Turkey

Upon your arrival at the Kayseri airport, you will be welcomed by a Rahhalah representative and you will be transferred to Cappadocia (a 1.15-hour drive). There, after checking in in your hotel, you can relax or begin exploring the town at your pace.

Depending on your arrival time, you can enjoy in the afternoon a sight-seeing tour that will take you through Cavusin village (one of the oldest settlements in Cappadocia) and Avanos town where you can walk by the Red River, do some shopping or visit the Carpet or Onyx Factories (where you can see how Turkish women make carpets and jewellery).

You will end the day with a welcome dinner in Cappadocia.

Accommodation: Boutique Cave Hotel or similar.

You will start the day very early in the morning (at 5:30am) with a hot-air balloon ride: one of the “must” experiences every person should enjoy at least once in a lifetime, especially in Cappadocia. The ride offers you the opportunity to marvel at the surreal landscape of the region from above, bathed in the morning light.

After the ride (which is expected to finish at around 7:30am), you will return to the hotel for breakfast before embarking on a full-day exploration of Cappadocia. During the tour, you will visit the following important landmarks:

Göreme Panaroma, from where, as the name implies, you will enjoy spectacular views of the city.

Uçhisar Castle
Uchisar is situated on the edge of Göreme National Park and is dominated by a 60-metre-high castle-mountain, which is visible over a wide distance and has the form of a large cylindrical tower. The landscape is also marked by the fairy chimneys scattered through it. In the centre of the town there is an underground gallery which extends for about 100 metres underneath some houses. It was cut in tuff (a type of rock) in earlier times and probably served as a link from the fortress to the outside world and a way to protect the water supply.

Göreme Open Air Museum (Rock Cave Churches)
The Goreme Open-Air Museum resembles a vast monastic complex composed of scores of refectory monasteries placed side-by-side, each with its own church. It is obviously the first sight to be visited by any traveler in Cappadocia, as it stands in the center of the region, easily accessible from all directions. It contains the finest of the rock-cut churches with beautiful frescoes (wall paintings) whose colors retain their original freshness. It also presents unique examples of rock hewn architecture and fresco technique. The Goreme Open Air Museum has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1984, and was one of the first two UNESCO sites in Turkey.

After this tour, you will enter the valley and follow one of its many paths, hiking your way through the so-called Fairy Chimneys.

You will end the day with a pottery demonstration, during which the local experts will explain the process of pottery making, while also helping you give it a try yourselves, if you wish. Pottery is a significant part of the local heritage, and understanding its background will help you connect even more with the local culture, economy, and people.

Accommodation: Boutique Cave Hotel or similar.

After breakfast, you will embark on a different kind of exploration, hiking your way through the Sword, Red and Rose valleys. During the day, you will have the opportunity to take great pictures of some of the best spots of the region, visit caves and churches, and explore the historical and natural beauties of Cappadocia.

Estimated hiking time: 5-7 hours.

Accommodation: Boutique Cave Hotel or similar.

Few regions around the world can boast being home to surreal and marvelous underground structures. So, Cappadocia’s numerous underground cities await to impress you. After breakfast, you will spend the morning exploring the ancient tunnels, reaching up to underground level 4. The tunnels and structures have all been hewn in the rock by people around 4000 years ago.

After this unique experience, you will head to Nar Lake (Crater Lake) to enjoy its outlandish ambience and take a few photos, before going for a short hike (3.5 km, 1.5 hours) in the Ihlara Valley: a canyon, 15-km long and up to 15 m deep, containing around 50 rock-hewn churches and numerous rock-cut buildings. Finally, you will stop at Belisirma Village for lunch.

Your adventure will end at the Pigeon Valley, walking on an easygoing trail that allows beautiful views of the valley, the Uchisar Castle, ancient caves, and carved pigeon houses.

Late in the afternoon, you will return to the city for a farewell dinner.

Accommodation: Boutique Cave Hotel or similar.

After breakfast, and depending on your departure time, you will be transferred to the Kayseri airport for your flight back home.