Hot Air Balloon · Tour
Göreme Valley Hot Air Balloon Flight in Cappadocia
Cappadocia flies more balloons than any other destination in the world, and this trip puts a basket over the Göreme valley at first light. Hotel pickup starts the morning, with small snacks, juice and water handed round before the drive out to the field. The launch site is settled in advance by the pilots in line with the day's civil aviation clearance, and the operator's usual departure valleys are Love Valley, the Valley of the Swords, Red Valley, Roser Valley and Devrent Valley. From the basket the ground reads as one eroded cone after another: fairy chimneys standing in loose rows, cave dwellings cut into rock soft enough to work by hand. The balloon travels with the wind over Göreme and the wider region, and average flight time is 60 minutes. Turkish civil aviation caps launches at roughly 150 a day, so the fleet rises together and the sky above the valley fills within minutes of the first burner. After landing there is a toast with non-alcoholic champagne and fruit juice, and every passenger receives a flight certificate. The drive back takes 10 to 15 minutes depending on where the balloon comes down. Flights go at dawn only, and the weather decides each morning: operators here fly somewhere between 250 and 300 days a year, with cancellations bunching between December and April, so booking early in a stay leaves room to be moved to another day.
What's included
- Private transportation
- Flight Insurance
- Snacks
- Flight Celebration
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- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Hotel pick-up and drop off
- Flight Certificate
Itinerary
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Cappadocia
Hotel pickup for all passengers, with small snacks, juice and water handed out once everyone is on board. The vehicle heads for whichever launch area the pilots and Civil Aviation have cleared for that morning. The operator's usual departure valleys are Love Valley, the Valley of the Swords, Red Valley, Roser Valley and Devrent Valley.
Devrent Valley
The balloon travels with the wind, on a line that carries it over Göreme and the valleys around it. Height and heading depend on what the air is doing that morning, so no two flights trace the same route. Average flight time is 60 minutes.
Pigeon Valley
Landing is followed by a short celebration on the ground once the basket is secured. Non-alcoholic champagne and fruit juice are poured for the toast, and every traveller who flew is given a flight certificate.
Goreme
The drive back runs 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how far out the landing area is.
Good to know
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Up to 15 travelers per booking.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
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- Guiding available in: en, tr.
Reviews
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