Cappadocia: A Top Hiking Destination in Turkey

The landscape unfolds in a mesmerizing array of golden caramel, rich ochres, soft creams, and delicate pinks, resembling a vast, intricately woven rug. Poplar trees line pathways carved by ancient lava flows from three long-extinct volcanoes, winding through valleys dotted with cone-shaped peribacı formations.

Welcome to Cappadocia, in central Turkey, renowned for its fantastical ‘fairy chimneys’—the English name for the unique rock formations known as peribacı.

Cappadocia is teeming with these surreal formations, alongside ancient rock-hewn churches and monasteries. The region is also home to former farming settlements, where homes and outbuildings were carved from stone, with ordinary villagers living side by side with monks.

When volcanic ash solidified, it formed soft, porous rock known as tufa. Over millennia, water and wind sculpted this rock, creating the stunning landscapes we see today.

It’s easy to shape but solidifies when exposed to air. Until the 1950s, much of the local population lived within these otherworldly rock formations, a practice that spans centuries.

Today, these formations are among Turkey's most captivating tourist spots, often seen from the sky by the countless hot air balloons that drift through the air.

However, according to the locals, the best way to truly experience this magical place is on foot—or by horseback. Here are some of the top ways to explore Cappadocia:

Zelve Open Air Museum

This archaeological gem allows visitors to step back in time and explore a traditional rural settlement, with a glimpse into ancient homes, stables, kitchens, churches, and monastic cells carved into fairy chimneys and rock faces.

Here, it’s easy to imagine Cappadocia’s fairy chimneys during the peak of Orthodox Christianity in the medieval Byzantine era.

“Zelve was continuously inhabited from the sixth century until the 20th century, which is truly remarkable,” says Tolga Uyar, a medieval art historian at nearby Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University. That’s more than 1,400 years of history.

Like many of Cappadocia’s cave dwellings, the spaces in Zelve were constantly re-used, re-carved, and adapted. Today, it stands as a testament to a rock-hewn civilization that spans from early Christian times to the modern Turkish Republic.

Well-marked trails make navigating Zelve easy and offer a glimpse of what you can expect to discover in other parts of the valleys.

Ihlara Valley

During the summer months, much of Cappadocia appears dry and barren. The plains leading to Ihlara Valley seem no different—until you look over the edge and see the vibrant green treetops lining the Melendiz River below.

Ihlara Valley stretches along the river’s banks, offering a scenic eight-mile hike that starts at Ihlara Village and ends at Selime Monastery.

In early spring, the air is filled with the songs of bush nightingales, flowers sway to the calls of the ibibik (hoopoe bird), and the soothing sound of flowing water invites a quiet, reflective peace.

As with much of Cappadocia, ancient churches adorned with vibrant murals can be found throughout the region.

Along the riverbanks in Belisırma, you’ll find peaceful picnic spots and cozy restaurants perfect for a relaxing lunch.

At the point where the valley widens, the impressive Selime Monastery comes into view. Thought to date back to the eighth or ninth century BCE, it’s well worth climbing the 300 steps to explore its interior.

Çavuşin to Kızılçukur

Several hiking routes begin in Çavuşin, a village once inhabited by a blend of Turkish Muslims and Orthodox Christian Greeks, known as Rum.

Here, you’ll find the imposing Church of John the Baptist, built in the fifth century, which is the largest cave church in the region.

Hikers should venture through the village towards the cemetery, where a path leads to Kızılçukur. The trail winds through orchards laden with apples and apricots, passing fields of grapes ripening on the vines.

Along the way, you’ll encounter several ancient churches, with the Üzümlü Kilise (Church of the Grapes) being the most renowned. At Kızılçukur (Red Valley), the fairy chimneys are tinged with pink during the day and glow a rich red at sunset, thanks to the iron-rich tufa.

You can navigate the trail on your own, but many churches are difficult to locate or remain locked. Having a guide who speaks Turkish and knows where to get the keys makes the experience more rewarding and enriching.

Guided Tours

One such guide is Mehmet Güngör, who has been running Walking Mehmet since 1998 in the quaint town of Göreme, where he still resides in a home partly carved from rock.

It all started by chance. “One day I met a couple of tourists, and we went for a walk with my dog for a few hours,” he recalls. “At the end, they gave me a tip. That’s when I decided to become a walking guide.”

Since then, Güngör has been sharing his knowledge of his favorite spots with visitors.

Over the past 25 years, he’s witnessed the shift from farming to tourism in the area. The landscape, now free of agricultural chemicals, has flourished, with plant and animal species once thought lost making a remarkable return.

In spring, the rare iris galatica blooms. Its deep blue or purple petals, accented with vibrant yellow, emerge from narrow rock crevices. Güngör knows the secret spots to find these, along with wild asparagus, orchids, and thyme.

On your own, you might be lucky enough to spot a tortoise hiding under a bush or an eagle soaring overhead. But with Güngör, hikers will discover hidden churches and monasteries from the fifth, sixth, and seventh centuries—places they would never find alone.”

He also offers full moon night hikes, excursions that provide the best lighting for photographing the valleys, and routes perfect for hot summer days.

Güngör’s passion for guiding comes from the fact that showing tourists the beauty of these valleys is more than just work—it’s a calling, he says.

“Cappadocia is like no other place. It’s filled with positive energy. When I walk through it, I feel at one with nature,” he explains.

Horseback Tours

For those who prefer not to walk, horseback tours are available. Cappadocia is known as the “land of wild horses” due to the free-roaming yılkı horses.

Before agricultural machinery, farm horses were set free during the winter after the harvest and allowed to roam freely. In the spring, they’d be gathered to work again, but with the advent of tractors, the horses were left to live on their own.

The horses at Cemal Ranch may not be wild, but they are well cared for throughout the year.

Cemal Koksal, who grew up in the nearby town of Ortahisar, is deeply passionate about the family-run business he started 15 years ago with his brother and father, a horse breeder.

“Riding horses through such a unique and breathtaking landscape on my favorite horse brings me closer to nature and my family’s deep roots in breeding and working with horses,” he says.

Cemal Ranch offers a range of small group tours (maximum of 14 people) suitable for everyone, from beginners and children to more advanced riders. Each participant receives a brief training session before the tour, and helmets are mandatory.

On longer tours, participants are treated to meals prepared by Koksal’s mother.

It’s the only horse trekking outfit that offers sunset access to Cappadocia’s Rose and Red valleys. “Watching the valleys transform as the sunset casts its magical light is truly unforgettable.”

He adds: “I feel my happiest on horseback, riding through the stunning valleys of Cappadocia. It’s the purest form of freedom and peace.”