Pigeon Valley, Güvercinlik Vadisi in Turkish, links Göreme with Uçhisar and takes its name from the thousands of dovecotes carved into its walls: rows of holes with white-painted rims on every tuff wall. It's one of the most photogenic valleys in Cappadocia and one of the easiest to see, with a viewpoint by the road and a four-kilometre walking trail.
There are no famous churches and no ticket office here. What you get is the landscape, a tree covered in charms against the evil eye and, in the distance, Uçhisar Castle. It's a short stop that almost always ends up taking longer than planned.
A little history
Cappadocia's volcanic soil is fertile but poor in nutrients, and for centuries the best fertiliser available was pigeon droppings. Each family carved dovecotes into the rock, with a small opening for the birds and a back door for collecting the manure once a year, which was then spread on the vineyards and apricot orchards. The rims were whitewashed so that the pigeons could recognise them from afar.
The practice lasted until chemical fertilisers arrived in the mid-20th century. Today there are few pigeons left and a great many dovecotes, some with inscriptions and painted decoration from the 18th and 19th centuries.
What to see in Pigeon Valley
The viewpoint and the evil-eye tree
On the road from Göreme to Uçhisar there's a viewpoint with a dead tree hung with nazar, the blue glass charms that ward off the evil eye, and several more trees like it nearby. This is the photo spot, with the valley and the castle behind. There are stalls selling tea, pomegranate juice and souvenirs.
The walls of dovecotes
From the viewpoint and from the trail you can see the rock walls riddled with dovecotes, some of them dozens of metres up, which the farmers reached with ladders and ropes. On some you can still make out drawings and dates. A few families in Göreme still collect the droppings every spring for their gardens, though there aren't many of them left.
The trail
It starts on the south side of Göreme and climbs along the valley floor, past orchards, through short tunnels and narrow gaps between the rocks, until it comes out in Uçhisar, below the castle. It's about four kilometres and takes an hour and a half going uphill. You can also walk it the other way, downhill, taking the local bus or a taxi up to Uçhisar first; if you walk up, the same bus or a taxi will bring you back to Göreme.
The castle in the distance
With every stretch of the trail, Uçhisar Castle looms larger. Finishing the walk by climbing to its summit, with the valley you've just walked at your feet, is the best ending there is.
Tips for your visit
Allow half an hour for the viewpoint and an hour and a half for the trail. The path is easy but unpaved, with narrow sections and the odd low tunnel.
- Afternoon light is best for the walls of dovecotes; at sunrise, the balloons drift past.
- Wear closed shoes and bring water; in summer the trail has no shade, so avoid the hottest hours (12:00–16:00).
- Don't go into the dovecotes or climb the walls: the tuff crumbles easily.
- The viewpoint is easy for anyone to reach; the trail isn't suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs.
Tickets and prices
The valley is free to visit and open to everyone, viewpoint and trail included. On my tours we stop at the viewpoint and, if you'd like to walk, your guide takes you along the trail.
How to get there
The viewpoint is on the road between Göreme and Uçhisar, about three kilometres from Göreme and not far from the Love Valley viewpoint. The trail starts in Göreme, signposted from the Uçhisar road, and ends below the castle.
How we visit it on my tours
It's a stop on the Essential Cappadocia day tour, and if you'd rather spend several days in the region, Cappadocia Adventure includes hikes through the Red Valley and the Ihlara Valley. To plan the valleys day by day, read my complete Cappadocia travel guide.
If you fancy exploring Cappadocia on foot, message me through plan your tailor-made trip.