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
Just a few trinket shops and a typical valley view. We visited it as a part of an organised day trip, not recommended if doing it on your own. Several similar spots like this near Goreme.
This valley was part of a tour around goreme. The natural erosion of the cliffs and hills make this place awesome, also the reason why it was called pigeon valley.
The walk from Goreme to Uçhisar through Pigeon Valley is quite an easy stroll from the centre of town. Although the pathway is quite distinct, the signage is a bit lacking and one must be careful to not miss the right hand path that starts the ascent out of the valley towards Uçhisar.
Stunning; best suited to folks on a cultural visit. kids will be bored unless they are old enough and well educated enough to appreciate the majority of sites in Cappadocia.
After visiting the castle at Ushichar and buying some fresh fruit at a local market, we struggled to find the start of the trail. We eventually just took a (very steep) track down and kept in the valley on trails.
This is one of the many small valleys close to Goreme with unbelievable rock formations and man-made caves, windows and pigeon houses. You wont stop shooting pictures! Only a few minutes away from the village
Great View and a nice place to explore. I don't believe we paid anything to get in here. Worth checking out for some great pics!
We hiked down from Uchisar after visiting Goreme Onyx there. The start of the hike was lovely, winding through rock formations and gardens ripe with melons, tomatoes, beans, peppers and several kinds of fruit trees. Then the trail lead out onto open hills that dropped off steeply and should have been marked with warnings. After trying a couple of worrisome…
I made the decision to walk from Goreme to Uchisar because it wasn't too far, and I got carsick. We wanted to go through the valley on our first leg to Uchisar, however we went the wrong way and didn't go through the Valley. When we were at top looking down, we saw the valley and vowed not to miss…
We took a guided hike through the valley which was very interesting and scenic throughout. Later on we managed to stop at the panorama viewing point above the valley floor which is great spot to take pictures.