Hot Air Balloon · Tour
Ihlara Valley or Soğanlı Hot Air Balloon Ride, Cappadocia
Almost every balloon photograph taken in Cappadocia shows the same palette: pale rock, bare ridges, not a leaf in sight. This flight goes elsewhere. Ihlara Valley is a deep canyon with vegetation growing along its floor and caves cut into the walls, so what passes under the basket has green in it and a real sense of depth, which the standard routes do not give you. The basket holds about 20 people, a normal size for the region rather than a premium small-basket product. Selime Monastery is among the sights on the Ihlara route, together with the Melendiz River and the rock-carved settlements along the canyon. The alternative is Soğanlı Valley, listed at roughly 45 to 60 minutes from a sunrise take-off, where fairy chimneys stand at the edge of worked farmland and the flight ends with a traditional celebration and a commemorative certificate. Which of the two valleys flies on a given morning depends on the wind and on how the operator has scheduled the day, so the route is worth confirming at booking. Standard Cappadocia rules still apply. Take-off is at first light only, with Turkish civil aviation clearing around 150 balloons a day across the region. Operators get 250 to 300 flyable mornings a year, and the grounded days fall mostly between December and April. Cancelling at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time gives a full refund.
What's included
- Snacks
- Air-conditioned vehicle
Itinerary
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Soganli Valley
Soğanlı Valley is one of the quieter corners of Cappadocia, and the operator describes it as among the region's least disturbed. Take-off is at sunrise, away from the crowds that gather at the main launch fields. From the air the valley reads as a run of ridges fringed with fairy chimneys, with cultivated fields between them and ancient settlements cut into the rock. It photographs differently from the standard Cappadocia routes because the ground underneath has crops on it. The flight lasts approximately 45 to 60 minutes. Once the basket is back down, a traditional celebration follows and a commemorative certificate is handed out.
Costo extra
Good to know
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Up to 14 travelers per booking.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
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- Guiding available in: hi, de, fi, ja, el, en, hr, it, fr, es.
Reviews
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