This is Cappadocia on foot: a seven-day walking holiday that trades the tour-bus circuit for the quiet floors of its painted valleys and finishes on the 3,260-metre summit of Mount Hasan, one of Central Anatolia's great volcanic peaks. Designed in-house by Inca Tour, a TURSAB-licensed operator, the programme threads together the fairy-chimney landscapes around Goreme, the rock-cut churches of the Ihlara Valley and a genuine summit day, so active travellers see the region the way its first cave-dwellers did.
From a base among the tuff formations you trek the White Valley beneath the citadel of Uchisar, the green ravine of Pigeon Valley, and the orchards and abandoned Greek village of Gomeda, then the Pancarlik Valley, the castle-rock of Ortahisar and the sunset-coloured Kizilcukur (Red) Valley. Each day is a comfortable five-hour walk with a local guide, ending back at a cave-style hotel for dinner, so the effort stays within reach of any reasonably fit traveller.
The journey's natural climax comes in two stages. First you descend into the Ihlara Valley, a sixteen-kilometre canyon carved by the Melendiz river and lined with Byzantine rock churches, visit the vast Selime Monastery, and swim in the crater lake of Lake Nar (Narligol). Then comes the ascent of Mount Hasan itself, a full summit day with wide views over the Anatolian plateau, before a final morning walking from Cavusin to the monk-cells of Pasabag (Monks Valley) and the rock valleys of the Zelve Open-Air Museum.
Throughout the week you sleep in a traditional cave-style hotel near Goreme, waking each morning to the balloons drifting over the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia. The walking is moderate and the pace relaxed, led by an experienced local trekking guide who knows the hidden chapels, pigeon houses and springs of the Pancarlik Valley and the orchards of Gomeda. With all breakfasts, most lunches and every dinner included, and private transfers from Kayseri or Nevsehir airport, this is an active yet comfortable way to discover both the gentle valleys and the volcanic high ground of Central Anatolia.
Your full program, day by day — click a day to see every stop.
On arrival at Kayseri or Nevsehir airport you are met and transferred to your cave-style hotel in the heart of Cappadocia. The rest of the day is free to settle in and explore the village around Goreme and Uchisar at your own pace. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
Your first walking day leads through the White Valley below the towering citadel of Uchisar Castle, the highest point in Cappadocia, and down into the green, dovecote-lined Pigeon Valley. The trek takes roughly five hours at an easy pace, with a picnic lunch along the way. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
Today you walk through the farming villages of Kavak, Bahceli and Ayvali to the ruins of Gomeda, an abandoned Greek settlement hidden in a lush valley of orchards, rock chapels and old wine cellars. A further five-hour trek with lunch en route. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
From the Gomeda Valley you cross to the Pancarlik Valley and its frescoed churches, pass beneath the castle-rock of Ortahisar, and finish in the Kizilcukur (Red) Valley, whose rose and ochre cliffs glow at sunset. Around five hours of walking, lunch included. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
A day in the dramatic Ihlara Valley, walking beside the Melendiz river past Byzantine rock-cut churches to the colossal Selime Monastery at the canyon's end. On the way back you stop at the crater lake of Lake Nar (Narligol) for a swim in its warm, mineral-rich water. Lunch included. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
The highlight of the tour: a guided summit trek of Mount Hasan, a dormant volcano rising to around 3,260 metres above the Anatolian plateau. The ascent rewards you with sweeping views across Cappadocia and the surrounding steppe. A full, demanding but non-technical day with a packed lunch. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
On your final morning you take a gentle one-hour walk from the old village of Cavusin to the triple-capped fairy chimneys of Pasabag (Monks Valley), then visit the rock-cut monastic complex of the Zelve Open-Air Museum. Afterwards you are transferred to the airport for your departure. Farewell to Cappadocia.
Handpicked 3-, 4- and 5-star hotels along your route. Choose your category — the price adapts.
Exact hotels are confirmed on booking based on availability and your chosen category; equivalent alternatives may be offered.
Cappadocia → White Valley, Uchisar, Pigeon Valley → Kavak, Bahceli, Ayvali, Gomeda → Gomeda, Pancarlik, Ortahisar, Kizilcukur → Ihlara Valley, Selime, Lake Nar → Mount Hasan → Cavusin, Pasabag, Zelve
Modern, comfortable and fully-equipped vehicles — the same fleet we use on your tour.
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Extra day tours you can add along your route — Cappadocia, White Valley, Uchisar, Pigeon Valley, Kavak, Bahceli, Ayvali, Gomeda, Gomeda, Pancarlik, Ortahisar, Kizilcukur, Ihlara Valley, Selime, Lake Nar, Mount Hasan, Cavusin, Pasabag, Zelve.
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Real, verified reviews from travellers who explored Turkey with us.
My husband and I chose Inca Tour for our honeymoon and we are so glad we did. The boutique hotel selection was beautiful and the Bosphorus dinner cruise was so romantic. Thank you for making our trip special!
It was important for us to have a guide who spoke Russian, and Ender was wonderful. He explained every detail at Dolmabahce Palace. The Princes Islands day trip was a beautiful break from the busy city.
Our guide Ender was incredibly knowledgeable about Turkish history. The hot-air balloon ride at sunrise in Cappadocia was the highlight of our trip. Everything was perfectly organized — from airport pick-up to the last d...
Ender was our Italian-speaking guide and we felt like family. He took us to local spots tourists never see. The hotel choice in Sultanahmet was perfect for walking everywhere.
10+ years later we still talk about our Cappadocia balloon ride and the Bosphorus sunset cruise. Some memories are timeless. Thank you Inca Tour!