Best Cappadocia Tours

Plan two or three nights. The first full day usually covers the Red Tour sights around Göreme, and the second the Green Tour to an underground city and the Ihlara Valley; a sunrise balloon flight fits into either morning. Our Private Cappadocia Tour Package 4 Days 3 Nights costs from $270 per person without hotel and includes airport transfers, the Red Tour and an Underground City and Valleys tour, with lunch and entrance tickets. A one-day trip from Istanbul is possible but leaves no spare morning if balloons are cancelled.

The practical way is a domestic flight to Kayseri or Nevşehir, which takes about 1 hour 20 minutes. The road trip takes most of a day. Our 2-Day Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul with Flights and Hotel costs from $450 per person and covers the flights, one night in a cave-style hotel, breakfast and all transfers. The 3-Day Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul with Flights adds a second night and full Red and Green tours with lunch, from $1,050 per person.

Our sunrise flights start at $199 per person for a standard basket and go up to $275 for Comfortable, $399 for Premium Luxury and $2,999 for a private basket. Flights last 45 to 75 minutes and include hotel transfers, a champagne toast and a flight certificate. Every morning the aviation authority decides whether balloons may fly, and wind, fog or snow cancel flights, more often from December to April. Leave a second morning free if the flight matters to you.

The Red Tour covers the valleys around Göreme, Paşabağ, Zelve and the pottery town of Avanos, takes about 6 hours and costs from $60 per person. The Green Tour goes south to the Derinkuyu underground city, a walk in the Ihlara Valley and Selime Monastery, takes about 7 hours and costs from $70. Both include hotel pick-up, a guide, entrance fees and lunch; drinks at lunch are extra. With two days, do both.

Yes. The Private Cappadocia Highlights Tour with Open-Air Museum runs 6 to 8 hours with your own guide and private van, from $400 per person. Our Best of Cappadocia private tour can be booked for 1, 2 or 3 days, also from $400, with an optional balloon flight added. Entrance tickets are not included on these private tours. For a quieter day away from Göreme, the Daily Private Salt Lake Tour from Cappadocia costs from $490.

Watching the balloons from a viewpoint at sunrise costs from $35 per person, with hotel transfers. Evening options include a Sunset ATV Quad Safari through the Red and Rose valleys from $49, the Whirling Dervish ceremony in a cave venue from $60, and a Turkish Night Show with dinner from $80. There are also camel rides from $85, horseback riding from $90 and a wine tasting with a local expert from $140, which is not open to guests under 18.