Cappadocia, Kayseri and Konya in
Enter through Kayseri, stay five nights in Göreme to explore every route, then travel via the Sultanhani caravanserai to Konya.
A long itinerary combining cities and surrounding areas: on day one, see the Seljuk-era old town in Kayseri before heading to Göreme. For the next four days, plan hot air balloons and the open-air museum, the Red Route and whirling dervish ceremony, the Green Route, and the South Route, keeping a backup dawn for balloon flights. On day six, travel along the Silk Road through Sultanhani to Konya for one night, then see the Mevlana Mausoleum and Çatalhöyük before leaving Konya. Suitable for visitors with plenty of time who want to balance nature and Islamic history.
The whirling dervish ceremony at Sarihan is mostly held in the evening, so book in advance.
Day by day
Day 1 · Kayseri Old Town and on to Göreme
Kayseri（Kayseri Castle、Hunat Hatun Complex、Gevher Nesibe Museum of Medical History） → Cappadocia（Göreme Town & Cave Hotels）
About 20 minutes from the airport to central Kayseri to explore on foot. In the afternoon, drive about 1 hour to Göreme.
Stay: Göreme
Day 2 · Hot Air Balloons, Open-Air Museum and Pigeon Valley
Cappadocia（Love Valley (Hot Air Balloon Viewpoint)、Göreme Open-Air Museum、Uçhisar Castle、Pigeon Valley）
Balloon pickup at dawn. During the day, walk to the Open-Air Museum, then take a taxi to Uchisar and walk back to Göreme along Pigeon Valley.
If balloon flights are grounded, the flight can be moved to any dawn between days three and five.
Stay: Göreme
Day 3 · Red Route Fairy Chimneys and Whirling Dervish
Cappadocia（Çavuşin、Paşabağ (Monks Valley)、Devrent Valley (Imagination Valley)、Avanos、Sarıhan Caravanserai）
Red Route day tour or hired car, about 7 hours. In the evening, travel about 25 minutes from Göreme to Sarihan for the whirling dervish ceremony.
Stay: Göreme
Day 4 · Green Route: Underground City and Valleys
Cappadocia（Derinkuyu Underground City、Ihlara Valley、Selime Monastery）
Green Route day tour, about 3 hours of total driving time, with about 3.5 km of walking in the valley.
Stay: Göreme
Day 5 · South Route Villages and Urgup
Cappadocia（Soğanlı Valley、Mustafapaşa (Sinasos)、Ürgüp、Üç Güzeller (Three Beauties)）
Hire a car or drive yourself: about 50 minutes from Göreme to Soganli. On the way back, pass Mustafapasa, Urgup and Three Beauties Rocks.
Stay: Göreme
Day 6 · Silk Road Caravanserai to Konya
Konya（Sultanhanı Caravanserai、Mevlana Museum、Alaeddin Mosque & Hill）
Hire a car or drive yourself for about 3.5 hours. Stop for 1 hour at Sultanhani, then walk through the old town of Konya in the afternoon.
The Mevlana Museum is a religious site, so dress modestly, and women should bring a headscarf.
Stay: Mevlana and Alaeddin Hill
Day 7 · Seljuk Madrasas and Çatalhöyük
Konya（Karatay Madrasa (Tile Museum)、İnce Minareli Medrese、Çatalhöyük）
In the morning, walk to see two Seljuk madrasas, then hire a car for about 50 minutes to Çatalhöyük. In the evening, head to Konya Airport.
You can also take a high-speed train to Ankara or Istanbul instead.