Visit Cappadocia

“I’d never been in a hot air balloon before, so I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. The take off was a little bit scary. The basket tipped as it was about to go up, and I was scared it was about to tip over! But the pilot, and additional staff on the ground, were super calm and all seemed completely in control. It might have even been meant to do that. And then we had a really gentle proper take off. It was really gentle as we started to float higher – there was hardly any movement in the basket at all, so it felt really safe.”

“Almost as soon as we were in the air, the amazing views started. There was no waiting around to get to the good photo spots. You were instantly surrounded by amazing views, and views of the other balloons. One of the most amazing, and really unique, things about the sunrise hot air balloon rides in Cappadocia is the amount of other balloons that also go up at sunrise. Our pilot told us there were 164 going up that morning. In some ways, the views of the other balloons made the experience even more special. [...] It was just an incredible experience to be floating in the sky, in silence, with all the other balloons around us.”

“Our pilot’s name is Tolga Eke, and with him at the helm, every movement was precise and smooth. As he blasted the hot flames of the burner, it not only lifted the balloon higher into the sky, but also provided some much-needed warmth on a rather chilly morning. The hot air balloon continued to rise, and occasional turns revealed a full 360-degree panoramic view of Cappadocia. From above, we were treated to a surreal landscape of fairy chimneys, valleys, ancient cave dwellings, churches, and hundreds of other balloons dotting the sky. We took turns snapping photos and recording videos. And with the golden hues kissing our faces, I couldn’t help but stop and soak in the beauty of the moment.”