Göreme walking route: Soğanlı Valley to Derinkuyu
Explore the otherworldly landscape of Cappadocia, Turkey across 185.6 km connecting Göreme Central Town, Soğanlı Valley, Uçhisar Cave City, Derinkuyu Underground City, and charming villages like Başköy. This 42-minute route showcases thousands of years of human-carved cave dwellings and ancient monastery churches built into fairy chimneys throughout the Cappadocia Region.
- Mode
- Places
- Start
- Göreme Central Town
- End
- Başköy Village
- Stops
- 7
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Göreme Central Town — Central hub with tourist amenities, hotels, and restaurants.
- Soğanlı Valley — Valley approximately one hour's drive from Göreme; site of previous visit in 2009.
- Uçhisar Cave City — Cave city carved into hills with modern town; toured a year prior to filming.
- Derinkuyu Underground City — Underground city toured a year prior; visible from the road.
- The Domed Church — Church carved directly from rock; described as the most interesting church in Cappadocia.
- Cappadocia Region — Surreal landscapes with fairy chimneys—rock spires carved by humans for thousands of years.
- Başköy Village — Funky village along hillside with ancient caves and stone buildings of varying ages.
Useful for your trip
- Where to stay
- Göreme is the central town in Cappadocia with all usual tourist amenities, lots of hotels and restaurants. Budget accommodation available from 16 USD per night, though may have bathroom outside the room.
- Transport
- Soğanlı Valley is about 1 hour drive from Göreme. Consider renting a car to explore the region independently, as Google Maps may not have reception in some areas.
- Tip
- Many cave sites in Cappadocia are free to explore if found uncontrolled. Some popular sites like Uçhisar Cave City charge an entrance fee but are worth visiting.
- Tip
- Derinkuyu Underground City is 12 levels deep and could house 50,000 people. Available for tours when visiting the region.
- Timing
- Multiple churches in Soğanlı Valley are worth visiting in one trip: Church of Saint George, Domed Church, Hidden Church, and Church of Santa Barbara. Plan several hours for exploration.
- Tip
- Many cave churches in the region are quite dark inside. Bring a flashlight or use your cell phone flashlight to see frescoes and interior details better.
- Avoid
- Gas stations in Turkey may not have windshield cleaning supplies available, so prepare accordingly before long drives.
- Tip
- Entrance fee to Kalisi Church in Soğanlı Valley is 10 Turkish Lira. Some churches have multiple structures within walking distance of each other (1 km apart).
Video on this route
THE CRAZIEST PLACE ON EARTH | Is This Even Real?