Hot Air Balloon · Tour
Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Flight, Goreme Fairy Chimneys
This flight runs every day of the season, which is the practical case for it at the mid to upper end of the Cappadocia price range. The take-off site is not fixed either. Pilots move it each morning to whichever field gives the best line through the valleys for that day's wind, so the route follows conditions rather than a set path. Pick-up is from the hotel before sunrise, and hotel transfers and insurance are included in the price. At the balloon station you meet the pilot and the ground crew while the envelope is inflated, and a briefing covers the rules and the safety procedure before boarding. The balloon is approved by the Turkish Civil Aviation Authority, and basket capacity runs from 4 to 28 people depending on the balloon. Maximum altitude is 1000 feet above the ground. The ride lasts one hour, with the fairy chimneys and rock formations of the Goreme valleys underneath as the sun comes up. After landing there is a champagne toast, with apple juice for anyone who prefers it, and flight certificates are handed out. The vehicle then drives you back to the hotel in time for breakfast. Total time from pick-up to drop-off is two to two and a half hours depending on the package. Cappadocia is the most flown balloon destination in the world and flights go at dawn only, so booking early in your stay leaves room to rebook if wind grounds the morning.
What's included
- Champagne toast on landing
- Insurance in accordance with the requirements of the ICAO -International Civil Aviation Organization
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Personalized commemorative flight certificate
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- Hotel pick-up and drop off by luxury vehicle
Itinerary
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İsali - Gaferli - Avcılar, İçeridere Sk., Göreme/Nevşehir Merkez
A team member meets you at this point and takes you on to the take-off spot.
Cappadocia Balloon Tour is scheduled to start early in the…
The tour starts early, before sunrise. A vehicle collects you from your hotel and drives to wherever the balloon is launching that morning. Wear comfortable clothes and flat shoes, which matter more than they sound when you are climbing into and out of a basket. Depending on the weather you may also want a hat or sunglasses. The pick-up time shifts through the year, since it is set by sunrise rather than by the clock.
Goreme National Park
At the balloon station you meet the pilot and the instructors. The envelope is being filled with hot air by then, which is the best photo opportunity of the morning, since once you are airborne the balloon itself is out of frame. The instructors run through the rules that apply during the ride and the safety procedure for take-off and landing. The balloon is approved by the Turkish Civil Aviation Authority and meets the required safety standards. Basket capacity ranges from 4 to 28 people depending on the balloon. The last thing settled before boarding is the route, which the pilot and instructors choose on the morning itself according to the weather and the wind direction.
Cappadocia
Boarding done, the pilot starts the take-off. The climb is gradual, up to a maximum altitude of 1000 feet above the ground. There is no sensation of speed in a balloon, because it travels with the wind rather than through it, so the ground simply drops away underneath. The sun comes up during the flight. Fairy chimneys and rock formations sit directly below, and the low angle of the light picks out ridges and shadows in the rock that flatten out completely by mid morning. The line the balloon takes is set by the air it happens to be sitting in, so no two mornings run the same route. Worth keeping a camera ready, and worth putting it down for a few minutes too.
Goreme National Park
The ride lasts one hour. After that the pilot begins the landing sequence and brings the basket down, and you climb out onto the field. Landing spots vary from one morning to the next, because the route is set by the wind, so the balloon rarely comes down where it took off. What follows is a ballooning tradition rather than a tour extra. The ground team sets up a small ceremony with a champagne toast for everyone who flew. Apple juice is available instead for anyone who would rather not drink alcohol. Flight certificates are handed out during the same ceremony, confirming that you flew the Cappadocia balloon ride. The certificate is the one physical thing you take home from the morning.
Goreme
Once the ceremony finishes, a vehicle is waiting to drive you from the balloon station back to your hotel. You arrive during the morning, in time for breakfast, with the rest of the day still free. Counting pick-up, briefing, flight and the drive back, the whole thing takes two to two and a half hours depending on the package you book. Sunrise shifts through the year, so the pick-up time in winter is not the pick-up time in summer. That leaves most of the day open, which is why the balloon ride usually sits at the start of a Cappadocia itinerary rather than at the end.
İsali - Gaferli - Avcılar, İçeridere Sk., Göreme/Nevşehir Merkez
Not included
- Personal Spendings
Good to know
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
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- There can be sudden flight cancellations due to the wind, fog or some other reasons. Our pilots and local authorities are making the final decisions. Your safety is our first priority.
- Children under 5 years old are not allowed on the Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon.
- Please note that the balloon tour depends 100% on weather and wind.
- Up to 14 travelers per booking.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Guiding available in: en.
Reviews
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