Turkey’s Cappadocia region has an ancient history, a naturally unique landscape and, in recent years, a sky filled with hundreds of colorful hot air balloons.
The Cappadocia region of Anatolia sits on a plateau in the center of Turkey, surrounded by volcanic rock formed into valleys, caves and natural rock spires called fairy chimneys. The area has remnants from the Byzantine and Islamic eras, including churches and underground cities. Some of the oldest documents and artifacts in the Anatolia region, dating back to the third millennium BC, were found in the Cappadocia. Though the area has seen thousands of years of history, its more recent fame has come from hot air ballooning. Hot air ballooning in Cappadocia started in the last several decades, originally beginning as an advertising tool in the 1980s. By the 1990s, hot air ballooning was open to the public and travelers as a way for people to see the diverse landscape of the area.
Hot air ballooning is particularly popular in Cappadocia because there is very little wildlife present, allowing balloons to fly close to the ground and provide a clear view of the landscape. The flights often reach 3,000 feet, giving passengers a view of the valleys in the area, including the Red Valley, Rose Valley, Meskendir Valley and Love Valley. When balloons descend closer to the ground, the famous fairy chimneys are visible to passengers as well. Balloon flights usually take place early in the morning, typically beginning around dawn. More than one hundred balloons go up each morning, becoming part of the scenery in Cappadocia themselves. Although the primary season for ballooning is April through November, travelers can reach new heights year round, including winter flights which provide passengers with a snow-covered view.
Cappadocia ballooning, over Fairy Chimneys. hadsie. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Ballooning in Cappadocia typically costs $150-250 per person, although prices vary depending on the length of the flight and the size of the group. Since ballooning has gained popularity, visitors often have to reserve a flight well in advance. The hot air balloons started as a way for travelers from around the world to get a glimpse of the unique landscape of the Cappadocia region, but now the colorful balloons have become part of the area’s scenery, as people will gather early each morning just to watch the balloons take flight.
Dana Flynn
Dana is a recent graduate from Tufts University with a degree in English. While at Tufts she enjoyed working on a campus literary magazine and reading as much as possible. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she loves to explore and learn new things.