Cappadocia Red Tour with Lunch: Pasabag, Zelve, Avanos & Love Valley
Overview
Cappadocia Red Tour with Lunch: Pasabag, Zelve, Avanos & Love Valley
In a single full day the Red Tour covers the most famous sights of North Cappadocia. A professional local guide takes you to wide viewpoints and through valleys full of fairy chimneys and rock formations, and explains the history and culture of the region as you go.
Pasabag, Zelve and Avanos
Stops include Goreme Panorama, Devrent Valley, Pasabag (Monks Valley), a visit to a traditional Avanos pottery workshop, the cave dwellings and churches of Zelve Open Air Museum, and Love Valley for photos.
Small Group with Lunch
You travel comfortably in a small group. Hotel pickup and drop-off, transport, entry fees for museums and attractions, and lunch in a local restaurant are all included.
Tour Info
Itinerary
Day 1 – Goreme Panorama, Pasabag, Avanos and Zelve
Here is how the day runs:
- Hotel pickup: collection from your hotel in Goreme, Urgup, Uchisar, Avanos or Ortahisar.
- Goreme Panorama: wide views across Cappadocia and its fairy chimneys.
- Devrent Valley: the Imagination Valley and its strange rock shapes.
- Pasabag (Monks Valley): home to some of Cappadocia's best-known fairy chimneys.
- Lunch break: a traditional meal in a local restaurant.
- Avanos pottery workshop: see how pottery is made the traditional way in Avanos.
- Zelve Open Air Museum: old cave homes and historic churches.
- Love Valley: a photo stop in one of the most famous valleys of the region.
- Local shop visit: an optional stop to browse handmade local products and souvenirs.
- Return transfer: a drive back to your hotel when the tour ends.
Inclusions & Exclusions
- ✓Pick-up and Drop-off at Your Hotel
- ✓Professional Guide
- ✓Red Tour of Cappadocia, Full Day
- ✓Lunch in a Local Restaurant
- ✓Transport Throughout the Tour
- ✓Entry Fees for Museums and Sights
- ✓Stops for Panoramic Photos
- ✕Personal Expenses
- ✕Drinks During Lunch
- ✕Tips and Gratuities
- ✕Optional Activities
- ✕Travel Insurance
Cancellation Policy
Cancel at no charge until 7 days before your tour and you receive a full refund. If you cancel within the final 7 days before the tour, no refund is given. All times shown are local.
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The Cappadocia Red Tour: the key facts
Starting at $80 per person, the Red Tour covers the classic scenery of North Cappadocia in a single small-group day: Goreme Panorama, Devrent Valley, the fairy chimneys at Pasabag, an Avanos pottery workshop, the cave homes and churches of Zelve Open Air Museum, and a stop for photos at Love Valley. The price includes hotel pick-up and return, a professional local guide, transport, entry fees and lunch in a local restaurant.
| Summary | |
|---|---|
| Length | Around 6 hours |
| Cost | from $80 per person |
| Format | Guided tour in a small group |
| Pick-up | Hotels in Goreme, Urgup, Uchisar, Avanos and Ortahisar |
| What is covered | Guide, transport, entry fees, lunch, photo stops at viewpoints |
| What is not covered | Drinks at lunch, optional activities, tips, travel insurance |
Where does the name Red Tour come from?
Cappadocia's regular guided day tours are known by colours. The Red Tour takes in the north, near Goreme, Avanos and Zelve, where the rock in many of the valleys is red or pink; the Green Tour goes south to the Ihlara Valley and the underground cities. Each tour visits entirely separate sites, and they are meant to be done together.
Which stops are on the Red Tour?
| Stop | Why it stands out |
|---|---|
| Goreme Panorama | A broad view across the valleys and fairy chimneys |
| Devrent Valley | Known as Imagination Valley too, with rocks that look like animals |
| Pasabag (Monks Valley) | Among Cappadocia's best-known fairy chimneys with several caps |
| Lunch | Traditional food in a local restaurant |
| Avanos pottery workshop | Pottery made the old way in a town famous for its clay |
| Zelve Open Air Museum | Empty cave homes and old churches spread over three valleys |
| Love Valley | Photo stop at one of the area's most famous valleys |
People lived in Zelve until the middle of the 20th century, when erosion forced the villagers to leave; a walk there shows you how life in the rock really worked.
Should you choose the Red or the Green Tour?
| Red Tour | Green Tour | |
|---|---|---|
| Scenery | Fairy chimneys and colourful valleys | A canyon, a river and a monastery cut into rock |
| History | Cave villages and Zelve's churches | Derinkuyu Underground City, Selime Monastery |
| Pace | Short drives, more stops | Long drives, a walk in the valley |
| Starting price | $80 | $80 |
On a first visit with time for only one, take the Red Tour, which shows the scenery Cappadocia is famous for. If you have two days, do both.
Can you combine it with a balloon flight?
Easily. Balloons come down early in the morning, so the Red Tour works on the same day or the day after. Your balloon choices:
| Balloon choice | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Standard flight at sunrise | $199 |
| Comfort basket flight | $275 |
| Premium luxury flight | $399 |
| See the balloons from a viewpoint | $35 |
Coming from Istanbul? The two-day Cappadocia trip with the Red Valley tour, from $699, covers flights, a cave hotel and a guided Red Valley tour including lunch.
When is the Red Tour best?
Any time of year. Temperatures are most pleasant and the light is best for photography from April to June and September to November. On summer afternoons the open valleys get hot, so carry water and wear a hat. Winter snow on the fairy chimneys makes Pasabag and Love Valley look particularly good in photos.
What should you pack?
Good walking shoes for the rough paths at Zelve and Pasabag, sun cream, a hat, sunglasses and water. Take cash or a card if you might buy pottery in Avanos; the shops can usually ship bigger items for you.
How do you reserve?
Pick a date on this page and submit the form, or send us the name of your Cappadocia hotel on WhatsApp. Your pick-up time is confirmed in writing, and payment is due only after confirmation. To browse further, see our tours in Cappadocia and Turkey packages.
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