The first destination will be Göreme Panorama, which offers one of the best views of the area. Your guide will explain about the geology of the region and how the unique landscape was created. Then we'll look from the opposite direction, from the Pigeon Valley lookout point. This site offers the chance for photographs from a new perspective, at the top of the plateau. You can see how millennia of erosion have carved the whole Cappadocia region. Pigeon (Güvercinlik) Valley is named for its many pigeon houses which were built by the ancient inhabitants.
Next you will visit Derinkuyu/Kaymaklı Underground City which is the biggest and deepest underground settlement discovered so far. It has 18 levels connected with narrow tunnels and rock ladders. You will visit animal stalls, storage spaces for food and weapons, a church, winery, oil press, kitchen, classrooms and other parts of the 8 levels which are open for visitors. Your guide will tell how and why Derinkuyu was made and how people used this amazing place for security in dangerous times.
Your next stop is another historic place - Selime Monastery which is the biggest rock-cut monastery of the region. You'll climb up the same path that the early monks and their visitors used. This was a huge community needing all the organisation for comfortable life, so you'll see kitchens, schoolrooms, stables, an oil-press as well as the massive cathedral space still with some intact frescoes to admire. The landscape around the monastery looks like something from one of the Star Wars films; you are sure to take amazing photographs here.
Next will be lunch in Belisirma village, delicious, fresh local food included in your tour package. After enjoying lunch you will hike beside Melendiz River in İhlara Canyon. The canyon is 14 km long, you will walk the most scenic part of it, around 4 km taking almost 1 hour. İhlara Canyon contains more than 15 churches and approximately 1,000 caves which were carved by early Christian monks. It's always beautiful here, and in the heat of summer, this is a cool refreshing walk.
We will also visit spectacular Nar Gölü (Pomegranate Lake) a relatively recent volcanic crater. The lake is filled partly by thermal springs of hot sulfurous water believed to have health benefits. The lake has been the site of important research on climate history.
The final look at stone today is a chance to visit a workshop where craftsmen create beautiful and useful objects from colourful translucent onyx.
