Aksaray is a province in Central Anatolia (İç Anadolu), Turkey, on the southwestern edge of the Cappadocia region. It is best known for the Ihlara Valley, a 14-kilometre canyon lined with Byzantine rock-cut churches and frescoes, the towering Selime Monastery, and the Sultanhanı Caravanserai, the largest Seljuk han in Turkey. With the volcanic cone of Hasan Mountain on the horizon, the salt expanse of Lake Tuz to the north, and Göreme roughly an hour east, Aksaray serves as an uncrowded gateway to Cappadocia.
Aksaray is a calm, conservative provincial city and is generally very safe for tourists, including solo travellers and women travelling alone. Street crime is rare. The main hazards are environmental — steep valley trails, strong sun, rural road traffic, and animal encounters on mountain tracks — rather than crime.
Current safety advisory
Low Risk
Aksaray is a calm, conservative Anatolian province and is generally very safe for tourists. The main concerns are road safety on rural highways, the steep uneven sections of the Ihlara Valley trail, and the strong sun and altitude on the high plateau rather than crime.
Last updated: 2026-06-17
Official advisories
Guidance from national travel-advisory services.
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Essential safety tips
Practical advice that applies everywhere.
Carry a copy of your passport and keep the original secure in hotel accommodation
Save the number 112 in your phone before entering rural areas
Carry bottled water and snacks when walking the Ihlara Valley — there are no vending points inside the gorge between the main stairway and Belisırma
Wear sturdy shoes with ankle support on the Ihlara Valley trail and Güzelyurt Monastery Valley walks
Do not enter the Ihlara Valley after heavy rain — check at the ticket booth about water levels
Tell hotel reception where you plan to hike each day, especially for Hasandağı summit attempts
Dress modestly near mosques, conservative villages, and when entering the market bazaar in Aksaray
Common scams to avoid
Recognise and sidestep tourist-targeted scams.
Health considerations
Staying healthy on your trip.
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- Water
- Advice
- Tap water is treated and generally safe in Aksaray city, but most travellers drink bottled water (su) to avoid stomach upsets. Bottled water costs ₺15-25 (≈$0.35-0.55) for 1.5L and is available everywhere.
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- Food Safety
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- Restaurant food hygiene is generally good. Avoid unrefrigerated street food in hot weather. Riverside restaurants in Belisırma and Ihlara serve fresh river trout and are safe; confirm fish is cooked through.
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- Medications and Pharmacy
- Advice
- Pharmacies (eczane) are numerous in central Aksaray and are marked with a green cross. Many sell over-the-counter medicines without prescription. For serious medical needs, the state hospital on Atatürk Caddesi or the university training hospital can be reached by taxi.
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- Sun and Heat
- Advice
- Sun protection is essential May-September. Carry sunscreen SPF 30+, a wide-brimmed hat, and at least 2 litres of water per person for a full Ihlara Valley day walk.
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- Altitude
- Advice
- Aksaray city sits at roughly 980 m. Hasandağı rises to 3,253 m. Travellers not acclimatised to altitude should ascend gradually and descend immediately if experiencing headache, nausea, or dizziness at high elevation.
Safety for specific travellers
Tailored advice for different groups.
Solo travellers
Solo travel in Aksaray is low-risk. The province is conservative and respectful toward foreign visitors. Solo women travellers should dress modestly (covered shoulders, knees covered in villages and mosques), which also reduces unwanted attention. Hiking the Ihlara Valley alone is generally safe; for Hasandağı summit treks, hiring a local guide from Helvadere is strongly advisable.
Female travellers
Aksaray is conservative but safe for women travelling alone. Modest dress — long trousers or a skirt below the knee, sleeves to the elbow — is the practical norm in villages, mosques, and markets, and is strongly advised near Güzelyurt and Belisırma. Central Aksaray is busy and lit in the evenings. The Ihlara Valley and Güzelyurt are safe for solo women walkers during daylight hours. Avoid lonely sections of the valley after sunset.
Families
Aksaray is very safe for families. The main caution is the steep Ihlara Valley stairway (360 steps) and the uneven riverside path, which require supervision of young children. Lake Tuz's salt flats are a walkable surface but the water is extremely briny and should not be ingested. Keep children well hydrated and apply sunscreen generously in summer.
LGBTQ+ travellers
Turkey has no legal recognition of same-sex partnerships, and Aksaray is a conservative Anatolian province. LGBTQ+ travellers are advised to exercise discretion; public displays of affection may attract negative attention. Violence against LGBTQ+ travellers is rare, but Aksaray is not a welcoming or open environment. Istanbul Pride has faced bans since 2015.
Emergency contacts
Numbers to know before you go.
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