Cappadocia, Turkey

Derinkuyu Underground City Tours

Guided tours, day trips & tickets to Cappadocia’s deepest underground city

Derinkuyu Underground City tours take you eight levels down into the deepest carved city in Cappadocia — past rolling stone doors, a 55-metre ventilation shaft and the rooms where thousands once sheltered. Compare guided day trips and private tours in one place, with prices, ratings and what each one includes.

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85mDepth

8Levels open

20,000Once sheltered

10–15°CYear-round

Hours, prices and access verified by the Derinkuyu Underground City Tours team — last checked August 6, 2026

Derinkuyu Underground City Tours›Tours & Tickets 2026Updated August 6, 2026

Most booked

Top Derinkuyu Underground City Tours for 2026

The tours we get asked about most — the best-value full day, the one with the most time underground, and the private two-city option.

Best Value

Cappadocia Green Tour - Classic Route

8 to 9 hours · ★ 5.0 (895)

Lunch includedAll ticketsHotel pickup

The flagship Green Tour from the highest-rated high-volume operator on the route, and the sensible first pick for most visitors. One price covers hotel pickup, every museum ticket, a Turkish lunch and a licensed guide, so there is nothing to buy at the gate. The day is built around about an hour underground at Derinkuyu, then the Ihlara Valley walk and Selime Monastery. The value is real — the combined entry fees alone come close to the ticket price — which is why it is the most-booked way to see the underground city.

From $29 per person

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Top Rated

Cappadocia Green Tour: Derinkuyu, Nar Lake & Ihlara Valley

8 hours · ★ 4.9 (175)

2h at DerinkuyuNo shopping stopsLunch included

The Green Tour that gives Derinkuyu the most room: a full two hours underground, the most of any single-day tour on the route, so the guide can take the lower levels slowly. It states plainly that there are no forced shopping stops — the usual complaint about cheaper green tours — and adds the crater lake Narlı Göl to the Ihlara Valley walk and Selime Monastery. Lunch, tickets, transfers and a licensed guide are included. Best for anyone whose main reason for the day is the underground city itself.

From $68 per person

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Private Tour

Private Cappadocia Underground Cities Tour: Kaymakli & Derinkuyu

2 to 3 hours · ★ 5.0 (9)

Private tourTwo citiesOwn pace

A private tour of the two best-known underground cities — Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu — run just for your party, so the timing is yours. Kaymaklı is the wider, shallower city; Derinkuyu the deeper one, and doing both back to back is the clearest way to feel how they differ. Transport, hotel pickup and a private guide are included; the entry tickets to each city (about 13 euro apiece) are paid on site. Best for couples, families or anyone who would rather set their own pace than follow a coach group.

From $117 per group

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Why book with us

Trusted by Thousands of Visitors

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Knowledgeable guides

Every listed tour uses a licensed local guide who can read the layout and the history that Derinkuyu barely signs.

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Book with confidence

Compare the best-rated tours in one place, with real prices and what each includes. Most offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

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A day you’ll remember

Walk eight levels down through a whole town carved into the rock — and come up having understood how it worked.

Most tours offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before — book now, decide later.

The full list

All Derinkuyu Underground City Tours & Tickets

Every tour we compare, ordered by how many travellers have booked and reviewed them.

Best Seller

Green Tour (Small Group): Underground City, Ihlara Valley & Monastery

★ 4.9 (1,182)

Small groupLunch includedAll tickets

The most-reviewed tour on this page by a wide margin, a small-group Green Tour that has become the default choice for good reason. It covers Derinkuyu Underground City, the Ihlara Valley and Selime Monastery, with lunch, every ticket and hotel transfers included, kept to a small group so the day moves and everyone can hear the guide underground. The high rating across more than a thousand reviews is the reassurance most first-time visitors are looking for. A dependable, well-run full day for anyone who wants the classic circuit done properly.

From $52 per person

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Cappadocia All Inclusive Green Tour

★ 4.9 (641)

Lunch includedAll ticketsHotel pickup

An all-inclusive take on the classic Green Tour, folding lunch, every museum ticket, hotel transfers and a licensed guide into one price. The day pairs Derinkuyu Underground City with the Ihlara Valley walk and Selime Monastery, the standard southern-Cappadocia circuit, so you cover the region’s headline sights without arranging anything yourself. With a strong rating across hundreds of reviews, it is a dependable choice for first-time visitors who would rather pay once and not think about tickets, meals or logistics on the day.

From $55 per person

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Green (South) Tour Cappadocia (Small Group) with Lunch & Ticket

★ 4.9 (577)

Small groupLunch includedAll tickets

A small-group version of the southern Green Tour that keeps the price low without packing you into a full coach. The day covers Derinkuyu Underground City, the Ihlara Valley and Selime Monastery, with lunch, all entrance tickets and hotel transfers included. The smaller group means you can hear the guide in the narrow underground passages and move a little faster between stops. With a high rating across several hundred reviews, it is a solid middle option for travellers who want small-group comfort at close to entry-level pricing.

From $33 per person

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Best Seller Cappadocia Green Tour

★ 4.7 (547)

Lunch includedAll ticketsHotel pickup

A well-established full-day Green Tour covering the southern-Cappadocia highlights — Derinkuyu Underground City, the Ihlara Valley and Selime Monastery — with lunch, entrance tickets and hotel transfers included. Backed by several hundred reviews, it is a middle-of-the-range option between the budget small-group tours and the private trips: comfortable, reliable and comprehensive, without the rock-bottom price or the premium of going private. A good fit for travellers who want a smooth, guided day and are happy to share the van with a standard-sized group.

From $76 per person

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Full-Day Green Tour

★ 5.0 (92)

Private optionLunch includedAll tickets

A full-day Green Tour available privately, covering Derinkuyu Underground City, the Ihlara Valley and Selime Monastery at your own pace rather than a coach group’s. Lunch, entrance tickets and hotel transfers are included, and the rating is high across a solid number of reviews. Going private costs more than the shared green tours but buys flexibility: linger where you like, move on when you are ready, and have the guide to yourselves. Best for families or small groups who value control of the day over the lowest price.

From $105 per group

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Full-Day Cappadocia Green Tour to Ihlara Valley

★ 5.0 (47)

Lunch includedAll ticketsHotel pickup

A full-day Green Tour to the Ihlara Valley that keeps an unhurried pace, pairing the canyon walk and Selime Monastery with a visit to the underground city. Lunch, museum tickets and hotel pickup are included, and the tour holds a strong rating across its reviews. It is a good option for travellers who would rather take the day gently — more time at each stop, less rushing between them — while still covering the southern-Cappadocia essentials in a single guided outing with everything arranged for them.

From $88 per person

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Derinkuyu, Ihlara Canyon, Belisirma & Selime Tour from Cappadocia

★ 4.7 (22)

4h Ihlara hikeLunch includedSmall group

A green tour weighted towards walking, with a longer four-hour hike through the Ihlara Canyon past its rock-cut churches, plus a relaxed lunch in the village of Belisırma. Derinkuyu Underground City and Selime Monastery round out the day. It suits travellers who find most green tours rush the valley, and who want time on foot in the canyon rather than a quick photo stop. The group stays small; lunch and tickets are included. Bring proper shoes for both the canyon floor and the underground staircases.

From $85 per person

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Underground City, Ihlara Valley & Selime Monastery: Lunch & Tickets

★ 5.0 (20)

Lunch includedAll ticketsSmall group

A small-group day linking the underground city with the Ihlara Valley and Selime Monastery, carrying a top rating from its reviewers even if the total count is still modest. Lunch and all entrance tickets are included, and the smaller group size keeps the pace comfortable in the narrow underground passages and along the canyon. It suits travellers who put guide quality and a relaxed group above sheer popularity, and who want the standard southern circuit — Derinkuyu, Ihlara, Selime — without being herded through it.

From $76 per person

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Highlights of Cappadocia (Private Red & Green Mix)

★ 4.9 (15)

Private tourRed + Green routesLunch included

A private tour that mixes the Red and Green routes to show the best of Cappadocia in one long day — the fairy chimneys and viewpoints of the north alongside the Ihlara Valley, Selime and the underground city to the south. Lunch is included and the day runs just for your party, with the itinerary flexible around what you most want to see. It is the pick for visitors on a tight schedule who want both halves of the region privately, and are willing to pay a premium for the range and the pace.

From $195 per group

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2-Day Private Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul

★ 5.0 (13)

Private tour2 daysFrom Istanbul

A two-day private tour of Cappadocia that begins in Istanbul, for travellers who want the region without arranging their own flights, hotels and day tours separately. Over two days it takes in the underground city and the classic Red and Green route highlights at a private pace, with a guide throughout. Note that the intercity flights are not included despite the Istanbul billing, so budget for those on top. It is the most expensive option here by some way, and suits visitors who value a fully organised, unhurried private trip over cost.

From $640 per group

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Derinkuyu Underground City Entry Ticket

Not yet rated

Entry ticketSkip the ticket line

A straight admission ticket to Derinkuyu Underground City for travellers arriving under their own steam. It covers entry to the eight open levels — the stables, kitchens, ventilation shafts, the church and the rolling stone doors — without a guide or transport, so you set your own pace. There is no lunch, pickup or commentary included; you make your own way to the town of Derinkuyu, about 30 km south of Nevşehir. Best if you are already driving the region and simply want to walk straight in rather than queue at the gate.

From $27 per person

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Underground City Tour in Cappadocia

Not yet rated

GuidedHotel pickup

A guided visit built around the underground city rather than a full southern-Cappadocia loop, for travellers who want the history explained without committing to a whole day out. A guide walks you through the open levels — pointing out the ventilation system, the wells and the defensive stone doors that the site itself barely signs — with hotel pickup included. It suits visitors short on time, or anyone who has already seen the Ihlara Valley and Selime on a separate trip and wants to concentrate on Derinkuyu itself.

From $84 per person

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The destination

About Derinkuyu Underground City

Derinkuyu is the deepest excavated underground city in Cappadocia — about 85 metres down across eight open levels, carved into soft volcanic tuff. Expanded by Cappadocian Greek communities in the Byzantine era as a refuge, it could shelter around 20,000 people with their livestock and stores, sealed behind rolling stone doors. Rediscovered in 1963 and open since 1965, it is the one underground city most visitors to the region come to see.

History

Debated Phrygian origins, a Byzantine refuge during centuries of raids, use into the modern era, and an accidental rediscovery in 1963 behind a house wall.

Access & visiting

Steep, narrow staircases and a constant 10–15°C. Tickets are sold at the gate; a guide or a tour saves you working out the unsigned layout.

Architecture & layout

Stables near the surface, kitchens and living quarters below, a 55-metre ventilation shaft, wells, a church and a school — a working town beneath the ground.

Compare

Which Derinkuyu Underground City Tour Is Right for You?

Every tour side by side — who each one suits, how long it runs, its rating and its starting price.

Tour	Best for	Duration	Rating	From	Book
Green Tour (Small Group): Underground City, Ihlara Valley & Monastery	The most-booked small-group green tour	7 hours 45 minutes	4.9 (1,182)	From $52	Book
Cappadocia Green Tour - Classic Route	First-timers wanting the best-value full day	8 to 9 hours	5.0 (895)	From $29	Book
Cappadocia All Inclusive Green Tour	Value seekers who want everything included	8 hours	4.9 (641)	From $55	Book
Green (South) Tour Cappadocia (Small Group) with Lunch & Ticket	Small-group value on the classic route	8 hours	4.9 (577)	From $33	Book
Best Seller Cappadocia Green Tour	A polished, popular full-day green tour	8 hours	4.7 (547)	From $76	Book
Cappadocia Green Tour: Derinkuyu, Nar Lake & Ihlara Valley	Travellers who want the most time underground	8 hours	4.9 (175)	From $68	Book
Full-Day Green Tour	A private full-day green tour	8 hours	5.0 (92)	From $105	Book
Full-Day Cappadocia Green Tour to Ihlara Valley	A relaxed, full-day pace	7 hours	5.0 (47)	From $88	Book
Derinkuyu, Ihlara Canyon, Belisirma & Selime Tour from Cappadocia	Walkers who want a proper Ihlara hike	8 hours	4.7 (22)	From $85	Book
Underground City, Ihlara Valley & Selime Monastery: Lunch & Tickets	A highly rated small-group day out	6 hours	5.0 (20)	From $76	Book
Highlights of Cappadocia (Private Red & Green Mix)	Seeing both Red and Green routes privately	8 hours 10 minutes	4.9 (15)	From $195	Book
2-Day Private Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul	A private multi-day trip from Istanbul	2 days	5.0 (13)	From $640	Book
Private Cappadocia Underground Cities Tour: Kaymakli & Derinkuyu	Couples or families wanting both cities, privately	2 to 3 hours	5.0 (9)	From $117	Book
Derinkuyu Underground City Entry Ticket	Independent visitors who just want fast entry	1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours	New	From $27	Book
Underground City Tour in Cappadocia	A focused, guided underground-city visit	45 minutes to 1 hour	New	From $84	Book

See inside

Derinkuyu Gallery

A carved tunnel inside Derinkuyu Underground City

A deep ventilation shaft at Derinkuyu, part of the 85-metre network

Steep carved staircase between the levels of Derinkuyu

A vaulted room cut from volcanic tuff inside Derinkuyu

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In their words

Derinkuyu Tours Reviews

Feedback from travellers who booked these Cappadocia tours — the praise and the honest criticism worth reading first.

★★★★★

“Derinkuyu was the clear highlight of the whole trip; our guide had a decade on this route and kept a group of eight engaged all day.”

Marta, USA · 2026

★★★★★

“Great value — the entrance fees at Derinkuyu and the other sites nearly matched the tour price on their own, and lunch and transport were included.”

James, UK · 2026

★★★★★

“Choosing Derinkuyu over a smaller underground city set this tour apart, and Selime Monastery afterwards was a bonus we didn’t expect.”

Sophie, France · 2026

★★★★★

“A private guide who knew the history deeply made both Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu come alive; we set our own pace and skipped the crowds.”

Andreas, Germany · 2026

★★★★★

“Two full hours inside Derinkuyu meant we actually reached the deepest open level instead of being rushed back to the van.”

Lucia, Italy · 2026

★★★★☆

“The underground city was brilliant, but a fair bit of the day was driving and photo stops — worth knowing before you book.”

Tom, Australia · 2025

★★★★☆

“Excellent guide and a fascinating hour underground at Derinkuyu; a jewellery-shop stop near the end felt unnecessary.”

Priya, Canada · 2025

★★★★★

“A well-run small group with a proper four-hour Ihlara hike, then Derinkuyu and a relaxed lunch in Belisırma.”

Daniel, Netherlands · 2025

★★★★★

“Chose this one specifically for Derinkuyu rather than a smaller city, and the guide was attentive and genuinely funny.”

Ren, Japan · 2025

★★★★★

“Doing Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu back to back showed how different the two underground cities really are — glad we did both.”

Elena, Spain · 2026

★★★★☆

“The Derinkuyu stop felt a little short at about 30 minutes on the budget tour, though everything else ran smoothly.”

Chris, Ireland · 2023

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Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the opening hours at Derinkuyu?

Hours are seasonal: roughly 08:00–19:00 in summer (April–October) and 08:00–17:00 in winter (November–March). Last entry is about an hour before closing.

How much does it cost to enter Derinkuyu?

Admission is around 13 euro (about US$14) in 2026, paid on site. The Turkey Museum Pass is accepted.

Do I need to book Derinkuyu in advance?

For entry alone, no — tickets are sold at the gate. For guided day tours from Göreme, Ürgüp or Nevşehir, booking a day or two ahead is wise in peak season.

How many levels of Derinkuyu can you visit?

Eight levels are open along a marked route, thought to be around a tenth of the full network. The lower levels are reached by steep, narrow staircases.

How do I get there from Nevşehir?

Derinkuyu is about 30 km south. Dolmuş minibuses run from Nevşehir, or it is a short drive or taxi.

Is Derinkuyu wheelchair accessible?

No. Access is by steep, narrow staircases with low passages, so it is not suitable for wheelchairs or visitors with limited mobility.

What should I wear?

Flat, grippy shoes and a light jacket. The carved steps can be worn and slightly damp, and the constant cool temperature surprises summer visitors.

Are there toilets and facilities inside?

Basic facilities, cafés and shops are in the town by the entrance, not inside the city. Use them before you go down.

Is a guided tour worth it, or can I explore on my own?

The site is barely signed, so a guide adds a lot — they explain the ventilation shafts, wells and stone doors you would otherwise walk straight past. Independent entry is cheaper and perfectly fine if you have read up beforehand.

What is the best time of day to visit?

The first hour after opening is quietest, before the mid-morning tour groups arrive. Mid-afternoon in summer is the busiest, when the narrow staircases slow to a shuffle as several groups overlap.

Can I combine it with other Cappadocia sites?

Yes. It pairs naturally with the Ihlara Valley and Selime Monastery to the west, and with the Kaymaklı underground city to the north. Most Green Tours string these together into a single day.

Is it suitable for older visitors or those with heart conditions?

The descent and the climb back are demanding, with steep stairs and low passages. Anyone with a heart condition or with back or knee trouble should weigh it up carefully; the shallower, gentler Kaymaklı is an easier alternative.

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