Are you looking for information on Red Valley in Cappadocia? Then you’ve come to the right place. This article will go over everything you need to know about the stunning valley in central Turkey.
Cappadocia is a large area filled with stunning vistas everywhere you look. Hot air balloons take flight every morning and provide one of the most famous scenes the world over. Those balloons take off from Red Valley, and by the end of this article you’ll know all the inside information to have an amazing time exploring this unique landscape.
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Red Valley Cappadocia – What You Need to Know
What exactly is Cappadocia?
Cappadocia is a vast region of central Turkey that is famous for unique rock formations and ancient cave dwellings. For a complete guide to Cappadocia please refer to this generic post on the Cappadocia region. It’s focused on Cappadocia in the winter, but covers things to do and see in the region year round.
Where is Red Valley Cappadocia?
Red Valley is just east of the beautiful town of Goreme, right in the heart of Cappadocia. It’s a valley of maze-like trails through fairy chimneys and ancient cave dwellings.
Red Valley is separated from the equally popular Rose Valley by a rocky ledge. See the map below for the rough boundary of Red Valley Cappadocia.
Red Valley lies entirely within Goreme National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that showcases the spectacular geology and history of the region.
How to get to Red Valley
There are two ways to access Red Valley: from the east and from the west. Both ways require a short walk from a parking area, but the parking areas are easily accessible from Goreme.
The most straightforward way to access Red Valley is from the east side. There is a road that follows a ridge and stops at a small parking area with some cafes right above Red Valley. From the ridge, numerous footpaths lead down into the valley.
Access from the east side is not free, however. The national park charges 30 Turkish Lira per vehicle to enter. The Lira is constantly losing value compared to major international currencies though, and as of this writing 30 Lira is only about $1 USD.
Entering Red Valley from the west is a bit more cumbersome, but you enter the valley floor directly instead of having to hike down. Access is from the Red Valley ATV parking area, which can only be described as a dirt patch where people leave their cars. There are no designated parking spots.
If you’d feel a bit better with an actual parking spot, your best bet is to park in Goreme and walk a bit extra to the start of the Red Valley walking trails.
For getting to Goreme from the airport we recommend renting a car from either Kayseri or Nevsehir airport. For renting cars in Europe we use Rentalcars.com. You can find a great deal on a rental car using the search bar below.
Another way to see Red Valley is by taking one of the extremely popular day tours that are offered in Cappadocia. These are known simply as the “red”, “blue”, and “green” tours. Red Valley is included in the blue tour (makes total sense).
The tour will take you to numerous landmarks around the region and starts with a short hike through Red Valley. The tour is a good option for people who want to see a lot of things in a little time and want the expert guidance of a local guide.
You can book the blue tour through GetYourGuide here or by inquiring at your hotel when you arrive in Cappadocia.
Best time of year to visit Red Valley
The best time of year to visit Red Valley and Cappadocia is late spring or late summer / early fall. This avoids the peak crowds of July and August as well as the intense summer heat. May, June, and September can still be quite hot, but the mornings will at least be cooler.
Where to stay in Cappadocia
Cappadocia has tons of amazing cave hotels. These hotels are built into what are known as fairy chimneys. These are large steep cone-shaped rocks. Staying in a cozy room built into a rock is an experience to treasure.
The two most famous villages in Cappadocia are Goreme and Uchisar. The majority of cave hotels are in these two towns. If it’s in your budget, we recommend staying in a fairy chimney room at a cave hotel.
Where to stay in Cappadocia
- Kelebek Cave Hotel
- Mithra Cave Hotel
- Sultan cave suites
- Budget option: Grant Elite Cave Suite (less than $100/night, still really nice place)
Where can I see balloons take off?
Cappadocia is famous for its hot air balloons. You can’t come to Cappadocia and not witness the spectacle of 100 hot air balloons floating across the morning sky.
Red Valley is where the balloons take off. They soar across Goreme and land on the other side in Love Valley. So if you want to see them taking off, the west entrance to Red Valley is where you want to be.
For a full rundown of all the places in Cappadocia to see the balloons fly, refer to my article on the best places to see the balloons in Cappadocia.
Travel insurance
It’s a good idea to have travel insurance in Turkey so that you’re protected for the unexpected. We use World Nomads when we travel internationally. World Nomads provides coverage to travelers in over 100 countries. You can search for a coverage plan using the link below.
Things You Will See in Red Valley
So what exactly makes Red Valley so special? What’s there to see? Good questions. Let’s take a closer look!
Red Valley is similar to the other valleys across Cappadocia, just a bit more colorful. The valley is not between mountain ranges, but more of a crack in the earth. Cappadocia’s valleys are more like canyons, but someone called them valleys so valleys they are.
The valley is full of interesting tuff rock formations. Tuff is a volcanic rock that is very soft (soft for a rock that is, it’s still a rock). There is some vegetation, but it’s mostly arid and rocky.
Historic cave dwellings
Due to its softness, the tuff rock is easy to carve into with basic tools. So 1000 years ago people began digging into the rocks to get out of the sun and formed some nice little cave homes.
These cave homes are scattered across Red Valley and you’ll see them everywhere as you walk around. They are not occupied today and are just empty caves. Some of them are even accessible to just walk in and check out what living in a Cappadocian cave might have been like.
Fairy Chimneys
A fairy chimney is a conical or cylindrical shaped tuff rock that protrudes from the earth separate from the canyon walls. Refer to the photo below for a visual.
Fairy chimneys can be seen all over Cappadocia. In the town, many have been turned into hotels and restaurants. In Red Valley, the fairy chimneys are mostly unaltered from their original state. Just south of Red Valley, however, in Goreme Open Air Museum, there are dozens of historical cave homes in fairy chimneys.
Colorful rock formations
The tuff rock in Red Valley comes in all shades of brown, tan, yellow, and red. With the way the earth has eroded away over the years, it’s left a bumpy surface to the canyon walls. It’s impossible to describe so just see the photo below to know what I mean.
Red Valley Panoramic Viewpoint
The best view of Red Valley is from the Red Valley Panoramic Viewpoint. This is the same place you park when coming from the east side of the valley. From here you get a wonderful view of the entire valley and all the crazy rock formations with Goreme in the background.
There are a few cafes at the parking area that will sell you some Turkish tea or fresh pomegranate juice. The cafes have beautiful sitting areas with gorgeous views. But if you’re gonna sit there you really should at least order a cup of tea.
Sunset
Red Valley Panoramic Viewpoint is one of the most popular places in Cappadocia to watch the sunset. The viewpoint faces directly west so you get to see the sun drop over the valley and shine golden light onto the red and yellow rocks.
It’s hard to beat sunset at Red Valley Panoramic Viewpoint, so if you are really into sunsets be sure to head here.
Hiking in Red Valley
It would be a shame to visit Red Valley Cappadocia and not explore the meandering hiking trails that crisscross the valley. Hiking is by far the most popular activity in the valley and something you should absolutely consider, even if you’re not much of a hiker. Elevation gains are minimal and it’s an enjoyable experience for all levels of physical fitness.
Red and Rose Valley Loop
The Red and Rose Valley Loop is the most popular hike in the region. This hike takes you from the west entrance of Red Valley (as already discussed) through the valley then up the hills to Red Valley Panoramic Viewpoint. From the viewpoint you then descend back down the other side of the ridge into Rose Valley before ending up back to where you started.
The total hike only covers about 4.7 miles (7.5 km) and it’s easy to do in 2-3 hours. If you plan on making a lot of stops, it will take a bit longer though. The elevation gain is minimal, only about 850 ft (260m) over the course of the hike. So unless it’s a really hot day, you shouldn’t be working too hard.
Goreme Loop
If you’re looking for a little more of a challenge then the full Goreme Loop is for you. The full loop takes you from central Goreme past Goreme Open Air Museum before turning into Red Valley and up to the Red Valley Panoramic Viewpoint. From there you loop back through Rose Valley and down past the Red Valley west entrance before ending back in Goreme.
The entire trail covers 8.5 miles (13.6 km) and gains about 1620 ft (495m) of elevation. It’s still not a difficult hike, but it will get you a pretty good workout along with some amazing Cappadocia views.
Shorter walks
There is no law that says you have to do one of the trails discussed above when visiting Red Valley. It’s totally possible to do a much shorter walk. The trails through the valley are easy to follow and you can turn around whenever you want.
For example, if you’re parked at Red Valley Panoramic Viewpoint, you can walk down into the valley, about 10 minutes, see some ancient cave dwellings, and walk back up to the viewpoint along the same trail. The possibilities are endless.
Hot Air Balloon Takeoff in Red Valley
See the balloons fly above you
The edge of Red Valley is where just about all of the hot air balloons take off, making it one of the best places to get photos of the balloons up close. The balloons take off early, usually before the sun has risen, so if you want to get up close and personal with the balloons you’ll have to arrive early.
With about 100 or so balloons flying each day the actual takeoff spots are scattered around. But there is a small hill where the Red Valley ATV tours start from that is right in the middle of all the balloon takeoffs, meaning they’re all around you.
For the exact location of the hill, use this Google Maps link.
Red Valley Panoramic Viewpoint is also a great place to watch the balloons fly, but you won’t be as close to them. If you’re going to go to one place in Red Valley to watch the balloons, make it the hill at Red Valley ATV.
Ride in a balloon yourself
While the most famous views of Cappadocia are from the ground, being in the air gives you a completely different experience. Balloon rides start at about 180 euros per person, so it’s not cheap. But thousands of people do it every day and you can too.
Inquire with your hotel about hot air balloon flights when you check in. Just note that some advanced notice is required, so if you’re checking in at night it will be too late for the next morning. If you arrive mid-afternoon, you should be fine.
You can also book a tour in advance using one of the many options like this one on GetYourGuide. The issue with advanced booking, however, is that you don’t get to see the weather forecast. A balloon flight on a cloudy day costs the same as one on a sunny day.
Other Activities in Red Valley
Aside from hiking and general sightseeing there are a few more activities you can do in Red Valley. We will go through those here.
ATV Rentals
Riding an ATV across the dusty landscape is a popular activity in Cappadocia. The starting point for ATV tours is from the Red Valley ATV Point. There are various tour companies that will take you off-roading through the valley on their all-terrain vehicles.
The most popular time for an ATV ride is at sunset, like in this Red Valley ATV Sunset tour. Just know that you will get dirty riding an ATV, as the trails are pretty dusty!
Horseback Riding
Another popular activity is horseback riding. Numerous outfitters also offer sunset horseback rides in the various valleys around Goreme, like this sunset horseback ride through Red Valley and Rose Valley.
Goreme Town
The unofficial capital of Cappadocia is the town of Goreme. It’s a small town of about 2000 residents full of hotels, restaurants, and adventure companies. Fairy chimneys are scattered throughout the town, many of them containing beautiful hotels and guest houses.
Goreme is truly a unique and fascinating place. You’ll likely base yourself here, as you can literally walk to Red Valley from the city center.
Just outside Goreme you’ll also find the historical sites of Goreme Open Air Museum, Zelve Open Air Museum, Love Valley, Pigeon Valley, and more. There are so many things to do in and around Goreme that you’ll never get bored.
Red Valley Cappadocia – Frequently Asked Questions
What is Red Valley Cappadocia?
Red Valley Cappadocia is a small valley east of Goreme that is more of a canyon than a valley. It showcases magnificent, colorful rock formations and ancient cave homes.
Which valley is the best in Cappadocia?
The best valley in Cappadocia is completely subjective, but the most famous is probably Love Valley, named after how the rocks in the valley resemble giant penises sticking out of the earth.
How do I get from Goreme to Red Valley?
From Goreme, you can either walk or drive to Red Valley. It’s not a far walk from the city center, though it’s far quicker to drive and park at the east or west entrances. For an amazing viewpoint, head to the Red Valley Panoramic Viewpoint (the east entrance).
What is the difference between Goreme and Cappadocia?
Goreme is a town whereas Cappadocia is a region. Goreme is one of the towns in the Cappadocia region and serves as the de facto capital of the area.
Final Word
Red Valley is one of the most beautiful places in the Cappadocia region of central Turkey. There are endless recreation opportunities and amazing things to discover in the small valley. So be sure to dedicate enough time to exploring Red Valley on your trip to Cappadocia!
