Zelve Valley – Hiking in Cappadocia
- Written by Portal Editor
Zelve Valley – Who isn't familiar with magical Cappadocia, with its fairy chimneys and underground cities extending up to ten stories deep into the soft rock?
Our recommendation: Explore the region on foot with experienced guides and a well-planned itinerary.
Sample 7-Day Cappadocia Tour
Day 1: Arrival in Ankara, Kayseri, or Nevşehir, located in the heart of the historic region of Galatia. Transfer to the hotel.
Day 2: Morning ascent to the city citadel (if arriving from Ankara); in-depth visit to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations;
After a lunch break, drive to the Column of Julian; visit the Temple of Augustus, featuring the inscribed *Res Gestae Divi Augusti* (Monumentum Ancyranum) on its walls;
Visit the Atatürk Mausoleum.
Departure for Cappadocia, traveling past the Salt Lake. Dinner and overnight stay in Cappadocia.
Day 3: Our first hike takes us from Avanos to the virtually uninhabited Zelve Valley—a place where, according to historical accounts, up to 35,000 people once lived.
We will also visit some of the cave dwellings there.
Next, we continue to Paşabağları (also known as Monks' Valley) to see the most impressive fairy chimneys.
Passing via Aktepe (White Hill), we head to Çavuşin and its impressive church, which was carved directly into the rock face.
Dinner and overnight stay in Cappadocia.
Day 4: Our hike continues toward Güllüdere (Rose Valley), where we can see white and red rock chimneys intertwined with one another.
Afterwards, we hike from there to the Göreme Open-Air Museum, followed by a detailed tour of the Byzantine monasteries and the fresco-adorned cave churches.
Dinner and overnight stay in Cappadocia.
Day 5: Drive to the Ihlara Valley and a hike; this charming canyon was carved over millennia by the Melendiz River.
Along the way, we will discover hidden churches and dwellings belonging to Christians who found a final refuge in the valley.
Next, we are introduced to the secrets of the carpet-weaving craft: marvel at the beauty of authentic carpets during a visit to a workshop.
Dinner and overnight stay in Cappadocia.
Day 6: Excursion to Cemil, Sinassos (Mustafapasa), and the Soğanlı Valley, which offers a wealth of diverse cave churches and fascinating rock formations created by erosion.
Afterwards, we drive to the underground city of Kaymaklı; carved up to ten stories deep into the rock, it once provided refuge for up to 10,000 people during times of crisis. Dinner and overnight stay in Cappadocia.
Day 7: Drive to Boğazkale; a detailed tour of Hattusa, the former Hittite capital, including the fortified walls and gates, the temple and palace complexes, and the nearby rock sanctuary of Yazılıkaya. Then, we travel via the ancient Halys River to Ankara.
Dinner and overnight stay in Ankara.
Day 8: Breakfast and transfer to the airport.
If you are interested in any of the hikes described here, please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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