Guide To Turkey’s Cultural Attractions And Hot-Air-Balloon Rides (2024)
Turkey is a nation rich in surreal scenery, spanning two continents and exhibiting a vibrant culture. Although most of us have seen pictures of “candle floss sky,” where vibrant hot air balloons float over craggy lunar landscapes, are there any hot air balloon sightings in Turkey?
Many people have hot air ballooning high on their lists of things to do, and it makes sense. If you’re interested in hot air ballooning, you’ll be happy to hear that Turkey is home to some of the world’s best launch sites. However, Cappadocia is still among the most well-known places for hot air balloons on the planet. The yearly flying festivals in Cappadocia entice tourists from all over the globe to hop on Turkish airline flights and visit this magnificent location and enjoy the breathtaking aerial views of the region’s fairy chimneys, river basins, and gorges.
Turkey’s Top Locations For Hot Air Balloon Viewing & Cultural Exploration
Although there aren’t many hot air balloon viewing locations outside of Cappadocia, the tour you choose might have a significant impact due to the size of the region. Taking a picture with countless balloons in the background can only be achieved from one of the several breathtaking locations, so you may want to stay on the ground for the finest photographic opportunity. To name a few, here are:
Pamukkale
One of the few locations outside of Central Turkey where you may take hot air balloon trips is Pamukkale. Pamukkale, which translates to “cotton castle” in Turkish, is one of the nation’s most breathtaking natural beauty spots and is astonishingly breathtaking from above.
The village in western Turkey is most famous for its hot waters that cascade over terraces of bleached travertine, rich in minerals. Pamukkale is close to Hierapolis, a historic Roman spa town that dates to 190 BC. Roman columns, an ancient lake, a theatre, and a two-kilometre-long necropolis with sarcophagi are among the well-preserved remnants.
From a hot air balloon, you may take in all of these locations’ beauties. At around 240 kilometres from Pamukkale, you may arrange trips from Antalya and Izmir, or you can choose to remain in the town. Although underappreciated, Pamukkale hot air balloon trips are as amazing as Cappadocia tours, and if you’re fortunate, you may be able to avoid the throng.
Göreme Valley
Göreme Valley is the greatest place in Cappadocia and Turkey to watch hot air balloons, and the hill above the town is renowned for dawn and sunset views. The crimson Turkish flag on top of this hill is visible from all across Göreme. The viewpoint is Cappadocia’s busiest, even in the morning, and costs 3TL to access.
If you want a private ride, Göreme Valley is perfect. There are fairy chimneys in the Paşaba Valley to the north of the settlement cave churches and an open-air museum near the village of Göreme. To the southwest is the carved-into-the-rock Uçhisar Castle. These vistas are amazing from above, but the multicoloured balloons are just as lovely from the viewing or hotel patios.
Love Valley
You can go close to the fairy chimneys and have a great view of the sea of hot-air balloons that fill the candy-floss sky at dawn and sunset from the official viewpoint in Love Valley. The hillside has fewer visitors than the Göreme Valley viewpoint, but many hot air balloons take off and land here.
The unusual rock formations of Love Valley, which is located between Avanos and Göreme Road, inspired the area’s name. The valley has also become a favourite place for couples to propose.
The slope and sky above this secret valley are home to 60 million-year-old fairy chimneys made of eroded volcanic ash. The valley is a symbol of Cappadocia, with some reaching 100 feet (30 metres).
Rose Valley
Rose Valley, the ultimate sunset viewpoint in Cappadocia, is situated between Göreme and Çavuşin. Here, visitors and quads congregate to see the sun set below the horizon while simultaneously taking in the sight of numerous hot air balloons in the sky.
The trip from Göreme to Rose Valley takes around 30 minutes, and the fading afternoon light should be ideal for a stroll without the heat of the afternoon sun. Even though the sun rises behind the viewpoint, Rose Valley is busier around daybreak.
This is another reason it serves as a take-off location for a lot of balloons. The pink tint that the light creates on the rocks throughout the day gives it its name.
The best way to see the world is from above in a hot air balloon. The sight of hundreds of balloons rising into the sky and floating there is impressive in and of itself. This amazing display may be seen every morning from many locations throughout the area. Observing the balloons in flight from your hotel’s balcony or window is the most convenient option.
