Pigeon Valley (Güvercinlik Vadisi)

Pigeon Valley, Güvercinlik Vadisi in Turkish, is the 4 km valley that links Göreme with Uçhisar in Cappadocia. It takes its name from the dovecotes cut into its pale rock walls, where farmers once gathered pigeon droppings to fertilise their fields. People come to walk it: a morning on foot between two of the region's main villages, with fairy chimneys around you and the castle rock of Uçhisar at the top. The trail is not a ticketed site. Day tours that include the valley stop above it rather than walk it; our Cappadocia Yellow Tour, from $50 per person, pauses at the dovecotes on its route through the southern valleys.

Key details at a glance

Why it is called Pigeon Valley

Look up at the cliffs and you will see rows of small openings cut high into the soft tuff. These are dovecotes. Pigeons nested inside, and their droppings were collected and spread on the fields as fertiliser, a practice found across Cappadocia. A 2024 study of the dovecotes of neighbouring Kayseri province, presented at a congress on architecture and cultural heritage in tourism, found that such dovecotes were built from Roman times into the second half of the 20th century and were abandoned once chemical fertilisers spread from the 1960s.

The valley lies within the area that UNESCO has listed since 1985 as Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia. In 2024 the Cappadocia Area Presidency lit it for night visits under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's night museum programme.

Walking the valley: route, length and direction

The İHA news agency gives the trail between Uçhisar and Göreme a length of 4 km. The two ends are at different heights. Elevation data (SRTM, via Open Topo Data) puts central Göreme at about 1,107 m and the head of the valley below Uçhisar at about 1,244 m, while the castle rock rises to roughly 1,350 m. That is why most walkers start in Uçhisar and walk downhill to Göreme. Wikivoyage adds a useful point: walking in that direction, the side canyons join the main valley instead of branching off it, so you are less likely to end up in a dead end.

For timing, OpenStreetMap's walking router gives about 5 km and 70 minutes from central Göreme to Uçhisar Castle at a steady pace on the flat. The climb and photo stops make the real walk longer, so allow 1 to 2 hours one way. The path is mostly dirt, with some steep and rough sections. After rain, snow or frost it can be slippery, and in winter sections may be hidden under snow.

The viewpoint at the Uçhisar end

At the Uçhisar end, a gravel terrace beside the road looks down into the valley, with the castle rock beyond. Its landmark is a tree hung with blue evil-eye beads, the glass charms used in Turkey to ward off the evil eye, and pigeons peck at the gravel around it. Tour groups often stop here. If you only have a few minutes, the terrace gives the classic view of the valley and Uçhisar Castle.

Pigeon Valley after dark

At the end of October 2024 the Cappadocia Area Presidency finished an environmental and lighting project in the valley, part of the Ministry's night museum programme. According to the İHA news agency, 340 LED projectors with special angles now light more than 100 fairy chimneys and the historic dovecotes, and the power comes entirely from a solar plant. The Minister of Culture and Tourism said the valley would now welcome visitors at night as well, but the reports gave no night opening hours or fees. If you walk the trail after dark, take a torch and keep to the path, because the ground is uneven.

Best time to go

Spring and autumn give the most comfortable walking temperatures. In summer, start early to avoid the midday heat. Winter can be beautiful after snow, but check conditions first, as paths can freeze.

On a flying morning you may see balloons overhead as you walk, since they launch at sunrise around Göreme. Our own Green Tour reaches the valley late in the day, after Selime Monastery; for a quieter terrace, come early.

Combining the walk with nearby places

• Uçhisar Castle. The rock at the top of the walk; see our Uçhisar Castle guide for tickets and the climb.
• Göreme town. At the bottom, with restaurants and the bus station; our Göreme town guide covers the base.
• Göreme Open Air Museum. 2 km east of Göreme, ideal for the afternoon after a morning walk. Read our Göreme Open Air Museum guide.
• Love Valley. Another walking valley close to Uçhisar and Göreme; see our Love Valley page.
• More of the region. Our Cappadocia destination guide lists the other valleys and underground cities.

Practical tips

• Download an offline map before you set off.
• Take plenty of water, sun protection and a snack.
• Stay on the paths and do not climb into the dovecotes.
• If you walk from Uçhisar down to Göreme, plan your return by taxi or arrange a pick-up.
• On a guided day tour you will usually see the valley only from the viewpoint. For the full walk, go on your own or ask us about a private guide through our Cappadocia tours page.

Tours that visit Pigeon Valley

• Cappadocia Yellow Tour: from $50 per person. Red and Rose valleys, Çavuşin and its church, the dovecotes of Pigeon Valley and an underground city, with lunch; about 09:30 to 16:30.
• Cappadocia Green Tour with lunch: from $80 per person. Seven hours with the Göreme panorama, Derinkuyu, the Ihlara Valley walk, Selime Monastery and a stop at Pigeon Valley.
• 2-day Cappadocia tour without hotel: from $112 per person. A northern day and a southern day; the second runs through Red Valley, Çavuşin and Pigeon Valley to an underground city.
• Cappadocia tour package, 4 days: from $750 per person. Three nights in a cave hotel, the Red Tour and a third day with Kaymaklı Underground City, Pigeon Valley and Love Valley.

Frequently Asked Questions