Cappadocia Green Tour

Cappadocia Green Tour When Cappadocia was described by 19th-century travelers, the area that includes Göreme and other small districts, villages, and towns surrounding it was called Lunar Cappadocia, while the Nigde and Aksaray regions farther south, with fertile farmland, were noted in travelogues as Southern Cappadocia. So, when we designed these tours back in the 1990s, we split the region into two distinct routes; because most of the early tours involved hiking, we dubbed the Southern Cappadocia route the “Green Tour,” inspired by the lush vegetation of the Ihlara Valley. (Initially, there weren’t any touristy spots along the way—the ones enriching our current “Green Tour.” Instead, visitors walked all 14 kilometers from the start of the Ihlara Valley, meeting the shuttle vehicle near Selime Monastery before returning.) GÖREME PANORAMIC VIEWPOINT This tour begins with a visit to the Göreme Panoramic Viewpoint, situated on the highest elevation within Göreme town. From here, one can enjoy breathtaking views of the entire valley below, including the charming village, cave hotels carved into volcanic rocks, neighboring valleys, and even the iconic Uchisar Castle. Your local guide will provide an informative overview of the history and geology of the region during your stay atop this vantage point. DERINKUYU UNESCO UNDERGROUND CITY Unique to Cappadocia, underground cities emerged naturally owing to layers of porous tufa stone reaching depths of dozens of meters thick. This made expanding or deepening dwellings relatively simple for residents over time. These subterranean settlements provided safe havens against invaders throughout centuries.