Traveling to Turkey shouldn’t just include the mainstream stops like Istanbul, or Cappadocia: travel off the beaten path to one of Turkeys’ best kept secrets, backpacking Butterfly Valley!

Butterfly Valley is on the west coast of Turkey, in the area Fethiye, Mugla on the pristine Turquoise Coast. This valley of butterflies is a backpackers’ paradise….

This area of the Mediterranean sea is so secluded the only way to reach is by boat.

In this blog, you’ll learn about Butterfly Valley, how to plan a trip to Butterfly Valley, camping and accommodations, the best times to visit, how to plan an adventurous trek and explore Turkey’s famed coastline, and even how to visit the world renowned hike the Lycian Way.

Important information:

You’ll see blogs claiming that you can hike down to Butterfly Valley, but this has been CLOSED.
There have been multiple deaths and injuries from backpackers attempting to hike down the steep cliffs.

Please do not attempt!

The only way to access Butterfly Valley is by boat from Fethiye Beach.

Why you Should Visit Butterfly Valley

Butterfly Valley is one of my favorite places in Turkey! Why? The natural beauty is great, of course, but the real reason I keep coming back year after year is…. the vibe

The location of Butterfly Valley makes it only accessible by boat, so the entire area is ran by one company that’s mission is to preserve the valley. The housing, camping, food, and recreation is all done sustainably. Food is vegetarian, structures made out of natural materials, and a conscientious effort is made to be eco-friendly. People are kind, atmosphere is relaxed, its a perfect backpacking hippie safe haven.

Maybe all this tree hugger stuff is not your vibe, well Butterfly Valley has so much to offer.

You’ll be captivated by the crystal blue Mediterranean Sea, the plethora of flora and fauna decorating the landscape, and the massive mountains that surround this remote valley. This private beach is truly one of Turkey’s hidden gems.

Butterfly Valley once got it’s name from the giant population of butterflies that inhabited the area, but now since tourists have invaded the butterflies are all but gone.

How to Backpack Butterfly Valley

First step to backpacking Butterfly Valley is to add it to your itinerary. You’ll first need to reach Fethiye, a small city on Turkeys’ west coast. It’s accessible by a 2 hour flight, 10 hour car ride or similarly around a 10 hour bus ride.

How to Get to Butterfly Valley?

Since 2020, Butterfly Valley is only accessible by boat from Oludeniz Beach. In the past hikers could access Butterfly Valley from a trail leading down one of the cliffsides, but due to danger concerns this option is now closed.

To book a ticket for Butterfly Valley you must visit a kiosk on Oludeniz Beach, close to the water.

The boat only leaves at certain times, 8:30am-5:00pm, so arrange your plans accordingly.

If you’re only planning a day trip to Butterfly Valley, you’ll need to be careful about what time to catch the boat back. You wouldn’t want to leave from Oludeniz too late because you won’t have much time to visit until you have to jump back on the last boat home.

How to get to Oludeniz:

You must first reach to Fethiye, then take a bus to Oludeniz.

There are three options to reach Fethiye by plane, bus, or you can rent a car.

Arriving to Fethiye by Plane

Fly into Dalaman airport. Flight tickets are often cheaper than buses and go for a few hundred lira.

Next you can take a bus or taxi(more expensive) to Olundeiz. You’ll get off at the last stop which is directly on the beach. From the bus stop, walk towards the water and you’ll see a kiosk on the sand.

Arriving to Fethiye by Bus

There’s no public bus to Fethiye, you’ll need to buy a ticket online and most likely take a taxi to the bus terminal. There are so many bus companies you can look around to find the best price. Sometimes buses can be more expensive than even flight tickets!

One link to check is: https://www.pamukkale.com.tr/

Once you’ve arrived in Fethiye, you’ll need to take another bus to Oludeniz. They will depart from the same bus terminal that you arrive at.

Arriving by Car

Rent a car from Istanbul and drive, but it’s very far… around 10 hours.

You can make a road trip out of it! I’ve road tripped on the west coast of Turkey twice because there’s so much to see and the natural beauty is oh-so captivating.

Once you arrive at Oludeniz Beach, you can parallel park in the blocks before the beach. Normally there will be a parking attendant there who will ask you to pay when you leave.

From the Beach

Once you’ve made it to the beach, you’ll see a kiosk on the sand. Here you will buy your ticket to Butterfly Valley, and wait for the boat to arrive. When you get onto the boat, you’ll have to go up a ladder that’s in the water so your legs will be wet! Make sure to wear sandals or take off your shoes. Also you will have to carry your bags up the ladder and down, so don’t bring more than you can carry!

It’s about a 45 minute ride to Butterfly Valley.

When you get onto the boat, you’ll have to go up a ladder that’s in the water so your legs will be wet! Make sure to wear sandals or take off your shoes. Also you will have to carry your bags up the ladder and down, so don’t bring more than you can carry!

What to do at Butterfly Valley

When you reach the beach and take the ladder down off the bus, you’ll need to rent a space to camp or a bungalow. This check in is on the left side of the beach, from the perspective of looking at the valley from the ocean.

You can bring your own tent, rent a tent, or get a wooden shack. Obviously bringing your own tent is less expensive and I prefer it because you have the option to put your tent away from the big groups.

The price includes a vegetarian breakfast and dinner. There’s a fish restaurant on site that serves meat and fish, so if you’re not vegetarian and missing your carnivore urges, no worries. A bar is on site as well, where you can buy beers and cocktails so get ready to party!

Recreation at Butterfly Valley

Butterfly Valley has a plethora of different accommodations and recreations! There’s a waterfall, hiking, reading area, yoga area, volleyball net, diving platform, scuba diving, and rentable kayaks.

I always bring my own goggles and flippers because the water here is so clear, you’ll be able to dive and hunt for fish, sea urchins, and shells.

Waterfall

Deep into the valley, you’ll find a path that leads to the waterfall. It’s about a 20 minute easy hike to the waterfall.

Make sure to bring some grippy shoes because once you get to the end of the trail you will climb up slippery rocks to reach the waterfall. Lot’s of people do it in flip flops, including me, but go at your own risk! Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

In previous years you could hike up the rocks past the waterfall, but now it is closed. There was a recent death a few years ago due to slipping on wet rocks. So please be careful, and do not attempt.

Water Sports

On the opposite side of the valley from where you checked in, there’s a water sport area and a restaurant.

Here you can go scuba diving with zero experience. You will need to rent the equipment and go with a guide. You can also rent kayaks, which I definitely recommend for the sunset!

The sun sets right between these two mountains. It’s a spectacle!

Diving Area

On the same side of the valley as the bar, if you continue walking along the beach, you will see stairs that lead to a platform. Here is an area for chilling and further along you’ll see a place you can dive in the water.

Animal Friends

There’s so much wildlife at Butterfly Valley!

Not as many butterflies though. In recent years, due to amount of traffic from tourists many of the butterflies have died. So please be respectful of the locals.

There are so many goats! Especially on the walk to the waterfall.

This little guy just walked up to our group when we were taking pictures