Ihlara Valley
A canyon 15 km long and up to 150 metres deep in the south-west of Cappadocia, with a river running along its floor. Its walls hold around 50 rock-hewn churches, and a path follows the water beneath them.
- Where
- Güzelyurt, Aksaray, Türkiye
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 38.2575, 34.2953
Get the Ihlara Valley stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Ihlara Valley. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Aksaray volume with your photos and a note.
Near Ihlara Valley
Derinkuyu Underground City 40 km
A multi-level city dug into the rock beneath the town of Derinkuyu, reaching about 85 metres down. It is the largest excavated underground city in Turkey, big enough to shelter thousands of people with their animals and food.
Kaymaklı Underground City 46 km
An underground settlement inside the old citadel of Kaymaklı, about 19 km from Nevşehir on the road to Niğde. Low tunnels link storerooms, stables and living spaces on several levels, and it was first opened to visitors in 1964.
Uçhisar Castle 61 km
A tall outcrop of rock above the village of Uçhisar, honeycombed with old rooms and passages. It is one of the highest points in the area, and steps lead to a summit that looks out across the valleys of Cappadocia.
Göreme Open Air Museum 64 km
A cluster of churches, chapels and monastic rooms cut into the rock just outside Göreme. Many are painted inside with Byzantine frescoes, the best preserved in the Dark Church, where little daylight has reached them.
Cappadocia 66 km
A historical region of Central Anatolia whose soft volcanic rock has been worn into cones, pillars and valleys. People carved homes, churches and whole underground towns into it, and hot air balloons rise over it at dawn.
Göreme National Park 66 km
Nearly 100 square kilometres of Cappadocia's water and wind eroded valleys, fairy chimneys and rock-cut settlements. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 together with the rock sites of the region.
Mount Erciyes 105 km
A large inactive volcano rising above Kayseri, ringed by smaller vents and lava domes, with part of its summit long ago collapsed to the east. Its snowy upper slopes are one of Turkey's main ski areas.
Çatalhöyük 144 km
A mound on the Konya Plain holding one of the earliest large settlements known, lived in from around 7500 BC to 5600 BC. Its mud-brick houses were packed so tightly that people entered through the roofs, and it became a UNESCO site in 2012.
Questions
Where is Ihlara Valley?
Ihlara Valley is in Güzelyurt, Aksaray, Türkiye. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Derinkuyu Underground City (40 km), Kaymaklı Underground City (46 km), Uçhisar Castle (61 km).
How do I get the Ihlara Valley stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Ihlara Valley and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Aksaray volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Ihlara Valley before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Aksaray volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.