Where & What Is Butterfly Valley?
Butterfly Valley, or Kelebekler Vadisi in Turkish, is a valley near Fethiye in Türkiye. The valley sits in the shadow of the magnificent Babadağ.
As well as a wide beach, it contains a narrow canyon which is around 3km to 4km long.
The valley has two waterfalls and a stream which carries water from the nearby village of Faralya to the sea.
It gets its name from the large number of butterflies that can be found there. Scientists estimate there are at least 100 different species.
Getting There
The beach is now geared towards tourism and can be reached by a taxi boat from the resort of Ölüdeniz. Alternatively it is a stop on most of the daily boat trips from there.
As well as being able to walk along the canyon, you can also scuba dive or snorkle, grab a drink or bite to eat, or simply chill out on the beach.
You also have the opportunity to stay over night.
You used to be able to hike down to Butterfly Valley from Faralya but, despite there being sign posts showing you the way, it is now highly recommended that you do not undertake the hike, especially on your own.
We have hiked down a few times, before it was banned, and there are extremely narrow sections and other sections where a rope is supplied to help you.
However, in recent years there have been a few fatal accidents so we no longer recommend it as a hike
Not being able to safely hike down to the valley doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy the view from the top.
Should you decide to hike the Lycian Way from Fethiye, you will see it on your first day of walking and you will not be disappointed.
If you want to see Butterfly Valley for yourself, click here to see one of our hikes in the area.