Cappadocia Private Tour: Fairy Chimneys, Zelve & Pigeon Valley

5.00

(6 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We kicked off our day right under Uçhisar Castle—there’s this cool shaded spot where our guide gathered us for a quick history lesson. You can actually feel the breeze coming down from the castle walls, and if you listen closely, you’ll catch the distant sound of pigeons fluttering around. Our guide, Mehmet, shared stories about the old cave dwellings and pointed out little details in the stonework I’d never have noticed on my own.

Next up was Göreme Panorama. The view here is wild—layers of weird rock shapes stretch as far as you can see. It’s one of those places where everyone just goes quiet for a second. There was a guy selling fresh orange juice from his van; honestly, it hit the spot after standing in the sun for a bit.

The leather workshop surprised me. I’m not really into fashion shows, but watching the artisans work was something else. You could smell the leather as soon as we walked in, and they let us touch some of the jackets before the mini runway started. The models were locals—one even cracked a joke in Turkish that made everyone laugh.

Pigeon Valley felt peaceful compared to other stops. We wandered along dusty trails lined with wildflowers and saw hundreds of tiny pigeon holes carved into soft rock faces. Our guide explained how locals used to collect pigeon droppings for fertilizer—never would’ve guessed! The valley opens up wide at some points, perfect for photos or just sitting on a rock and taking it all in.

In Avanos, we tried our hand at pottery. My bowl came out lopsided but I didn’t mind—the clay was cool and gritty between my fingers, and the potter helping me had hands stained red from years of work. He told us about his grandfather teaching him when he was a kid.

Zelve Open-Air Museum was next—a maze of old cave homes and churches tucked into pinkish cliffs. Mehmet pointed out faded frescoes inside one chapel; you could still make out some colors if you squinted against the afternoon light. Walking through those tunnels felt like stepping back centuries.

Last stop: Paşabağları to see the famous fairy chimneys up close. Some are so tall they almost look fake until you’re right next to them. The wind picked up here—dust swirling around our shoes—and Mehmet explained how these shapes formed over thousands of years. By then, my camera roll was full but I kept snapping anyway.