Cappadocia Region Tours: The Green Tour
If a survey were taken among visitors to Cappadocia, the most popular tour would probably be the Green Tour. Of course, the Red Tour should not be neglected either. The Green Tour is a journey into the mystery and depths of Cappadocia. Among Cappadocia’s region tours, the Green Tour is known for its underground cities and valley visits. Among the valleys, the Ihlara Valley — which has become synonymous with the region — stands out in particular. If you come to Cappadocia, missing this tour would be the greatest omission. You can take advantage of hotels such as MDC Hotel that arrange this kind of tour for their guests. If you have decided to join this tour, we recommend right now that you wear comfortable shoes and clothing, so you can move more freely while exploring the underground cities and valleys.
Cappadocia Green Tour Stops
The first, discovery-filled stop of the Cappadocia Green Tour is the Göreme panoramic viewpoint. From here you can take in Göreme in all its detail. It is possible to capture the harmony between a living town, the old cave structures and fairy chimneys thousands of years old, all in one frame. After the guides share the history and culture of Göreme, you can take your souvenir photos and move on to the second stop.
At the second stop is the Derinkuyu Underground City, which enchants every one of its visitors. This underground city is like a skyscraper rising into the depths of the earth. Yes, I say skyscraper, because it is a full 55 metres deep and consists of 8 levels. Within these levels there are spaces answering the different needs of daily life, from a church to a school, from stables to water wells. This truly is one of the cities fit for living underground — it even has capillary ventilation shafts. One cannot help but wonder how such a fine feat of engineering came to be in such ancient times. A discovery of this magnitude, at only the second stop of the tour, genuinely leaves an impression.
Derinkuyu Underground City
After the visit to the Derinkuyu underground city, expectations remain very high. Just at the point where those expectations are met, the third stop of the tour is the Ihlara Valley. The Ihlara Valley is a sightseeing area with the feel of an open-air museum, spoken of with respect the world over. While walking through this valley, you may suddenly feel as though the picture quality of a film you are watching has improved: with the clean air here, the sense of haze your eyes have grown used to will lift completely. The Ihlara Valley not only enchants you with its natural beauty; with the Ağaçaltı Church, it also lets you witness a piece of history. After your visit to the Ağaçaltı Church, the walk continues along the banks of the Melendiz River. This walk covers a distance of about 4 km. That may sound long at first, but in truth you will hardly notice it pass, as your journey continues to the flow of the Melendiz River and the rich greenery of the trees in the Ihlara Valley. At the end of the walk you will reach a historic village called Belisırma. In the village of Belisırma, a lunch break is taken at boutique restaurants built over the river.
The first stop after lunch — the tour’s fourth — is a monastery: the Selime Monastery. This monastery, which also served as a school for missionaries and Christians, is likewise referred to as a cathedral. Carved into the rock, with its bohemian look, it is a wonderful place to take great photographs. Here, after professional guides share the history of the monastery, the tour moves on to the next stop.
Depending on the season, most likely towards sunset, the fifth stop is Pigeon Valley. As its name suggests, this valley takes its name from the rocks where pigeons make their nests. Pigeon Valley is another of those spots where you can never tire of gazing at the fairy chimneys.
The final stop is a visit to the Onyx workshops. At this last stop of the Green Tour, which ends in the early evening, the region’s precious stones are worked. After the guides explain how these stones are formed, the tour comes to an end.
Cappadocia Green Tour Package Price
The Green Tour, one of the most popular of the region tours, costs 400 TL. This price includes all transfers, lunch, snacks along the way, entrance fees to museums and historical sites, and professional guide service. If you join these tours as a group, various discounts are also available.