Hot air balloon tours in Cappadocia fly at dawn over the valleys and fairy chimneys around Göreme, in Nevşehir Province. A balloon cannot be steered sideways, so the wind chooses the route, and the weather decides every morning whether the balloons go up at all.
Hot air balloon tours in Cappadocia, Turkey, has been one of the most memorable moments in my guest holidays in Cappadocia, Turkey. Baloon rides started in Cappadocia around twenty years ago and there is a great safety record with high customer satisfaction thanks to two decades-long experiences.
What Is a Balloon Flight in Cappadocia Like?
Balloons start their flight early morning and mostly before the sunrise. Hotel pick up times can be as early as four am in the wintertime. We go to watch balloons rising while the sun rises behind the hills. Following the sunrise, we start ascending on the moonlike landscape of Cappadocia. A standard flight is about one hour but some balloon companies offer ”deluxe” services which can take more than one hour. I strongly recommend having a jacket or some thick sweaters even in the summertime since balloons are having some high altitude flight. Also, there are no toilet or drink services during the flight so I recommend my guests to take this into consideration. Most of the balloon operators use baskets with a capacity of twenty and these baskets are mostly divided into four equal pieces.
Do Balloons Fly Every Day in Cappadocia?
No. A balloon follows the wind, so every flight depends on it. Strong wind, rain, fog or low clouds keep the balloons on the ground, and a bad spell can cancel several mornings in a row. As far as I know, flights go up only with daily permission from the civil aviation authority. However, a pilot can still say no at the launch field.
The decision comes early in the morning, so I recommend my guests keep one spare morning in plan. In winter it is colder, but a balloon over snow-covered fairy chimneys is an amazing sight when the air is calm.
Where Do the Balloons Fly?
Mostly over the valleys around Göreme and Uçhisar. Love Valley, Rose Valley, Red Valley and Pigeon Valley often lie below the baskets, but the wind picks the valley on the day. The soft rock below is volcanic tuff, it comes from old eruptions of Mount Erciyes and Mount Hasan. Wind and water carved it into the fairy chimneys. By the way, Mount Hasan has my first name.
After the flight the day is still long. The rock churches and underground cities are waiting nearby, and I wrote about them in my post on Cappadocia for Christian visitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you watch the balloons in Cappadocia without flying?
Yes. The balloons lift off around sunrise, so a viewpoint in Göreme or Uçhisar gives you a front-row seat from the ground. Go early, because the sky fills with balloons in a short time.
Why are there so many hot air balloons in Cappadocia?
The mornings are usually calm, the valleys are wide and there are open fields for landing. Add the fairy chimneys below, and Cappadocia became one of the best known places for ballooning.
Is a balloon flight in Cappadocia safe?
Flights are regulated by the civil aviation authority and flown by licensed pilots, and nobody goes up in bad weather. Any flight has some risk, so listen to the pilot, especially for the landing.
Book your hot air baloon ride in Cappadocia Turkey today
Balloons, in general, can climb up to 3000 feet (900 meters) higher than the ground level. All balloons are restricted by civil aviation and cannot climb more than 6000 feet (1800 meters). Baloon ride is one the ”must-dos” in a person’s lifetime and I strongly recommend balloon flight to everyone coming to my county. Contact me to get yourself a spot in one of the highest quality serving and one of the safest balloon operators. I hope to see you up in the skies, Hasan Gülday.
