I looked down and held my breath…

I normally keep my feet firmly on the ground but the balloon flight over Cappadocia was such a powerful experience that I decided to share my impressions and break my own rule of publishing only cycling trips photos on this site.

Cappadocia is one of the most picturesque places in the world where one can avail of commercial hot air balloon flights.
Similar services can be found in France, Switzerland or Kenya during animal migration season
but my initial calculations proved that the flights over Cappadocia are relatively inexpensive
and as such definitely worth consideration. To the best of my knowledge,
balloon flights over the Grand Canyon are not possible.

There are currently nine balloon tour operators in Cappadocia.
The prices range from €125 to €230, depending on the type of service
(e.g. the length of flight and the size of the balloon).
The event schedule starts with the collection from your hotel
and ends with a celebration over a glass of champagne,
complete with a flight certificate and a drive back to the cave
(the majority of hotels in the Goreme village resemble caves).

Balloons take off early in the morning (in summer around 6 am),
when the flight conditions are at their best.
Most balloons carry 10 to 20 passengers. The most popular tours
are so called “short flights” (about an hour in the air) and “long flights”
(at least 1.5 hour in the air). The pilot has little influence
on the direction of the flight, he can either ascend or descend,
making the most of the slight differences in the direction of the wind. In the meantime he can also turn the gondola around to ensure that every passenger gets an equal share in enjoying the views.

My in-depth research led me eventually to a tour operator called Kapadokya Balloons. I am convinced that the company offers the highest quality services and guarantees enjoyable time.
The reason behind it is that Kapadokya Balloons is the only company in the area which chooses the starting point for their tours each day based on the current weather conditions. It is important because the pilot, as I mentioned above, has little influence on the flight direction. Well-chosen staring point is a guarantee of a successful flight as the most interesting part of the tour is flying over the canyons rather that over flat ground. This is easily seen from the hill over Goreme. It may require a very early start (as early as 5.30 am) but is definitely recommended. I spent two mornings on the hill and I noticed that only Kapadokya Balloons were floating over interesting spots. Other balloons just seemed to ascend, fly for the agreed hour or so and land. Weather conditions during those two days seemed to be particularly adverse.

The fact of choosing the staring point depending on the weather conditions was for me a deciding factor in my choice of the tour operator. The company has been active on the market for 17 years, the longest of all the operators in the area. It also employs the most experienced pilots, mostly from Europe. Their experience is appreciated especially while flying low over a canyon or even inside it. As I mentioned before, I have no experience in hot air ballooning but I felt really safe with my pilot on board. The feeling of security is a basic condition of good fun and flight satisfaction.

The photographs published in the gallery on this web site are a result of my tour with Kapadokya Balloons and two mornings spent up on the hill overlooking Goreme village. Most of my friends liked the photos and I can assure my viewers that the pictures hardly reflect the real beauty of the scenery which I was lucky enough to admire. As a customer of Kapadokya Balloons I can say without hesitation that the tour was a wonderful, unique experience. Convinced that the company’s services guarantee unforgettable impressions, I suggested to Kapadokya Balloons that I advertise their profile on my web site. If you mention my site while booking a tour over the Internet or in the company’s office in Goreme, you will receive a free gift of unique postcards. I will be pleased to know that thanks to my contribution the company will win even more satisfied customers.

You can send your query on Kapadokya Balloons offer to: fly@kapadokyaballoons.com

The company’s web site is www.kapadokyaballoons.com

I wish you wonderful experiences similar to those that I will keep in my memory for a long time to come.

Leszek Andzel