What you need to know about the Green Tour:

• It is spectacular.
• It takes about eight hours.
• It involves quite a lot of walking, both uphill and downhill. So, if you have asthma or any kind of joint ailment, please make sure you have your medications on you during the tour.
• It includes Goreme Panorama, the Underground City of Derinkuyu, Ihlara Valley and the Pigeon Valley.

So, how does it go? We set off at about 9am and go straight to the panoramic viewpoint, just to give you some idea of the scope of wonderous Cappadocian landscape. When you can see all the valleys, ravines, layered rock formations, and fairy chimneys, it really does take your breath away. Even when you see it for the 100th time. I’m speaking from experience here.

After that we drive to the village of Derinkuyu (meaning “a deep well”), where we descend into the belly of the ancient underground city. Currently, eight of its levels are open to the visitors, and going down the narrow tunnels makes for a pretty formidable experience. Especially, when you keep in mind that, at times, people had to stay down there for weeks on end, hiding from the enemy attacks.

Next up, Ihlara Valley, that is sometimes hailed as the Grand Canyon of Turkey. Well, it is pretty grand. It has been formed by the Melendiz river over thousands years, and goes as deep as 100 meters at some places.  It is mind-boggling, when you see the actual Melendiz river, which is a very modest stream, barely three meters wide. Ihlara used to provide shelter for some eighty thousand people. They lived in cave dwellings carved into the walls of the canyon. Some of them were early Christian monks, who carved the rock walls to make churches and decorated them with very curious frescoes.

And by the way, the lunch break will take place in a rustic cafe about half-way through the valley walk. You will really appreciate the tables placed right in the cool shallow water, where you can rest your tired feet. It’s pure bliss, trust me.

The tour ends with the visit to the Pigeon Valley in Uchisar Castle. The valley sort of embraces the castle and provides for a very pleasant walk. The castle itself is a natural rock formation honeycombed with tunnels, pigeon cotes, ancient chapels and abandoned living quarters. If you choose to climb to the very top of it, the view is breathtaking: you can see both Erciyes and Hasan volcano mountains, the very culprits responsible for the Cappadocian landscapes. And if you manage to make it there in time for the sunset, well, you are in for an even more fantastic view.