Red Valley
The Red Valley is famous with its hiking trails, ATV tours, horseback riding routes and breathtaking views during sunrise when the balloons are up in the air or during sunset.
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Distilled Information
Red Valley
One Sentence Review
Best place to watch the sunset or one of the best places to watch the hot air balloons.
Ticket Price
100 Turkish Liras for small vehicles (updated 2025)
Location
10 minutes drive from most towns, private vehicle needed.
Accessibility
The overlook point at the entrance is wheelchair friendly. You may follow the hiking trails for a few minutes for a different angle.
Red Valley - Cappadocia's Sunset Views & Hiking Trails
Discover the stunning views and many hiking trails of the Red Valley. There's something for every type of person, you don't have to be a hiker. If you enjoy walking, go for a walk through the Rose Valley. Don't much enjoy walking, then take an ATV or horseback riding tour. Don' like any of the options? Marvel at the fantastic sunset as the colors of the rocks change.
ATV (Quadbikes)
The most popular way to visit the Red Valley is probably with the ATVs. These quad bikes are small, most of them only for one or two people. There are many companies where you can rent an ATV but know that you cannot take a ride on your own. They form groups with a leading ATV and overtaking is usually forbidden. Pickups from hotels are usually arranged by the agencies.
Horseback Riding
A very laid back way to visit the Red Valley. The ATV's stay on the lower paths while with the horses, you can explore the higher locations of the Red Valley where the views are much better. There are many ranches that organize tours. These are smaller horses and no prior horseback riding experience is required as the pace of the group is very slow and there is a local person who leads the group. Pickups from hotels are usually arranged by the agencies.
Hiking
I use the term hiking reservedly as the walk might feel easy for many people. Depending on your expectations, you might choose amongst the many hiking trails in the Red Valley. The best way would be to have a conversation with a guide and let them give you some options.
Most of the trails are 5-6 kms long (about 3.5 miles) and both up and downhill. Along some of these trails, you may visit the cave churches like the Church with Columns or the Grape Church.
Sunset Point
Few tour programs these days include the sunset point of the Red Valley. In my opinion, the Red Valley is the best location to watch the sunset in Cappadocia. This particular sunset point is close to the town of Ortahisar and here's a link of the location on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/KBnFUKNpyAMsdGA97Got Questions?
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Frequenty Asked Questions
Where is the Red Valley in Cappadocia?
The Red Valley is located between the towns of Goreme, Avanos and Urgup. It is closer to Goreme.
What to do in the Red Valley?
If you enjoy walking, there are many hiking trails inside the Red Valley. Most Atv tours include a section of the Red Valley. A good way to watch sunset in Cappadocia is to take a horseback riding tour in the Red Valley.
Which valley is best to hike in Cappadocia?
The Rose Valley inside the Red Valley is one of the best valleys in Cappadocia for hiking. You may start from the small village of Cavusin and have a break near the top at the sunset point, then take the path designated as Rose Valley Two to get back.
