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People all over the Globe are coming to Cappadocia to fulfil their wish of floating over the Magical valleys of Cappadocia. It's a dream of everybody, especially couples. Every year, millions of people are visiting Cappadocia to mark a tick in their Bucket list.
The Hot Air balloon ride experience in Cappadocia is truly breathtaking and beyond words to describe. We had reserved 2 days for our trip to Cappadocia, but it was not enough time to explore this wanderlust.
We were lucky that the weather was perfect for the flight. Sometimes, the flight also gets cancelled due to weather and air pressure conditions.
Our Experience of Hot Air Balloon Ride:
We had booked our Hot Air balloon ride with our Hotel. We woke up around 4 AM, waking up so early in the morning in our honeymoon days was totally worth for this experience of Hot Air balloon Ride over Cappadocia.
The Tour company had arranged the pick up and the Minivan picked us up from our Hotel around 4:30 AM. It was still dark with a starry sky.
There were already a few people in the van and we stopped in another hotel and pick-up the people from there. The Minivan dropped us to the Restaurant where Tour operators had arranged the Breakfast buffet for the Guests.
Firstly, we had checked-in at the reception and started our Breakfast. Meanwhile, the Pilots were checking the air pressure and weather condition and making a decision about the flight of the Balloons. We were waiting anxiously for their decision as we didn’t want to miss the life experience.
Everything was favorable for the flights- So it was a YES from the Pilots.
There are different options if you are going in a big group then the Price is cheaper. The maximum 24 people can ride in the basket of each Balloon. The Price of the Tour starts from €150 per person to €500+ depending on the selection of the package.
After the breakfast, the company rearranged the guest according to the package and we set off in the van to Hot Air balloon Launch point. It was almost 5:30 AM and still a bit dark. There were lots of people gathered over there with excitement on their faces and looking at their balloons.
The pilots were preparing their balloons for the flights. They were filling it with hot air and it was taking the shape of giant balloons.
The Basket has 4 portions and the pilot is in the centre of the basket from where he was operating the balloon in the direction where he wants to float the balloon.
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If you are going with a big group, everyone will be standing very close to each other. The most expensive package offers an exclusive and private Hot air balloon with seats in the Basket.
After a few minutes, the balloons started taking off in the Air. Our Pilot had also started filling and preparing the balloon. We were standing and excitedly looking at our balloon.
HERE it was - A moment when our dream was about to come true.
The Pilot asked us to come in the basket. We jumped into the basket and made ourselves comfortable. There was also a professional photographer who took our memorable pictures before taking off. The pilot introduced himself and gave us the important instruction about the flight.
Finally, our Balloon took off in the Air very smoothly and we were flying in the air. There were other hundreds of balloons in the Air.
We were totally in love when the sun started rising and the pilot rotated the balloon in such a professional and unnoticeable way that we didn’t recognise it and every guest got the chance to enjoy the sunrise.
The flight was really smooth and we were passing by different valleys of Cappadocia and sometimes, we were really close to the rocks but the Pilot was really expert at managing it safely. The Pilot was also telling us about the different valleys we were passing by.
The view was so alluring, it can’t be explained in words. The Balloon was flying between 500 to 1500 fts over the rocks of Cappadocia and had a magical aerial view of the landscape. Everything was just perfect - the sun kisses, cool breeze of April and Balloon flame keeping us warm and MOST IMPORTANT - having the wonderful Hot Air balloon experience with Better Half.
The total ride was for one hour. The air was soft and the weather was perfect for the flight. We had a very smooth landing in one of the valleys and the Pilot instructed his crew to come and pick us up the Balloon and in few minutes they had removed the Hot Air and folded the balloon.
The table with snacks and drinks was already set up for us. There were still balloons floating in the Air. The Instructor awarded us our flying certificates and we checked our pictures with the Photographer. Each picture costs 20 Lira.
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After the celebrations, the minivan dropped off back to our Hotel around 7 AM.
Tips for Ultimate experience of Hot Air Balloon Ride in Cappadocia:
Booking your Hot Air Balloon Ride in Cappadocia:
There are lots of tour operators in Göreme offering their services for Hot Air Balloon Ride. You can also check with your Hotel where you are staying. But we would suggest booking your Hot Air balloon Ride Online and then plan your Itinerary accordingly.
The Hot Air Balloons don’t fly every day due to the weather conditions. If the Wind is strong, the Pilots cancel the flights. If you plan your trip for 1-2 days and the wind isn’t favorable for the Balloon to fly, you might miss the life time Experience of Hot Air Balloon ride over Cappadocia.
Note: Plan for at least 3-5 days for Cappadocia and book your Hot Air Balloon ride in advance for the first morning of your stay, in case if the wind isn’t favorable then you can get the chance to fly next morning.
In case you have a ride on the first morning, you can enjoy the beautiful view of the balloon floating over you on the next few days from different locations in the valleys. In our opinion, One hour ride is not enough to indulge in the beauty. (we were really lucky that we only had 2 days and we made it).
Ideal Weather for Hot Air balloon:
Whether it's winter or summer, the beauty of Cappadocia is totally mesmerising. The ideal Weather for the ride is between April to October.
We had a flight in mid of April, the weather was perfect. Initially we were a bit cold but we had a huge flame of the Hot Air Balloon which was keeping us warm. Still, we had our jackets with us.
During Winters from November to February, you can still experience the Ride- the weather is very cold, the flame is keeping the riders a bit warm and you can enjoy the magical valleys with snow. We would love to go back some day in winters to experience the Winter wonderland of Cappadocia.
Timings of the Flight:
The flight starts early in the morning between 5.30 AM to 6 AM and it takes around 1 hour. But the Tour operators pick around 4.30 AM and offer a breakfast buffet before flight.
Ending Note:
We would highly suggest to take a Hot Air Balloon Tour with a small group to enjoy the one in lifetime experience to the maximum.
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