A day hike in Turkey is planned differently from a trek: you set out in the morning, come back in the evening, and distance, ascent and water decide everything. Here are eleven trails in Lycia and Cappadocia with their figures side by side, so you can compare before choosing. For the wider picture of walking in Turkey, see our hiking in Turkey page.
How we surveyed these trails
The figures come from our own GPS traces, recorded on the ground by our team. We do not distribute GPX files: each sheet shows the route and the elevation profile, with no coordinates to download. A sheet describes the trail as we walked it; it is not a substitute for a map, a guidebook or a mountain guide. Trail condition, waymarking, water points and weather change, so ask locally before you set out.
Lycia: five trails between sea, canyon and villages
The five Lycian trails run from 9.5 to 14.4 km with 135 to 1,155 m of ascent. All have a separate start and finish; several names list places along the way rather than the start and end.
| Trail | km | Ascent (m) | Walking time | Level | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kapaklı – Gökkaya – Simena – Üçağız | 9.5 | 135 | ≈ 3 h | 2/5 | one way (≈ 5.5 km as the crow flies between start and finish) |
| Alınca – Kabak – Faralya | 12.3 | 481 | ≈ 5 h | 3/5 | one way (≈ 5.4 km as the crow flies between start and finish) |
| Adrasan – Gelidonya lighthouse – Pirates' Bay | 14.4 | 689 | 6–7 h | 3/5 | one way (≈ 5.2 km as the crow flies between start and finish) |
| Belen – Afkule monastery – Kayaköy | 13.8 | 431 | ≈ 4 h 30 | 2/5 | one way (≈ 2.2 km as the crow flies between start and finish) |
| Göynük canyon – Göynük hamlet | 11.4 | 1,155 | ≈ 6 h 30 | 4/5 | one way (≈ 6.3 km as the crow flies between start and finish) |
- Kapaklı – Gökkaya – Simena – Üçağız: maquis above Kekova, Gökkaya cove, Simena fortress.
- Alınca – Kabak – Faralya: a balcony path with nearly 900 m of descent.
- Adrasan – Gelidonya – Pirates' Bay: Gelidonya lighthouse facing five islets, then the descent to the bay; 6–7 h in all.
- Belen – Afkule – Kayaköy: Afkule monastery, then the stone village of Kayaköy.
- Göynük canyon: the most ascent of our eleven sheets (1,155 m of ascent, level 4).
Cappadocia: six trails of tuff, dovecotes and a canyon
In Cappadocia, distances stay between 9.4 and 13.2 km and ascent between 187 and 390 m; walking times run from about 3 h to 4 h 30. Two trails are loops, so you do not have to separate start and finish.
| Trail | km | Ascent (m) | Walking time | Level | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ürgüp – Üzengi – Gomeda – Sinasos | 9.4 | 187 | ≈ 3 h | 2/5 | one way (≈ 2.9 km as the crow flies between start and finish) |
| Meskendir – Güllüdere – Kızılçukur (Rose and Red valleys) | 10.8 | 233 | ≈ 3 h 30 | 2/5 | one way (≈ 5.6 km as the crow flies between start and finish) |
| Ihlara Canyon | 11.2 | 239 | ≈ 3 h 30 | 2/5 | one way (≈ 8.1 km as the crow flies between start and finish) |
| Ortahisar – İbrahimpaşa loop | 11.7 | 302 | ≈ 3 h 30 | 2/5 | loop |
| Göreme loop via the Zemi valley | 12.5 | 351 | ≈ 4 h | 2/5 | loop |
| White Valley – Uçhisar – Pigeon Valley – Göreme | 13.2 | 390 | ≈ 4 h 30 | 2/5 | one way (≈ 3.0 km as the crow flies between start and finish) |
- Ürgüp – Üzengi – Gomeda – Sinasos: orchards, dovecotes, the Gomeda maze.
- Meskendir – Güllüdere – Kızılçukur: the Rose and Red valleys to Çavuşin.
- Ihlara Canyon: the Melendiz river gorge, 8.1 km as the crow flies between start and finish.
- Ortahisar – İbrahimpaşa loop: gardens, vineyards, an old bridge.
- Göreme loop via the Zemi valley: poplars, wind-carved rock, the El Nazar church.
- White Valley – Uçhisar – Pigeon Valley – Göreme: the longest in the region at 13.2 km.
Choosing by season and water
Season. All eleven sheets give April–June and September–October. In Lycia summer is very hot; in Cappadocia winter brings snow and slippery tuff.
Water. In Lycia, three trails (Kapaklı, Kabak–Faralya, Adrasan) have few springs, so start with all your water; Belen–Kayaköy has no verified water point, and the stream in the Göynük canyon is not verified drinkable. In Cappadocia there is no verified drinking-water point on the trails: refill in Uçhisar, use the fountains in Ortahisar and İbrahimpaşa, or the cafés near Belisırma. In every case, carry your own supply.
Our self-guided trips include the MyAv road book. To compare regions, see all the trails on our hiking in Turkey page; for practical questions (difficulty, luggage, booking), see our FAQ.