Day hike · Cappadocia
Göreme loop via the Zemi valley
From Göreme, peaceful Zemi valley: poplars, wind-carved rock and El Nazar church cut from a single boulder.
The route in numbers
- Distance
- 12.5 km
- Ascent
- 351 m
- Descent
- 350 m
- Walking time
- ≈ 4 h
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Altitude
- 1100–1386 m
- Route type
- Loop (back to the start)
Along the way
- Green valley lined with tall poplars
- El Nazar church, late 10th-century frescoes
- Volcanic rock sculpted by the wind
- Göreme Open-Air Museum (UNESCO) at the end
When to go
April–June and September–October; in winter, snow and slippery tuff.
Water and supplies
No marked water point: carry your supply; refill in the villages.
Things to watch for
- Loop: the open-air museum visit comes on top of the walk
This page describes the trail as our team walked it; it is not a substitute for a map, a guidebook or a qualified guide. Paths, waymarks, water sources and weather change, so check conditions locally before you set out and choose a day that suits your experience.
More hikes in Cappadocia
Our trips in Cappadocia
Our trips in this region:
- Trails of Cappadocia
- Cappadocia, Call of the Hidden Valleys
- Cappadocia – Istanbul
- Cappadocia & Taurus, from fairy chimneys to the Aladağlar
- Cappadocia & the Lycian Coast
Our self-guided trips include the MyAv road book.