Pigeon Valley ( Güvercinlik Vadisi ), just outside Goreme in Cappadocia, is one of Turkey’s most beautiful landscapes. The unique rock formations known as fairy chimneys, or peri bacalar, which are made from wind and water erosion on soft volcanic rock, rise high from the valley floor like chimneys and are dotted in their tops with birdhouses. Some reach at tall as 130 ft Pigeons live in these dovecoats carved into the rocks and cliffs. Years ago the pigeons were used to carry messages from this remote region, and their droppings have long been used by local farmers for fertilizer. Today, however, there are fewer Pigeons in the valley.
Pigeon Valley is a great place for hiking. The whole area around Goreme is made up of valleys with almost no fencing and there are well-marked trails. The mildly hilly trail through Pigeon Valley is free of charge and about 2.8 miles long running between Goreme and Uchisar.
Pigeon is ideal for walking as the trek is relatively easy. Within the valley are man-made caves which make for excellent exploration. Alternatively if walking is not your idea of fun, still head to the top of the valley at sunset where the vibrant orange colors moving down behind the mountains produce wonderful holiday pictures. The valley earned its name from the hundreds of pigeons that have made their homes in the rocks.
Pigeon Valley ( Güvercinlik Vadisi ) Goreme-Cappadocia
This place has an interesting history with the pigeons and it has an incredible view of caves that people have built into in the valley and on the way up to the castle. It is likely a stop on most tours, seems to be a place where most of the buses stop, so a little crowded and noisy, but worth…
If you wanna do it on your own, you need to use compass & map, & always be careful with the cliffs & wrong ways…
It's a lovely valley with some dramatic views and can be walked in under an hour. Get the hotel to take you to the top near Uchisar and walk back down through the valley to Goreme. Wear good walking shoes with good grip, some steep descents that are gritty and can be slippy under foot.
Some of the reviews here sound like people didn't bother to do much walking. If you walk all the way from Goreme to Uchisar via the valley, it's a fantastic, scenic, enchanting walk of about 4km one way. The 'castle' at Uchisar gives amazing views of the landscape you've just walked through and puts it all into perspective.
we didn't actually hike thru the valley but it (mesa at top)was a great picture-taking venu & general vistas showed detail that you cannot see from below
Yes there is a souvener shop along with a much need rest room but thats like saying Yellowstone National park has a hotel. This was amazing we hiked down in the valley and learned history so old and so important to this natural wonder.
Make sure you start in Uchisar and go down to Goreme or it wil be quite the hike. Lovely valley with lots to see but good clearly marked trails
We stopped here briefly as part of our tour and it is a great panoramic view. Make sure you pay a visit to the onyx factory and showroom opposite…fabulous pieces available for purchase.
There are so many stunning places in Cappadocia to choose from but I really enjoyed taking a leisurely hour walk through this one.
The absolute best view in Cappadoccia – views over Pigeon Valley -through to Goreme. Some interesting fact on Pigeon poo!!!