By the Turkey Itineraries team · Reviewed by Ege Ertaş, licensed guide · Updated October 2026
Quick answer: Ihlara Valley is a river canyon about 14 km (9 miles) long in Aksaray province, on the southwestern edge of Cappadocia. Most visitors walk 3.5 km (about 2 miles) along the Melendiz River, visit rock-cut churches, lunch in Belisırma and finish at Selime Monastery. It is a full day trip from Göreme. Spring and fall are best.
3 tours · every one with your own guide and vehicle
Cappadocia · Ihlara Valley · Gaziantep · Şanlıurfa · Harran · Göbekli Tepe
Includes: 4-star hotels · Domestic flights · Entrance fees
Istanbul · Cappadocia · Ihlara Valley · Ephesus · Priene, Miletus & Didyma · Aphrodisias
Includes: 4-star hotels · Domestic flights · Entrance fees
Cappadocia · Ihlara Valley · Ephesus · Pergamon · Kuşadası · Pamukkale
Includes: 4-star hotels · Domestic flights · Entrance fees
| Where | Güzelyurt district, Aksaray province, at the foot of Hasan Dağı |
|---|---|
| Getting there | By road, usually as a day trip from Göreme in Cappadocia |
| Time needed | A full day, about 8 to 9 hours door to door from Göreme |
| Best time to visit | April to June and September to October |
| Our private tours | 3 of our private tours include Ihlara Valley, starting from 9 days |
Summarize this guide with an AI assistant
Ihlara Valley is in Güzelyurt district, Aksaray province, at the foot of the volcano Hasan Dağı. It runs roughly south to north from Ihlara village to Selime, with Belisırma village about halfway. You reach it by road, usually from Göreme.
| From | Distance | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Göreme | about 80–95 km (50–60 miles) | about 1.5 hours |
| Aksaray city | about 45 km (28 miles) to Ihlara village | about 45 minutes |
| Derinkuyu Underground City | on the usual route from Göreme | adds no real detour |
Ihlara is visited from a base in Göreme, Ürgüp or Uçhisar. A private vehicle lets you start at one end of the valley and be collected at the other.
Plan a full day, about 8 to 9 hours door to door from Göreme. That covers the drive, an underground city on the way, 2 to 3 hours of walking in the valley, lunch in Belisırma and Selime Monastery on the way back.
For a short look, walk down the stairs, see two or three churches and climb back up in about 1.5 hours. Walking the full canyon to Selime takes most of a day on its own.
The classic route starts at the main gate between Ihlara village and Belisırma. A staircase of 382 steps, according to local officials, drops roughly 100 m (330 feet) to the river. From the bottom you turn north and follow the Melendiz for about 3.5 km (2.2 miles) to Belisırma.
The path is mostly level and shaded by poplars and willows, with a few rocky and muddy stretches. At an easy pace with church stops, allow 2 to 2.5 hours. The canyon walls reach about 100–120 m (330–390 feet) high, and the Ministry notes that the valley was an important religious center in the early Christian period, with dozens of churches cut into the cliffs.
Several painted churches cluster within a short walk of the staircase, which is why most visitors start here. Expect steep steps or short climbs to reach some of them, and dim interiors.
Which churches are unlocked can change with conservation work. Your guide checks on the day.
Belisırma, once called Peristrema, is a small farming village where the walk usually ends. Several family-run restaurants have wooden platforms built over or beside the river. Trout and village dishes are the usual order.
Just outside the village is Kırkdamaltı Church (St. George). An inscription dates its decoration to 1283–1295 and names a patroness, Lady Tamar, likely a Georgian princess, a reminder that Christian art continued here under Seljuk rule.
Selime sits at the northern exit of the valley and is the largest rock-cut monastic complex in the area. Carved into a cluster of cones, it includes a two-level church with a three-aisled basilica plan, a tall-chimneyed kitchen, halls, stables and rooms around a courtyard. The complex is generally dated to the 8th to 11th centuries, with frescoes from the late 10th and early 11th centuries.
The climb up is short but steep, on rock steps and slopes. Allow 45 to 60 minutes. The views over the lower valley are excellent in late afternoon light.
Yaprakhisar ("Leaf Castle") is a small village between Belisırma and Selime. On the road nearby are fairy-chimney formations and rock-cut rooms that few groups stop at. It works as a 10 to 15 minute photo stop.
Güzelyurt, formerly Gelveri, is a hillside town about 15 minutes east of Ihlara village. Until the 1924 population exchange it had a large Greek Orthodox community. The Great Church Mosque was built in 1896 as the Church of St. Gregory of Nazianzus, on a site used for a church since late antiquity. Its old stone houses make a quiet extra stop.
Most Ihlara days include one underground city on the drive from Göreme. Derinkuyu lies directly on the route and is the usual pick. Kaymaklı is a few miles north on the same road. Both involve low, narrow passages and steep steps. Full details are on our Cappadocia guide.
Hours below are from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (muze.gov.tr) where listed. Current foreign-visitor prices could not be confirmed on the Ministry site, so the figures are from recent 2026 travel sources.
| Site | Ticket for foreign visitors | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ihlara Valley | €15 | 08:30–17:00, open daily, ticket office closes 16:15 | Main gate (Gate 2) at the stairs. Not covered by Museum Pass Cappadocia |
| Selime Monastery | Ticketing separate from Ihlara | ||
| Kırkdamaltı Church, Belisırma | |||
| Derinkuyu Underground City | €13 | 08:00–18:00, last tickets 17:15 | Covered by Museum Pass |
| Kaymaklı Underground City | €13 | 08:00–18:00, last tickets 17:15 | Covered by Museum Pass |
| Güzelyurt, Yaprakhisar | No formal ticket | Open area |
Price changes ahead: The Ministry's 2027 tariff lists foreign-visitor prices of €16 for Ihlara Valley (audio guide included) and €15 each for Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı, valid from April 1, 2027.
Passes: The MüzeKart is for Turkish citizens and residents only. Museum Pass Türkiye acceptance at Ihlara.
April to June and September to October are the best months. The valley floor is green and shaded, so it stays more pleasant than the open Göreme valleys in summer, but the stairs and Selime are exposed. Winter is cold, and ice on the steps can make the descent risky.
| Months | Weather | Crowds | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| December–February | Cold, frost, possible snow | Low | Icy stairs; check conditions |
| March–May | Cool to mild | Moderate | River high, trees in leaf by May |
| June–August | Hot on top, cooler by the river | Moderate to high | Start early; Selime is hot at midday |
| September–November | Mild, dry, colorful leaves in Oct–Nov | High in fall | Many Asian tour groups in fall; arrive at opening |
Do the underground city first thing, reach the Ihlara stairs before the late-morning tour buses, and walk north so you finish at lunch in Belisırma with your driver waiting. If climbing back up 382 steps is a concern, this one-way route avoids it entirely. Leave Selime for the drive home, when the light on the cones is warm.
Yes, if you have a third day in Cappadocia. It offers something the Göreme area does not: a green, shaded river canyon with painted Byzantine churches and almost no fairy-chimney crowds. Combined with Selime Monastery and an underground city, it makes a varied full day. With only two days, prioritize Göreme first.
The standard walk from the main staircase to Belisırma is about 3.5 km (2.2 miles) and takes 2 to 2.5 hours with church stops. The full canyon from Ihlara village to Selime is about 14 km (9 miles). Most visitors do the short section and continue to Selime by car.
Local officials cite 382 steps from the main gate down to the river, a drop of roughly 100 m (330 feet). The steps are uneven in places but have railings. If you walk one way to Belisırma and meet your vehicle there, you only go down the stairs, never back up.
Ihlara Valley is about 80 to 95 km (50 to 60 miles) southwest of Göreme, roughly a 1.5-hour drive. Most visitors stop at Derinkuyu Underground City on the way, since it lies on the route. Plan a full day of 8 to 9 hours for the round trip with sightseeing.
The valley floor walk is easy to moderate: mostly flat, shaded and well marked, with some rocky or muddy sections. The hard part is the staircase of about 380 steps at the main gate and the steep climb at Selime. Reasonably fit travelers aged 45 to 70 usually manage well at their own pace.
Selime Monastery is a large rock-cut complex at the northern end of Ihlara Valley, generally dated to the 8th to 11th centuries. It includes a two-level church with a basilica plan, a kitchen with a tall chimney, halls and stables. The climb is short but steep, and the views over the valley are excellent.
Yes, that is the standard plan. Derinkuyu sits on the road between Göreme and Ihlara, so it adds about an hour inside plus little driving. A typical day is underground city in the morning, valley walk and lunch in Belisırma, then Selime Monastery before returning to Göreme.
Ihlara Valley is in Güzelyurt district, Aksaray province, at the foot of the volcano Hasan Dağı. It runs roughly south to north from Ihlara village to Selime, with Belisırma village about halfway. You reach it by road, usually from Göreme.
April to June and September to October are the best months. The valley floor is green and shaded, so it stays more pleasant than the open Göreme valleys in summer, but the stairs and Selime are exposed.
Several of our private tours include Ihlara Valley, starting from 9 days. They are listed at the top of this page with routes and prices per person.
Tell us your dates, who is traveling and what you want to see. The Turkey Itineraries team replies within a few hours with a private itinerary and a clear price.
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