Cappadocia / Goreme (Turkey) by Car: Travel Guide, Itinerary, Budget, Google Maps, Tips, Tricks

I spent an impressive number of hours organizing my trip to Cappadocia. There is a serious lack of information about this region, especially about transportation, because (1) it isn’t a very well known region (2) most tourists opt for organized tours (3) the Routard/Lonely Planet type travel guides only list the points of interest city by city while Cappadocia can be visited by going from one city to another.

So I took my courage in both hands, and after my recent weekend in Göreme, I wrote down, pinned down, and created Google Maps itineraries to make it easier for you.

Visiting Cappadocia without a guide is quite possible, just read this article. This article will be in the form of FAQ, I find that it is the most suitable format for guides as long as the arm that I usually write 😀

This guide is only for those visiting Cappadocia from Istanbul. If you are coming from Paris for an extended weekend of 3 days, I have written a guide + budget for you here

First of all, if you have not yet read my travel diary to Göreme + the pictures of the hot-air balloons, I invite you to read them here and here

Where to go in Cappadocia?

Cappadocia is a huge region. It was as if I was telling you “go to the PACA region, there are plenty of things to see”, you have to, at some point, choose your base town. In this case, it’s to Göreme that you have to go to enjoy all the beauty of the region and above all, witness the flight of hundreds of hot air balloons every morning.

How to get to Göreme?

By plane + shuttle

There are two airports near Göreme :

• Kayseri, one hour by car: from 34€ return from Istanbul
• Nevsehir, 18mn by car : from 40€ return from Istanbul

You can go to one of these two cities, then ask (in advance) your hotel to pick you up at the airport (30 to 50TL/person or 7,4€). Don’t opt for the cab, which costs 300TL to go to Kayseri => Göreme.

There are regular flights from Istanbul to these two airports. Be careful not to leave from the (very distant) Istanbul International Airport Sabiha-Gökçen (code name SAW). 1h to get there from the center of Istanbul, for 150TL (this is more expensive than a serious plane ticket).

Prefer Istanbul Atatürk Airport which is much closer and accessible by metro.

By bus

The most economical option is to take the night bus from Istanbul to Göreme. It leaves around 11.45pm and arrives at 8.30am in Göreme for 110TL or 16.4€. Check the
timetable and buy the tickets on: http://www.metroturizm.com.tr/EN/main.asp

How to get around Göreme?

In fact, there are many things to visit in Göreme itself and in the surrounding area. The distances are large enough to be able to do it on foot or by bike. In any case, even with a car, we were in speed mode because there are too many points where it is necessary to stop. So here are the options that I propose you:

• Rent a car, in Göreme (160TL/24h or 24€) or directly at the airport where you land (270TL/24h or 40€)
• To pay for an organized tour: groups of 15 people (between 25€ and 35€/person) or privatized tours (quite expensive in the 65€/person range)
• Rent a car with driver in Göreme (I don’t know the rates)

It is a dry, arid region… there are some interesting points that you can visit on foot (2-3km from the city center), but with the dust and the heat, it isn’t a very pleasant experience.

Yes, but I prefer to hike

Indeed, it is a very beautiful area for hiking. Have the hiking trail explained to you and especially the chapels hidden in the valleys because it isn’t very well indicated. Cabs don’t run the streets, but you can hitch-hike back to Göreme, or make an appointment with the cab that will pick you up at this or that place.

How to rent a car?

It is very easy to rent a car in Turkey. You can just show up the same day and ask to rent a car. Of course, you will wait for the cleaning of the car, for the contract to be prepared for you and so on.

But if you want a minimum of preparation and above all to wait less time, I advise you to book at least one day in advance.

• Either on the Avis site, which everyone knows. The car is to be picked up directly at the airport of arrival (270TL/24h or 40€, unlimited km)
• Either on the site of our car rental company Novela Rent a Car (from whom we rented): 160TL to 175TL for 24h (24€/24h) but the cars are a little less well maintained, older and with limited mileage (250km/day then extra charge for each additional km)

Is it easy to drive in Cappadocia?

Yes, easier than in France I would say because there aren’t many people on the road. The road is in excellent condition, the speed limit is 90km/h if I’m not mistaken

And the parking lot?

You will always find room. In front of each tourist site, there are two parking lots: for coaches, and for independent tourists coming by car. Often free, sometimes paying (about 3 TL each time).

Which hotel to choose?

Göreme is really the most beautiful city and the one where you can best see the hot air balloons. I recommend you to sleep in Göreme.

I had positive feedback for KelebekSpecial Cave Hotel ( link Booking), which is located on top of a hill, but also has several terraces and a hammam.
We went to Cave Life Hotel ( link Booking) which isn’t bad and close to several points of view but it is less exceptional than Kelebek.

I advise you against hotels that you see a little too much on Instagram (with the ottoman carpets on the terrace like Koza Cave, Sultan Cave Suites etc.), the decor is fake (no lunch is served on these ottoman carpets) and moreover, you risk to be stepped on because many other people (not customers of the hotel) come to squat the best place to take selfies.

What to visit in Cappadocia?

Already, the spectacle of hundreds of hot-air balloons every morning is a must-see. You can opt for a hot-air balloon flight, or simply enjoy the show from the terrace of your hotel or fromone of the view points in Göreme itself: type sunset view Goreme, or from the Kelebek hotel, go up to the top of the hill, at the level of the antennas).

Göreme Open Air Museum: to be visited very early in the morning (8:30 am) because there are always a lot of people. Here, the chapels still keep their paintings which is very rare in the region. The Dark Church (extra charge of 15TL) is worth the 15TL and is worth the visit so much it is beautiful.

Pasalag (Monk’s Museum): one of my favorite places in Cappadocia, where you can see the size of fairy chimneys

Uchisar castle (entrance 8TL): breathtaking view on the whole Göreme national park

Love Valley : to visit preferably in the morning to see the hot-air balloons landing. The valley bears its name because of its phallic fairy chimneys

There is much more to visit but the 5 listed above are my favorites. You have all the points of interest of the region on this Google Maps mapI’
ll tell you how to use it at the bottom of the article

Is it worth paying for a balloon flight?

Yes, it’s really the place where ballooning is highly profitable. On the one hand because the landscapes are magnificent. On the other hand because flying with a hundred other hot-air balloons makes the place much more magical.

For info, we flew with Butterfly Balloons that we recommend. By paying in cash (euros), we were able to save 10€ => 165€ instead of 175€.
For more tips about hot air balloons, I invite you to read the Practical Tipssection of my other article

Is it worth buying a Museum Pass?

The Museum Pass of Cappadocia costs 110TL/person for 3 days and gives unlimited access to the following sites (I put in brackets the entrance fees of these sites if you don’t have the Museum Pass). This allows you to calculate whether or not the pass is profitable for you). In any case, with everything I have visited, I have made good use of my pass

• Ihlara Valley (30TL)
• Derinkuyu Underground City (40TL)
• Göreme Open Air Museum (45TL)
• Göreme Karanlık Church (15TL)
• Kaymaklı Underground City
• Özkonak Underground City
• Nevşehir Museum
• Çavuşin Ruins
• Hacıbektaş Museum
• Zelve-Paşabağlar Ruins (15TL)
• Aksaray Monastery Valley Ruins
• Aksaray Museum
• Nevşehir. St. John Church
• offers a free visit to Nevsehir Urgup Nikolas Monastery for 1 time.

Budget

Exchange rate in October 2018 :

• Return flight Istanbul => Kayseri : between 40€ and 80€/person
• Hotel in Göreme: between 20€ and 100€ per double room. If you choose the Kelebek Special Cave Hotel we recommend (link Booking) it is from 95€/night
• Lunch and dinner: from 5,xx€/person (i.e. 35TL)
• Shuttle Göreme => airport : between 40TL and 50TL (7,4€)
• Hot air balloon flight: between 160€ and 180€/person (or even more if 1h30 flight or private flight) – take euros with you to pay for the balloons in cash and save 10€/person
• Car Rental
  • Notice at Kayseri airport: 40€/24hours
  • in Göreme: 24€/24h with Novela rent a car
• Gasoline: nearly 1€/liter, 100-150TL of gasoline should be enough
• Museum Pass: 110TL/person

TOTAL BUDGET

between 337€ and 400€/person with balloon flight for 3 days ALL INCLUDED between
172€ and 242€/person WITHOUT
balloon flight for 3 days ALL INCLUDED

What route do you recommend?

So, if you come from Istanbul like us, you will probably arrive in Göreme around noon. After renting a car, I suggest you to visit :

Day 1 (afternoon): 30km

Refer to the Google Maps map I gave you, the layer is named DAY1 (half-day) – by car

• Twin Fairy Chimneys: two “twin” fairy chimneys
• Devrent (Imaginary Valley): find the camel-shaped rock
• Zelve Open air Museum: a troglodyte city still occupied until 1952
• Pasabag Valley: where the monks lived, impressive site
• Pottery of Chez Galip (and its Hair Museum): fun experience, but not for shopping (out of price)
• Sunset View: incredible view of the whole area, if you can’t find where it is, go to the Cave Life Hotel and keep climbing to the top

Day 2 (all day)

Refer to the Google Maps map I gave you, the layer is named DAY2 (all day) – by car

This route is reserved for people who do not want to hike too much. For those who wish to walk a lot (5.7km to the Ilhara Valley), to avoid having to make the round trip, you can either rent a car with driver or simply opt for an organized tour. They will do almost the same route as what I give you here (but in the opposite direction)

The route below allows you to avoid groups:

• Selime Cathedral (30TL): go left and it’s free
• Kayabasi Panorama
• Belisirma Restaurant: on the waterfront, very picturesque. You can climb up to the chapels next to it
• Ihlara Vadisi : breathtaking view of the valley
• Derinkuyu Underground City
• Rose Valley
• Sunset View Point

Day 3 (half day)

Refer to the Google Maps map I gave you, the layer is named DAY3 (half-day) – by car

• Love Valley : go there at dawn to see the hot-air balloons
• Goreme Open Air Museum (45TL): go there as soon as it opens to avoid the crowd. The Dark Church (15TL extra) is a must see
• Pigeon Valley: access the view point from the terrace of Bindalli Restorant
• Uçhisar Kalesi : climb to the top to get a great view of the whole area
• Kapadokya Panoroma Seyir Tepesi: restaurant, café… with view. Not obliged to consume

How do I use the custom Google Maps map?

You can see different layers on my Google Maps. This map is a completed version of the map provided by getlostintheworld.net

By checking/unchecking the layers, you can access points of interest, agency tours, sites that I advise you to visit on the first, second, third day… or in one day if you are coming from Paris.

When you will be in your car, I also advise you to buy a Turkish sim card to take full advantage of this Google Maps map because it won’t work without connection.

The first time, click on this link to open the map from your smartphone or computer

It will then be available on your google maps app