Ihlara Valley Hiking Guide

At roughly 14 km long, Ihlara Valley is a favourite of nature and history lovers thanks to its sheer cliffs, lush trails along the Melendiz River and the dozens of Byzantine churches carved into its walls. Many of these churches still preserve remarkably vivid frescoes, and there are small rest stops and family-run restaurants along the way. In this post we describe walking routes of different lengths, the best entry and exit points, what to wear in each season, transport options to reach the valley and the must-see churches.