What's up guys! We're here in Cappadocia and in this video we're going to show you the best
things to do in the area. We're staying here for 14 days and we're going to do everything
from hiking to hot air balloon rides. So should be really fun and enjoy the video.
We are Zac and Ine, full-time digital nomads from the United States and Belgium.
We met while studying abroad in 2018 and have been traveling the world together ever since.
We're here to inspire your next adventure, whether it's hiking in the Canadian Rockies,
a road trip through the US, or backpacking across Africa. On our channel you'll find
unfiltered videos of hiking guides and the best things to do in destinations around the world.
Cappadocia is located near the center of Turkey about 300 kilometers from Ankara, 500 kilometers
from Antalya, or 800 kilometers from Istanbul. It's actually a region not a city, and apart from
Lake Tuz and Ihlara Valley, the best activities are found in and around Göreme National Park.
Now that you've got a lay of the land, let's count down the best things to do in Cappadocia.
The ninth best thing to do in Cappadocia is to visit Lake Tuz.
Not only is Lake Tuz the largest salt lake in Turkey but it's also one of the largest salt
lakes in the world. It's known for its vibrant pink color and is home to a variety of birds.
But when we visited at the beginning of November the lake wasn't very pink.
It was mostly dried up with one area being covered in water that made for amazing reflections.
We read that climate change has had a drastic consequence here. Extreme drought over the last
years has resulted in the receding of the lake and the perishing of flamingos and other birds.
This coupled with the fact that it's one and a half hour from Göreme makes it last
on our list. But it's still very beautiful and worth it if you want some epic pictures.
At number eight we have Uchisar Castle,
which towers above the Cappadocia valleys and is the highest point in the area.
The castle is the biggest and most beautifully carved rock formation in the region.
You can walk through the many rooms carved into the rock, which are connected to each other with
stairs and tunnels. These were once used as a fortress by the Roman and Byzantine armies.
But besides that, it's also a great place to visit because of its panoramic views of Cappadocia.
The observation terrace on the top of the castle boast some of the best sunset views in the region.
There are many ways to explore the Cappadocia valleys and one fun option is on the back of a
camel or a horse. There are many tour operators in and around Göreme that offer one or two hour
rides. We decided to go on a camel ride during sunrise and while it was a magical experience
to watch the balloons from the back of a camel, it isn't for everyone. It's an awesome activity
if you want to have beautiful pictures with camels and balloons all around you, but if you want more
adventure and want to see more of the valleys we recommend going on a horseback ride instead.
We call them Anatolian camel, mixed of both Asian and African. We have just one hump on
these camels. Asian ones have two humps. So mixed camels have sometimes one sometimes two humps.
At number six we have the Göreme Open-Air Museum. This isn't your everyday museum, it's actually a
large outdoor area home to various monasteries, churches, and chapels carved out of the rock. Some
of them date back to as early as the 4th Century. Once you pay the entry fee, you can visit the
churches and monasteries which all have various rooms. The churches have beautiful frescoes which
still retain their original colors. We highly recommend getting a guide at the entrance as
you'll learn more about the history of this unique place and the stories behind the wall paintings.
Hi guys, my name is Mehmet. We have you together with Zac and Ine.
I'm the official guide of the museum. You need to visit there because this is
the highlight of the day. You will see many churches which is well-preserved
churches in Cappadocia. Also, if you come here then find me please.
The fifth best thing to do in Cappadocia is to watch the hot air balloons at sunrise.
Watching hundreds of balloons floating through the orange skies is a truly magical sight,
whether you're flying the balloon yourself or watching from the ground.
You can find viewpoints all around Göreme that offer magnificent views of the action,
such as the Rose Valley or Love Valley viewpoints.
We found a great little spot near the Love Valley above Göreme and had it all to ourselves.
And right when we were watching the balloons another magical thing happened: we got engaged!
The fourth best thing to do in Cappadocia is to explore Ihlara Valley. It takes about one hour
and fifteen minutes to drive to the trailhead from Göreme, so we recommend driving your own
car or booking a tour for the day. You can find a tour link in the description below. The Ihlara Valley
is about 100 meters deep and 10 kilometers long, which makes it the perfect hiking destination.
It was once a settlement area that hosted monastery life between the 4th to 13th centuries,
with more than four thousand residences and hidden cave churches with frescoes.
You can still find some of them along the trail today. To explore the valley and its churches,
you start in the town of Ihlara and hike to Belisirma or all the way to Selime. We hiked
our way to Belisirma, where we had a delicious lunch at a beautiful restaurant on the river.
So we are here now, right at the entrance of Ihlara valley and we're gonna walk all the way to
Belisirma right here. There's like a nice place to have lunch and then we'll come back.
Cappadocia is extremely fascinating and the Underground Cities are a big reason why.
You can find approximately 200 underground cities in Cappadocia, which were built to protect the
inhabitants from outsiders. This allowed thousands of people to live their lives in total secrecy.
Some of them were only abandoned in 1923 and weren't rediscovered until 1963. Today, you can
visit some of these underground cities and explore various levels where you'll find dining, living,
and storage rooms. The most visited underground cities include Derinkuyu and Kaymakli. We visited
Kaymakli as it was recommended by our great tour guide from the Open-Air Museum in Göreme.
Whichever underground city you choose, go early or later in the day if you have your
own car. Get a guide at the entrance to learn more about this interesting piece of history.
Filled with fairy chimneys and surreal volcanic rock formations, Cappadocia is home to some of
the most beautiful valleys in the world. From the awe-inspiring Rose Valley to the strange
Love Valley and the lush Ihlara Valley, Cappadocia begs to be explored by foot and is a true hikers'
paradise. With various towns conveniently located near the hiking trails, it's easy to explore.
Most hikes are relatively short and include a maze of pathways that guide you in and around
the impressive stone towers and rugged canyons. Check out our video about the
six best hikes in Cappadocia. To learn more about each different trail in detail.
So we're in the heart of the Devrent Valley, which is also called the Imaginary Valley.
And if you use your imagination you can see lots of different shapes in these rocks,
like camels and human faces. So it's really fun to just come and explore for the afternoon.
The best thing to do in Cappadocia is to go on a hot air balloon ride. Seeing the incredible rock
formations from above is one of the most magical experiences we've had during our travels around
the world so far. The beauty of the sunrise colors and hundreds of other balloons floating around us
was almost indescribable. This activity is an absolute must while in Cappadocia.
There are many reputable tour operators that offer hot air balloon rides,
but we recommend pre-booking your flight as you don't want to miss out on this experience.
The flight usually lasts between one to one and a half hours and only goes at sunrise. Check out
our Cappadocia hot air balloon video to see a full overview and review. We also put a link in
the description below to book your own hot air balloon ride, which is the same one as we did.
We're flying in the Love Valley right now and like the balloons are going up and down.
We're kind of low right now, that's really nice.
All right guys, that's it for our video on the best things to do in Cappadocia.
We hope you enjoyed it. Cappadocia is a magical destination and is one of our favorite places in
all of Turkey. Make sure to subscribe to our channel for more Turkey videos and download
our free giveaway in the description below. Catch you on the next adventure!