What happens on a hot air balloon tour in Cappadocia?
The most famous image of Cappadocia is the sky over the valleys filled with colourful balloons. But this sight only happens once each day. As every hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia takes off at sunset... And only then if the weather is on your side. We took our trip in June 2022, and this is what happened.
by @tomokas
Hot air balloon rides in Cappadocia: an itinerary
To start the day, we were collected from our hotel before dawn. In June, this meant the pick-up was at about 4.15am. But the times will vary throughout the year. Then, we drove about 15 minutes out of town to the launch point.
Our company, Türkiye Balloons, gave us a bag of breakfast snacks and water each, which was a nice touch. But I took the short bus ride to get a little more sleep in!
Once at the launch point, we watched the team inflate our balloon. And then it was time to climb in. It’s important that the basket of the balloon is evenly balanced. So an equal number of people are assigned to each section of the basket. We were on a smaller 16-person tour, which meant there were 8 of us on either side of the pilot with four in each section.
by @tomokas
What is a hot air balloon ride like?
When the fire is going and the sun is about to rise, it’s time to fly. The team on the ground let go of the ropes that are keeping the balloon earthbound, and the basket slowly moves towards the edge of the valley.
I expected this to be terrifying (more on whether hot air balloon rides are actually scary later), but it was actually a very smooth and almost unnoticeable take off.
Once you’re off the ground the balloon floats for a while, as the breeze and the flame gradually take you higher.
by @tomokas
In Cappadocia, the balloons float travel the valley with the pilot varying the strength of the flame. This can take you up as high as 2 km (the maximum allowed in Türkiye), as well as much lower to the ground. However, the average height of a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia is around 1 km.
The pilot took us up to the highest point fairly early into our ride, and the rest of our 45 minutes was spent slowly floating slightly higher and lower than the 1 km mark. However, the main thing that ‘happens’ on a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia is taking in the scenery. There’s no need for dramatic highs and lows when the view is so incredible.
by @tomokas
Where to hot air balloon rides in Cappadocia go?
The route takes you over the Rose Valley and Red Valley. You can also see across to Love Valley and Pigeon Valley too. The balloons follow the wind with some help from the pilot. While the team on the ground direct the balloon to a good landing spot.
When it was time to land, the pilot slowly decreased the flame and let gravity bring us back down. We floated into a field beyond the valleys. Here we we were met by our team on the ground, who had been in communication with our pilot for the duration of our flight.
by @tomokas
Is flying in a hot air balloon scary?
The idea of flying in a hot air balloon can sound scary. Especially if you have a fear of heights. However, this wasn’t our experience. Our ride was peaceful and serene, with only the sound of the flame from our balloon and others filling the silence. The take off, journey, and landing were all smooth thanks to the weather and our pilot.
I was scared of a crash landing. But once the balloon is close enough to the ground, the team impressively manoeuvre it so it lands on the back of their trailer. You can find out more about my experience flying in a hot air balloon with a fear of heights in my blog here.
by @tomokas
Is breakfast included in hot air balloon tours?
Our tour included a small bag of breakfast snacks which we received when we were picked up. We were also given bubbles and cake at our landing spot. Other tours offer a more impressive breakfast spread of an increased price. And you can choose from longer trips that are connected with othr tours in the area.
The whole flight was filmed on a GoPro style camera attached to the basket. Türkiye Balloons gave us the chance to buy a copy of the film, which we didn’t. But we did tip the team for their hard work. We were also given a goody bag and a rose each! We were then taken back to our hotel where we caught up on some sleep.
Want to know more? Read my blog: Hot air balloons rides in Cappadocia: are they worth it?
Note: I chose and paid for my Hot Air Balloon tour independently (I didn't even have this blog yet!) This post is not an advertorial and is a true reflection of my experience with Türkiye Balloons. However, if you book yours through my Viator link, I might make a little bit of money through affiliation.