# Pigeon Valley, Cappadocia > Pigeon Valley (Güvercinlik Vadisi) is a 4 km gorge between Uçhisar and Göreme whose walls are riddled with carved dovecotes. It is free, has no gate and never closes. The roadside viewpoint takes 15–20 minutes; the walk down to Göreme takes 1–2 hours. Go early, when the balloons drift over. Web page: https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia/pigeon-valley - City: [Cappadocia](https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia), Turkey - YesGo score: 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - Entry: Free - Opening hours: Open 24 hours, all year — it is an open valley with no gate or ticket office; walk the trail in daylight - With kids: Fine with kids - Entrance: Free — no gate, no ticket office - Open: Always: it's open countryside - Trail: ≈ 4 km, downhill from Uçhisar to Göreme - Walking time: 1–2 hours one way - Height difference: ≈ 200 m, downhill from Uçhisar - Viewpoint: On the Göreme–Uçhisar road at the edge of Uçhisar: evil eye tree, souvenir stalls - Shade: Very little — bring a hat and water - Toilets and food: In Uçhisar and Göreme; the odd tea stall on the trail - Coordinates: 38.63278, 34.81611 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **Free** — open at all times, with no tickets and no gate (source: The Turkey Traveler and Atlas & Boots guides; English Wikivoyage: Göreme) - **≈ 4 km** — length of the trail from Uçhisar to Göreme (source: Turkish Wikipedia: Güvercinlik Vadisi; English Wikivoyage: Göreme (4 km); The Turkey Traveler gives about 3 km) - **1–2 hours** — to walk the valley floor one way (source: Atlas & Boots (1–2 h); English Wikipedia: Uçhisar (about two hours); The Turkey Traveler (about an hour)) - **Dovecotes** — hundreds of pigeon houses cut into the soft tuff — hence the name (source: Turkish Wikipedia: Güvercinlik Vadisi; English Wikipedia: Uçhisar) - **Until the 1970s** — pigeon droppings were collected as fertiliser for fields and vineyards (source: English Wikipedia: Uçhisar; The Turkey Traveler) - **Downhill from Uçhisar** — Uçhisar sits higher than Göreme, so starting there means walking down (source: English Wikivoyage: Göreme; The Turkey Traveler) - **Tuff** — the slopes are compacted volcanic ash, soft enough to carve by hand (source: Turkish Wikipedia: Güvercinlik Vadisi; English Wikipedia: Göreme National Park) - **Balloons** — the valley lies under the morning hot-air balloon flight paths (source: Turkish Wikipedia: Güvercinlik Vadisi; The Turkey Traveler) - **Evil eye tree** — a tree by the Uçhisar viewpoint hung with blue glass nazar charms (source: The Turkey Traveler and Benjie Layug travel guides) - **1985** — the rock landscape around Göreme joined the UNESCO World Heritage list (source: English Wikipedia: Göreme National Park; English Wikivoyage: Göreme) ## How to get to Pigeon Valley from Göreme 1. Start at Göreme bus station (otogar) on Turgut Özal Meydanı in the village centre — the airport shuttles from Nevşehir (NAV) and Kayseri (ASR) stop here too. 2. Take a town bus or dolmuş towards Nevşehir via Uçhisar (about 10 minutes), or a taxi — about 5 minutes to the roadside viewpoint. 3. Get off at the Güvercinlik viewpoint on the edge of Uçhisar: the evil eye tree, souvenir stalls and the whole valley below. From Uçhisar Castle it's about 10 minutes on foot. 4. Find the path down by the viewpoint, or follow the “Güvercinlik Vadisi” sign in Uçhisar, and drop to the valley floor. 5. Follow the main gully downhill for about 4 km, 1–1.5 hours. At forks keep heading downhill — side canyons join the main one rather than branch away. 6. The trail comes out on the edge of Göreme; the bus station and village centre are another 10–15 minutes' walk. > **Walk downhill, and not at midday in summer** Uçhisar is higher than Göreme, so starting there turns the hike into a descent; going the other way means climbing roughly 200 m in full sun. There's almost no shade, and the white tuff throws the glare back at you. Go early or in the late afternoon, carry water and a hat, and download an offline map — the paths fork and signal in the gorge is patchy. ## Is there an entrance fee for Pigeon Valley? No. Pigeon Valley is open countryside with no gate, ticket office or opening hours, and you can walk it any day of the year. The only things you'll pay for are nearby: coffee and souvenirs at the viewpoint, the café toilet, and a ticket for Uçhisar Castle if you climb it before or after. Walk it in daylight only. There are no lights on the trail, and in the dark it's easy to wander up a side canyon. From December to February snow is common and the tuff gets slick on the descents, so pick a dry day and wear shoes with real grip. ## What is Pigeon Valley? A narrow gorge linking two Cappadocian villages — **Uçhisar** on the ridge and **Göreme** below. Its slopes are soft tuff, compacted volcanic ash, and they are pocked with hundreds of small openings. These are dovecotes: farmers carved niches into the rock for pigeons to roost in. The Turkish name, Güvercinlik Vadisi, means simply “valley of the dovecotes”. The birds weren't kept for the view. What mattered was their **droppings**, collected and spread on fields and vineyards as fertiliser right up to the 1970s. On thin volcanic soil that made the difference, and Cappadocia still grows grapes on it today. Some of the pigeon houses have their openings painted white and red, which shows up well from the viewpoint. Pigeons still live here, but today it's above all an easy walk among rock cones, poplars, apricot trees and tiny gardens, with the outline of [Uçhisar Castle](https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia/uchisar-castle) overhead and, at dawn, dozens of balloons. ## Should you hike from Uçhisar or from Göreme? **Uçhisar to Göreme** is what most guides recommend, and we agree. You start high, walk down, and the side canyons merge into the main one as you go, so you're less likely to end up in a dead end. You finish in Göreme with its cafés, bus station and hotels, with no need to find a ride back. **Göreme to Uçhisar** suits you if you're staying in Göreme and want to skip transport altogether, or want to end on top of Uçhisar Castle for sunset. It's a climb, and the last stretch below the village is steep. In winter the castle can close before sunset, so check the time locally. Short on energy? Skip the hike. Take a taxi to the viewpoint, spend 15–20 minutes there and walk a couple of hundred metres down to the first dovecotes. That's where the classic view is anyway. ## What to see - **The viewpoint** on the edge of Uçhisar: the whole valley, the rock cones and the castle behind you. - **The evil eye tree** by the viewpoint, its branches covered in blue glass nazar charms; the stalls sell them if you want to hang your own. - **The dovecotes** up close — rows of small openings in the rock, some framed in white and red paint. - **A short tunnel** cut through the tuff on one stretch of the trail, as the Atlas & Boots guide describes. - **Gardens on the valley floor** — apricots, poplars and vines on tiny plots. - **Hot-air balloons** over the valley at sunrise, if you reach the viewpoint for first light. ## Is Pigeon Valley worth it? Yes, as a walk. It's the easiest valley hike in Cappadocia, it's free, it ends in Göreme, and it fits neatly between Uçhisar Castle in the morning and the [Göreme Open-Air Museum](https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia/goreme-open-air-museum) after lunch. Few places show you how people actually lived off this landscape as clearly as the dovecotes do. As a quick stop, it's pleasant but not unmissable. Almost every bus tour pulls in at the viewpoint for about 15 minutes, and the evil eye tree with its souvenir stalls is more photo op than sight. If you only have time for one valley and want the most striking rock shapes, [Love Valley](https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia/love-valley) is the stronger pick. ## When is the best time to go? **Early morning** is best. At sunrise the [Cappadocia balloons](https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia/cappadocia-balloons) lift off around Göreme and Uçhisar, and some drift right over the valley. It's still cool, and the low light turns the tuff pink. **Late afternoon** is the next best: start two or three hours before sunset, when the heat eases and the slopes warm in colour. From June to August a midday walk is hard going — no shade and a lot of glare. In spring and autumn almost any time of day works. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] At least a litre of water each - [ ] Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen - [ ] Shoes that grip — the tuff can be slippery - [ ] An offline map of the valley on your phone - [ ] A little Turkish lira cash for tea or juice at the stalls - [ ] Setting off early or two or three hours before sunset ## Pigeon Valley vs Love Valley (and Ihlara) | | Pigeon Valley | Love Valley | Ihlara Valley | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Dovecote gorge below Uçhisar | Tall rock pillars near Göreme | Deep river canyon with rock churches | | Where | Between Uçhisar and Göreme | Next to Göreme | Far out, towards Aksaray | | The walk | ≈ 4 km, 1–2 h, downhill | A few km along the valley floor | Half a day with the drive | | Without walking | Yes — roadside viewpoint | Yes — viewpoint above | No | | With kids | Yes, an easy route | Yes | Yes, but a long day | One walk on your trip? Pigeon Valley is the simplest and drops you right in Göreme. Love Valley has the most photogenic rocks; Ihlara is a full day in a real canyon. ## Cappadocia viewpoints compared Every place in Cappadocia with a view, rated by YesGo. - [Pigeon Valley](https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia/pigeon-valley) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Love Valley](https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia/love-valley) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Uçhisar Castle](https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia/uchisar-castle) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · About 400 TL - [Paşabağ (Monks Valley)](https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia/pasabag-valley) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · €12 — shared ticket with Zelve - [Cappadocia hot-air balloons](https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia/cappadocia-balloons) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Flight ≈ €90–150, watching free ## Uçhisar and Pigeon Valley in a day Uçhisar Castle in the morning, the walk down Pigeon Valley to Göreme, the Open-Air Museum after lunch and Love Valley in the evening light. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Uçhisar Castle](https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia/uchisar-castle) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · About 400 TL 2. [Pigeon Valley](https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia/pigeon-valley) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 3. [Göreme Open-Air Museum](https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia/goreme-open-air-museum) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · €20, Dark Church extra 4. [Love Valley](https://yesgo.io/turkey/cappadocia/love-valley) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free ## Not to be confused with Pigeon Valley is also the name of a nature reserve in Durban, South Africa. This page is about Güvercinlik Vadisi between Uçhisar and Göreme in Cappadocia, Turkey. ## Tips - Be at the viewpoint for sunrise: balloons over the valley and an empty trail make the best shot of the day. - Pair it with Uçhisar Castle: the viewpoint is about 10 minutes' walk from the castle, and the trail starts close by. - Avoid the gully after heavy rain or snow — wet tuff turns slippery fast. - Where the path splits, take the wider branch heading downhill; it leads to Göreme. - With small children, do the short version: viewpoint, a few hundred metres down to the first dovecotes, then a taxi back. - The dovecotes are old farm buildings and protected heritage — don't climb into the niches or pick at the rock. ## Questions ### How do I get to Pigeon Valley from Göreme? Take a town bus or dolmuş towards Nevşehir via Uçhisar (about 10 minutes) or a taxi to the roadside viewpoint, then walk down. You can also start straight from Göreme and walk uphill. ### How long is the Pigeon Valley hike? About 4 km from Uçhisar down to Göreme, which takes 1–2 hours at an easy pace. Walking back up to Uçhisar takes longer. ### Is Pigeon Valley free? Yes. It's an open valley with no gate, tickets or opening hours. You only pay for cafés, souvenirs and Uçhisar Castle if you visit it. ### Is it better to start in Uçhisar or Göreme? Uçhisar — it's higher, so the walk is downhill, and you finish in Göreme near cafés and the bus station. Start in Göreme only if you want sunset at Uçhisar Castle. ### Where is the Pigeon Valley viewpoint? On the edge of Uçhisar by the road to Göreme, with the evil eye tree, a small café, souvenir stalls and parking. ### What is the evil eye tree in Cappadocia? A tree at the Pigeon Valley viewpoint hung with blue glass nazar charms, the Turkish talisman against the evil eye. The stalls sell charms if you want to add one. ### Is Pigeon Valley worth it? Yes as an easy, free walk that ends in Göreme. As a 15-minute tour stop it's pleasant but not essential — Love Valley has more dramatic rocks. ### Is the Pigeon Valley hike easy? Yes, it's one of the easiest walks in Cappadocia and fine for families. A few short steep sections need care, and there's very little shade. ### When is the best time to hike Pigeon Valley? Early morning for balloons and cool air, or two or three hours before sunset. Midday in summer is hot and shadeless; snow is common in winter. ## How we checked The valley has no official website or ticket office; every guide we found confirms free access. The trail length is checked against Turkish Wikipedia and English Wikivoyage (about 4 km); The Turkey Traveler says about 3 km, so we give “about 4 km” marked “verifying”. Walking times in the sources range from one to two hours, and we show the range. The dovecotes and the use of droppings as fertiliser until the 1970s come from English Wikipedia (Uçhisar) and The Turkey Traveler. The 200 m height difference, tea stalls on the trail and the tunnel each come from a single guide, so they are marked “verifying” or credited. Bus and taxi times from Göreme come from guides and the routes through Uçhisar; we give no exact frequency. ## Sources - Turkish Wikipedia: Güvercinlik Vadisi; Wikidata Q104596490 - English Wikipedia: Uçhisar; Göreme National Park - English Wikivoyage: Göreme - Travel guides: The Turkey Traveler, Atlas & Boots, Jana Meerman, Benjie Layug --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.