunch. From Belisirma the walk will continue for another 3 hours to Selime.
Walking Tour
An alternative and exciting way to see the Cappadocia region, not to mention a great opportunity to get some exercise during your travels! During this walking tour, you will visit the following areas:
Swords Valley: As one of the smallest valleys in Cappadocia, this is an accessible are with various fairy chimneys and ruins. The valley is a narrow ravine and the path down the center of it takes between 1 and 2 hours to walk. At the end of Swords Valley, you will come upon Giris castle.
Red Valley and Rose Valley: These isolated valleys behind Urgup village are scattered with rock formations and churches carved from the stone. Although these valleys are also visited on the South Cappadocia tour, you will visit new places on this tour and cover the area entirely on foot.