From Central Cappadocia, we drive south and spend two nights at a cave hotel in Güzelyurt. The rooms at this hotel have been carved into the soft rock in the traditional Cappadocian style. Not only is this hotel relatively affordable, but staying in a cool room with access to a shower and restaurants is also necessary for Svenja to recover quickly and thoroughly, as she is still feeling quite ill.
As well as running errands in Aksaray (doing the laundry, etc.), we then spend three wonderful nights in the secluded, relatively cool Ihlara Valley, between Belisırma and Selime. We relax in the sun, watch birds of prey, tortoises, and dragonflies, and bathe in the cool waters of the Melendiz Stream.