A walk around the village of Göreme in Cappadocia, Turkey.
- Start: Göreme bus station
- End: Göreme bus station
- Distance: approx. 12 km
- Altitude difference: 150-200 m (climbed at least 2 times)
- Overall difficulty: medium
- Required time: approx. 6 hours
- Refreshment points: at least 4 en route
At the Göreme bus station follow south along the road to the Open Air Museum diversion, then switch to the local dirt road. Follow it south-east and cross a row of rock formations. Pass the next small valley and then climb into a next rock ridge which forms sandy canyons. Follow the path downhill to an intersection with a dirt road, straight into a roadside cafe. Continue south for around 300 m and switch right, following the Pink Valley I signs. There are two rock churches with amazing frescoes en route, both on the left side - first almost immediately, next when the valley forms a canyon. Follow the canyon till its end, then climb up the path to the top of a small ridge. Follow the path to the north and uphill until you reach a small the plateau (do not descend into the Pink Valley II). On the plateau, follow north and downhill to a lower one where another cafe sits. From it, go west and descend rapidly int the Red Valley. Pass few tunnels and go down two steep ladders. Passing near a third cafe, the path becomes a dirt road which widens and turns south leading to the point where the very first cafe was. Climb back the sandy ridge behind it, then follow any of the many paths north into the Sword valley. Paths will eventually be reduced into two, both of which go uphill and eventually reach the road over the Open Air Museum. Follow the road (excellent dondurma available at the museum's parking lot) until it takes you into Göreme.
See pictures from the route.
Tracks:
KML file (Note: coordinates are approximate as they were drawn using Google Earth and not taken from a GPS recording device).
