Ayazini to Göynüş Valley (Phrygian Way Section)

The Ayazini to Göynüş Valley stage of the Phrygian Way (Frig Yolu) traverses one of the most archaeologically dense sections of this long-distance cultural route, leading from the rock-cut village of Ayazini through open Anatolian valleys to the Phrygian necropolis concentrated around Göynüş (also known as Köhnüş) in the İhsaniye district of Afyonkarahisar province.

The trailhead begins in Ayazini Köyü, approximately 35 km north of Afyonkarahisar centre via the İhsaniye road. Hikers travelling by car can park near the village entrance; no permit is required and the trail is marked with the red-white waymarkers of the Phrygian Way long-distance route. Minibuses serve İhsaniye from Afyonkarahisar, from where local transport or a taxi covers the final kilometres to Ayazini. Arranging return transport from Göynüş before departure is strongly recommended, as the route is point-to-point and the Göynüş end has no regular public transport.

The approximately 10-kilometre route rolls across mixed terrain of dirt tracks, field paths and rocky hillside sections, with a cumulative elevation gain of around 300 metres. The surface alternates between firm earth, loose stone and short sections of exposed limestone. There is little shade once the route leaves the village edges, and the open plateau sections are exposed to wind. The trail passes through or near several extraordinary rock monuments: Ayazini's Byzantine rock-cut churches and hermit cells carved into the tufa cliffs, carved lion-relief tomb facades typical of Phrygian funerary art, and the monumental lion stele at Göynüş Valley. Hikers should allow extra time at these sites.

Water sources along the route are unreliable; carrying 1.5–2 litres from Ayazini is necessary. There are no refuge huts or facilities between the two endpoints. A natural turnaround point for a shorter out-and-back option is the carved tomb complex located roughly halfway along, returning to Ayazini for an approximately 10 km round trip.