Easy to moderate trail through the magical landscape of Capadoccia. Suitable for families.
Breakfast included all days. Dive into the local cuisine with multiple options for lunch and dinner.
Stay in lovely small boutique hotels and pensions. All double rooms with ensuite facilities.
Enjoy the luxury of luggage transport and focus on the adventure and beautiful vistas.
Explore Cappadocia’s breathtaking valleys, fairy chimneys, and ancient rock formations on easy to moderate treks.
Details
ItineraryYou will be met at Kayseri airport by representative and taken to vehicle which will take you to the heart of Cappadocia with other customers arriving at a similar time.
Dinner is not included this evening to allow for late arrivals, however the hotel has a comfortable restaurant and bar.
Pigeon Valley is named for its pigeon lofts or ‘houses’ as they are known locally, but many of our hikes will show excellent examples of pigeon houses. At the end of Pigeon Valley the route passes the small town of Göreme before connecting to Love Valley and White Valley before emerging at Uçhisar.
Whilst it is possible to visit the Göreme Open Air Museum on this day it may be better to do so on Day 3.
A slightly more adventurous and mainly descending route through the Zemi Valley to Göreme. The afternoon is available to visit the Göreme Open Air Museum and Cappadocia’s second Love Valley or to retrace your steps (of yesterday) and return to Uçhisar along Pigeon Valley.
A one hour transfer will take us south and slightly west to an area of Cappadocia that has always, in modern times, received less visitors.
In medieval times the area was a hive of monastic activity and the many small churches in the region rightly became famous. The Ihlara Canyon hike allows for the opportunity to both visit some of these churches and enjoy a day walking through a beautiful and sometimes spectacular natural feature.
At Selime, before the walk begins, it is possible to explore the so-called ‘Cathedral’, a mixture of natural erosion with human habitation and worship. As a full day of walking awaits, some may prefer to get right into the beginnings of the canyon at nearby Yaprakhisar.
The trail follows the Melendiz River, sometimes on one side and sometimes the other. In the walls of the canyon are many rock-hewn churches.
There is a great chance this morning to visit one of the best ‘underground cities’ of Cappadocia. After being collected from the hotel you will be driven about 40 minutes to the small town of Derinkuyu. Here, if you are interested the driver will give you time to visit the underground city of the same name. A small torch is recommended. After the visit, which may take about 45 minutes, the driver will take you the rest of the way to Kavak village, approximately 20 minutes.
The walking route heads from Kavak to Ayvalı village where one can usually find refreshments or lunch. The route then continues via the Gomeda Valley to Mustafapaşa.
The village of Mustafapaşa was home to many wealthy merchants, ethnically Greek, who carried out their business mostly based in Istanbul but liked to build mansions in their home village.
Anatolian Greeks, as they are known today, were a very important part of the culture and traditions of Cappadocia. Most departed during the Exchange of Minorities in the 1920’s.
The route goes into the Gomeda and Üzgeni Valleys for a short while before heading north through farmland to the village of Ortahisar. The old village, whose name means ‘middle-fortress’ is dominated by the natural fortress-rock that has been honey-combed by different civilisations over the ages. The afternoon route follows the edge of the Meskendir valley and then past Sword valley back to Göreme.
After a short 10-minute transfer to Pasabag and a chance to view the famous triple-headed fairy chimney, today’s hike follows a small trail up and over the ‘mesa-like’ mountain, Bozdag, from which there are amazing views down into Rose and Red Valleys.
After descending from Bozdag, there will be an opportunity to visit the Üzümlü Church, take in the amazing view over Kızılcukur (Red Valley) and hike down Rose Valley visiting on the way the White Church (aka the Column Church).
Depending on your departure requirements we will arrange a shuttle transfer to Kayseri train station, or airport.
Location And Getting ThereGetting there
We will pick you up in Kayseri Airport and bring you to the heart of Capadoccia.
AccommodationExamples of accommodation on this tour:
Accommodation
This tour is designed for two participants sharing a double, twin, or family room. Solo travelers should anticipate an additional surcharge for single occupancy in double rooms. On certain routes, particularly those involving high alpine huts, private rooms may not be available due to limited capacity or late bookings. In such cases, shared accommodations will be required and will be clearly indicated in your itinerary.
Linen & Towels
Most huts and hotels provide linen and towels. In rare instances where you need to bring your own towel and sleeping bag liner, this requirement will be clearly outlined in your itinerary.
Luggage Transfer
Luggage transfer is included on most stages of our tours. However, some remote huts are inaccessible by car. In these cases, you’ll need to carry a few extra essentials in your daypack, and your luggage will be delivered to your next hotel the following day. This will be clearly specified in your itinerary.
Included Services
Add to this tourWhen booking this tour online, you will get the option to add the following services:
GuaranteeThis tour is fully covered by the Danish Travel Guarantee Fund (Rejsegarantifonden), ensuring financial protection and security for all participants. The guarantee covers situations such as company insolvency, securing refunds for canceled trips or necessary repatriation. Importantly, this protection applies to travelers of all nationalities, not just Danish citizens. By booking with a company registered under the Danish Travel Guarantee, you can embark on your adventure with confidence, knowing your investment is secure and your travel experience is safeguarded, regardless of your country of residence. Learn more here.
WeatherFrom April to October, Cappadocia offers ideal conditions for hiking across its unique landscapes. During spring (April to June), temperatures range from 10°C to 20°C, with wildflowers in bloom and pleasant days, though occasional light rain is possible. Summer months (July to September) are warmer, with highs between 25°C and 30°C, making early mornings and late afternoons the best times to explore. In autumn (October), temperatures cool to 15°C to 25°C, with crisp air and golden hues enhancing the rock formations. The region’s dry climate ensures clear skies, but layered clothing and sun protection are essential for varying weather conditions.
Difficulty
This tour is categorized Easy
Easy trails, shorter distances and suitable for people with no prior mountain experience. Physicality is not very challenging, although participants should still be able to hike 10-15 km without problems on a flat road. Suitable for children above the age of 8.
FAQIf you cancel your tour 60 days or more before the departure date, you will lose your deposit. If you cancel your tour between 60 and 45 days before the departure date, you will lose 50 per cent of the total tour price. If you cancel your tour within 45 days of the departure date, you will lose the full amount. If you fail to turn up on the first day of your tour, Outdoor Italy may not be able to make arrangements for you to join the rest of the tour, and you will lose the full payment. If, for any reason, Outdoor Italy has to cancel your tour, you will be offered an alternative tour or a full refund.
You can book your tour directly on the Outdoor Italy website. Choose the tour from the dropdown menu, select the date you would like to start, and the number of participants in your group. You can either pay a deposit (60 days or more from the start of your tour) or pay the full amount. Click ‘book’ and follow the instructions. Once we have confirmed your payment, you’ll receive your confirmed tour itinerary within 10 days. There may be seasonal variations in the time it takes us to arrange everything. Please note that programmes on the tour pages are only examples — there may be several differences in the final programme you receive.
When booking your tour, you can choose to pay by credit/debit card or direct bank transfer. Direct bank transfers will generally take longer to process, while credit and debit card payments are processed instantly. You are, by default, asked to pay a deposit of 25% of the total cost of the tour. If you choose this option, you will be asked to pay the remaining 75% one month before your tour. Please be sure to follow the payment links you receive in your invoice or reminder email, which we will send you when the second payment is due.
This depends on the individual tour and when you book it. When hiking in the Alps, most people stay in dorms or shared rooms as the availability of single, double and family rooms are limited. We can only guarantee your own room on certain tours such as in the Lys and Ayas Valleys — but only if you book in time. If this is your preference, we will do our best to ensure you get your own room, but please expect to spend some nights in shared accommodation if there is limited availability.
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer this service with all our packages. Often, the huts or hotels we work with are in locations that can only be reached by foot or helicopter. Indeed, when choosing a tour that includes baggage transport, there may be one or two exceptions depending on the route. This will appear clearly on the tour page and in the program you receive when your booking has been confirmed.
All our tours include the day of arrival and the day of departure. This means that a six-day tour will include five nights of accommodation, a seven-day tour will include six nights, and so on. On the first day, guests are usually expected to arrive in the afternoon. And the program does not include any activities except for a briefing by our representative on the first evening. On the day of departure, guests are free to decide if they want to leave directly after breakfast or go on a shorter tour before their journey home.
Most of our tours will include Half Board (HB) services, which means breakfast, a three-course dinner, and a light-packed lunch. Please check the individual tour page for details, however, as variations occur with certain tours.
We specialize in self-guided tours. These tours are designed for travelers who love the independence of hiking, skiing, or running on their own but want to know that everything else is taken care of. In some cases, we are able to offer luggage transport to lighten your load as you enjoy the Great Outdoors.
Whether you’re already a group of friends, business colleagues or a sports club looking for an active mountain adventure, we can design and organize your Alpine tour for private groups.
Yes, absolutely! Outdoor Italy can design the perfect mountain adventure for you and your friends or colleagues. Whether you want to hike, ski, run, cycle or climb, we have the expertise and experience needed to create a bespoke package for any level of experience or physicality. Please contact us if you would like us to create a customized package for your group.
There are few better ways to spend time with your children than with an active holiday in the mountains. Sharing a mountain adventure with your child is a memory that will last a lifetime. We try to design child-friendly variations (marked ‘family’) of all our Alpine tours. Children can hike, ski or bike a lot longer than you might expect, as long as you make it entertaining for them. However, they will respond instantly to the way you behave, so please consider whether you are able to create a safe environment for your children when faced with the many different challenges of an alpine environment.
Yes, we are able to offer a discount for children on most of our tours, provided they are not yet 13 years of age on the first day of the tour. Please see the individual tour page for our child discounts.
Many single travellers chose Outdoor Italy due to our high level of service and our expertise in self-guided mountain tours. And the safety of one of our representatives will only ever be just a phone call away. However, please expect additional costs, as our prices are based on two persons — the industry standard for outdoor tours of this nature. Private rooms and other services are often more expensive for individual travellers. You can find information about any additional costs for individual travellers on the tour page.
We are all different. Some of our clients are 70+ and have lived an active lifestyle all their life. Others may be twenty years younger and have barely left their office chair. It is very difficult to judge the physical and mental ability of a person on the basis of a phone conversation. If you are in doubt, each tour is rated for level of physicality, which you can learn more about here. You are of course welcome to call us and we will do our best to advice you. Find your level of physicality here (link to Find your level page).
Our local partners know every square inch of this beautiful Alpine region. During the introductory briefing, you will receive an app, physical maps and a phone number to call if you need advice. In some cases, you’ll be able to forward your location to a local guide with the press of a button. This may prove helpful if you become lost.
We recommend that you speak to your insurance provider to ensure your existing policy covers mountain-based activities such as hiking, skiing, and mountain biking. Please note that any costs relating to emergency situations and the potential need for evacuation are the sole responsibility of the client.
We are all different. Some of our clients are more than 70 years old and have lived an active lifestyle all their life. Others are twenty years younger and have barely left their office chair. It is very difficult to judge the physical and mental capabilities of a person on the basis of a phone conversation. If you are in doubt, each tour is rated for the level of physicality involved, which you can learn more about on our Find Your Level page. You are, of course, welcome to call us, and we will do our best to advise you.
Enjoying the mountains with your best friend can be a joyful experience, which is why we try to make our tours dog friendly wherever possible. Unfortunately, it is not always possible due to local rules. Selected tours are marked ‘Dog Friendly’ on the tour page. This means that your dog can stay with you in your private room or, in a few cases, the hut will have a separate or external room for dogs. Please refer to the individual tour page for more information.
Additional Information| Month | April, May, June, July, August, September, October |
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