2-Day Cappadocia Underground Cities Route

This two-day Cappadocia route begins in Nevşehir and ends at Selime, at the southern mouth of the Ihlara Valley near Aksaray. The first day is given to the underground cities of Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu, cut into the soft volcanic tuff south of the main Cappadocia plateau; the second day moves west into the Melendiz canyon for a walk through the Ihlara Valley and a final stop at the rock-cut settlement of Selime. The journey is linear, follows a southerly and then westerly arc through the landscape, and works best as a self-drive trip combined with half a day of walking. It suits travellers who want to understand the region's subterranean history without spending their whole visit below ground.

Day 1: Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu Underground Cities

The day starts in Nevşehir, the provincial centre that serves as the natural gateway to this part of Cappadocia. From the city, take the main road heading south toward Niğde. The first stop comes quickly, at Kaymaklı, a town built directly above one of the region's largest underground settlements.

Kaymaklı is known for the breadth of its tunnel network rather than its depth. Its passages are wide enough to walk through comfortably, and they open onto storage rooms, stables, kitchens and communal halls arranged over several levels. The ventilation shafts and the round stone doors that could be rolled across passages are among the details that make the site easy to read even for a first-time visitor. Because Kaymaklı sits closer to Nevşehir, it makes sense to see it first and continue south afterwards.

From Kaymaklı, continue along the same road to Derinkuyu, the deeper and more celebrated of the two cities. Here the descent feels more vertical, with narrow stairways linking level after level down into the rock. Derinkuyu is often described as the most complex of Cappadocia's underground settlements, and its scale becomes clear only as you move through the different floors and reach the lower chambers. The two sites are close enough to be seen in a single unhurried day, and visiting them in this order lets the journey flow steadily southward rather than doubling back.

Late afternoon is a good time to return north toward Nevşehir, or to settle in the Kaymaklı–Derinkuyu area for the night. Staying south of the plateau shortens the following morning's drive toward the Ihlara Valley. Before leaving the area, the small towns and farmland around the two underground cities give a sense of the plain that has supported them for centuries, and the surrounding district is worth a slow look rather than a rushed pass-through.

Day 2: Ihlara Valley and Selime

The second day begins by heading west from the Derinkuyu area toward the district of Güzelyurt and the Ihlara Valley. The landscape changes noticeably along the way: the flat farmland gives way to the deep, green cut of the Melendiz canyon, a striking contrast after the dry plains of the previous day.

Enter the valley from the northern end near Ihlara village, where steps lead down to the river that runs along the floor of the gorge. The walking here is gentle and largely level, following the water between high rock walls. The valley is one of Cappadocia's most important nature and history sites together, because its cliffs hold a long series of rock-cut churches decorated with frescoes. Rather than treating the valley as a single attraction, it works best as a gradual walk from one cluster of churches to the next, with the canyon and the river providing the character of the day.

Continue downstream through the valley toward Belisırma, a village of riverside houses and simple terraces, and then on to the southern end, where the canyon widens and opens onto flatter ground. This final stretch leads naturally to Selime, the endpoint of the route. Selime is a remarkable rock-cut complex built into a tall cliff, with chambers, halls and a monastery-like structure carved up its face. It is the perfect closing stop: after two days of tunnels, chambers and canyon walls, Selime brings the whole journey together on one dramatic slope above the plain.

From Selime, the road leads on toward Aksaray, which is the logical place to finish if you are continuing elsewhere in Central Anatolia.

When to Go and What to Expect

This route is best suited to spring and autumn, when daytime temperatures make both the underground sites and the valley walk comfortable. Summer in the valley can be hot and exposed, while winter brings cold, occasional snow and shorter daylight, which limits how much of the Ihlara Valley can be covered on foot. The underground cities themselves stay cool throughout the year, so a light layer is useful even in warm weather.

The route is a linear one rather than a loop, and it involves a moderate amount of driving between stops as well as a half-day of walking on the second day. Comfortable shoes are essential for both the underground passages and the valley floor. Travellers without a car can still follow the same order of stops using local connections between the towns, but a private vehicle makes the day-to-day transitions much simpler.

Because the region is well supplied with other destinations, this two-day underground and valley route can easily be extended. Nevşehir, Güzelyurt and the small towns around Ihlara connect naturally to the wider Cappadocia area, while Aksaray opens the way toward the rest of Central Anatolia. Read together with the individual destination pages for each place, the route gives a practical shape to a short but rewarding journey through Cappadocia's subterranean world.