4-Day Cappadocia Itinerary: The Ultimate Guide to Hot Air Balloons, Hikes & Cave Hotels

Cappadocia. The name alone conjures images of surreal landscapes dotted with hot air balloons, and we can assure you it truly lives up to the hype. We fell head-over-heels for Cappadocia, and we’re excited to share our itinerary with you.

Cappadocia is more than just a pretty picture.

Imagine hiking through dramatic canyons, soaring above otherworldly formations, and then relaxing in a unique cave hotel.

Cappadocia is the mix of sights and experiences that we crave on our travels.

We loved it simply because it lived up to its online promises. While it’s very touristy, the experiences are truly amazing.

You can see the highlights in two days, but more time will allow you to see more. And there’s plenty to see.

This guide is exactly how we spent 4 days in Cappadocia. If you have less time, you can simply remove days from the end, as we have packed all the best bits first.

MAP: CAPPADOCIA ITINERARY

We listed all the attractions on the map below to help you plan your Cappadocia itinerary, including the day trips out of Göreme.

OUR ITINERARY

As we start with the hot air balloon ride, which leaves at sunset, we have written this itinerary assuming you’ll arrive the day before you start day 1.

You might also like our guide to the best things to do in Cappadocia, which has more information about some of the specific sights.

DAY 1: EXPLORE THE CAPPADOCIA VALLEYS

We started our Cappadocia itinerary by capturing the main highlights, including a hot air balloon ride and hikes in two of the best valleys in the area.

HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE

A hot air balloon ride is the one thing you must do in Cappadocia. We suggest you organise your ride for the day after you arrive in case it’s cancelled due to poor weather.

All tour guides will pick you up from your hotel around 4:30 am and drop you back after the experience.

The feeling of slowly drifting over the sculpted canyons of the Cappadocian landscape in the early morning light is one you won’t forget in a hurry.

We have more details in our Cappadocia hot air balloon guide, which includes tour companies and useful information.

PIGEON VALLEY & UÇHISAR CASTLE

After recovering from the thrill of the balloon ride and while the temperature is still cool, set off on a hike through two of the valleys of Cappadocia.

Start with the narrow canyon walls of Pigeon Valley before rising up to the panoramic views at Uçhisar Castle. As the highest point in the area, the views are stunning, and it was one of our favourite experiences in Cappadocia.

LOVE VALLEY

Leaving Uçhisar Castle, descend to the phallic rock formations of Love Valley, one of the most iconic in Cappadocia. The walk through Pigeon and Love Valley took us around 4 hours and 30 minutes.

All the details, including maps, are on our hiking in Cappadocia guide.

PANORAMA POINT

As the sunset approaches, drive up to Panorama Point – a stunning location to watch the colour fade from the Red Valley.

It can be very busy, but there are plenty of places to grab refreshments. We particularly loved the dried fruit stall.

There are plenty of places along the edge of the canyon walls to grab a seat and watch what we think is one of the best sunsets anywhere.

Back in Göreme, find somewhere that takes your fancy for dinner.

DAY 2: IHLARA VALLEY & KAYMAKLI

On the second day, we watched the balloons at sunrise before heading over to the Ihlara Valley to see a different side of Cappadocia.

SUNSET POINT

This morning, wake up at dawn and walk to Sunset Point, a few hundred metres from the centre of Göreme.

As the sun rises over the valley walls and the sky fills with hot air balloons, it’s a memorable way to start the day. Sunset Point is the spot to be if you want the Instagram shot in front of the masses of balloons.

IHLARA VALLEY

After breakfast, drive to Ihlara Village, about 1 hour southwest of Göreme.

Ihlara Village is the starting point for a hike up the beautiful narrow canyon of Ihlara Valley.

It’s a simple walk that follows a path along the valley floor beside the river, so it’s very difficult to get lost.

The river keeps the valley lush and green, making a nice contrast to the rocky landscapes near Göreme.

There are some interesting rock-carved churches along the way. They are well-signed from the path, but we have marked the locations on the map in our Ihlara Valley hiking guide.

KAYMAKLI UNDERGROUND CITY

On our way back from Ihlara, we stopped off at Kaymakli Underground City.

The construction of this cave city began in the 7th or 8th centuries BCE. Today, the city descends 8 levels into the earth and has stables, a church and storage rooms connected by over a hundred tunnels.

Tours take around 30 minutes to explore the first 4 levels of the caves in a one-way route. It is a little claustrophobic in the tunnels and probably not ideal for tall people. However, it’s well worth it if you’re ok with confined spaces.

PAŞABAĞI

After returning to Göreme, head to Paşabağı. It contains a collection of some of the most striking fairy chimneys and mushroom-topped formations in Cappadocia.

It’s a small site, and it’s close to the highway so it can get inundated with bus groups.

However, it only takes 30 minutes to see everything, so it’s worth stopping off on your way back from the underground city.

DAY 3: THE VALLEYS & CHURCHES OF GÖREME

We explored the most impressive valleys on the 3rd day of your Cappadocia itinerary.

RED & ROSE VALLEY

Clock in another early morning to start a hike through the Red and Rose Valleys while the balloons are still drifting overhead.

Several excellent viewpoints are perched over oceans of rippling red, rose and white rock.

The only downside is the challenge of finding the trailheads and following the paths, which, despite a profusion of signs, is not particularly easy.

The walk took us about 5 hours, and all the details are on our hiking in Cappadocia guide, which includes maps you can download and take with you.

GÖREME OPEN AIR MUSEUM

In the late afternoon, drive to the Göreme Open Air Museum.

The area was an important centre of Christianity up to the 13th century, and the museum contains some of the best-preserved frescoed churches in Cappadocia.

Three of the churches are included in the entrance fee. However, the best is Karanik Kilise, which has an additional charge that is well worth paying.

SUNSET POINT

After the museum, head back to Sunset Point to watch the sun set over Cappadocia.

There’s a stall selling beer with benches spread out across the top, and it’s a beautiful spot to enjoy a sundowner and have a magical experience in Cappadocia.

Walk back into Göreme for dinner. We at ate My Mother’s Café, which we really liked. It’s honest, hearty Turkish cooking without too much fuss.

DAY 4: VILLAGE LIFE IN CAPPADOCIA

On the final day in Cappadocia, we took a leisurely road trip from Göreme to explore a less visited and very local part of Turkey. The towns we visited were largely untouched by tourism and something we really enjoyed doing.

MUSTAFAPAŞA

Drive to the small village of Mustafapaşa, just 10 minutes south of Göreme. It’s halfway between a rural village and a town coming to terms with tourism.

Tractors roam the streets where a few tourist shops, cafes and hotels have slowly started to pop up.

It’s an interesting village to stroll around, and a few carpet sellers will be happy to chat with you.

CEMIL

Cemil is completely untouched by tourism. It looks like it’s been untouched by everything for a few hundred years.

The town is crumbling down the side of a valley, with chickens and cows lining the roads. There’s not even a chance of a cup of tea, but it’s a very photogenic place. Cemil is another 10 minutes past Mustafapaşa.

SOĞANLI

About an hour from Göreme, Soğanlı is a town that has been occupied since Roman times. It was a centre for Christianity in the Byzantine Empire.

Check out the pretty Tahtali Church before going to the second valley, which has several carved churches. The best are Snake Church, Domed Church and Hidden Church.

The map above has the route we took.

At the end of the valley, have lunch in the café set up by the river before returning to Göreme.

GORKUNDERE VALLEY & ZEMI VALLEY

After returning to Göreme, have a late afternoon stroll around the Gorkundere Valley. It’s a shorter valley than some of the others in the area, but it has some very impressive phallic rock formations that provide great photo opportunities.

Nearby, in Zemi Valley, it’s worth visiting El Nazar Kilise – a 10th-century church carved from a single piece of rock. The frescoes inside are very impressive.

HOW MANY DAYS IN CAPPADOCIA?

Cappadocia is a beautiful region that we loved visiting on our Turkey itinerary.

You need at least 2 days to see the main highlights of Cappadocia, allowing for 2 mornings to take the balloon ride in case there are cancellations due to weather.

But if you have longer, you’ll get a lot more out of Cappadocia.

We’ve constructed this Cappadocia itinerary so that the experiences we think shouldn’t be missed are at the front. Therefore, if you need to amend this itinerary, do as many days as you can fit in.

WHERE TO STAY IN CAPPADOCIA?

We suggest staying in Göreme. It’s a unique place with buildings carved into the rock and rooftop terraces overlooking the fairy chimneys and surrounding valleys.

Additionally, many of the best hiking trailheads are nearby, sunset and sunrise viewpoints are easily accessible, and the town has plenty of facilities and restaurants.

While its sole purpose is tourism, it actually maintains something of a local feel without too much annoying selling.

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HOW TO GET TO CAPPADOCIA?

Cappadocia is in central Turkey, and two airports are nearby.

One at Nevşehir (40 minutes drive to Göreme) and the other at Göreme (60 minutes’ drive to Göreme). Both have flights from several popular locations in Turkey.

ISTANBUL TO CAPPADOCIA

The quickest and easiest way to get from Istanbul to Cappadocia is to fly. There are several flights daily from Istanbul to Nevşehir and Kayseri Airports.

There is also a bus that runs from Istanbul to Cappadocia and takes between 10 and 12 hours. The bus runs overnight and costs around ₺90, so it’s a very cost-effective option.

AIRPORT TRANSFERS TO GÖREME

If you’re not hiring your own car to explore Cappadocia, private or shared transfers are available from both airports to Göreme in air-conditioned minivans.

Your hotel will be able to organise transfers for you, or you could book a shared airport transfer or private airport transfer in advance.

HIRING A CAR IN CAPPADOCIA

We recommend booking your hire car through rentalcars.com, who compare prices across most of the dependable car rental companies.

Both airports have car hire facilities, although Kayseri has more choices.

Driving in Turkey is also not as hard as you might think, and it’s a great way to see the country. Read our tips for driving in Turkey to help plan your road trip.

BEST TIME TO VISIT CAPPADOCIA

The best time to visit Cappadocia is during the shoulder seasons, from April to June and from September to October.

Cappadocia sits on a plateau over 1,000 metres high, so in winter, the temperature can drop to around 0°C, and in summer, it’s often upwards of 30°C.

Rainfall is higher in Spring than in Autumn, and being a little windier makes balloon riding a bit more susceptible to cancellations.

The upside is the landscape is greener, flowers are more abundant, and the days are longer.

We travelled during Ramadan, which meant the valleys were much less busy as locals don’t take holidays during this time.

We also had no problems booking hotels late (to keep some flexibility) or getting into good restaurants with the best viewpoints.

MORE TURKEY GUIDES

• More great things to do can be found in our guide to visiting Istanbul.
• Travelling around? Read our guide to the best places to visit in Turkey.
• Try these incredible hikes in Cappadocia (maps included).
• Here are the best things to do in Antalya.
• Take the ultimate scenic voyage in a Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon ride.
• Plan your trip with our Turkey Itinerary.
• Here are the best things to do in Cappadocia.
• Relive history in the best ancient ruins in Turkey.
• Plan the ultimate 4-days in Cappadocia with our detailed itinerary.