Red Valley and Rose Valley

Think of Rose Valley (Gulludere) and Red Valley (Kizilcukur) as two walks rather than two sights. They sit next to each other between Goreme, Ortahisar and Cavusin, connected by trails, so most visitors follow a loop through both. You will not find a ticket office. At an easy pace the hike takes between two and four hours, based on your route and on how many cave churches you search for.

Quick facts

Where the colours come from

The rock is built from volcanic tuff and ash in layers, left by eruptions of nearby volcanoes. Minerals, mainly iron oxides, colour it in bands of cream, pink and red. The shades shift through the day: morning brings pale pink, and sunset turns it orange and then deep red. Along the valleys you find narrow side canyons and fairy chimneys, with vineyards and apricot orchards on the level floor.

Sights along the way

• Kizilcukur sunset viewpoint. Near Ortahisar at the top of Red Valley, the traditional spot to watch the rock turn red. In summer it fills up.
• Church of the Columns (Direkli Kilise). A large church cut into the rock of Rose Valley, with carved pillars.
• Church of the Cross (Hacli Kilise). Frescoes and a cross carved into the ceiling; a little café by the entrance sometimes sells fresh juice.
• Rock arches and tunnels. You pass through some of them along the trails.
• Cavusin village. Where the Rose Valley trail ends and the old Church of St John stands on the cliff.

Ways to explore

Signs are few and far between, so walkers should carry a trail map app that works offline. One popular loop begins at the Kizilcukur viewpoint, descends Red Valley, crosses into Rose Valley and finishes in Cavusin, a distance of about 5-6 kilometres. Several ranches near Goreme offer sunset rides on horseback. On an ATV, the rim tracks give a quick view, though a louder one.

Our one-hour sunset ATV safari rides past the fairy chimneys and through Rose Valley and Red Valley as the sun goes down, hotel transfers included, from US$49. If you are coming from Istanbul, the two-day trip with flights covers the flights, one hotel night and the guided Red Tour, lunch included. On our private Cappadocia tour of one to three days, a private guide can build a walk here around your own pace.

When to go

For colour, walk in late afternoon and finish at sunset. The best walking seasons are autumn (September and October) and spring (April to early June). In July and August it is hot and dusty with hardly any shade, so set out early. In winter the red rock under snow looks beautiful, but the paths become slippery. At sunrise, the valley rim gives you a view of balloons drifting over the valleys.

Tips

• Take a litre of water or more per person. Once you are out of the villages, there is little chance to buy any.
• Some paths are narrow and lean towards drops. If in doubt, stay on the valley floor instead of the rim.
• Let someone know your route and leave with plenty of daylight; the canyons darken quickly.
• Several cave churches have no signs and sit away from the main path. Hiring a local guide saves you a lot of looking.
• In places, ATV tracks and footpaths share the same ground. Watch for noise and dust.

Further walks and viewpoints are in our Cappadocia guide.

Frequently Asked Questions