The tour starts at 9.30 from our office after a cup of morning coffee or tea and finishes at about 6 pm in summer and 5 pm in winter. We pick you up from your hotel in Göreme at 9.15 - 9.20 or 9:00 from Ürgüp or Uçhisar.
The first stop is at Göreme panorama, the best place to admire the beautiful fairy-chimneys below. The most magnificent landscape around Göreme has been formed from solidified lava streams, ash and tuff stone from volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. The stunning landscape of Cappadocia is the result of thousands of years of continual erosion, which has shaped the tuff deposits into the strangest pyramids and cones. The guide gives you information about how the landscape was formed and the history of Cappadocia.
Next you visit Gaziemir which has probably the only underground caravanserai in the world. You can see two churches, food storages, a kitchen with tandoor ovens, a winery with many wine barrels, living areas, stables, a Turkish bath and even a prison and a watchtower there.
Then you go to a monastic complex situated high above Güzelyurt, consisting of the 19th-century Yüksek Kilise (High Church), also known as the Analipsis Kilise (Ascension Church), and a block containing monastic cells and a small refectory with superb views towards Hasan Dağı.
Next you stop at a local restaurant for lunch. After lunch you go to Ihlara valley, a 16 km long gorge formed in the volcanic rock in the southern part of Cappadocia, following several eruptions of Mount Erciyes. The Melendiz stream flows through the valley. What makes the valley unique is the ancient history of its inhabitants. The whole canyon is honeycombed with rock-cut underground dwellings and churches from the Byzantine period. In Ihlara valley you take a 7 km hike in the Melendiz river canyon from Ihlara village to Belisirma village and you can also visit 4 different churches there. Kokar kilise (Smelling church), Sümbüllü kilise (Hyacinth church), Yılanlı kilise (Snake church) and Kırkdamaltı kilise (St George’s church) are the churches that you can see.
The next stop is at Yaprakhisar viewpoint, where you can see the village of Yaprakhisar, which is famous for its lunar landscape resembling that of the Star Wars.
Then you go to Selime, the biggest rock-cut monastery in Cappadocia with a cathedral-size church. Selime monastery was carved by monks in the 13th century and in addition to the church, it also has monks’ quarters, a large kitchen and stables for animals.
Last you stop at Pigeon valley viewpoint, which has hundreds of old pigeon houses cut into the rock in the past. Throughout centuries farmers have used pigeon droppings as a fertilizer for their crops.
The tour finishes with a cup of tea, apple tea or coffee in our office and after that we take you back to your hotel.
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