Green Tour: Underground City and Ihlara Valley

The Green Tour is the most efficient way to see the sights south of the main valleys, which are too far apart for most visitors to reach without a car. This full-day guided tour picks you up from your hotel in Göreme, Ürgüp, Ortahisar, Uçhisar or Avanos at around 09:30 and travels in an air-conditioned coach with a live English-speaking guide and a maximum of fifteen people. The first stop is Esentepe, a viewpoint above Göreme where the whole valley spreads out below you. Then comes one of Cappadocia's underground cities, a multi-level refuge carved into the rock, where you stoop through narrow passages, past stables, kitchens, wine presses and chapels, and see the great rolling stone doors that once sealed each level. The afternoon is spent in the Ihlara Valley, a deep green canyon cut by the Melendiz River, where you walk about four kilometres along the water past rock-cut churches, with lunch in the village of Belisırma by the river. The last stop is the Yaprakhisar and Selime area, where a monastery is carved into the cliff face, before the drive back to your hotel. The tour lasts about eight hours, and the operator contacts you a day ahead with the exact pickup time. Note what is not included: entrance fees to the underground city and other sites, and food and drinks, are paid separately, so bring cash or a card. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the tour, which is helpful if a cancelled balloon flight forces you to reshuffle your days.

Why book a tour for this day: the underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı lie roughly half an hour south of Göreme, and the Ihlara Valley is well over an hour's drive further on, in neighbouring Aksaray province. Public transport between them is slow and patchy, and a taxi for the whole day costs far more than a seat on a group tour. The Green Tour bundles the transport, the guide and the timing, and it gets you to the Ihlara trail at a sensible hour for the walk. The tour description does not say which underground city it visits, as this can depend on the day and on crowds, so ask your guide; both main sites are fascinating.

The walk and the valley: the Ihlara section on most tours is gentle and mostly flat, following a path beside the river under the canyon walls, with poplars and willows that turn gold in autumn. Some rock-cut churches near the start involve stairs down into the canyon, and the path can be muddy after rain, so wear trainers or walking shoes. Lunch in Belisırma is usually trout or a simple grill at a riverside restaurant with platforms over the water. The cliff monastery at Selime and Yaprakhisar is large and atmospheric, with rooms and chimneys carved into the rock, and makes a striking last stop in late-afternoon light.

Who it suits and what to know: the tour is ideal for first-timers with two or three days, families with older children and anyone without a car. The underground city is not for people with claustrophobia or serious back or knee problems, since passages are low and steep; you can wait above ground. It is a long day, so plan a simple dinner near your hotel.