When it comes to Cappadocia, a hot air balloon flight is a must. The way the landscape looks from the bird’s-eye view at sunrise is absolutely breathtaking. This kind of flight gives you a completely different perspective of the region.
Related: 10 things to know before booking a balloon flight
Cappadocia is one of the few places in the world with the perfect climate for such flights as most mornings in Cappadocia are perfectly clear with little to no breeze.
And secondly, out-of-this-world landscapes of Cappadcoia are totally worth getting up at 3 am and rising up to 900 meters high. They are unbelievably beautiful. You can see the magnificent volcanoes, serene valleys dotted with fairy chimneys and colourful rock outcrops.
Most people prefer to schedule their flight for their very first morning in Cappadocia because, sometimes, flights get cancelled due to unfavorable weather conditions, such as strong wind or fog. Although such occurances are fairly rare.
How does a balloon flight go? Well, first of all, you will be picked up from your hotel pretty early, between 4:00 and 5:00 am. Then you will be offered breakfast at the balloon company’s headquarters and delivered to the launch site, where the ground crew will be busy inflating the balloons with hot air. That is a great spot for some amazing photos with flashes of fire in the morning twilight. When your balloon is ready you will get into the basket, get a safety briefing from the pilot and off you go! Up, up and away to greet the rising sun.
Flights normally last for about an hour but, to be honest, it’s hard to keep track of time. Time flies up there! After lifting the balloon to the utmost height (about 900 meters) and giving your the best view of Cappadocia, your pilot will lower the balloon and drift over the valleys, villages and fairy chimneys.
When the flight time is up, the pilot usually lands the basket directly onto the trailer. The gound crew help you climb out and offer you a glass of champagne to celebrate the new experience. After that, you will be taken back to your hotel.
