Since I got so many YES for hot air balloon flights, I’ve got a brand new post dedicated to this breathtaking experience. Here you can find everything you need to now in order to book and enjoy it at its fullest.
!!! Do not forget to check my previous post where I gave you all the information about Cappadocia: how to arrive, where to stay, what and where to eat, the budget you need for this holiday etc.
As I’ve already said, more than 90% of the tourists visiting Cappadocia are drawn here by this amazing experience, myself included. But the Valley of the Fairy Chimneys is much more than that, believe me.
PRICES FOR HOT AIR BALLOON FLIGHTS
Now, regarding the balloon flight, the prices vary from company to company. According to your choice, the price starts from 110 EUR/person to 200 EUR/person depending on the duration of the flight, the basket size etc.
I will give you the offer I received from my hotel:
–Standard Flight 60 minutes – 16 pax to 24 pax in one basket – 110 EUR cash
– King Flight 90 minutes – 12 pax to 16 pax in one basket – 200 EUR cash
Of course, you can even find private balloon rides for you and your loved one, but that can go up to 2000 Eur. Turkish people are happy to satisfy your every desire since hospitality is so important to them, but everything comes at a price.
OUR EXPERIENCE
We chose the first option of 60 minutes flight which was enough to admire the panorama, enjoy ourselves and take some pictures, but I must say it felt like 10 minutes. You want to see everything and you are so excited that you do not realize how fast the time flies.
We were lucky enough to have the minimum number of persons: 16 plus 2 staff members that were in charge of flying the balloon safely.
When you think about a hot air balloon, you cannot imagine how big it actually is. I had the same problem and I could not imagine how 18 persons will fit into one balloon. But the truth is the basket is composed of five compartments: one bigger in the middle where the staff members stay and four on the sides from where tourists can admire the panorama. That being said, it was not as crowded as I imagined since we only had to share our compartment with another couple.
I do not want to scare you, but our day started at 03.50 with the hotel pick-up in order to fulfill one of our dreams – flying above Cappadocia in a balloon. I know the hour is quite terrifying, but believe me when I say it is all worth. Given the wake up time, you will actually experience sunrise from the balloon which is more than awesome. In fact, it was one of the best sunrises of my life. Taking into consideration that the balloons use hot air in order to fly, it is not hard to image why they only provide this activity in the early morning.
After the pick-up, the driver will take you to the gathering point where you will be registered and assigned to a group. Lucky me, I got the pink one which was pretty nice. They put a sticker on your jacket and you are good to go. Now you will hop on another bus with your hot air balloon colleagues.
So, just 15 minutes away from the hotel, a beautiful valley was expecting us with a volcanic landscape formed by fairy chimneys and colorful balloons ready to hit the sky. I could not believe how many balloons were there, everything looked magical.
In a short time, we were already in the basket ready to hit the sky. The experience itself is hard to put into words and the pictures cannot begin to show you the beauty of the moment. I was waiting for this for a long time, but I was not disappointed at all. You go up and down between the fairy chimneys and you actually pray for it to last a little longer. You see so many other colorful balloons in the valley and you have the sun rising in front of your eyes. Even though it sounds like a Facebook cliché, you feel really blessed of being there at that precise moment.
! HOT AIR BALLOONS TIPS:
- Remember to take a jacket with you as it can be quite chilly in the early morning, even in summer days (See my previous post for weather conditions in Cappadocia);
- Try to secure a spot in one corner of the basket for the best view and photos. That means: do not get into the balloon first because you will end up at the middle, not in a corner. Going up last is the best option 🙂
- If you do get the corner spot, do not forget to be kind and ask the other couple of they also want to stay in that place for at least 10 minutes in order to take photos or just enjoy the landscape;
- While you are up there, allow yourself at least half of the time to admire the beauty of the place. I admit I am a photo lover myself, but the feeling is awesome and you need to fully experience it;
- For those who are afraid of heights or of the idea of falling with the balloon, I just wanna say the flight is extremely smooth and calm. You really should not be scared at all;
- Girl tips: Since you do not have a lot of space for pictures, your hair must look amazing. Try wearing your favorite hat or a colorful scarf!
- Boy tips: If you plan to propose, this is definitely one of the best places to do that. It can get more romantic than this <3
- At the end of the flight, you will have maxim 10-15 minutes to take some photos with the balloons from the valley in the background, be sure to profit, the view is incredible.
- After your flight, you will get a glass of champagne to celebrate and a Diploma certifying that you participated in a Hot Air Balloon Flight in Cappadocia;
As a conclusion, if you have any doubts, throw them away and visit Cappadocia. You will be back with memories for a lifetime and you will always look back with a smile on your face. At least, this is what I did while I wrote this travel blog for you, guys!
If you have any other questions or you need any advice, feel free to write me on Facebook or Instagram!
Till next time!
And remember: life is short and the world is wide… 
