Cappadocia & Central Anatolia - Discover Turkey: Experience the Best of Turkey - page 514

Good, quiet times to visit are midweek in May or September. To walk the short stretch with most churches, take
the steep steps leading down from the Ihlara Vadisi Turistik Tesisleri (Ihlara Valley Tourist Facility), 2km from Ih-
lara village. Alternatively, there are entrances in Ihlara village - signposted after the belediye (local council) build-
ing - at Belisırma and at Selime.
As most visitors only walk the short, 90-minute stretch between the Ihlara Vadisi Turistik Tesisleri and Belisırma,
walking the full route between Ihlara village and Selime is blissfully serene.
Belisırma to Selime takes about two hours; the full route is around five to six hours, stopping in Belisırma for
lunch. Start early in the day, particularly in summer, when you'll need to shelter from the sun.
Midway along the gorge, below Belisırma village, four low-key licensed riverside restaurants serve basic meals.
There are also restaurants in Ihlara village and Selime.
Travel agencies in Göreme and elsewhere offer full-day tours to Ihlara for about " 90, including lunch. On week-
days, six dolmuşes run between Aksaray and Ihlara village via Selime and Belisırma ( " 4, 45 minutes). At weekends
there are fewer services.