Day 1: Arrival + Red Tour
Arrive via Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) or Kayseri Erkilet Airport (ASR) and transfer to your hotel in Göreme or Ürgüp. If your flight timing allows, join a Red Tour in the afternoon or save it for the next morning: it typically covers the Göreme Open Air Museum, Paşabağ (Monks Valley) fairy chimneys, Devrent (Imagination) Valley, an Avanos pottery workshop, and Love Valley.
Day 2: Sunrise Balloon Flight + Green Tour
Wake before dawn for the hot-air balloon flight (weather-dependent — see our balloon guide before locking this in), then rest for a few hours before an afternoon or full-day Green Tour covering the Derinkuyu or Kaymaklı underground cities, Ihlara Valley hiking, Selime Monastery and Pigeon Valley.
Day 3: Uçhisar Castle + Free Exploration
Climb Uçhisar Castle for panoramic views over the whole region, then spend the rest of the day at your own pace — Ürgüp's town center and wine houses, a quiet walk through Rose or Red Valley, or simply a slower morning if the balloon flight got rescheduled from Day 2.
Three days is enough to see Cappadocia's major highlights without rushing, but build in flexibility around the balloon flight — it is the one part of this itinerary genuinely at the mercy of the weather.