TR · Central Anatolia · 38.62°N 34.87°E

cappadocia

Rock-cut churches, underground towns and valleys dotted with stone chimneys.

Best time
April–June and September–October are mild and the best months for walking and balloon flights. July–August has hot afternoons; December–February is cold, with snow on the chimneys and more balloon cancellations.
How long
3–4 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop via Istanbul to Nevşehir or Kayseri, about 14–16 hours all in. Göreme is about 40 minutes from Nevşehir airport and just over an hour from Kayseri. Turkey is 5 hours behind KL all year.
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TR · Central Anatoliacappadocia38.62°N 34.87°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Rock-cut churches, underground towns and valleys dotted with stone chimneys.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingCappadociaTR, Central Anatolia
KLcappadocia
≈ 7,789 km from KL, as the crow flies
Cappadocia balloon trip, Ortahisar Castle Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in the Nevşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray, and Niğde Provinces in Turkey. The name was traditionally us

Photo: Arian Zwegers from Brussels, Belgium · CC BY 2.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Cappadocia is a high plateau of soft volcanic rock carved by wind, water and people into valleys, cave houses, chapels and fairy chimneys. Stay in a cave hotel in Göreme or Uçhisar, walk the valleys and, if the wind allows, go up in a balloon.

Makan

  1. Testi kebabıMeat stew sealed in a clay pot and cracked open at the table.Map ↗
  2. MantıTiny meat dumplings under garlic yoghurt and chilli butter, a speciality of nearby Kayseri.Map ↗
  3. GözlemeThin flatbread folded around cheese, spinach or potato and cooked on a griddle.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Göreme Open-Air MuseumRock-cut churches with Byzantine frescoes still bright on the walls.Map ↗
  2. Uçhisar CastleA rock citadel riddled with rooms, with views over the whole region from the top.Map ↗
  3. Rose ValleyPink-tinged rock, hidden chapels and a favourite sunset viewpoint.Map ↗
  4. Kaymaklı or Derinkuyu underground cityWhole towns dug many levels below ground, with low, tight tunnels between the rooms.Map ↗
  5. Hot-air balloonsAt sunrise, dozens of balloons rise over the valleys at once, whether or not you're in one.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Book a balloon for your first morning, so there's time to rebook if the wind grounds it.
  • As across Turkey, meat is halal as standard.
  • Valley paths are dusty and uneven, and mornings are cold, so bring shoes with grip and a warm layer.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.