Hot Air Ballooning in Cappadocia
Hot Air Ballooning in Cappadocia
Hot air ballooning in Cappadocia is still high up on my list of top travel memories. Cappadocia in central Turkey, is known for its valleys, unique rock formations and underground cities.
Rose Valley with its pink-hued rocks which deepen as the sun descends; Pigeon Valley; Ihlara Valley, Rose Valley and Goreme Valley, home to the Open Air Museum.
The beauty of the valleys can be appreciated in two ways, either by pulling on a sturdy pair of boots and hiking through them or by drifting, gently above them at sunrise during a hot-air balloon flight on a Cappadocia balloon tour. Which would you prefer?
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A Dawn Flight
Not many things will get me up at 5am – the prospect of a stunning sunrise? Possibly. Flying off to a new destination? Always. But on our second day in Goreme, when the alarm started screeching, I was out of bed like a rocket.
I knew today, and our Cappadocia balloon tour, would be one of the highlights of our Turkey trip. This is one the best Capadoccia tours you can do, although, I admit, it was a pity not to have had more time in our Fairy Chimney.
After a quick coffee, pastries, fruit and signing of forms at the Butterfly Balloon meeting point 16 of us set off in a minibus to a high plateau overlooking Goreme.
Balloon Tours in Capadoccia
We arrived at the take-off area to the sight of dozens of hot air balloons, in various stages of inflation, and watched mesmerised as they lifted gently into the air and floated into the rising dawn.
Dwarfed by these giants, excitement growing by the second, we watched balloon after balloon gently tilt, lift from the ground and with a whoosh of ignited gas drift into the volcanic landscape.
Our balloon was one of the last to lift and the sight ahead of dozens of balloons in different colours, sizes and varying heights as they drifted into the pink dawn was spectacular.
As the ground sunk away we floated low, brushing the tips of the trees in the valley. As we rose higher we enjoyed a birds-eye view of the landscape which gave us a good orientation of the area - useful for hiking the next day.
Kaan, our pilot, was skilled to within an inch of clipping the tree tops with the guy ropes trailing from the balloon above us. We soared higher, the roar of flame cutting through the quiet.
There was no breeze as we were travelling at the same speed as the wind; all was calm, peaceful and serene. Fairy chimneys loomed and passed by and the panorama below gave us plenty to muse over.
Check out where we stayed in Cappadocia, one of the quirkiest rooms ever - a fairy chimney in a gorgeous boutique cave hotel.
I could have stayed drifting in our hot-air balloon forever and walked on air for the rest of the day - but I’ll let the pictures do the talking…
Hot air ballooning in Cappadocia - what you need to know
What an awesome journey! My husband and I are headed to South Africa this fall and I would love to go hot airballooning there. He's a bit finicky with heights but it sounds like an amazing way to see the landscape! Did everyone in your basket seem pretty comortable the whole time? Thanks for sharing, Suzanne!
Everyone was fine and enjoyed the ride - if you go try and make sure it's a company who doesn't try and get as many people in as they can. We had a bit of space as numbers were restricted...
I don't have enough superlatives! Always a little afraid to go in a hot air balloon but I'd do this at the drop of a hat. Good to know that all companies are not the same too. Seriously planning to do this now so will make a note of that company. Beautiful pics (what lens did you use?) - the rock looks like melted candlewax
This trip is high in my travel highlights list! I used a combination of compact camera and Nikon D5000 - I think with the original 18-55m lens. I've since got a better lens so will obviously have to go back!
What spectacular landscapes. I've always wanted to visit. Love your pictures.
It's a fascinating place to visit - loved staying the night in a fairy chimney!
We just did a hot air balloon ride over the valley of the kings in Cairo. We wish we would have done one in Bagan Myanmar but they costed 600.00 USD per person! Crazy but i'm sure worth it.
My husband took the hot air balloon ride over Bagan last month - sadly it was a work trip and I couldn't accompany him 🙁 Photos were amazing...
This is one of my lifelong dreams and this is on my bucketlist. Turkey is such a beautiful country and I am definitely going on a hot air balloon over Cappadocia. I hope to do it by this year. It must have been a mind-blowing experience for you.
Oh Jhoana - it was truly amazing - I loved every second 🙂 I hope your dream comes true this year - let me know 🙂
Hot air ballooning over Cappadocia has been on my bucket list for such a long time - it looks so spectacular. I have no idea why anyone would choose hiking over this!! x
The ballooning has to be done - one of my all-time fav travel memories. We did the hiking as well - breathtaking in a different way!
You certainly did well with your pictures. Good capture shots. I have one friend. She has been to Cappadocia twice for the hot air balloons and backed out both times!
She backed out! That was one of my travel experiences that made a lasting impression...!
Beautiful photos! Such a magnificent experience....it was also one of my highlights of exploring Turkey!
I think it'll stay as one of my top travel memories for a very long time!
wow! This is one trip that I wrote in my bucket list, and after seeing this pictures I am ever more convinced! Your blog is really great,
Anna
Hi Anna, many thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I hope you make it to Cappadocia soon!
You're welcome Suzanne, it was nice to meet you! Yes, I hope that too! 🙂
Wow! If I ever dare go ballooning, that's the place to do it! Perhaps when there aren't so many other balloons though! I'd be nervous about crashing into one of them!
I hope you do dare one day - I loved it. The pilots had control of the balloons down to inches and could navigate
as close to trees as they wanted with out touching.
Wow this is just gorgeous! Hoping to go to turkey next summer and ride in a hot air balloon in cappadocia! Looks absolutely breathtaking! 🙂
Hope you enjoy it as much as we did - it was breathtaking. Thanks for dropping by - check out my other posts on Cappadocia/Turkey and if you need any info drop me a line 🙂
Wow! Such an experience, the view looks stunning and I think that even I would have been able to enjoy it despite my fear of heights.
I must consider doing it next time there will be the chance, cheers for sharing and encouraging me 🙂
Fear of heights? I hope you conquer them and get to experience something like this. You may NOT want to check out my London Shard post!! Thanks for visiting 🙂
I know, I wish I didn't have to deal with such a silly fear but I cannot control it 🙁 I must learn how to get better.. and pretty soon!
So this is the view from up there. 🙂 I can imagine what a thrill i must have been!
We didn't get to ride one when we went to a balloon festival recently (the cost was at least $100 more than your balloon ride). Maybe I'll wait until I get to Turkey, hehe. Thanks for sharing the experience, Suze. 🙂
This was such a wonderful experience and Goreme an amazing town - If you're ever in Turkey it's worth a couple of days detour 🙂