The official entrance to the valley, signposted off the road from Aksaray. A long zigzag staircase — around 380 steps — descends from the rim down to the river. There is a ticket booth at the top, a small café, and toilets.
This is where most day trips arrive, and the cluster of churches around the foot of the stairs (Ağaçaltı, Pürenliseki, Kokar, Sümbüllü, Yılanlı) is the most heavily visited part of the gorge. If you walk downstream from here you will quickly leave the crowds behind.