Urgup Car Rental

Urgup is a district town in Nevsehir province and one of the most popular bases in Cappadocia. Its old centre clusters around Temenni Hill, a rock outcrop topped by a symbolic tomb, and its streets of carved stone houses are now full of cave hotels, restaurants and wine cellars. The area has a long wine-making tradition, and several wineries offer cellar visits and tastings.

Urgup is a short drive from Goreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Goreme, Ortahisar, Mustafapasa and Avanos are all within about 15 km, but the valleys, viewpoints and underground cities are spread out and bus links between them are limited. Urgup car rental lets you start at a sunrise viewpoint, spend the afternoon in an underground city and drive back for dinner in town without depending on tour timetables.

Otorento lists cars from independent suppliers in Urgup, from small manual cars to automatics, SUVs and seven-seaters, with fuel policy, mileage and rental terms shown for each. Prices and availability change with dates, car group and supplier, and public holidays fill up early. Every supplier offers free cancellation and 24/7 support.

Location and getting around

Distances are by road from the centre of Urgup. The short hops between villages take longer than the figures suggest in peak season, when tour buses and visitors fill the roads.

Urgup lies between the region's two airports. Nevsehir Cappadocia Airport is northwest, past Nevsehir; Kayseri Erkilet is to the east. Many visitors fly into one and out of the other, so it is worth checking one-way returns when you search. Intercity buses also reach Urgup, which makes it a convenient place to collect a car if you arrive by coach. The routes in the table do not use toll motorways; if you later join one, rental cars usually have an HGS tag and the supplier charges tolls afterwards.

Picking up your car

Suppliers in Urgup hand cars over at their own offices, at an agreed meeting point, or at your hotel. The address and phone number are in your booking confirmation, so check them before your arrival day.

• Documents: your driving licence, passport and the payment card named in the booking. A licence issued abroad can be used in Turkey for up to six months after you enter; check your supplier's licence requirements too.

• Deposit: normally a credit card hold in the main driver's name; the amount and conditions depend on the supplier and car group.

• Hotel handover: many cave hotels in the old town are reached by steep, narrow lanes. Agree a meeting point the car can actually reach.

• Return: if you are flying home, check whether you can return the car at the airport instead and how long the drive takes from your last stop.

Photograph the car and fuel gauge at handover and have any existing scratches noted, as with any Urgup car hire.

Places to visit by car

• Mustafapasa: the former Greek village of Sinasos, whose Greek community left in the 1924 population exchange. Its grand stone mansions and churches remain, and the frescoed Church of the Holy Apostles lies in the nearby Gomeda Valley; approx. 7 km.

• Goreme Open-Air Museum: rock-cut churches and chapels with painted interiors, part of the UNESCO site; Goreme approx. 9 km.

• Red and Rose valleys: Kizilcukur and Gulludere, between Ortahisar and Cavusin, are the classic sunset viewpoints and walking routes; Cavusin approx. 13 km.

• Avanos: a pottery town on the Kizilirmak river, easy to combine with Pasabag's fairy chimneys; approx. 12 km.

• Uchisar Castle: the rock castle above the village, with views over Pigeon Valley; approx. 14 km.

• Kaymakli and Derinkuyu: multi-level underground cities on the road south towards Nigde; approx. 40 and 49 km.

Driving and parking tips

• The old town around Temenni Hill has narrow, steep and sometimes one-way lanes. Leave the car in a public car park and explore on foot.

• Balloons launch at dawn. If you drive to a viewpoint, set off early, check the route the night before and park only in proper pull-outs, not on the roadside.

• Some valley tracks are unsurfaced. Check that your rental agreement covers them before turning off the asphalt.

• Winters bring snow and ice, especially on the higher roads towards Uchisar and Nevsehir; ask the supplier whether winter tyres are fitted.

Urgup car rental suits a stay of a few days; for wider loops to the Ihlara Valley, Kayseri or Mount Erciyes, check the mileage allowance when comparing offers.

Nearby locations

Arriving by air? Compare car rental at Nevsehir Cappadocia Airport or Kayseri Airport. Continuing west by train or plane, see Konya Airport.