Things to do in Ankara

Ankara sits about 3 hours by road from Göreme, which makes this a long day trip rather than a casual add-on: budget 6 hours on the road alone before you factor in any time at a site. 5-2 hours needed to see the collection properly. Anıtkabir, Atatürk's mausoleum, is free to visit but closes earlier than most museums, so check the current schedule before you plan your return leg.

30-6am gives you a realistic window to see both sites and be back at a reasonable hour, but it is still a 12-hour-plus day. If your only goal is these two sites, this timing works; anything more ambitious probably needs an overnight.