Cappadocia is not like anywhere else on earth. The fairy chimneys, underground cities, and cave churches of this central Anatolian region are a geological and human accident of extraordinary scale — and uniquely accessible by van.

Getting There

The drive from Istanbul to Göreme (the main town in Cappadocia) is approximately 740 kilometres. The motorway is fast but dull; the D750 through the mountains is slower and spectacular. We prefer to split the journey with a night near Konya — the city of whirling dervishes — and arrive in Cappadocia fresh.

Van Parking & Camping

Wild camping is relatively straightforward in Cappadocia — the terrain is open, the land is mostly communal farmland, and Turkish farmers are generally unbothered by a respectful overnight. The viewpoints above the Göreme valley offer some of the finest wild camping in the world: you wake to hot air balloons rising in the dawn light directly above your van. Several small campsites in the Göreme area offer decent facilities for around 200 Turkish lira per night.

What to Do

Spend a morning walking the Rose Valley — the light on the pink tufa rocks at sunrise is unlike anything we have photographed. The Derinkuyu underground city (tickets required) descends eleven storeys and once housed 20,000 people. The Ihlara Valley is a canyon with cave churches and is almost entirely free of tourists on weekday mornings. Rental bicycles are available in Göreme for the Rose and Love Valleys.