Take in the highlights of Turkey’s southern Cappadocia region on this full-day tour. With an expert local guide, delve into the extraordinary Kaymakli Underground City, visit the Red Valley, and see the abandoned village of old Çavuşin. Plus, view the dovecotes of Pigeon Valley and try making pottery in the crafts village of Avanos, all as you learn more about the geology and history of this surreally beautiful region. Your tour includes lunch at a local restaurant and a pickup and drop-off at your hotel in Göreme or Ürgüp.

 

Start your experience with a pickup from your Göreme or Ürgüp hotel and travel by air-conditioned coach deep into southern Cappadocia, known for its colorful rock formations, fairy chimneys and ancient underground dwellings.

 

As you travel, your guide will explain some of the geology of the area and its must-see sites.

 Your first stop is Pigeon Valley, home to thousands of dovecotes carved from the cliffs. Take photos of the ornate birdhouses and learn how they were used by farmers for centuries to harvest their birds’ droppings for use as fertilizers.

 

Continue to the remote Red Valley, an area of spectacular rock formations and peaks. Follow the nature trails with your guide, enjoying the scenery and the vineyards and orchards that typify the valley. On route, visit some of the hidden cave churches that pepper the area and discover how they were used by ancient Christians.

 

Having explored here, travel to Kaymakli Underground City, one of the best preserved of its kind in Cappadocia. Head below ground to roam its hand-hewn passages, cellars and stables, once used by Christians to hide from persecution.

 


After, head for ‘old’ Çavuşin, an abandoned village on a hillside. Gaze at the empty rock houses, monk caves and shelters and learn about the people who once lived here. Discover how rock falls eventually drove them from their home, and view Çavuşin’s Basilica of St John the Baptist, perched high on cliffs above the village.



 

Before your tour ends, stop for lunch in a local restaurant and visit the town of Avanos, known for its pottery and other handicrafts. Here, visit a traditional workshop and take part in a pottery-making session. Admire the dexterity of the potters, and grab the chance to create your own masterpiece as you learn more about this age-old Turkish craft.

 

Your tour then finishes with a hotel drop-off.