2 Days Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul by Flight

Early morning hotel pick-up in Istanbul – We pick you up from your centrally located hotel in Istanbul and transfer you to the airport for your flight to Cappadocia. Pick-up is usually in the early morning to match your flight time.
Exact pick-up time depends on your hotel location and the final flight schedule. It will be clearly shown on your confirmation voucher.

Morning flight from Istanbul to Cappadocia – You take a morning flight from Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) to either Kayseri Airport (ASR) or Nevşehir Airport (NAV). Typical flight time is around 1 hour 15 minutes.
Exact departure and arrival times, airline and the choice of Istanbul and Cappadocia airports depend on availability on your travel date.

Arrival in Cappadocia & transfer to tour start point – On arrival, our local team meets you at the airport holding a board with your name and transfers you by air-conditioned vehicle to Cappadocia. Depending on your flight time, you may have a short break before the tour, or you may join the group directly.

Start of Cappadocia Red Tour (North Cappadocia) – You meet your English-speaking tour guide and begin the famous Cappadocia Red Tour, which covers the highlights of North Cappadocia.

Visiting Sights on Day 1 – Red Tour

• Devrent Valley (Pink Valley) – Walk among strange rock shapes that look like animals and objects in this “Imagination Valley”. Your guide helps you find formations that look like camels, seals and many other figures, making this a fun and very photogenic stop on your Cappadocia tour.
• Pasabag Open Air Museum (Monks Valley) – See some of the most famous fairy chimneys in Cappadocia, with thick stone “hats” and multiple rock heads. You learn how monks once lived inside these rock towers and how wind and rain shaped the landscape over time.
• Avanos Pottery Workshop – Visit a traditional pottery workshop in Avanos, a town known for its red clay from the Kızılırmak River. Watch a live pottery demonstration and, if you like, try shaping the clay yourself on the wheel.
• Göreme Panoramic View – Enjoy a wide view over Göreme village, fairy chimneys and nearby valleys. This is one of the classic viewpoints of Cappadocia, perfect for photos that show the full landscape.
• Zelve Open Air Museum – Walk through an old cave village with rock-carved houses, chapels and tunnels. Your guide explains how people lived here in cave homes until recent times, giving you a strong sense of Cappadocia’s history.
• Uçhisar Castle (exterior view) – Stop near Uçhisar, the highest natural rock point in Cappadocia, for an exterior view and photos. From here you can see valleys and villages spread out below the castle.

Lunch at a local restaurant – During the day, you have lunch at a local restaurant with a set menu that usually includes a main course and salad. Lunch is included in the tour price; drinks are extra and can be paid on the spot.

Transfer to your Cappadocia hotel – After the Red Tour finishes in the late afternoon around 17:00, we transfer you to your hotel in Cappadocia. Check in, relax and enjoy free time in the evening.

Overnight in Cappadocia

~09:45 – Hotel pick-up for Yellow Tour – Around 09:45, we pick you up from your Cappadocia hotel to start the Cappadocia Yellow Tour (South Cappadocia).
Exact pick-up time may change slightly by season and will be confirmed by our local team one day before the tour.

Visiting Sights on Day 2 – Yellow Tour

• Red Valley – Walk through one of the most beautiful valleys in Cappadocia, known for its soft red and orange rock colors. You follow simple paths between fairy chimneys and rock walls while your guide explains how the valley was formed.
• Rose Valley (Güllüdere Valley) – Continue into Rose (Güllüdere) Valley, named after the pink tones that appear on the rocks at certain times of the day. You see cave rooms, small rock churches and wide views over the Cappadocia landscape during your light hike.
• Çavuşin Village – Visit one of the oldest villages in Cappadocia, with a large rock hill full of old cave houses and churches. You learn about village life and how people slowly moved from cave homes into modern stone houses.
• Pigeon Valley – Stop at a viewpoint over Pigeon Valley, where many small pigeon houses are carved into the rocks. These were used in the past for natural fertilizer and are now part of the classic Cappadocia view with Uçhisar Castle in the distance.
• Underground city – Later, you visit one of Cappadocia’s underground cities. You walk through tunnels, storage rooms, kitchens and small chapels and learn how local people once used these underground spaces for safety and shelter.

Lunch at a local restaurant – During the Yellow Tour, you stop for lunch at a local restaurant. Lunch is included in the package; drinks are extra.

Afternoon – End of Yellow Tour & transfer to the airport – After the tour finishes in the late afternoon, we transfer you to the Cappadocia airport (Kayseri or Nevşehir) for your evening flight back to Istanbul.
Airport choice and transfer time depend on your final flight schedule and local traffic.

Evening flight from Cappadocia to Istanbul – You board your evening flight from Cappadocia back to Istanbul. Typical flight time is around 1 hour 15 minutes.
Exact departure and arrival times, airline and the choice of Cappadocia and Istanbul airports (IST or SAW) depend on availability on your travel date.

Arrival in Istanbul & transfer to your hotel – On arrival in Istanbul, our team meets you at the airport and transfers you back to your hotel, where your 2 days Cappadocia tour from Istanbul ends.