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
Pigeon Valley can be a little difficult to navigate depending on what route you take. It seems as though all trails more or less lead to the same place, but not all are equally easy to walk. Midway, it seems to split into an upper and lower route. You may want to take the lower route for an easier path….
There are more spectacular valleys, but this one is so easy to get to, and in the end, if you choose to climb to the top of Uçhisar, WHICH YOU SHOULD, the view is profound.
From Goreme otogar, walk west down the big looking street with the canal in the middle.
I love everything of this place! the atmosphere is magic. the colours are incredibile (above all at sunset) and it is unbelievable how it was possible to create it.
If starting from Uchisar, make sure you start at a marked trail head. The path on one branch valley below Uchisar ends suddenly at a beautiful sheer cliff with no warning. I saw several confused hikers get way too far out on the crumbling cliff edge in their desire to find a way through.
We enjoyed a walk in the pigeon valley. There is 6 km hiking trail in the Pigeon valley, that connects Goreme and Uchisar.
Beautiful hike – some areas poorly signed – stay to the right to make it to Uchisar.
We took a bus to Uchisal from Goreme where we were staying, looked the town and Uchisal castle, then hiked back to Goreme. We took a lot of breaks (it was a hot day) and enjoyed getting lost, so it took us 3 or 3.5 hours. It had tons of amazing view and not too long, rewarding hike.
Easily avoided; but for the wonderful view of the Uchisar castle and town. Also very close to the Onyx factory (or one of them, as I discovered many more as we drove around). We were en-route to other places today so it wasnt such a big deal.
Surprisingly in Pigeons valley there was no pigeons but unique flora with rare varieties of rosehips bushes and wild flowers
Im sorry to say that I wasn't overly excited by Pigeon Valley and after a full days touring this stunning area, I was one of those tourists who's feet were way too tired to even get out of our coach, and I've seen plenty of Pigeons to last me a lifetime. There seriously isn't much to see, Its basically just…