Locating Ihlara Valley
Ihlara Valley sits in Aksaray province, in the southwestern part of Cappadocia, roughly centered around coordinates 38.2536° N, 34.3050° E. The canyon itself runs for about 14 kilometers, oriented broadly north-south, connecting the area near Ihlara village at its southern end to Selime at its northern end, with the small village of Belisırma sitting roughly midway between the two.
Understanding this basic layout matters for planning, since most practical decisions about a visit — which entrance to use, how far to walk, and where to arrange pickup — come down to where these key points sit relative to each other along the canyon.
The Two Main Entrances
Ihlara village entrance (south): This is the primary and most commonly used access point, reached via a stepped descent of roughly 360 steps down into the gorge. Most visitors — whether independent or on a Green Tour — start here, since it's closest to the main road connections from Aksaray and the Göreme direction.
Selime entrance (north): A second access point near Selime allows entry or exit at the valley's northern end, close to Selime Monastery. Hikers walking the full canyon typically finish here, while some visitors specifically driving to see Selime Monastery use this as their sole entry point without walking the full trail.
Belisırma: The Midpoint
Belisırma sits roughly midway along the popular hiking section, functioning as a natural rest stop with riverside restaurants and a second, more minor access point of its own for visitors arriving by car who want to shorten their walk. Its position makes it a useful reference point for planning: the Ihlara-to-Belisırma stretch (the shorter, more popular hike) covers roughly 3-4 kilometers, while continuing from Belisırma to Selime covers the remaining distance of the full ~14 kilometer canyon.
Orienting Yourself on the Trail
Once inside the gorge, the trail is straightforward to follow since it largely traces the Melendiz river along the canyon floor, with limited opportunity to take a wrong turn. Signage near the main rock churches helps orient hikers to which named site they're approaching, and footbridges at intervals allow crossing to either side of the river depending on which bank the trail or a particular church sits on.
Distances Between Key Points
| Segment | Approx. distance |
|---|---|
| Ihlara village entrance → Belisırma | ~3-4 km |
| Belisırma → Selime entrance | ~10 km |
| Full canyon (Ihlara → Selime) | ~14 km |
| Ihlara Valley → Göreme (by road) | ~85-95 km |
| Ihlara Valley → Aksaray city (by road) | ~40 km |
Using the Map to Plan Transport
Because the full trail runs one-way between two separate entrances roughly 14 kilometers apart, the map layout directly affects how you plan transport. Visitors walking only the Ihlara-to-Belisırma section can return to their starting point the way they came, or arrange pickup in Belisırma itself. Those walking the full canyon to Selime need transport arranged back to their original starting point, since retracing the full 14 kilometers on foot isn't practical for most visitors. See our how to get there guide for how this affects route planning from Göreme or Nevşehir, and our hiking trail guide for full route and timing details.
Reading the Canyon's Terrain
The map view of Ihlara Valley can be misleading if you're used to reading elevation from a flat plateau map alone — the canyon reads as a thin line on most maps, but its true character only becomes clear once you account for the roughly 100-150 meter depth cut into the surrounding terrain. Satellite imagery shows this well, with the dense green tree line tracing the river's course standing out sharply against the pale, dry plateau on either side. This is worth keeping in mind when estimating walking times from a map alone, since the trail's flatness along the canyon floor isn't obvious until you're actually looking at elevation data or photographs rather than a standard road map.
GPS and Offline Navigation
Mobile signal inside the gorge itself can be inconsistent given the depth and surrounding rock, so it's worth downloading an offline map of the Aksaray region before setting out, particularly if you're driving between the Ihlara and Selime entrances independently or coordinating a pickup point with a driver. Within the valley, GPS matters less once you're on the trail, since the path itself is easy to follow visually, but having offline coordinates for both entrances and for Belisırma is useful for arranging transport logistics ahead of time.
Nearby Sites Worth Locating
Beyond the valley itself, Selime Monastery sits directly adjacent to the northern entrance, making it easy to combine with a full canyon hike or visit separately by car. Aksaray city, roughly 40 kilometers away, serves as the nearest larger town for fuel, supplies, or additional accommodation options if you're not staying in the main Göreme hotel area. For the wider regional picture, our overview situates Ihlara Valley within the broader Cappadocia region, and our what to see guide covers what to prioritize at each of these key points once you've got your bearings.
For seasonal planning around this layout, see our best time to visit guide, and for organized options that handle the transport logistics between entrances, browse Ihlara Valley tours.