Cappadocia Whirling Dervishes Ceremony

• The Sema ceremony performed inside Saruhan, a Seljuk caravanserai built in 1249 on the Silk Road
• About an hour, every evening, at 18:00.
• Time before the ceremony to walk through the caravanserai itself
• Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Cappadocia included
• Serbet, the traditional drink, served afterwards
• Minimum age 10

The Sema is not a performance. It is a form of worship, begun by the followers of Rumi in Konya in the thirteenth century and still practised in the same order today: the reed flute, the drum, the four salutes, the white robes that stand for the shroud and the tall felt hats for the tombstone. The dervish turns with one palm raised to receive and one turned down to pass on, circling as the planets do. What makes it here different is the room. Saruhan was built in 1249 as a caravanserai on the Silk Road, where merchants and their animals rested in safety for three days, and the ceremony is held in its stone hall, with the acoustics the Seljuks built into it.

Places to visit

• Saruhan Caravanserai

What to expect

• The ceremony begins at 18:00, every evening, and lasts about an hour.
• We collect you from your hotel about 30 minutes beforehand, which gives you time to walk through the caravanserai before it starts.
• Serbet, the traditional fruit drink, is served after the ceremony.
• Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Cappadocia are included.

Good to know before you book

• Photography and filming are not allowed during the ceremony. Afterwards there is a five-minute session when you can take pictures.
• Children under 10 are not admitted. The ceremony is held in silence and lasts about an hour.
• The Sema is a religious ritual rather than a show, so please dress as you would for a place of worship and stay seated and quiet throughout.
• The hall is unheated stone. In winter it is cold inside, so bring a warm layer.

Cancellation Policy

To receive a full refund, you can cancel up to 24 hours before the ceremony, in local time. Cancellations made after that are non-refundable.