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The Butterfly Valley in Rhodes is one of those attractions that appears on almost every Rhodes itinerary.
My first experience visiting was at around 14 years old during a school trip to Rhodes. Since then, I’ve visited a few more times, including a recent visit just a few weeks ago, so I have all the updated information you might need before planning your day.
The photos are from different seasons and visits.
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- 🎟️ Bus Transfer Tour: Filerimos Hill & Butterfly Valley Half Day Bus Tour $32
This article is part of my things to do in Rhodes series, where I explore and share activities and ideas. I moved to Rhodes a few months ago and have been exploring both the off-season and summer side of the island ever since. You can find more guides to Rhodes, here.
Where are the butterflies?
This is probably the biggest expectation-versus-reality moment with Butterfly Valley.
The first thing to know is that there is a good chance you won’t actually see many butterflies — unless you’re visiting during roughly late June to August.
The second thing is that if you’re imagining large colorful butterflies flying around everywhere like some tropical rainforest scene… that is probably not going to happen.
They’re actually not butterflies at all but Jersey Tiger Moths (Panaxia quadripunctaria). Most of the time they look like dark moths resting on tree trunks, rocks and shaded areas.
From an educational perspective though, it’s actually pretty interesting because you get to observe them during their resting period when they are conserving energy for reproduction.
The official website is honestly one of the worst websites I’ve come across, so don’t expect much help there.
The moths are attracted to the valley because of substances released by the Oriental Sweetgum trees, which create a unique environment that draws them into the area.
Is it ethical?
This is something worth mentioning.
We know the moth population has been decreasing over time and although environmental factors play a role, tourism also seems to have had some impact.
Because of this, there are fairly strict rules:
- Don’t touch them
- Don’t clap
- Don’t intentionally disturb them
- Avoid making loud noises
To be honest, after three visits to Butterfly Valley, I’ve never actually gone during peak moth season.
I prefer seeing the landscape itself and enjoying the walk rather than going specifically for the insects.
How to reach the area
I recently combined Butterfly Valley with Filerimos Hill, which is around 20 minutes away, and I think that works really well as a day plan. On a side note, Filerimos is much more worth it to me as a day trip or thing to do in Rhodes, so if you are debating between the two, I would check out all the things you can do in Filerimos.
If you’re driving yourself:
- Rhodes Town: about 35-40 minutes
- Rhodes Airport: about 15–20 minutes
You can also join a guided tour.
🚗 Rhodes is a big island, which means you’ll need to rent a car. I prefer booking through platforms like Discover Cars, which takes some of the stress, questions, and uncertainty when it comes to insurance, paperwork, and coverage.
Are you looking for tips on rental cars? My recommendation is to always pick a high rated provider, with small deposit and deductible.
P.S Rhodes is too big for ATVs but this… this T-Roc Cabrio is one of THE most popular options you’ll see all around the island. I’ve heard from various rental companies it is one of the best sellers and always sells out first.
Tour or solo?
There are various ways to plan this day, one of which is through a provider. There are some affordable transport options like this one: Rhodes: Filerimos Hill & Butterfly Valley Half Day Bus Tour
The positive aspect is obvious: no rental car stress.
The drawback is flexibility. You won’t be able to suddenly decide you want to stay another hour because you’re enjoying the walk.
With that said, I still think renting a car in Rhodes is close to mandatory if you’re planning on exploring the island properly.
Where to park
There are various parking spots depending on where you start your route.
Personally, I’d recommend driving all the way to the lower entrance, so you can walk through the entire valley in one go.
You’ll find two parking areas here.
The parking area beside the road has more space and also means you avoid driving down the narrower downhill section.
If you’re not a particularly confident driver, I’d park there and walk down.
As of May 2026, parking was free.
Entrance points
As mentioned, there are two entrances.
Lower entrance
- Walk upward through the entire valley
- Lets you see the whole area
Middle entrance
- You skip the bottom part so less walking (unless you go up and down again)
- Lots of spots for coffee and food if you just want to sit and enjoy
Upper entrance (Kalopetra side not official entry)
- Less walking initially
- Easier if you don’t want to complete the full route
Ticket prices as of 2026:
💶 Adults:
- Off-season: €3
- Butterfly season: €6
Due to the terrain, the site unfortunately isn’t particularly accessible for visitors with mobility difficulties.
The path
I actually found the route to the top more tiring than I expected.
For comparison, I thought it felt harder than climbing the 300 steps to Tsambika Monastery, which most visitors seem to worry about.
The good news is that much of the route is shaded and there is running water and lots of trees around you.
It’s honestly a pretty place even without the butterflies.
I’ve seen lots of families here, and older visitors shouldn’t have major issues either.
To prove my point, somewhere I still have a photo of my grandma in her 60s walking through Butterfly Valley around 2010.
The path gets rocky and steep in places, so just go slow and steady.
I would also say you’re completely fine turning around at any point because there isn’t really a dramatic “must-see” moment waiting at the top.
How long does it take?
I entered the park just after noon and it took me 48 minutes to reach the café area near the top, with one break and plenty of photo stops.
To be safe I’d allow:
- 1 hour walking
- 20–30 minutes for a coffee or break
- 30 minutes coming down
So around 2 hours total.
What to bring
You definitely don’t need hiking gear.
Most people seem to do it wearing sandals or trainers.
I’d bring:
- Water
- Sunglasses
- Hat
- Comfortable shoes
And if you’re visiting during moth season, just remember: no loud music and no shouting.
What else to do?
I think it makes sense to combine a visit to Butterfly Valley with nearby attractions like Filerimos Hill and the archaeological site of Ialysos, or even the Bee Museum, which is surprisingly fun for both kids and adults.
Pictured above Filerimos Hill walk and inside the archaeological site with the old monastery.
The area around Butterfly Valley is also fairly big on wine, so if you have a sober driver available, you can also arrange a wine tasting experience.
One of the places I visited a few years ago was Anastasia Triantafyllou Winery. You’ll actually spot the distinctive pink building if you’re driving from the west coast and turning toward the valley.
Depending on the season, you can book different experiences there, including things like a Cooking Class + Wine Tasting or an Olive Oil and Wine Tasting experience, which lasts around 1.5 hours and starts from around $45 per person.
Another popular stop — especially for families with children — is the Farma of Rhodes, where you can feed various animals including raccoons, lemurs, emus, llamas and even a rare white kangaroo, which gets its color from a genetic mutation.
The farm gets consistently strong reviews as an ethical animal tourism experience, with visitors often mentioning how well cared for the animals appear to be. I haven’t visited personally yet though, so I can’t fully confirm that myself.
Tickets can be purchased online and currently cost around €20 per adult and €15 for children under 12, which is slightly cheaper than buying on-site.
- Filerimos Hill Archaeological Site — €10
- Bee Museum Rhodes — ~€5 for adults and children under 12 for FREE
- Anastasia Triantafyllou Winery (Wine & Olive Oil Tasting) — from ~€35 per person
- Farma of Rhodes — €20 adults / €15 children under 12
So is it worth it?
I don’t think Butterfly Valley is a “drop everything and go” attraction in the same category as Lindos, Rhodes Old Town or some of Rhodes’ beaches. But if you’re spending more than a few days on the island and want a break from beach hopping, I actually think it is worth visiting.
Personally, I enjoyed the landscape more than the butterflies themselves. The shade, running water and forest atmosphere feel completely different from the rest of Rhodes and that alone is great.
If I had to choose between Butterfly Valley and Filerimos though? I’d probably pick Filerimos.
Ready to book your trip to Rhodes?
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⛴️ Ferry tickets: There are a lot of ferry providers but I prefer Ferry Scanner for their simple UI.
❤️ Best Tours in Rhodes
These are some of the tours I’ve done and love.
- (💥 DON’T MISS THIS) Tasting Rhodes: Cooking Class, Wine & Village Experience $112
- Rhodes: Sunset Guided Hike Profitis Ilias $59
- Rhodes: Sea Kayaking Tour – The Pirates Route $106
To visit Butterfly Valley you can also book a Half Day Bus Tour that takes you to the Filerimos Hill.
