Jeep Safari in Cappadocia: The Optional Extra on Our 2-Day Tour
The coach shows you Cappadocia from the viewpoints. The jeep safari is the extra that takes some guests off the tarmac and into the valleys themselves. Here is what we can tell you about it, and what we cannot.
Short answer
The jeep safari is an optional extra, paid on the trip. In general terms it is a ride in an open 4x4 along tracks through the valleys, away from the coach stops. The timing and route are arranged by the local team during the tour, so ask the guide on the trip. It suits guests who like a bumpy, dusty ride and lots of photos.
What is the jeep safari on this tour?
It is one of the optional extras on the 2-day tour, paid per person on the trip. Prices and optional extras may change according to the selected date and availability — see the current tour page. Guests who take it ride in open 4x4 vehicles along unpaved tracks between the rock formations, seeing the valleys from inside rather than from a viewpoint.
The tour works perfectly well without it. The core programme, with the Underground City, Pigeon Valley, the Uçhisar panorama and Love Valley, runs whether you add the jeep or not.
When does the jeep safari happen?
The local team arranges the timing on the trip, and the guide tells you when it fits around the programme. We do not publish a fixed slot, because it is not part of the operator's written day plan.
So please do not book the tour expecting the jeep at a particular moment of the day. If the timing matters to you, ask the guide as soon as you board.
Asking early also gives the guide time to gather everyone who wants a place, so the extra can be arranged smoothly for the whole group rather than at the last minute.
Which route does the jeep take?
The route is chosen locally, by the team running the jeeps, according to the day's conditions and the group. In general a jeep safari in Cappadocia follows tracks through valleys and along ridges where coaches cannot go.
We do not name particular valleys for the jeep, because we cannot promise them. The valleys that are definitely on your programme are described in our guide to the Cappadocia valleys.
Who is the jeep safari right for?
- Guests who want a closer, more physical feel for the landscape after a day of viewpoints.
- Keen photographers who like unusual angles of the rock formations.
- Friends and families with older children who enjoy a bit of adventure.
- Anyone who skipped the balloon flight and wants a different way to explore.
Ask the guide about age limits and child places on the trip; they are not on record here. Families can read our guide for travelling with children.
Who should skip it?
An open 4x4 on a dirt track is bumpy and dusty. If you have back or neck problems, are pregnant, or simply dislike rough rides, the coach stops give you plenty of the landscape without the jolts.
Older travellers can find more about pacing the two days in our page for seniors and limited mobility.
How does the jeep fit with the group rule?
The excursion follows a planned group itinerary, so guests stay with the group on both days and independent visits to other attractions are not possible. The jeep safari is an extra offered within this programme, so you book it through the guide rather than with another company on the spot.
The same goes for the other extras: lunches, the Red Valley sunset, the show and the sunrise terrace.
Jeep, balloon or terrace: which extra should you pick?
They are very different experiences, and you can combine them.
- Jeep safari: on the ground, among the rocks, with the wind and dust.
- Sunrise terrace: a calm view of the balloons rising, when the weather allows them to fly.
- Balloon flight: optional, generally €100–€300 per person depending on the day, and dependent on the weather and aviation approval; read how the balloon option works before you count on it.
- Red Valley sunset: the warm evening light at the end of day 1.
Every extra and its price is set out on the price page.
How do you book the jeep, and what should you wear?
Book the tour itself through the booking form and tell the guide on the trip that you want the jeep; the extra is paid on the trip. Nothing is paid online, and you may drop the whole tour without charge until 48 hours ahead of departure.
For the ride, wear closed shoes, sunglasses and a light scarf or buff against the dust, and bring a layer: open vehicles feel cold when the sun goes in. Keep your phone on a strap or in a zipped pocket.