When it comes to bucket list experiences, the Cappadocia hot air balloon ride was at the top of my list. There was no negotiating that one. So heading into my month long trip to Turkey, to say I was most excited about visiting Cappadocia would be a massive understatement.
The sunrise Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride is what most people look forward to the most when they travel there. It’s definitely the most popular thing to do there and it’s definitely NOT cheap. But is the Cappadocia hot air balloon ride price worth it?
Yes, it’s TOTALLY worth it!
I won’t keep you in suspense…the Cappadocia hot air balloon ride is 1000% worth the price! And honestly, now that I’m back at home I’m regretting not booking a second flight. It was an hour long flight but it flew by so quickly and I just wish it was longer. I can’t wait to do it again one day somewhere else.
Where is Cappadocia
Cappadocia refers to the region in central Turkey, not actually the name of the town you’ll be staying in. The names of the two towns nearly everyone stays in is Göreme and Uchisar but everyone just refers to it as Cappadocia.
How to get to Cappadocia
To get to Cappadocia you can either drive or fly. There are two airports close by that you can fly into: the Kayseri Airport or the Nevsehir Airport. The Nevsehir airport is about 30 minutes away by car while the Kayseri Airport is about 45 minutes away.
Other options for reaching Cappadocia is to rent a car and drive, arrive with a tour company, or take a bus. There are buses that arrive daily from locations throughout Turkey.
What is special about Cappadocia hot air balloon rides?
The landscape in Cappadocia is so unique and almost seems unreal, that the best way to see it all is from the air. There’s a magical feeling floating above Cappadocia with a hundred other balloons at sunrise. It’s an unforgettable experience.
History of Cappadocia Hot Air Balloons
The very first hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia happened in 1984 and since then demand grew. In 1991 companies started offering commercial flights to tourists and as the demand grew, the number of balloon operators grew.
From 2000-2010 the number of operators grew from around 5 to over 100. Eventually with the number of flights increasing, the Civil Aviation Authority of Turkey stepped in to address safety issues. Flight zones and hot air balloon slot allocations were introduced and the number of balloons allowed to fly per day was set to 154.
Booking a Cappadocia balloon ride
When you’re ready to book your hot air balloon ride, there are a few ways to do it. There are dozens of companies that offer balloon rides in Cappadocia so the first step is to wade through the reviews to find one that you like.
You can find several hot air balloon companies online and you can book your ride directly through their website. There are also tour companies like Get Your Guide and Viator that have dozens of the local companies listed on their sites. What I like about booking through the tour sites is that you can cancel up to 24 hours before your flight. So you can book the flight and then if you find a better deal (or change your mind), you can cancel.
Cappadocia balloon prices
The price of the hot air balloon ride is determined by a few things. Basically it’s a supply and demand issue. Depending on the time of year the demand for the rides goes up and therefore you’ll find prices higher. Prices will be slightly higher from July through October because this is Cappadocia’s busy season.
You’ll find a big range when it comes to the Cappadocia hot air balloon price. Anywhere from $125 on up to over $500. Besides supply and demand, there are a few other things that determine the Cappadocia balloon price too such as the number of people the basket can hold and what type of balloon ride you want.
There are different sizes of baskets that hold between 16-28 people. The less people in the basket, the higher the price will be. We paid slightly more to have a basket with no more than 20 people instead of 28.
You also have the option of booking a private Cappadocia balloon ride. These are flights that have a smaller basket accommodating 4-6 people and the only ones in the basket will be your balloon pilot and your group. These will cost more than the standard large group balloon rides.
Another thing that could affect the price of hot air balloon in Cappadocia is whether or not the balloon companies have filled their balloons. If they haven’t then you could see the hot air balloon Cappadocia price come down a bit for that day.
Booking online vs in person
There are dozens of companies that you can book your balloon flight with online but once you arrive in Cappadocia, there are even more in person. Most hotels offer balloon rides or are partnered with hot air balloon ride companies and we found that the prices in person were much less than the online prices.
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t go ahead and book online. You definitely want to secure a ride before they sell out. However, if you get to Cappadocia and find a deal that will save you a lot of money then you can cancel the online deal as long as it’s more than 24 hours away.
There are some balloon companies that only refund cancellations if your flight is more than a week away so you want to make sure to note what the cancellation rules are.
What if the balloon ride is cancelled?
The Cappadocia hot air balloons are scheduled to take off every single day of the year but ONLY if the weather conditions are good. Cappadocia has great weather conditions for hot air ballooning but it’s dependent on a few things. First, the balloons fly in the early mornings because that’s when the weather conditions are most stable. It can’t be too windy and the temperatures have to be mild.
Who decides if balloon rides are cancelled?
The Turkish Civil Aviation Authority determines if the weather conditions are good for balloon flights and they even have an office in Cappadocia. If they decide that flights have to be cancelled then all balloon rides are grounded for the day.
Do I get a refund if the flight is cancelled?
Yes, you have the option of being scheduled on the next available day or you can get a full refund. This is why you should schedule your balloon ride for your first available morning in Cappadocia. That way if it’s cancelled you can have another opportunity to go up the next day.
What are the odds of cancellation of a flight?
While it’s impossible to predict if a balloon ride will be cancelled, there are some stats on past cancellations. The least amount of cancellations are in August with just 7% of flights being cancelled followed by September and October. January has the highest rate of cancellation at around 70%. The next month with the highest number of cancellations is December.
Again, there is no way to predict if flights will be cancelled in advance so you just have to go and cross your fingers that one of your days in Cappadocia will have favorably conditions for flying.
What to expect on a hot air balloon ride
Taking a Cappadocia hot air balloon ride is a bucket list experience for a lot of people and not surprisingly will likely be the most expensive thing you do there. Even with hundreds of flights happening every single day, you might not know exactly what to expect so let’s go through the entire process from pick-up to drop off.
Pick up
Once the booking has been made, the hot air balloon company will arrange a pick-up from your hotel. The night before your flight, you’ll receive either a text or email with your pick-up time. Pick up times are between 3:30am to 4:30am.
You do not want to miss this pick-up because you won’t get a refund and may not have another opportunity to fly. So make sure you set several alarms to wake yourself up.
Breakfast
Once the shuttle has picked everyone up, you’ll then be taken to the company’s office where you’ll be given a light breafast of some fruit, croissants, or other breakfast items along with water and coffee.
Flight Prep
Once everyone has arrived (there will likely be hundreds of people), you’ll get back in the shuttle van with your group and be driven out to the balloons. At this point it will still be dark so you won’t see much but as you get closer you’ll see dozens of balloons getting prepped for the flight.
There will be several balloons next to each other getting ready to fly and once it’s time to take off you’ll get in the basket and then be given information about the flight. Your pilot will tell you what you can and can’t do during the flight as well as rules for landing the balloon.
Our pilot told us how we would have to get in a particular landing position upon landing but once we started to land he said we were fine and could disregard the landing instructions. The special instructions were really just for an emergency type of landing or weather related issues.
Flight
Once everyone is in the basket, the balloon will start to lift up. You don’t feel any kind of specific movement, no quick jolt, no shaking, nothing at all. You just notice that you suddenly aren’t on the ground anymore. It’s extremely smooth lifting up off the ground.
Duration of flight
Flights last about one hour but can be as little as 45 minutes or go over one hour. It all depends on the wind and where the balloon is headed. You’ll hear the pilots talking to the ground crew about which way the balloon is heading and where to pick up for landing.
We could see on the ground below us, trucks with trailers driving up and down different roads chasing the balloons trying to get as close as possible to where the balloon will land.
Celebration
Once your balloon lands everyone will climb out of the basket and be given a celebratory drink and some kind of flight certificate to commemorate the ride. As that is happening, the ground crew is packing up the balloon onto the trailer.
Drop-off
The shuttle vans arrive to the field where you landed and you’ll get in and be taken back to your hotel.
Best time to visit Cappadocia
Let’s be real, there really isn’t a bad time to visit Cappadocia Turkey. It’s a gorgeous destination and to experience it during any of the four seasons will be a unique experience. But there are more ideal times than others to visit so it really depends on what you want to experience. From the weather to the crowds to prices, let’s figure out when you should go there.
Winter
Cappadocia is located in the central region of Turkey in a mountainous area and experiences all four seasons of the year. Yes, it does snow it Cappadocia in the winter however, the hot air balloons will still fly as long as the weather cooperates.
The winter season is also the slower season so you won’t have a problem with booking a ride and you will likely be able to secure a good Cappadocia air balloon price. So you don’t have to rule the winter out but do know that the majority of cancellations does happen in the winter.
Spring
Spring is an amazing time to visit and to take a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia. It’s not quite full of tourists yet and the weather is getting warmer making it one of the best times to explore. The landscape is green with wildflowers in full bloom and the season’s calm weather conditions are ideal for hot air balloon rides.
Summer
While summer can also be a good time to visit Cappadocia, there are a few things to keep in mind. The summer months in Cappadocia will be the busiest and most expensive. With high demand comes higher prices and less availability for last minute bookings. You’ll definitely want to book your Cappadocia balloon ride early to make sure you have a spot.
That said, the summer season in Cappadocia offers consistent weather that is ideal for hot air balloon rides with longer days of sunshine and clear skies. The longer days allow you more time to explore the region. If you can handle the heat and crowds and can book your balloon ride early, then visiting during this time of year will be fine.
Autumn
With the summer peak season ending, autumn is an excellent time to visit Cappadocia. The temperatures in Cappadocia start to come down a bit, although September will still be pretty warm, but the best part is lesser crowds.
The lush green landscape in Cappadocia begins to turn to shades of red, orange, and yellow and the cooler temperatures of October and early November are perfect for hiking, exploring the valleys, and visiting the ancient cave dwellings.
The weather conditions are also still good for Cappadocia balloon rides and offer stunning aerial views of the fall colors of the region.
What to bring on the Hot Air balloon ride
Taking a hot air balloon ride is a thrilling experience but you do need to be well-prepared for the ride. Here are some essentials to bring:
Clothing
Mornings in Cappadocia will be cooler outside of the summer months so if you’re visiting during the spring and fall you’ll want to make sure you dress in layers. It likely won’t be super cold so you can always take off some of those layers if needed. For winter you’ll definitely need a coat, gloves, and hat in addition to the layers. Make sure you have sturdy and comfortable footwear.
Accessories
The number one thing to bring with you is your camera and/or phone to capture all the stunning views you’ll experience. Make sure it’s fully charged and you’re VERY careful that you don’t drop it as you’re taking photos. I’m sure that’s happened many times before!
If it’s summertime, you’ll want your sunglasses (I wear them all year long) and sunscreen. Even in the morning the sun can be strong. Some other items to consider bringing are a water bottle, a small bag or backpack for your items, and motion sickness pills if you’re prone to that.
Also make sure you have your booking confirmation with you and identification if your tour operator requires it.
Are there any restrictions on a hot air balloon ride?
Riding in a hot air balloon could have some restrictions depending on the country so here are the rules for riding in a balloon in Cappadocia.
Can kids ride in a hot air balloon?
Yes, kids 5 years old and up (some companies say 6 years old) are allowed to ride in a hot air balloon but must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Children also need to be tall enought to be able to see over the side of the basket by themselves as well as understand the safety briefing before the flight.
Can pregnant women fly?
Pregnant women are not allowed to fly in a Cappadocia hot air balloon ride because the landing could be rough and bumpy. Obviously if you are early in your pregnancy you can hide it so it’s up to you to make that decision. If you’re further along in your pregnancy the balloon company will likely not allow you to fly but you should contact the company before booking.
Can people with disabilities fly?
Yes, disabled passengers can fly but because the baskets don’t have a door it’s not possible to get a wheelchair onto the balloon. Also know that you have to use a ladder to climb over the edge of the basket to get into the balloon. If you have a disability or medical issue you may need help getting into the balloon so you’ll need to speak with the company before booking.
Are there any other restrictions?
Yes, while people with medical issues such as heart conditions or breating issues shouldn’t ride, the final decision does come down to the individual. You should consult with your doctor first before making that decision.
If you are afraid of heights, afraid of flying, or have a tendency to experience panic attacks, you may need to reconsider flying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a hot air balloon ride safe?
Probably one of the first thoughts that comes to mind is if it’s safe to fly in a hot air balloon. A hot air balloon might be risky but it is mostly considered safe. The pilots in Cappadocia go through an extensive course that is 15 months long and they have hundreds of hours of flights by the time they are licensed.
What kind of fuel does the hot air balloons use?
Hot air balloons use propane gas to fly the balloons in Cappadocia. They carry several tanks aboard and can fly between 1 to 1.5 hours.
How high do the balloons fly?
There are different things that determine how high a hot air balloon will fly including weather, the weight of the basket, and balloon size but on average hot air balloons can reach up to 3000 feet.
How many balloons fly in Cappadocia
The number of hot air balloons vary depending on the number of tourists wanting to go up but during the peak tourist season (may-sept)/busiest months of the year, more than 150 balloons will fly.
Do the hot air balloons in Cappadocia fly in the winter?
Yes, they do. However there will be more of a chance of flights being cancelled due to weather issues. The balloons will fly even in the snow as long as the weather conditions are good.