Cappadocia Circuit — Göreme, Rose Valley &Ihlara.
Distance
165 km
Duration
1 day
Climb
480 m
Cappadocia Circuit — Göreme, Rose Valley & Ihlara.
A loop through the volcanic heart of Cappadocia: fairy chimneys, cave churches, underground cities, and the dramatic Ihlara river canyon. Start in Göreme and wind south through tufa rock formations to Ihlara gorge, returning across open Anatolian steppe.
Quick facts
SurfacePaved
Distance165 km
Days1
Total climb480 m
DifficultyModerate
Loading map...
The route.
GöremeStart · Start in Göreme village. Fuel at the petrol station on the main road — next fuel is Nevşehir, 12 km west.
Üçhisar CastleScenic Point · Highest fairy chimney in Cappadocia, carved into a natural cone with 360° views. Arrive before 9 am to beat tour groups.
Rose Valley ViewpointPhoto Spot · Pull off at the Güllüdere (Rose Valley) rim. Dawn light turns rock formations pink and amber — classic Cappadocia shot with hot-air balloons in the background.
AvanosRestaurant · Riverside pottery town on the Kızılırmak. Excellent breakfast cafés and the last reliable fuel stop before the long run south to Derinkuyu.
Zelve Open Air MuseumScenic Point · Abandoned troglodyte village carved into three converging tufa valleys — rock-cut churches and homes. 45 minutes covers the whole site.
Derinkuyu Underground CityScenic Point · Eight levels deep, built to shelter up to 20,000 people during Byzantine-era raids. The road south opens into flat windswept steppe — a sharp contrast to the fairy-chimney north.
Ihlara ValleyPhoto Spot · The Melendiz River cut a 14 km canyon 150 m into the volcanic plateau. Walk 30 minutes along the gorge path past Byzantine cave churches with intact frescoes.
Selime MonasteryScenic Point · Monumental rock-cut cathedral at the north end of Ihlara Valley — one of the largest cave monasteries in Anatolia, with cathedral hall, stables and refectory intact.
GöremeEnd · Return to Göreme via Nevşehir. Evening light is spectacular from the Göreme panorama point — hot-air balloons drift across the valley at dusk.
More routes in Turkey
Save this ride. Open the app.
Clone it to your planner, customize dates and stops, then ride. All free.
Open in MotoVault
Navigate this route with GPS