Your Guide to the Cappadocia Hot Air Balloons
If you’re an avid traveler like myself, who loves finding new destinations via social media, chances are you’ve come across the stunning hot air balloons in Cappadocia, Turkey. When I first stumbled across the hot air balloons, it was back in 2016 and I immediately hopped onto Google flights and searched up “Cappadocia.” Unbeknownst to be, Cappadocia is technically a region in Turkey, not a town. There are loads of different towns within this region, but the one that everyone flocks to in order to see and ride the hot air balloons is called Goreme.
In this blog post, we’ll delve into all things involving the Cappadocia hot air balloons, offering advice and helping you plan this bucket list adventure!
How to Get to Goreme (Cappadocia) – The Gateway to the Balloons
When planning your trip to Cappadocia, keep in mind that Goreme is the town you want to head to in order to experience the hot air balloons properly. A quick hour and a half flight (approximately $50 USD) from Istanbul to Nevsehir Airport will get you to this remarkable region. From there, you can expect an hour drive to get you into the heart of Goreme. I recommend either taking a taxi or checking to see if your accommodation offers airport transfer. My hostel had a shuttle for an additional fee so I went with that option.
How Long Should I Stay in Cappadocia
To fully immerse yourself in all that Cappadocia has to offer, I recommend staying for a minimum of three nights. While the hot air balloons are undoubtedly the main attraction, there are numerous other activities and sights within this region that you don’t want to miss. You also want to ensure you have some wiggle room to reschedule your ride in the case of bad weather.
Where to View the Hot Air Balloons
During my stay, I chose the budget-friendly Hostel Terra Vista, which featured a rooftop with stunning views of the hot air balloons at sunrise. However, there are various viewpoints all across Goreme that provide just as good, if not better, views of these balloons. Aydin Kiragan Tepesi is a popular viewpoint many people from my hostel headed to in order to catch a glimpse of the balloons. Don’t forget to check with your hotel as well, as plenty of accommodations in the area offer rooftop views for your experience.
View from my hostel roof right as the first balloons started coming up
Riding the Balloons
I visited Turkey three months into my around the world trip and riding in a hot air balloon was the first expensive experience I splurged on. It had been on my bucket list for so long that I knew this was going to be something I spent my money on. My hostel offered a deal where if you book through them, you could go for right around $200USD. I also recommend checking TripAdvisor for other tour companies.
What I didn’t realize when researching this was that you would be sharing the balloon with a lot of other people. Obviously I knew it wasn’t going to be a private experience but I didn’t realize how many people fit in these seemingly small balloons. I opted for the 20 person balloon but there was a cheaper option for the 28 person balloon.
I got picked up at 4:00A.M and the time in the air was about 45 minutes to an hour which was perfect. We got to watch them inflate the balloon and after, was treated to non-alcoholic champagne and a flight certificate. I was back at my hostel by 7:30AM for the free breakfast.
Conclusion
I hope this post gave you a little more insight into traveling to Cappadocia for the hot air balloons as well as what that experience might look like for you. If you are planning this trip, be prepared for a magical adventure. Happy travels!
