Photos of the Cappadocia Valley

Panoramas, trails and rock churches

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Cappadocia Valley

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Cappadocia Valley in Central Anatolia, Turkey

Cappadocia Valley - a collective name for a system of valleys and gorges in the historic region of Cappadocia in Central Anatolia, Turkey. Main routes and viewpoints are centered around the towns of Goreme, Uchisar, Urgup and Avanos.

The landscape was shaped by the products of eruptions from Mount Erciyes, Mount Hasan and Mount Golludag during the Miocene-Pliocene. Over millions of years, water and wind eroded layers of tuff and ignimbrite, forming cones, pillars and the so-called 'fairy chimneys' that make the valleys so distinctive.

The soft rock allowed dwellings, chapels and monasteries to be carved into the cliffs. Rock-cut churches from the 10th-12th centuries preserve Byzantine-period frescoes; the most illustrative complexes are displayed at the Goreme and Zelve open-air museums. Goreme National Park and the rock sites of Cappadocia have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985.

Visitors are drawn to the walking trails among tuff formations, the views from panoramic points and hot-air balloon flights at dawn in suitable weather. Most trails are freely accessible, while entry to the museum zones requires a fee. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons for hiking.

Cappadocia Valley - routes, museums and trail access

The tuff landscape and rock-cut monuments define the character of the area.

Hiking trails and rock formations between Goreme and Uchisar

Within the valley you can follow several contrasting sections. Between Goreme and Uchisar stretches Pigeon Valley with gentle climbs, dovecotes carved into the rock and views of Uchisar Castle. To the northeast lie the Red and Rose Valleys with iron-stained tuff layers and ridge-top trails ideal for sunset views. Around Pasabag you find massive "mushroom" formations with multiple caps, while erosion in Devrent has created fantastic shapes resembling animals. More shaded areas with vegetation occur in the Zemi and Meskendir valleys.

Routes vary in difficulty and length - from short walks along valley floors to multi-hour hikes ending at viewpoints. Surfaces are mostly dirt, with occasional scree and shallow streambeds. In summer there is little shade on exposed sections, so carry water and wear closed footwear. At dawn hot-air balloons often rise over the valleys, and many trails pass through spots with good angles for watching and photographing them.

Important monuments lie close to the trails: the Goreme Open-Air Museum with frescoed rock churches, the Zelve museum illustrating abandoned rock-cut settlements, and Uchisar Castle with panoramic views of the surroundings. Nearby are the underground cities of Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, as well as the rock churches in Cavusin.

Convenient starting points for walks are Goreme, Uchisar, Urgup and Avanos, from which trailheads are reachable on foot or by taxi. Local buses run between the towns. The nearest airports are Nevsehir Cappadocia and Kayseri Erkilet; transfers and intercity buses operate from them to Goreme and Urgup.

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